In this first part I want to talk a bit about how I came upon studying the Light of Christ. To begin with, I want to define a couple of words.
Truth: Things as they really are; reality or actuality.
Gospel: The Atonement and all doctrines and practices connected to it.
My adventure with the Light of Christ began back in 2006 when I was on my mission. I was serving in Herkimer, New York and Elder Stephen Busath was my companion. We happend to have dinner at the home of Brother and Sister John Lund and we were talking with Brother Lund and his son Eric who had returned from his mission something like a year before.
Brother Lund was always good to talk about doctrine with--he had (and I imagine he still does...) an envious knowledge of the Gospel! He asked us the question, "What is the Gospel?" It seems like an easy question, but when you start thinking about it, it is a question that could occupy your mind for quite some time!
We concluded that the Gospel is essentially the Atonement of Christ. Gospel also means, "good news" or "glad tidings". So when the angel appeared to the shepherds that starry night so many years ago he was basically saying, "Behold, I bring you [the Gospel...the Savior...the Atonement], which shall be to all people" Luke 2:10.
Our opinion that the Gospel was essentially the Atonement was substantiated by the words of the Savior in 3 Nephi 27, verse 13, "...I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you--that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me." i.e. the Atonement.
To be continued.......
How would you define the Gospel?
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