I have the lesson for this coming Sunday, the third hour, and asked my file leader what he would suggest as a topic. He felt to review Elder David A. Bednar’s talk on Saturday afternoon October 2, 2016, titled “If Ye Had Known Me” (Elder Bednar is a member of The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) As with all of the Quorum of the Twelve, and many others, including also powerful discourses from leading women in the Church, I treasure the word thus spoken… In patience with myself and others we can all ascend together in such sacred learning forums when we make the effort to be there in body and in spirit… and then go and do as we are taught! (Again, recognizing that part of our mortality is a builtin mistakes mode that keeps us calling on our God and looking to our Savior’s patient example. It’s all a part of the plan of our Heavenly Father.) kdm
Elder Bednar said: “True faith is focused in and on the Lord and always leads to righteous action. “Faith [in Christ is] the first principle in revealed religion, … the foundation of all righteousness, … and the principle of action in all intelligent beings.”[i]below Because acting in accordance with the correct principles the Redeemer proclaimed is central to receiving and exercising true faith, “faith without works is dead.”[ii] We are to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only.”[iii]
Hearing God’s word and receiving the spiritual gift of faith in the Savior are closely related, as “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”[iv] We become acquainted with Him and His voice as we study and feast upon His word in the scriptures,[v] [vi] pray to the Father in His name with real intent,[vii] and seek for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.[viii] [ix]Learning and applying in our lives the doctrine of Christ is a prerequisite to receiving the gift of faith in Him. Exercising faith in the Lord is a necessary preparation for following Him.[x] (see below also)
Following Him
The Savior likewise instructs you and me, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”[xi] To take up one’s cross is to deny oneself of all ungodliness and every worldly lust and to keep the commandments of the Lord.[xii] The Savior has admonished us to become as He is.[xiii] Thus, following the Lord includes emulating Him. We continue to come to know the Lord as we seek through the power of His Atonement to become like Him.
In His mortal ministry, Jesus marked the path, led the way, and set the perfect example. “A correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes” [vxi] provides enduring purpose and clear direction as we follow Him on the road of devoted discipleship. Following the Savior also enables us to receive “an actual knowledge that the course of life [we are] pursuing” is in accordance with God’s will. [vxi] For complete talk, got to “If Ye Had Known Me”
[i] Lectures on Faith, (1985), 1.
[x] continued: Each of us has the responsibility to seek after and do all that we can do to qualify for the gift of faith. Ultimately, however, a loving and caring God bestows the gift upon us. (from footnotes 16 of the original talk, see- [*] )
[vxi] Lectures on Faith, 38.
