Elder Gary J. Coleman: Church doctrine defines Christianity
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Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are Christians, declared Elder Gary J. Coleman of the Seventy in his conference address Sunday afternoon.
A convert to the Church from another Christian faith, he said, "I am a devout Christian who is exceedingly fortunate to have greater knowledge and blessings in my life since my conversion to the restored Church. These truths define this Church as having the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ."
Among the truths he learned upon conversion was that the Godhead "consisted of three separate beings."
"The knowledge of God and His physical separateness from His Son and the Holy Ghost was lost after the death of Christ and His apostles," said Elder Coleman. He explained that confusion and false doctrine arose that the Godhead was three persons in one God, or the Trinity.
"It was a stunning awakening for me to finally understand the truth about the nature of God the Eternal Father and His Only Begotten Son," he said.
Another truth he learned after joining the Church was the reality of additional scripture and revelation. The Book of Mormon, he testified, "is a sacred record written by prophets of God to persuade all people to come unto Christ, and it helps to reveal the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness."
Elder Coleman said he also learned the truth of the restoration of the priesthood authority. "Men now possess the keys to establish the Church so that we can now come unto Christ and partake of His eternal ordinances of salvation. I testify that this is the Church of Jesus Christ — the only Church authorized with true priesthood authority to exercise the keys of salvation through sacred ordinances...."
"Like other members of the Church, I now understand the true nature of the Godhead, I have access to additional scripture and revelation, and I can partake of the blessings of priesthood authority. Yes, ... we are Christians."
