Difference between revisions of "First Principles of the Gospel"
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| − | The Articles of Faith are a simple but effective compilation of many basic beliefs of Mormonism. | + | The [http://www.mormonwiki.com/mormonism/The_Articles_of_Faith Articles of Faith] are a simple but effective compilation of many basic beliefs of Mormonism. |
The 4th Article of Faith states that “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.” (Joseph Smith). | The 4th Article of Faith states that “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.” (Joseph Smith). | ||
Revision as of 16:28, 28 December 2005
The Articles of Faith are a simple but effective compilation of many basic beliefs of Mormonism.
The 4th Article of Faith states that “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.” (Joseph Smith).
Faith in God
The first principle of the Gospel in Mormonism is faith. When we talk about faith, we don’t refer to the common use of the word. People speak of having faith in principle, people or things, but when we discuss this principle in the Restored Gospel we talk about faith in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What exactly is faith in God? Faith in God is more than a vague belief in Him. To have faith in God means to trust Him, to have confidence in Him, and to be willing to act in our lives according to our belief in Him. It has been said that faith is truly a principle of action and power.
Faith is awakened when people hear or read the word of God. In the Book of Mormon we read that to have faith is to “hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21). Similarly, in the Bible, Paul explained, "Now faith is the substance [meaning the assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence [meaning the demonstration or proof] of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1). Men and women must live by faith, because divine realities are veiled from our physical senses.
It has been said that faith is truly a principle of action and power. True faith is not only a belief but it includes good actions. To have faith doesn’t mean only to accept mentally a certain belief of principle but it requires its implementation.
When we fail to act on our beliefs we show a lack of real faith. Truly Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21 . Righteousness improve our faith, while sin and wickedness diminish it. Not keeping the commandments of God brings not only a loss of the Spirit of God but also a loss of faith. This fact leads us to the second principle of the Gospel; repentance.
Repentance
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to be happy. Sin, or any sort of iniquity, makes people unhappy, because as taught by the Book of Mormon “wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10). Thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father has provided a way for us to repent and be forgiven for things we have done wrong.
A modern Mormon Prophet said that repentance is "to change one's mind in regard to past or intended actions or conduct" (McKay, p. 14). In the Bible the Apostle Paul observes that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23) and for this reason, the Lord Jesus Christ "gave commandment that all men must repent" (2 Nephi 2:21). The implication of the previous scriptures is that repentance is necessary for every soul who has not yet reached perfection (and this includes any person who ever lived in this earth with the exception of Jesus Christ).
Usually in the Mormon Church we teach that in order to properly repent we need: • To confess our sins to God. • To feel a sincere sorrow for our sins. • To ask God to forgive us. • To do all we can to correct the problems our actions may have caused. • To turn away from our sins and not repeat them. Thanks to the Atonement of Christ, our sincere repentance brings forgiveness and greater peace in our life and it prepares us to live with our Heavenly Father in the life to come.
