Lessons for Our Day From the Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ - 2024
Lesson No. Thirty-Seven 

Testimonies of the Divine Sonship of Jesus Christ - Christmas 2024

Christmas is a wonderful time to teach and testify to each other and to our children and grandchildren of the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ and why it is an essential part of the plan of salvation.

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God. When Jesus lived on earth, He had the power of God, including power over death. He inherited this power from His Eternal Father. From His mortal mother, Mary, He inherited mortality, including power to die. Therefore, Jesus was duel in nature. He was both mortal and immortal; He was both man and God; He was both human and divine. (See Mosiah 15:1-9)

Easter celebrates the infinite and eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus was the divine Son of God He was able to voluntarily sacrifice His life, no one took it against his will. (See John 5:26; 10:17-18) His ability to die if He chose to was inherited from His mortal mother. He inherited the power over sin and death from His Immortal Father. Through His atoning sacrifice, made possible because of His divine Sonship, Jesus broke the bands of death for everyone who has lived, and He paid the wages of sin for all who will repent.

The Father testified of the divine Sonship of His Son Jesus Christ: “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him” (3 Nephi 11:7).

Jesus testified of His divine Sonship: “Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name” (3 Nephi 9:15).

The Book of Mormon testifies of the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ and teaches why it is an essential part of the plan of salvation:

- Nephi saw a vision of Mary “the mother of the son of God, after the manner of the flesh” (1 Nephi 11:18). When he saw Mary the second time she was “bearing a child in her arms.” An angel informed Nephi that this Child was “the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!” (1 Nephi 11:20 - 21). The angel was testifying of the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ.

- An angel also testified to king Benjamin of the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ: “For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay… And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary” (Mosiah 3:5, 8).

- Alma testified of the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ: “For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all-for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people…for behold, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God cometh upon the face of the earth. And behold, he shall be born of Mary…she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God” (Alma 7:7, 10).

- Abinadi testified of the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ: He taught that Jesus was duel in nature; both Father and Son; both mortal and immortal; both man and God; both human and divine. (Study Mosiah 15:1-9 to understand the unique way Abinadi taught about the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ)

Latter-day Apostles testify of the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ: “As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth….

“We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son” (The Living Christ – Testimony of the Apostles – January 1, 2000, first and last paragraphs).

Our testimony: We testify of the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ by using words recorded in Matthew 16:13-17: “When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 16:13-17, emphasis added).

Like Peter, our testimony that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of the living God is not from mortal sources, but from God. We wish you and your family a joyous Christmas, especially as you remember and testify of the divine Sonship of Jesus Christ, and why it is an essential part of the plan of salvation.

Larry and Susan Lunt - Christmas 2024

Released on December 21st. 2024.