--- title: Faith as a Tool to Come to Christ date: 2025-11-10T08:54:00-07:00 author: Matt Bloomfield canonical_url: "https://www.mlj.one/church/talks/faith-as-a-tool-to-come-to-christ" section: Blog --- [ ← Church Talks ](https://www.mlj.one/church/talks) Talk November 10, 2025 # Faith as a Tool to Come to Christ I gave this talk on July 8, 2023 in the Snowflake 5th Ward Sacrament Meeting at the Temple View Chapel in Snowflake, Arizona. I was called to speak alongside my wife to the ward I lived in at the time. --- Faith in Jesus Christ is, perhaps, the most universal and uniting principle of the gospel, and simultaneously the most individual for our personal growth. ### What is faith? - **Webster**: allegiance to duty or a person; something that is believed especially with strong conviction; firm belief in something for which there is no proof - **The Apostle Paul** taught that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” ([Hebrews 11:1](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/heb/11.1?lang=eng#p1); see footnote b). **Alma** made a similar statement: “If ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true” ([Alma 32:21](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/32.21?lang=eng#p21)). - Faith is a principle of action and power. Whenever you work toward a worthy goal, you exercise faith. You show your hope for something that you cannot yet see. - **True to the Faith** - So, first, you hope that something can exist or be real. Then faith is the action to pursue it and understand it. ### Why Faith in Jesus Christ? - There are many things you can have faith in - “Tro på migsjälv” - but only Christ can offer us forgiveness, redemption, and eternal life. - He is perfect and offers redemption - Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God and the central figure in Heavenly Father's plan of salvation. He volunteered to come to earth, take upon Himself our sins, and offer Himself as a sacrifice to redeem mankind from the effects of the Fall. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ provides a way for us to overcome sin, find forgiveness, and return to live with God. Having faith in Christ acknowledges His divine mission and the power of His Atonement in our lives. - He is our mediator - In John 14:6, Jesus Himself said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Faith in Christ acknowledges that He is our advocate, intercessor, and guide, leading us back to our Heavenly Father. ### Why does Jesus Christ want us to have faith in him? - He doesn’t cease to be Christ because I don’t believe in him - Peace and Joy - Forgiveness of sins, redemption - Guidance and direction - Transformation and Growth - Eternal life ### Faith as the first principle of the gospel - **Missionary purpose**: invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end - **Faith leads us to repentance.** Repentance is the admission and understanding that we are not like Christ and that we need to change. - **Faith and repentance lead us to baptism**, or the sacrament, creating and renewing a covenant with Him. - **Covenants bind us to Jesus Christ** and give us direct promised blessings “The covenant connection we have with our Heavenly Father and His resurrected and living Son is the supernal source of perspective, hope, power, peace, and enduring joy; it also is the rock-solid foundation upon which we should build our lives.” - David A Bednar ### So, how then, do we grow our faith in Jesus Christ? - “In the Book of Mormon, we learn about Alma’s teaching and testifying to the poor whose afflictions had compelled them to be humble. In his instruction, he compared the word to a seed that must be planted and nourished, and **he described “the word” as the life, mission, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ**. - Alma said, “Begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.” - Given this description of “the word” by Alma, please consider the inspiring connection he then identifies. - “And now … **I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will.**” - The seed we should strive to plant in our hearts is the word—even the life, mission, and doctrine of Jesus Christ. **And as the word is nourished by faith**, it can become a tree springing up in us unto everlasting life. - What was the symbolism of the tree in Lehi’s vision? The tree can be considered as a representation of Jesus Christ. - My beloved brothers and sisters, is the Word in us? Are the truths of the Savior’s gospel written in the fleshy tables of our hearts? Are we coming unto and gradually becoming more like Him? Is the tree of Christ growing in us? Are we striving to become “new \[creatures\]” in Him? - Perhaps this miraculous potential inspired Alma to ask: “Have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?” ### As our faith grows we desire to abide in Christ, and he in us - The word abide denotes remaining fixed or stable and enduring without yielding. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained that “abiding” as an action means “‘\[to\] stay—but \[to\] stay forever.’ That is the call of the gospel message to … everyone … in the world. Come, but come to remain. Come with conviction and endurance. Come permanently, for your sake and the sake of all the generations who must follow you.” Thus, we abide in Christ as we are firm and steadfast in our devotion to the Redeemer and His holy purposes, in times both good and bad. - David A Bednar - The Lord, when speaking to Enoch, said, “Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and **thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.**” - Elder Bednar: - We abide in Him by striving continually to strengthen our individual covenant bond with the Father and the Son. For example, **praying sincerely** to the Eternal Father in the name of His Beloved Son deepens and fortifies our covenant connection with Them. - We abide in Him by truly **feasting upon the words of Christ**. The Savior’s doctrine draws us, as children of the covenant, closer to Him and will tell us all things what we should do. - We abide in Him by **preparing earnestly to participate in the ordinance of the sacrament**, reviewing and reflecting on our covenant promises, and repenting sincerely. **Worthily partaking of the sacrament is a witness to God that we are willing to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ and strive to “always remember him”** after the brief period of time required to participate in that sacred ordinance. - And we abide in Him by **serving God as we serve His children** and minister to our brothers and sisters. - The Savior said, “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.” ### Faith leads to unity with others who believe - D.Todd Christofferson, One in Christ: - “it is only in and through our individual loyalty to and love of Jesus Christ that we can hope to be one—one within, one at home, one in the Church, eventually one in Zion, and above all, one with the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. - “We are too diverse and at times too discordant to be able to come together as one on any other basis or under any other name. Only in Jesus Christ can we truly become one. - “Becoming one in Christ happens one by one—we each begin with ourselves. - Elder Bednar, Abide in Me, and I in You: - “I emphasize the absolute comprehensiveness of the Savior’s plea. He yearns to bless with His grace and mercy **every single person who now lives**, who has ever lived, and who will yet live upon the earth. - “Some Church members accept as true the doctrine, principles, and testimonies proclaimed repeatedly from this pulpit in the Conference Center and in local congregations around the world—and yet may struggle to believe **these eternal truths apply specifically in their lives** and to their circumstances. They believe sincerely and serve dutifully, **but their covenant connection with the Father and His redeeming Son has not yet become a living and transforming reality in their lives.** ### Faith in Jesus Christ is, perhaps, the most universal and uniting principle of the gospel, and simultaneously the most individual for our personal growth.