Christ the Father

Continuing along the same lines as the last post, today as I was reading, I came across more to think about as Christ being the Father. As I study, I generally use one of the institute manuals and read through it after I've read and pondered what I was reading for the day. Interestingly, I found more today about Jesus Christ being the Father. While the manual made the points about Jesus Christ being our Father through the resurrection - this may have made more of an impact upon me since Easter was just last weekend and on my mind, but it also brought up the following:

"On June 30, 1916 the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles set forth a detailed statement on the Father and the Son. In this exposition Christ, the literal son of God the Eternal Father is represented as the Father in three ways:

He is the Father as Creator. Christ is referred to in many scriptural passages as "the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth" )Mosiah 15:4, 16:5, Alma 11:38-39, Ether 4:7.)

He is the Father of all who accept his atoning sacrifice and covenant with him to obey his everlasting goepel. There are numerous scriptural passages that express this relationship (Mosiah 5:7, 15:10-13, ether 3:14, D&C 25:1, 34:1-3, 39:1-4).

He is the Father by divine investiture of authority. This means that the Savior is the fully authorized and commissioned representative of his Father, and as such can speak and act for the Father.

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve explained divine investiture of authority as follows: "In all His dealings with the human family Jesus the Son has represented and yet represents Elohim His Father in power and authority. This is true of Christ in His preexistent, antemortal, or unembodied state, in the which He was know as Jehovah; also during his embodiment in the flesh; and during His labors as a disembodied spirit in the realm of the dead...Thus the Father placed His name upon the Son; and Jesus Christ spoke and ministered in and through the Father's name; and so far as power, authority, and Godship are concerned His words and acts were and are those of the Father" (Articles of Father p. 471)."

A friend once told me that they used to feel by serving a mission that they were somehow 'paying back' Christ and our Heavenly Father. Then they realized that because of the opportunity that they had to serve a mission, they were so much more indebted - even more than before. As I study and read, and learn new concepts, ideas, and principles, that thought is driven home again and again. What a blessing is learning and spiritual growth.