On the volunteer application, I listed my religion as LDS and apparently the lead sports minister didn't realize what that meant because he assigned me to coach two teams and then called me a couple weeks later to explore my faith. He and/or some parents were uncomfortable when they learned what church I belonged to. But some of my answers on the application form about my faith had given him no discomfort, so we agreed that I would teach the devotionals and he and parents were welcome to listen in. If they felt uncomfortable with what I was teaching after a devotional or two, I would be happy to step aside and let someone else lead those gatherings.
I guess he had second thoughts because on the day we were supposed to give the gospel presentation, he asked to take over for me. :) I didn't push back. It's his church and his program, so I respect his right to do that. I'm just grateful for the service their church offers to our community by hosting these leagues. But since I missed the chance to share the gospel with those boys, I want to share some of my core beliefs here. If you're not interested in religion or my faith specifically, this would be the post to skip. But since this is at the core of what drives me, if you're interested in who I am, I recommend you read it.
The Gospel
I believe there is a God in heaven who loves us. I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. I believe that because we fall short of living according to principles of truth, justice requires a punishment that separates us from that God who loves us. But the gospel, which derives from an Old English word godspel meaning 'good tidings', is the good news that Jesus Christ has paid the price for us. He took the punishment in our place and He offers us His mercy and His grace (divine love/power/help) in place of the judgment that would befall us on our own.
An artist's depiction of Jesus in Gethsemane (Luke 22:41-44)
Knowing this, we all have the opportunity to accept or reject this gift of mercy that's offered to us. Rejecting isn't hard; you just keep doing what you're doing. Acceptance isn't really that hard either, but ultimately it will require everything we have - a total surrender to God - but the benefits are beyond imagination. We start with accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. In my church's parlance, we call that faith. He asks us to exercise faith that this fantastic story of redemption might be true. Christ then asks us to take His gift and do good with it by trying to improve ourselves, trying each day to be a little more like Him. Again, I'll use my vernacular - He asks us to repent. The german word for repentance is 'Umkehr', which literally means to 'turn around'. He asks that we change direction when we find we're going the wrong way.
Then He asks us to formally accept His name through a physical symbolic act called baptism. Being buried in the water and coming out again symbolizes death/burial and renewal - the death of the old man of sin and the birth of a new man, born again through the power of Christ's redemption (Romans 6:6). Following baptism, we are asked to receive God's Spirit, sometimes called the Holy Ghost (see, for example, John 3:3-5). This Spirit allows us to connect with God and helps us in many other ways. Finally, He wants us to keep on the path, doing those things we've learned to do through those first four steps. So the five things asked of us to make Christ's sacrifice of value to us are:
1. Faith
2. Repentance
3. Baptism
4. Holy Ghost
5. Keep it up ... rinse, repeat, etc.
If I had been allowed to give the devotional at soccer practice, I would have used simpler wording and I would have stopped at faith because that's what the Baptist church wanted me to teach. And up to that point, I don't think there would have been any discrepancy between what I believe and what any other Christian believes. One minor divergence that we would have been close to - I have heard many churches quote a scripture that says "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Roman 10:9) and teach that such a verbal acceptance is wholly sufficient to save us. But then they go on to preach that we should be good people, do our best, etc. Which probably means we actually believe the same thing, but we use different words.
The problem with the conclusion drawn from that passage, in my mind, is that the reader is taking a single verse in isolation (for a contrary view from faith being all-sufficient, read the book of James, particularly James 2:19-20). Tolstoy wrote a whole book inspired by a single scripture taken in isolation (The Kingdom of God is Within You) and drew some conclusions that, in my opinion, really don't jive with the rest of the Bible. It's a GREAT book, actually, but I think Tolstoy is missing some things. Other passages in the Bible clearly indicate there are other things God expects of us in order for us to fully avail ourselves of the gift that Christ offers. Most notably concerning baptism. I think the five steps I've outlined above are a decent summary of those things. But I welcome feedback.
I belong to a church that is sometimes called the Mormon Church. I'm pretty confident that everything I wrote above would be accepted officially by the authorities of my church. And yet so many people are convinced that 'Mormons' are not Christians. I really think that's why my minister friend took over the devotional that day. I think he saw me as an unbeliever. And that's ok. He's a really nice guy. I know he means no harm. But here's a little more evidence that I might just be a Christian.
I Am A Christian
I don't like the term 'mormon'. I think it's confusing. I almost never use it. The official name of my church is 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'. Note the prominence of the name of Jesus Christ. That has been the name of the church since 1838, just 8 years after the church was founded. We believe in scripture in addition to the Bible, most notably the Book of Mormon (hence the 'Mormon' nickname given to the church, originally by the church's enemies). The subtitle of the Book of Mormon is 'Another Testament of Jesus Christ'. The name of Christ is all over that book. Here are a few of my favorite passages:
... we talk of Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. (2 Nephi 25:26)
... he [Christ] shall be born of Mary ... and he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind ... and he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; (Alma 7:10-12)
Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah ... (2 Nephi 2:8)
The Messiah in the last reference refers to Christ. The English word Messiah comes from a Hebrew word Moshiach/Mashiach meaning 'the anointed one'. The word Christ comes from the Greek word Christos (Χριστός) meaning 'the anointed one'. Same thing. You get the idea. I recognize people of the Jewish faith dispute the idea that Jesus was the promised Messiah, but early Christians gave the title of Christ to Jesus to semantically establish that equivalence and we have been doing so for the last 2000 years or so - it's a matter of faith. Etymologically, though, there is no dispute that Messiah = Christ.
There are many, many more passages about the Savior to be found in the Book of Mormon. I believe that book to be scripture, like the Bible. With faith on those two written witnesses that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, I worship Jesus Christ as my Savior and I'm trying to become a little more like Him each day. And I claim to be a Christian. I don't think my claim is outlandish, do you?
For more on what the Atonement of Christ means to me, take a look at this post from about six months ago.
