By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:35.)Atrue follower - or disciple - of Christ must adhere to certain commitments. In Jesus the Christ, Elder James E. Talmage wrote:

"When once a scribe [had] presented himself as a disciple, offering to follow wherever the Master led, Jesus had indicated the self-denial, privation or suffering incident to devoted service, with the result that the man's enthusiasm was soon spent. (Matt. 8:19-20.)"To [an] eager multitude, Jesus applied a test of sincerity. He would have only genuine disciples, not enthusiasts of a day, ready to desert His cause when effort and sacrifice were most needed. . . .

"All who entered His service would be expected to maintain their self-sacrificing devotion. He wanted no disciples who would become like salt that had spoiled, unsavory and useless."

A strong testimony that Jesus is the divine Son of God makes it possible for a disciple to truly serve. In an October 1944 general conference address, Elder Spencer W. Kimball, then a member of the Council of the Twelve, said:

"The Savior could have taken highly trained minds from the temple porches for the chief builders of His kingdom, but He went to the seashore to get humble fishermen. He wanted men who would not depend upon their own intellects only to ferret out the truths, but unbiased men to whom He might reveal His new program, men who were trusting and sincere and willing to serve. He tested Peter on one occasion by asking him to identify Him, and with power and sure of his grounds the first apostle declared: `Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' (Matt. 16:16.) Surely the Redeemer must have been pleased, and He then revealed the source of Peter's knowledge by saying: `Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.' (Matt. 16:17.)

"To acquire a testimony, then, one must be in tune with the Spirit of the Lord, keep His commandments, and be sincere. Because one does not receive this positive assurance is no reason why another cannot. To say that another person cannot see the light because you fail to comprehend it is to place unwarranted limitations on another's power. To say that no one can know of the doctrine because you do not is like saying there is no germ or virus because it is not visible to you, and is to deny the word of God."

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(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)

Articles on this page may be used in conjunction with the Gospel Doctrine course of study.

Information compiled by Gerry Avant

Sources: Jesus the Christ, by Elder James E. Talmage; The Life of Christ, by Frederic W. Farrar; and October 1944 General Conference Report