Latter-day Saints worship Jesus Christ as the divine Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. His life, Atonement, death, and Resurrection are at the center of their faith.
Jesus Christ Is the Son of God
Latter-day Saints believe in God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. They understand the Father and the Son as distinct divine beings who are perfectly united in purpose. Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of the Father in the flesh and the promised Messiah.
He Is the Savior and Redeemer
The central Christian claim of Latter-day Saint belief is that salvation is possible only through Jesus Christ. Through His atoning sacrifice, He took upon Himself sin, suffering, and death. His grace makes repentance, forgiveness, spiritual healing, and reconciliation with God possible.
He Died and Rose Again
Latter-day Saints believe Jesus was crucified, truly died, and rose bodily from the tomb. Because of His Resurrection, every person will be resurrected. Because of His Atonement, those who turn to Him in faith, repent, and receive and keep the covenants of His gospel can be cleansed from sin and receive eternal life.
His Life Did Not Begin at Bethlehem
Latter-day Saint scripture and apostolic teaching describe Jesus Christ as the premortal Jehovah, chosen before the creation of the world to be the Savior. Under the direction of the Father, He participated in the Creation. His mortal birth was therefore part of a divine mission that began before mortality.
He Leads His Church and Will Return
Latter-day Saints believe the resurrected Jesus Christ lives, directs His work, and will return to the earth in glory. They also believe that His gospel and priesthood authority were restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Whatever is distinctive in Latter-day Saint doctrine is intended to lead back to Christ rather than replace Him.
What Does Following Him Mean?
Faith in Christ is more than acknowledging that He lived. It means trusting Him, repenting, trying to live His teachings, receiving His ordinances and covenants, serving others, and relying on His grace. Latter-day Saints see discipleship as a lifelong effort to become more like the Savior while depending on Him for the power to change.