John 17:3 is today's scripture mastery:
In this verse, Christ teaches some very important things. First, we have another example of Christ and the Father being separate persons (otherwise why would Christ be praying to Himself, and referring to Himself in both first and second person. . .) A few (of the many) other examples of the fact that they are separate are when Stephen saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God (Acts 7:55), and Joseph Smith seeing God the Father, and the Son, Jesus Christ (Joseph Smith-History 1:17)
Second we learn that to gain Eternal Life, we must know God the Father, as well as Christ, his Son.
How can we do that? Well, as we learned in yesterday's post, the more we keep the commandments of God, the more we will be blessed, and, as another bonus, we will come to know Him more and more.
John teaches us a little more on how in (John 14:8-12)
The more Christlike we become, the closer we come to gaining Eternal Life. If we gain Eternal Life, we will actually come to know Christ and the Father in a very real way. We will be welcomed back in to their presence with a hug, and will hear directly from them "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23) That will make all the trials and troubles in life be well worth it! Can you imagine the joy and peace that will bring?
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.This scripture is part of the prayer that Christ said just before He suffered for the sins of the world in the Garden of Gethsemane, and afterwards was crucified on the cross in the garden of Gethsemane.
In this verse, Christ teaches some very important things. First, we have another example of Christ and the Father being separate persons (otherwise why would Christ be praying to Himself, and referring to Himself in both first and second person. . .) A few (of the many) other examples of the fact that they are separate are when Stephen saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God (Acts 7:55), and Joseph Smith seeing God the Father, and the Son, Jesus Christ (Joseph Smith-History 1:17)
Second we learn that to gain Eternal Life, we must know God the Father, as well as Christ, his Son.
How can we do that? Well, as we learned in yesterday's post, the more we keep the commandments of God, the more we will be blessed, and, as another bonus, we will come to know Him more and more.
John teaches us a little more on how in (John 14:8-12)
Basically, it boils down to following the example of Christ. Christ always did what the Father wanted him to do. We should do what Christ wants us to do. The more we do that, the more we come to know Christ, and the more we know Christ, the more we come to know the Father.9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
The more Christlike we become, the closer we come to gaining Eternal Life. If we gain Eternal Life, we will actually come to know Christ and the Father in a very real way. We will be welcomed back in to their presence with a hug, and will hear directly from them "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23) That will make all the trials and troubles in life be well worth it! Can you imagine the joy and peace that will bring?
Silly how we choose fool's gold sometimes.
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