“On this glorious Easter Sunday, I have chosen to speak first about the Resurrection, which is a pillar of our faith.”
As I thought about this, I thought about the phrase “He Is Risen” which is what Christians say to each other on Easter morning. I wonder what the reaction would have been from the audience if Oaks had said this at the beginning of his talk.
The first time I heard this phrase, along with its reply was from Michelle after I left Mormonism. I know I would have been really confused as a Mormon if any church leader said this on Easter morning. Which is sad in a way because they are missing out on part of the celebration of Easter.
I think if he was going to talk about Jesus’s Resurrection this would have been a wonderful way to start. Of course, there would have been more than a few confused expressions on people’s faces, but still a wonderful way to begin a talk on Easter morning.
His resurrection means different things for them than they do for Christians. For us it’s knowing he paid the price for our sins, because of his sacrifice we have the reassurance of eternal life with him in our own resurrected body. For the Mormons it means if they do their best to follow all the doctrines and commandments of their religion, they have the possibility of living in the Celestial Kingdom with God.
Article of Faith 3
“We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”
His sacrifice only “makes it possible” for them to live in the Celestial Kingdom. In their manual In Chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel it reads:
“Jesus Christ is central to God’s plan. Through His Atonement and Resurrection, Jesus made it possible for each of us to receive immortality and eternal life.”
Jesus did so much more than “make it possible” for them to be saved and eventually resurrected. He paid the whole price not just a portion for their salvation.
Colossians 2:13 -14
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross”.
1 John 2:2
“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
There are many more bible verses I could list that teach us what the sacrifice of Jesus means to us and our salvation.
I pray one day they will celebrate Easter with the joy Christians do and feel a security in their salvation because of what he did for them.
In Christ,
Melissa Grimes