Jesus Christ, Our Everlasting Father

We quote the following verse when we celebrate Christmas:

[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.

Isaiah 9

Jesus Christ is our everlasting Father.

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The Bible gives us the following story.

[25] And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
[26] And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
[27] When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
[28] For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
[29] And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
[30] And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
[31] And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
[32] And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
[33] But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
[34] And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Mark 5

What was the greatest blessing that women received? Was it the healing from her illness?

The greatest blessing was that Jesus loved her as his daughter. And his love gave her true peace.

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Jesus Christ addresses Joseph Smith as “my son.”

Joseph Smith was not satisfied with the programs of redemption taught by the religious leaders in the community where he lived. After investigating the basic beliefs of various denominations, he stated that he “cried unto the Lord for mercy for there was none else to whom” he could go. While calling upon the Lord, the young man testified, “I was filld with the spirit of God and the Lord opened the heavens upon me and I saw the Lord and he spake unto me saying Joseph my son thy sins are forgiven thee. go thy way walk in my statutes and keep my commandments behold I am the Lord of glory I was crucifyed for the world that all those who believe on my name may have Eternal life.”

Milton V. Backman, Jr., Joseph Smith’s Recitals of the First Vision, Ensign, January 1985

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King Benjamin taught his people:

[7] And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.

Mosiah 5

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Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.

Moroni 7:19

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Jesus taught in John 3 that a man must be born again, and born of water and of the Spirit in order to enter the kingdom of God.

Jesus Christ is the Father of our spiritual rebirth. We become sons and daughters of Jesus through faith and rebirth in his name.

Jesus loves us so much that he gave his very life for us in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross at Calvary.

But the third day passed, and Christ has risen from the dead! (1 Corinthians 15:4)

Now let us love our Father Jesus as he has first loved us as his own sons and daughters. (1 John 4:19)

May the Lord bless you,
Tom Irvine