Are We Christians?

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Following recently resurrected questions of whether or not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – with Jesus Christ in the name of the Church and His image on the Church logo – are Christians, I thought I’d revisit this question as well.

The term “Christian” comes from the Greek word “Christianos,” which roughly translates to “follower of Christ.” Christians believe in and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. My journey of believing in and following Jesus began when I was a wee tot. I attended the Catholic Church and received my First Communion (first Catholic sacrament) when I was 7 years of age. As a teen I joined the Methodist church which I greatly enjoyed and learned much from the Pastor there at the time. I joined the Church when I was 21 years of age, having finally found the absolute truth. I’ve always known that God and His Son existed. My wanderings though other churches led and prepared me to accept Elder Riggs’ and Elder Walker’s (“my” missionaries) invitation to be baptized! I’ve chosen to believe in and follow the teachings of Christ. I am a Christian. Not sure what all the debate is about!

Some argue, however, that we “Mormons” worship a different Christ than they do. And those folks are 100% correct! We worship, believe and follow the Jesus Christ introduced to the fallen world by his Father, The Son of God who created the one true church that follows the one true Gospel. We do not follow a form of Christ created by the world to fit societal or religious narratives. So yes, different from “your” Christ!

In response to our declaration of who He is, inspiration led to what’s become known as The Seventeen Points of the True Church. According to The Great Google in the Sky, the “17 Points of the True Church is a scriptural checklist used most notably as a teaching and conversion tool within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to identify the church that perfectly matches the New Testament.” Often attributed to a 1950s study by students like Floyd Weston, the list defines specific, required characteristics of Christ’s church based on how Christ set up the church during his earthly ministry.

After reviewing the list, I ask “Which churches exhibit or display all 17 points?” (I’ll give you 3 guesses…) Each time I hear a person or a government exclaim that we are not Christians, I happily recall this list and feel my testimony strengthen, knowing the truth of Who this Church believes in and follows.

Thank you for reading…

SEVENTEEN POINTS OF THE TRUE CHURCH

1. Christ organized the Church (Ephesians 4:11–14)
2. The true Church must bear the name of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:23)
3. It must have a foundation of Apostles and Prophets (Ephesians 2:19–20)
4. It must have the same organization Christ established (Ephesians 4:11–14)
5. It must claim divine authority (Hebrews 5:4–10)
6. It must have no paid ministry (Isaiah 45:13; 1 Peter 5:2)
7. It must baptize by immersion (Matthew 3:13–16)
8. It must bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14–17)
9. It must practice divine healing (Mark 3:14–15)
10. It must teach that God and Jesus Christ are separate beings (John 17:11; John 20:17)
11. It must teach that God and Jesus have glorified bodies of flesh and bone (Luke 24:36–39)
12. Its officers must be called by God (Hebrews 5:4)
13. It must claim revelation from God (Amos 3:7)
14. It must be a missionary church (Matthew 28:19–20)
15. It must be a restored church (Acts 3:19–20)
16. It must practice baptism for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:16, 29)
17. “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20)

Why are these things important? HEBREWS 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever!

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