“Thus Shall My Church Be Called”

The apostle Paul was unhappy to see factions emerging in the church in Corinth. Members were differentiating themselves from one another by identifying with different church leaders. Paul reminded them rather forcefully that their allegiance was to Jesus:

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Corinthians 1:12-13

If we are truly disciples of Jesus Christ, then we should be known by His name. Put another way, we ought to clearly recognize the difference between Jesus, who King Benjamin called “the Lord Omnipotent” (Mosiah 3:5), and His representatives, who may be admirable people but who are nevertheless mortal and fallible.

The Savior taught the same principle on the American continent. When His disciples asked Him what to call His church, He responded:

How be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.

3 Nephi 27:8

In 1830, the Lord directed Joseph Smith to reorganize His church. The revelation which provides instructions for how to do that begins by clearly identifying who the church belongs to:

The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh…

Doctrine and Covenants 20:1

For the first few years, the Church was formally known as “the Church of Christ,” although it’s interesting to note that even in that first revelation, the Savior distinguished the church “in these last days” from His church which was established in earlier times.

About four years later, on May 3, 1834, a group of church leaders in Kirtland, Ohio unanimously voted to change the name of the Church to “THE CHURCH OF THE LATTER DAY SAINTS” (Minutes, Kirtland Township, Geauga Co., OH, 3 May 1834). While no reason was given for the change in the meeting notes, Oliver Cowdery, who was present at the meeting, wrote two editorials in the May and June issues of The Evening and the Morning Star, explaining the use of the word “saints” to identify members of the Church and explaining the need to “distinguish [church members] from all other people.”

The apostle Paul addressed most of his epistles to the “saints” in various regions. (See Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2.) He wrote that new converts should consider themselves to be “fellowcitizens with the saints” (Ephesians 2:19) and that one of the purposes of the church was “the perfecting of the saints” (Ephesians 4:12). For him, the word “saint” was synonymous with “church member.” Since the word “saint” means “holy one,” this is clearly an aspirational, not a descriptive title.

Nephi used the same term to describe church members in Paul’s time. He foresaw persecutors who would “slay” or “destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity” (1 Nephi 13:5, 9). He also saw that in our day, “the power of the Lamb of God” would “[descend] upon the saints of the church of the Lamb,” and that they would be “armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14).

Nephi also used the phrase “latter days” to describe our time. (See 1 Nephi 15:13, 18-19.) His father, Lehi, used the same terminology (2 Nephi 3:5, 12), as did the Savior (3 Nephi 16:7).

So the term “Latter-day Saints” has a strong scriptural basis.

In April 1838, the Lord made a correction to the name of His church. Speaking to a group of church leaders in Far West, Missouri, He declared:

Thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Doctrine and Covenants 115:4

I think it’s significant that He honored the prior decision of church leaders by incorporating the words “Latter-day Saints,” while reaffirming His leadership of the Church by inserting His name.

President Russell M. Nelson emphasized the importance of using the correct name of the Church:

Note carefully the language of the Lord. He did not say, “Thus shall my church be named.” He said, “Thus shall my church be called.”

“Thus Shall My Church Be Called,” April 1990 general conference

In other words, the Lord was not merely specifying an official title for His church; He was also directing us to use that name. President Nelson later taught:

What’s in a name or, in this case, a nickname? When it comes to nicknames of the Church, such as the “LDS Church,” the “Mormon Church,” or the “Church of the Latter-day Saints,” the most important thing in those names is the absence of the Savior’s name. …

When we omit His name from His Church, we are inadvertently removing Him as the central focus of our lives.

“The Correct Name of the Church,” October 2018 general conference

This morning, I had the opportunity to teach a group of high school students. We discussed the importance of names, including the name of the Church, and then I asked several of them, “Are you a Mormon?” Each of them responded, “Yes! I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!” It’s a powerful affirmation, and even more so because it’s a way of saying, “I am a disciple of Jesus Christ!” (See 3 Nephi 5:13.)

Today, I will use the full name of the Church. I will remember that the Savior not only revealed the official name for His church but also instructed us to use it.