Jesus Is the Christ

This week, I’ve written about two of the three purposes of the Book of Mormon, as set out on its Title Page:

1. To show us what great things the Lord has done for prior generations
2. To help us understand the covenants of the Lord, so that we would know that we are not cast off forever

Today, I’m writing about the third and most important purpose of the three: to testify that “Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.”

The Greek word Christos (Χριστός) means “the Anointed One.” Just as the prophet Samuel anointed King David (1 Samuel 16:13), God had anointed someone greater than David to be the ultimate king, who would free Israel from all oppression. The Hebrew word for this king was Mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ), which is sometimes transliterated as Messiah. For example, the Samaritan woman who spoke with Jesus at the well said, “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.” Jesus replied, “I that speak unto thee am he” (John 4:25-26).

Lehi taught his sons that this Messiah would be the Savior of the world, that He would live among the Jews, be baptized, and be raised from the dead. (See 1 Nephi 10:4-11.) He emphasized that “redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah” and that we can return to God’s presence only through “the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah” (2 Nephi 2:8).

Lehi’s son Jacob learned from an angel that this Messiah would be known as “Christ.” (See 2 Nephi 10:3.) Thereafter, Book of Mormon authors, including Jacob’s brother Nephi usually refer to the Savior as “Christ” instead of “the Messiah.”

Nephi tells us that, “according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Then he adds, “There is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved” (2 Nephi 25:19-20; see also Acts 4:10-12). Nephi’s primary purpose in writing is to convince his readers that “Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God…and that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him” (2 Nephi 26:12-13).

Six hundred years later, when Jesus visited Lehi’s descendants after His death and resurrection, He introduced Himself by saying, “I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (3 Nephi 9:15, 3 Nephi 11:10; see also 3 Nephi 20:31, Ether 3:14).

Mormon knew that God would make his book available to future generations for this purpose: “that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Mormon 5:14).

When you need to be saved, it’s important to know who is willing and able to save you. Together with the Bible, the Book of Mormon testifies boldly that Jesus is the only one who can provide eternal salvation to us and to all of God’s children.

Today, I will be grateful that God anointed Jesus to bring us back to Him. As we study the Book of Mormon this year, I will look for the evidence it provides that Jesus is that Anointed One—the Messiah, the very Christ.