2.342 Because We Believe...

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth, a bold reminder that our lives are meant to carry his flavor, his truth, and his love to the world. Join me each day to explore one verse of scripture and one thought, striving to stay full of savor and truly live as savory salt. Hello, my friends.

It's great to have you with me. Today, let's be anxious, engaged in a good cause, and bring to pass much righteousness. I believe, do you?

When's the last time you were having a conversation with a friend or family member and you just whipped out one of the Articles of Faith? Let's talk about that a little bit this week as we're reading this week the Articles of Faith, as well as the Official Declarations number one and two. A little bit different scripture study this week.

And in terms of the Book of Mormon, we're reading Ether chapters 8 through 11. A lot of movement happened on there. Let's get into this conversation about the Articles of Faith.

Fascinating chunk of our beliefs. These are our core pillar beliefs, right, as written by Joseph Smith in a letter to a newspaper that was seeking to understand the Church. First of all, let's establish something: I'm not going to take the Articles of Faith and look at them as if they're different verses.

So let's just do a review here of the Articles of Faith and then share a thought on the backside of it. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.

We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth. We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion, the New Jerusalem, will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Now, for those of you who have, I'd like you to consider for yourself, throwing just one word on the front end of it, and then finishing the sentence. Enjoy the whole thing. Stay with me.

The Holy Spirit, the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost. What does your life look like? Because we believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgressions, what does your life look like?

You see, my friends, these Articles of Faith, they aren't just things that we ask Primary children to memorize. These are the core tenets of our belief system. There's been times in my life where I've been able to turn to these as a pillar to start.

I hope that you take an opportunity to consider these one by one and ask yourself, 'Because I believe this, what does my life look like?' You do that 13 times, you absolutely will have the spirit of revelation and an opportunity to feel your testimony grow as the Lord testifies of their truthfulness to you. That's all for today, my friends. Lift up your hearts and rejoice. Cleave to the covenants you have made, and together we will be savory salt.