What is the gospel and why is it important? Which set of beliefs is the true gospel? These questions have led many people on journeys of exploration and discovery throughout the years. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that while Jesus Christ lived on the earth, he taught the gospel. The gospel is God’s plan for the salvation of His children. It consists of five main principles that will allow us to return to live with our Heavenly Father: faith in Jesus Christ, sincere repentance, baptism by immersion, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.
When we study and live these principles, we draw closer to our Heavenly Father and prepare ourselves to live with Him again. Developing faith comes from studying the scriptures, praying, attending Church meetings, and doing other things that show God we trust Him. When we develop this faith, we gain a desire to change our actions to be more in line with God’s will for us. We begin to change our sinful behavior and instead adopt practices that help us draw closer to God.
God wants us to make promises, or covenants, with Him that will help solidify the changes we have started making. The first covenant we make in this lifetime is baptism. When we are baptized, we promise God that we will keep the commandments, take His name upon us (represent Him in all our actions), and remember Him always. In return, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which means that we can always have the Spirit with us.
After making this sacred covenant, the journey is not over, but merely beginning. God asks us to endure to the end, to continue living a faithful life regardless of what trials and challenges we may encounter. We are expected to keep developing our faith, continue repenting, and eventually make more covenants with God through this process.
