M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

The Essence of Our Christianity
Remarks by Rodger Dean Duncan
Citizen, Liberty, Missouri

Editors’ Note: Rodger Dean Duncan, a descendant of 19th century Protestant evangelists, is a convert to the Church and a citizen of Liberty, Clay County, Missouri. Rodger made us aware that he and the mayor of Liberty would be speaking at the Christmas lighting of the Historic Liberty Jail on Saturday evening, November 23, 2002. We said we would love to publish both his talk and the mayor’s. The following is the talk Rodger gave to a crowd of citizens gathered outside the Historic Liberty Jail (the same place a crowd gathered 164 years ago to see the Prophet Joseph Smith incarcerated there).

[To read the remarks given by Liberty, Missouri Mayor Stephen P Hawkins on this same occasion, click here]

“It is through obedience that we gain freedom. It is through obedience to the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ that we are liberated to enjoy the blessings of our faith in the Savior. Isn’t it wonderful that all of us have the opportunity to practice our Christianity in this place called Liberty?”

Citizen Duncan’s Remarks:

It seems fitting in this season of thanksgiving that we gather to celebrate and give thanks for the greatest gift imaginable: Jesus the Christ – the Savior of the world.

As young children, most of us learned a New Testament scripture that puts it all into perspective: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

In that context, just what is “the world” that God loves so much?

“The world” is people – you, and I, and every other person who has ever lived or who ever will live on this earth.

Our relationship with God is not theoretical. It is literal.

God is our Father. We are his spiritual children. That relationship is real and it is eternal. Our spiritual gene pool gives us unending possibilities.

Jesus is our Heavenly Father’s Only Begotten Son in the flesh.

Jesus is Heavenly Father’s priceless gift to us.

He sent Jesus to earth as our Lord and Savior.

Jesus taught the principles of salvation. He suffered unspeakable agony at Gethsemane, then his terrible crucifixion on Calvary’s cross – all as a gift … as an atonement for the sins of you, of me, and of all of Heavenly Father’s children.

Again, this is not theoretical. It is real. It is the very essence of the Savior’s divinity.

So the question for us is – what must be the essence of our Christianity?

As with any good parent, our Heavenly Father wants his children to be obedient. In fact, obedience is the first law of heaven.

It is through obedience that we gain freedom. It is through obedience to the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ that we are liberated to enjoy the blessings of our faith in the Savior. Isn’t it wonderful that all of us have the opportunity to practice our Christianity in this place called Liberty?

Again, as with any good parent, our Heavenly Father wants his children to get along. And it is Jesus who told us: “As I have loved you, love one another.”

Many years ago in a church meeting over which I presided, I was asked which piece of music I wanted the congregation to sing. I selected hymn #202 from the Latter-day Saint hymnal – “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful.”

Even though it was a hot and humid summer day, I regarded the selection as appropriate. Latter-day Saints – along with other Christians – love Christmas music. And this particular piece majestically celebrates the adoration and reverence we have for the Savior.

Besides, the message of Christmas is timeless. It applies to every occasion on every day.
Consider this sentiment expressed on an old Quaker calendar:

When the song of the angel is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.

And, we might add, to extend unconditional Christlike love to people of every faith and circumstance.

Jesus did not say, love one another … Only when we agree on every political issue … or Only when we agree on every point of religious doctrine … or Only when everyone can pass some sort of litmus test of sameness.

His is a gospel of inclusion, not exclusion. Jesus simply said, “As I have loved you, love one another.”

That is his gift. That is his promise. That is his commandment to us.

And our Savior is not interested in lip service.

As Christians, we must be the salt of the earth. That is our gift to the Savior.

As Christians, we must let the light of the Savior shine through our good works. That is how we glorify our Father in Heaven.

We are eternally grateful for the gift of grace offered to us by Jesus. And it is clear from the scriptures that he expects us to demonstrate that gratitude not just by our righteous behavior, but also by our own spiritual rebirth.

In his masterful Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the book of Matthew and elsewhere in the scriptures, Jesus outlined his expectations for those of us who profess allegiance to him.

We should remember that in this sermon the Lord was addressing his followers and not a throng of hecklers or just idly curious people. His audience consisted of true believers.

It is clear from this discourse that Jesus expects us to be poor in spirit – humble and teachable and eager to understand correct doctrine.

It is clear that Jesus expects us to hunger and thirst after righteousness – to be ready and willing to do the right things for the right reasons.

It is clear that Jesus expects us to be merciful toward one another – because pure mercy is one of the defining characteristics of his own divinity … and a critical ingredient of the perfection to which he wants each of us to aspire.

It is clear that Jesus expects us to be pure in heart. And it is clear that he expects us – his followers – to be persecuted and to endure false accusations for the sake of righteousness.

In all of this, Jesus invites us to come unto him.

Of course that requires sacrifice – sacrifice of our pride, of our comfort and of our convenience. And that’s the very point. Jesus never said that following him would be easy. But he promised that following him would be worth it.

“Most people are willing to take the Sermon on the Mount as a flag to sail under,” said Oliver Wendell Holmes, “but few will use it as a rudder by which to steer.”

A common challenge, of course, is focus. For a variety of reasons, many of us suffer occasional bouts of blurred vision.

On the surface, we are good “institutional” Christians. We participate in worthy projects and programs. We give service, at least in the generic sense.

But do we have the genuine, Christlike caring for one another that is embodied in the teachings of Jesus? Or do we get trapped in our own little ideological cocoons, in the comfort of our own views, and miss the chance to “love one another” as Jesus intended?

Sometimes we simply need more focus.

Dag Hammarskjöld was a wonderful Swede, a truly Christian gentleman, who served as Secretary-General of the United Nations. In his personal journal he once wrote “It is more noble to give yourself completely to one individual than to labor diligently for the salvation of the masses.”

Think about that. Embodied in that statement is unfiltered Christian doctrine, the pure love of Christ. As the Savior himself taught, the key to the ninety-and-nine is the one.

So in this time of celebrating the birth, the message, and the mission of Jesus, what should be our resolve regarding our gift in appreciation for his gift?

Ours should be the gift of loving obedience. Not reluctant compliance; but loving, faith-filled obedience.

We should serve and help and reach out to each other with the kind of no-strings-attached love that Jesus teaches throughout his gospel. That should be our gift.

And our gift should not be seasonal. After all, the Savior’s gift to us is not seasonal. It is constant. It is timeless. It is eternal.

By our every thought and action, may we as fellow Christians embody the words of that majestic lyric: “Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.”

[To read the remarks given by Liberty, Missouri Mayor Stephen P Hawkins on this same occasion, click here]

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