Christianity is Changing

As I was watching President Boyd K. Packer's talk, The Reason for Our Hope, the first thing that stood out to me was what he said about the Topical Guide's references to Jesus Christ.

18 pages, very fine print, single-spaced, listing references to the subject of “Jesus Christ.” It is one of the most comprehensive compilations of scriptural references on the subject of the Savior that has ever been assembled in the history of the world.

I had never thought that anything about the Topical Guide was very impressive, but this is. This also offers convincing evidence that we are, in fact, Christians (As if the name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints didn't already give it away). Many of those who claim that we're not Christian argue that point because we use a book of scripture other than the Bible, but if any of them actually read the Book of Mormon, they'd notice how many times it refers to Jesus Christ, and if they read it carefully, they'd notice that nothing in the Book of Mormon contradicts anything taught in the Bible. Of course, there many be some differences, caused by translation errors and limitations, and our personal beliefs about the nature of Jesus may differ from theirs, but I don't think the differences are great enough for either of us to not be considered Christians.

I think that the defining characteristic of a Christian is the desire and effort to follow the example of Jesus Christ. If you try to develop Christlike attributes and maintain a Christlike attitude, then you are a Christian. In fact, I'm not sure whether you even need to believe in the existence and divinity of Jesus Christ to be a Christian, according to the way I see it. I think that a person who strives to develop Christlike attributes just for the benefit of mankind, even if he thinks that there is no afterlife, that Jesus Christ was a lunatic, and that all organized religions are scams, is still more of a Christian than someone who professes to follow Jesus Christ but really doesn't even try. Being a Christian has less to do with one's mind or mouth and more to do with one's heart. You can believe in Jesus and say you follow Him, but if His teachings aren't in your heart, then aren't you kind of missing the point? Jesus isn't just trying to save us, He's trying to change us. If you're not changing, then are you really a Christian?

Personally, I do believe in Jesus Christ and I say (not in person so much, but at least online) that I try to follow Him, but is that really true? Am I really trying to follow Him? Are his teachings changing my heart? It's a matter of self-reflection, one that I think we should all undertake from time to time. To quote a historical fiction book that I just finished reading at around 2am the other night, "It has seemed to me that each year one should pause to take stock of himself, to ask: Where am I going? What am I becoming? What do I wish to do and become?"

I wish to be and become a better Christian. That's going to take a lot of work to change my nature and a lot of grace to forgive me for it, but it's an ongoing process for all of us, made possible by the One who wants nothing more than for us to undergo the changes required to emulate Him. Christ grew from grace to grace, and so should we. We should try to follow His example in all things, and that means that we should never stop trying to change for the better until we become perfect. None of us are perfect, so none of us who consider ourselves Christians should stop striving for self-improvement. It's a long, hard path, but it's the path the Savior followed, and we've all pledged to follow Him. That, in my opinion, is what Christianity means - continually changing to become ever more like Jesus Christ.