(October 2002 TG Entry: Jesus Christ, Power of, God, Power of)
Continued From
Overview
Christ is God’s manifestation of his personal power. Through him we gain power from God. Christ’s power can be understood through his titles. He has had power throughout eternity. And He has specific ways of bestowing power upon his followers.
I Titles
Christ’s titles and names denote his power.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
- Acts 2:36 God hath made that same Jesus … both Lord and Christ
- Rom. 1:4 declared to be the Son of God with p.
- Moses 1:3 I am the Lord God Almighty
- Rom. 1:20 his eternal p. and Godhead
- D&C 88:7 Christ … light of the sun, and the p. thereof by which it was made
- D&C 88:13 p. of God who sitteth upon his throne
- Moses 6:61 hath all p. according to wisdom, mercy, truth
- Abr. 3:17 God shall take in his heart to do … he will do it
II Throughout Time
The Savior’s has had great power throughout time. However, note that he did not have all power from the beginning, but grew in power, as did the will of his Father.
11 And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.
12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;
13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;
14 And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.
15 And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son.
16 And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father;
17 And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.
II.A Foundation of the world
Moses, John, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon all testified that the Savior was “the Word”, and the power by which God the Father created this earth.
32 And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.
33 And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.
II.B As Jehovah
Jehovah introduced himself to Abraham as the “Almighty God” (Gen. 17:1 I am the Almighty God)
II.C As a Mortal
King Benjamin taught that
5 …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 shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.
- Mark 2:10 (Luke 5:24) Son of man hath p. … to forgive sins
II.D Before the Atonement
Just before his suffering in the garden of Gethsemane, the Savior prayed:
1 THESE words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
II.E After the resurrection
After the resurrection, the Savior declared:
16 ¶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 ¶ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
II.F Second Coming
At his second coming, he will have all power.
36 And, as I said before, after the tribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory;
II.G At the end of the world
1 I AM Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world.
2 I, having accomplished and finished the will of him whose I am, even the Father, concerning me—having done this that I might subdue all things unto myself—
3 Retaining all power, even to the destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of judgment, which I shall pass upon the inhabitants thereof, judging every man according to his works and the deeds which he hath done.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
II.H Throughout Eternity
5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.
6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
- Rev. 19:5 – 6
- Rev. 5:13 p., be unto him that sitteth upon the throne
- Rev. 17:14 Lord of lords, and King of kings
III Partaking
The Savior has specific powers, which he grants to others:
Through the Priesthood:
26 He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all.
27 Wherefore, he is possessor of all things; for all things are subject unto him, both in heaven and on the earth, the life and the light, the Spirit and the power, sent forth by the will of the Father through Jesus Christ, his Son.
- Col. 1:11 Strengthened … according to his glorious p.
- D&C 76:10 by my p. will I make known … secrets
Through the ordinances of the Gospel
20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
- Rom. 1:16 gospel of Christ … the p. of God unto salvation
- Matt. 10:1 he gave them p. against unclean spirits
Becoming his sons and daughters
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Summary
In summary, Paul, in writing to the Ephesians, exhorts us to gain power, through the Savior, who has obtained all power from his Father.
15 Wherefore I also…
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know…
19 …what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
What can the Savior say he has created by our power? Has he created a home that is a temple by our personal power? Has he created a peaceful primary class by our power? Has he created an element of Zion by our power?
Related Hymns
God of Power, God of Right Hymn number: (20)
Verse 1
God of power, God of right,
Guide us with thy priesthood’s might.
Forge our souls in living fire;
Shape them to thy great desire.
Verse 2
God of wisdom, God of truth,
Take us in our eager youth;
Lift us step by step to thee
Thru an endless ministry.
Verse 3
God of mercy, God of love,
Let thy spirit like the dove,
Touch and humble, teach and bless,
As we serve in holiness.
The Spirit of God Hymn number: (2)
Verse 2
The Lord is extending the Saint’s understanding,
Restoring their judges and all as at first.
The knowledge and power of God are expanding;
The veil o’er the earth is beginning to burst.
Other References
The “See Also” references show how complete the Lord’s power is, in that “all things” are delivered into his hands.
John 3:35; John 13:3; Rom. 14:9; 1 Cor. 8:6; .Eph. 1:10
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
2 Ne. 28:15 saith the Lord God Almighty
Kip on Character 