The Unique Gift of Jesus Christ

Think about the last time you gave someone a car. If you have never given a gift like this, imagine giving someone you love a car. Did that person have words to express how thankful they were? Did they even know what to say? It’s very difficult to express sincerely an emotion that is deep and powerful.

When I ponder the Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to Earth so that he could take upon himself the pains, the sicknesses, the death, the infirmities and the sins of his people — I don’t have words to express what that means to me. I have felt exquisite pain so intense that I thought I would rather die. He felt that pain multiplied by millions and he chose not to die. He only “gave up the ghost” or in other words died, when he had finished his work.

How do I acknowledge a gift that big? A gift that, if it were just for me, would be more profound than I have words to express.

In the Old Testament, the believer was commanded to acknowledge the passover. This yearly ritual reenacted the Lamb of God giving his life for the sins of his people in a symbolic way using a fluffy, white, first-born lamb. In Numbers 9:10-13 it says that no matter how unclean you are or where on your journey you find yourself, you must still keep the passover. Of especial note is the verse that says that if you have no extreme circumstances hindering you and you still choose not to keep the passover, you will bear your own sins. The choice to not participate was a choice to carry the weight of your own pain. Back then, a person was offered redemption as they participated in the ritual.

During his mortal life on Earth, Jesus Christ changed the ritual. He was the Lamb and he symbolized his gift to all mankind by offering bread and wine to each person who participated with him. He gave them a gift and said, this symbolizes my body or this symbolized my blood. His followers didn’t know what to say. How would someone acknowledge a gift like that?

In old times a priest offered the sacrifice for the people (Hebrews 7). In Christ’s new covenant, the believer was asked to offer themselves - to sacrifice their heart’s desires, their mind’s explanations and their free will.

Many Christians believe in the concept of baptism. I believe baptism is necessary but it is only “a witness.” Witnesses are called to testify in a case. The proof rests on witnesses but if there’s no evidence in the mind and heart of the believer, then Christ will say, “I never knew you.”

Jesus Christ’s gift that saves us from death and cleanses us from sin and upholds us despite our infirmities is for all mankind. It is for any and all races, creeds and nationalities who enter in at the gate and become “his.” Yes, he “is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.” (Alma 7:14) Yes, he can “take away the sins of the world” (ibid) but his gift is to “take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.”

The gate is baptism. The path requires systematically laying aside every sin that reflects an imposition of my will over God’s commands. The act of repentance is the act of me changing my will to reflect oneness with God. It is my personal commitment to stay the course of the righteous no matter how isolated I become in my journey.

Alma said, “he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.” (Alma 34:16) This quote reflects the same idea that was found in Numbers, if a person chooses not to participate, they choose to carry their own burden of pain as demanded by justice.

These ideas that I have expressed do not jive well with the modern Christian interpretation that all I have to do is declare my faith and I’m saved by grace. While a declaration of faith is certainly good, and any Christian would offer it, I cannot see in it a strong proof of the heart and mind of a person. The road to hell is paved with good intentions and loud declarations. The path that acknowledges Jesus Christ’s gift is more difficult. It requires the exercise of faith. It is becoming one with God.

Lamb Image: used with permission