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Continue ShoppingJesus Christ Role as a Creator, and What Latter-day Saints Can Learn From This
Jesus Christ Role as a Creator, and What Latter-day Saints Can Learn From This
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
It’s amazing the power that a single word can have. Think about your name, for instance. It’s a single word that draws to mind so much more than just the sounds of the word itself, like the color of your hair, the shape of your face, your likes and dislikes. You hear it and you think, “Oh, that’s me.”
When Christ created the world, His name, or title, was the Word. President Russell M. Nelson wrote:
Under the direction of the Father, Jesus bore the responsibility of Creator. His title was “the Word,” spelled with a capital W (see JST, John 1:16, Bible appendix). In the Greek language of the New Testament, that Word was Logos, or “expression.” That terminology may seem strange, but it is appropriate. We use words to express our ideas to others. So Jesus was the Word, or expression, of His Father to the world.
Our words can express thoughts and influence feelings, help communicate messages, and get things done. Words often bring miracles to pass. So, too, it is with the Word of God, Jesus Christ. Through our Savior, our Heavenly Father communicated a message of His love; through the Word, He created the world and performed other miracles. Our self-esteem and feelings of self-worth can be elevated as we truly understand the Word of God, Jesus Christ.
This week, remember the power of your words. The words that we choose have a huge impact. Think about how a single compliment can improve your day, or how a single rude remark can worsen it. Your words can create closeness or separation; they can calm or excite. Your job is to motivate others to step forward and begin a new life. So practice being more aware of the words that come from your thoughts and the actions that will follow your words.
“All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:3)
The creation of the earth can teach us so much about our divine nature. As people, we can’t help but create, whether it’s delicious food, magnificent buildings, or a perfectly timed joke. When we use our sacred skills to make something new, we are drawing closer to our Heavenly Father, the divine creator.
Under the direction of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ created the heavens and the earth. In the work of the Creation, the Lord organized elements that had already existed (see Abraham 3:24). He did not form the world “out of nothing,” as some believe.
The Greek form of made is egeneto meaning to cause to be.3 The Old English word (macian) meant “bring into existence; construct, do, be the author of, produce; prepare, arrange, transform,” and each of these meanings fit so well with what John taught in John 1.
Often, we think about making or creating in the terms of a grand skill, like a stunning musical composition or art piece. But creation comes in many forms; you just need to look at all the things that cause you to “move, progress, advance or become.”
The word made appears in several scriptural passages (including John 1:3) and is taught beautifully by modern-day prophets. President Thomas S. Monson has said that while the creation of the earth was completed several millennia ago, there are endless things God left for us to create:
God left the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests uncut, and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, not the ease and comfort of finished things. He leaves the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation.
You may have an idea that’s just waiting to be formed, or a relationship that’s waiting to be strengthened, or possibly even a family that’s waiting to be created. Take notice of the many things you create today; you’ll be surprised at all you can do!
The following was taken from the book, Come Follow Me Words of the Week: Week-by-week insights on significant words in the New Testament by Eric D. Richards, currently available at cedarfort.com.