THE ONE

 

“Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5 year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

“The doctor explained the situation to her little brother and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes, I’ll do it if it will save her.” As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled as we all did, seeing the colour returning to her cheeks. Then, his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?”

“Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.”   (Author Unknown)

The persecution of Christians in the world is escalating at a frightening speed. World Watch List of an organization called Open Doors claims that more than 380m Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith (opendoors.org). This organization lists statistics for murdered Christians, attacked churches and Christian properties, and imprisoned Christians.

The adversary is exerting his strongest efforts in an attempt to eradicate faith in Christ before His Second Coming. I fear, according to Nephi, that the Saviour’s Church will be the culmination of that effort (1 Nephi 14:12-17). I shudder to think what my grandchildren will face.

The adversary’s second method of attack is through ideologies of different sects and religions of which there are an estimated 10,000 worldwide:

“A voice from Koran acclaims Jesus as a prophet like Abraham and Moses, but sweeps aside the divine Sonship with the declaration that Allah has no need for a Son to redeem men; rather, he has but to speak and a thing is done. A voice from one sect, looking back to the cross, says: “We were saved 2,000 years ago, and there is nothing we can do about it one way or the other now.”

“Another voice proclaims: “Baptism is of no moment; simply believe, confess the Lord with your lips, no more is needed; Christ did it all. Another sect sets aside the need for good works with the assertion that there will be a final harmony of all souls with God – all will be saved. Others believe the virgin birth was only a pious fiction fabricated by simple disciples who also made up the accounts of the miracles.” (Elder Bruce R. McConkie, “Come, Know the Lord Jesus” GC 1977)

By molding Christ to fit their diverse theologies, the world is rapidly acknowledging Christ as nothing more but a great moral teacher and the doctrine of salvation is being lost. As people of the world are losing all sense of moral values, the need for salvation is becoming extinct. If there is no sin, there is no need for salvation.

May we never forget the core of our faith in Christ when one day we are asked to deny Him. It is not Allah, it is not Buddha, it is not 33,000 confusing Hindu gods. It is only ever Christ…….the Saviour who allowed every last drop of His blood to flow  to save another….you, me, every soul born from the beginning to the end.

A life laid bare in selfless giving

For man’s purpose of salvation

Crimson drops were spilt like roses

On the hill of His creation. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: The Rose of Sharon by Yongsung Kim)