"Except a man be born again..."

I have recently had the occasion to reflect on the concept of being "Born Again." Indeed, as a missionary I have been asked on numerous occasions if we, as member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint believe in being born again. In response to this question, I pose a question of my own. Are we not Christians? Do our beliefs not all center in our Savior, our Redeemer, the Prince of Peace, the Holy one of Israel, the Son of God, even Jesus the Christ?

The Atonement 2

Jesus Christ was not forced to perform the Atonement and offer his life as a ransom for many. Rather, through exact obedience, charity, love and humility, he perfectly aligned His will with the Fathers, thereby securing our salvation as well as our hope for the future. In order to qualify for the most precious gift, we too must follow in the footsteps of our sinless older brother and align our will with that of our Father in Heaven. Each child of God has the potential to take advantage of the Atonement and therefore partake in all that the Father has- but we will use our agency to get there.

The Atonement 1

124 years before the birth of Christ, there lived a man named Benjamin. This man was a king, as well as a prophet. He was "a just man before the Lord." (Omni 1:25) He knew that he was about to die, and being filled with a great love and concern for his people, he commanded them to gather together so he could address them one final time. King Benjamin built a tower so that all who were there could hear him speak, even the little children.