The purpose of life is to have greater eternal joy by becoming more like God.1 God has designed this life to provide us with the means and potential to become more like he is. We accomplish the purpose of life by learning more about God and living up to everything we learn.2
The gospel is a process by which we become more like him through learning more about how he is and becoming that way ourselves. The gospel provides us a model of how Jesus is and sufficient reasons to make the necessary changes to become that way ourselves.3 The gospel provides us with teaching and examples to inform our idea of what Jesus would think, feel, and do in our place, opportunities to follow his example, and experiences to inform improvement and motivate further growth.4
Christianity is meant to provide you with the courage and vision to see yourself accurately5 and the tools to effectively change for the better,6 but it is so rarely used for this purpose. Instead, Christianity is routinely adulterated into an attempt to feel good while remaining bad. Almost all Christians believe that you can worship God while completely disregarding everything he actually says and does. Some honest people correctly identify how ridiculous this position is, and many have done so for a very long time.
Fool! When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith. (James 2:20, Living Bible)
The invitation to think, feel, and do as Jesus would in your place is not some religious extremity. It is precisely what is meant to take place at baptism, which is meant to be a covenant to “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death.” (Mosiah 18:9) Many incorrectly limit the definition of witnessing of God as vocally expressing your beliefs in him. Witnessing of God is not so much about proclaiming that you like him as much as it is demonstrating what he is like:
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5)
To stand as a witness of God requires you to think,7 feel,8 and act9 as Jesus would do in your place. The initiatory ordinance of baptism represents your submission to God. You are immersed in the water to symbolically symbolize surrounding yourself with his will in all you do.
Most Christians believe that the mortal mission of Jesus Christ was to absolve us of responsibility for our choices, but you can’t obtain the joy he has except by becoming like he is. The mortal life of Jesus Christ demonstrated to us the epitome of what a man can be. The Lord lived “after the manner of happiness”10 by discovering and living up to the thoughts, feelings, and actions that produce ideal eternal outcomes.11 Jesus has instructed us to follow his example:
...what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am. (3 Nephi 27:27)
Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do... (3 Nephi 18:24)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; (3 Nephi 27:21)
If you believe that God is perfect, then every deviation from what you believe God would think, feel, or do in your place is dishonest. If God is what is best, then deviating from him in any way would require deep dishonesty, as it would require willful harm to oneself,12 intentionally choosing less than what is best.13
Most people don’t believe it is possible to perfectly follow the example of Christ, but God doesn’t command what isn’t possible.14 As with all his other commandments, he provides all that is needed for us to obey his commandment to follow his example.15
Some foolishly claim that it is blasphemous to believe that we can follow the example of Christ, denying his word,16 his example,17 and his power.18 In reality, those who argue against our ability to follow Christ typically do so to cover the guilt they feel for choosing otherwise, not because they have a reason to believe it is impossible. While denying the possibility of following Christ might satisfy your conscience, it will never alleviate you from the anxiety and depression that will plague you as long as you fail to reach for and achieve the greatest meaning uniquely available in living up to the example of Jesus Christ in all things.
Part of the reason so many fail to follow Jesus’ example is because they focus on his works without ever thinking to change their motives. Following the example of Jesus is not limited to just copying his actions, but also learning the reasons for what he does.19 What someone does can’t fully describe how they are. While very few Christians seek to learn and do what God would do in their place, even fewer ask how God would feel in their place, and why he would feel and act this way. To truly follow the Lord’s example, we must also adopt his thoughts and feelings.
Asking what Jesus would think, feel, do, and why, quickly identifies the gross ignorance supposed Christians have of the Lord they claim to worship. Even those who have spent a lifetime in Christianity, as they suppose, would likely struggle to know what God would do in their place in more than a few situations, and it is difficult to imagine any of them being able to say how God would think or feel, let alone make a satisfactory case for why. How could any such person believe they have eternal life, since the Lord defined this as knowing the Father and the Son?20
Footnotes
- 1. ...these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:13-23) ↩
- 2. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3) ↩
- 3. The atonement of Christ is defined by others in terms of our ability to obtain forgiveness of sins through the mortal sacrifice of Christ. However, our forgiveness is only a part of the sacrifice of Christ and the benefit thereof. Without the revelation of Christ through his earthly advent, and the lifelong sacrifice this entailed, forgiveness of sins would not result in any eternal improvement for us, because we would have no example from which to learn more about how God is and be that way ourselves. ↩
- 4. [I am] the light and the life of the world; a light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not; The same which came in the meridian of time unto mine own, and mine own received me not; But to as many as received me, gave I power to become my sons; and even so will I give unto as many as will receive me, power to become my sons. And verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth my gospel receiveth me; and he that receiveth not my gospel receiveth not me. And this is my gospel—repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom. (D&C 39:2-6) ↩
- 5. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. (Ephesians 5:13) See also John 3. ↩
- 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words....For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. (Ephesians 5:6-11) ↩
- 7. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30) ↩
- 8. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. (John 15:10) ↩
- 9. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (John 14:12) ↩
- 10. And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness. (2 Nephi 5:27) ↩
- 11. An astute and honest reader would counter: “How could the Lord’s life, full of the worst possible suffering, be an example of how to live for the greatest happiness? When was he happy?” Among the sacrifices willingly made by Jesus was the postponement of the fullness of eternal joy he lived perfectly worthy of. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) In a future day, when all things submit to his power, he “shall see his seed,” “the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied...” (Isaiah 53:10-11). For “our sakes he became poor, that [we] through his poverty might be rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) He was lifted up so that we would see and could follow his example (see John 14:1-7). As we aim our whole soul towards him, we will fulfill the promise he made that his disciples would do greater things because he was ascending to the Father (see John 14:12). These “greater things” include establishing his kingdom on earth, where the full fruits of the life he exemplified will finally be enjoyed. ↩
- 12. But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death. (Proverbs 8:36, NASB) ↩
- 13. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. (James 4:17) ↩
- 14. And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. (1 Nephi 3:7) ↩
- 15. Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect. (3 Nephi 12:48) ↩
- 16. Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed. (3 Nephi 18:24) ↩
- 17. Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. (2 Nephi 31:7) ↩
- 18. And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. (2 Nephi 31:19) ↩
- 19. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23) ↩
- 20. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3) ↩