I Believe in Christ

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Some days life feels like a Charles Dickens story. He opens his book “A Tale of Two Cities” with these words written above. Although Dickens was writing a fictional book about the French revolution, his genius has always been in the depiction of true principles through the lens of historical reality.

Those words perfectly describe life in modern America. For any given technology, or natural disaster, human tragedies, or just plain daily experiences, all of us feel this polarity in our lives. More so in the past few weeks and especially in the realm of religious freedom.

Charles Dickens believed in Jesus Christ. He outlines his faith in “The Life of the Lord,” a book he wrote for his children, which is a retelling of the life of Jesus Christ as found in the Gospel of St. Luke. All of his books contain threads of Christianity woven though the lives of the people he creates. Shining the light of scripture can bring new insight to the juxtapositions of the introduction cited above.

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times:”

“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work” (Ecclesiastes 3:17).

“It was the age of wisdom; it was the age of foolishness:”

“The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit” (Proverbs 14:8).

“It was the epoch of belief; it was the epoch of incredulity:”

“If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth . . . Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:23-24).

“It was the season of light; it was the season of darkness:”

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

“It was the spring of hope; it was the winter of despair:”

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

For Christians, Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Light (John 14:6). We have only to look to him for the answers we are seeking. We may choose to worship Him in various ways, but the defining factor of Christianity is a belief in Him.

Jesus himself gave us a litmus test on how to identify a Christian. He said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 12:16-20).

I like the analogy of fruit, for Jesus does not define the variety or species of the fruit, but only requires that it be good fruit. This paints a picture in my mind of a large basket filled with fruits of many colors, many flavors, each with its own unique tastes and textures.

How do we find the good fruit in an age of contradictions and conflicts? To paraphrase Charles Dickens:

• Be the best, look for the best in others, and encourage good behavior.

• Seek wisdom and apply it when dealing with others.

• Base our perspectives about others and current events on faith and facts, not rumors or half-truths .

• Be the light that illuminates the path through the darkness.

• Reach out with hope to those who are sad or feeling lost.

One of my favorite hymns is “I Believe in Christ,” based on a poem written by Bruce R. McConkie. I’ll share a few lines:

“I believe in Christ–my Lord, my God! My feet he plants on gospel sod. I’ll worship him with all my might; He is the source of truth and light.

“I believe in Christ; he ransoms me. From Satan’s grasp he sets me free, And I shall live with joy and love In his eternal courts above.”

“I believe in Christ; he stands supreme! From him I’ll gain my fondest dream; And while I strive through grief and pain, His voice is heard: “Ye shall obtain.”

“I believe in Christ; so come what may, With him I’ll stand in that great day When on this earth he comes again To rule among the sons of men.”

Those words speak for themselves and for me.

Karen Murray is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, experiencing life as a wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, author, and political activist.