What do you think of Jesus Christ? That question is far more important than any other question for us to answer. Christ forces us to deal with Him because of the claims He made, and the claims made about Him by his followers.
In a single generation multiple written accounts were created, often differing in details, but agreeing on His claim to be the Son of God. That one generation in which He lived also produced witnesses who declare that He rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and that He promised to return again.
The claims by and about Him make His resurrection the gateway through which all of us will also rise from the grave. He undid death, not only for Himself but for all mankind. BUT when we rise from the grave, He and His followers warn us that Christ then act as the judge who determines what to do with us following our resurrection. We are told His judgment will be based upon His teachings, and the more closely we follow what He taught the better our lot will be thereafter.
These are claims as astonishing as they are important. But they force us all to choose for ourselves what to think of Christ, and how to react to His teachings.
It is improbable beyond calculation for a single generation to invent Jesus Christ. Because we have multiple written accounts by those who knew Him, and they are clearly distinct witnesses of His life and doings, we can be assured He was a real historic figure.
His influence on His close associates made them no longer fear their own death. Like Christ, His earliest followers accepted their own executions rather than deny their testimony about Him.
The scriptures tell us that it is through Jesus Christ that we are reconciled to God. (See RE 2 Cor. 1:18-19; Rom. 1:22; Eph. 1:6; Col. 1:5; 2 Ne. 11:8; and Jac. 3:3) But Nephi taught of another needed reconciliation: He said he held out no hope for us unless we reconcile ourselves with Christ: “for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ.” (2 Ne. 15:1) Nephi’s concern is the right first one: We do need to reconcile ourselves to Christ first, before Christ can reconcile us with His Father.
Christ took steps to rescue all mankind from the grave. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 1:63) His accomplishment is universal. It does not matter if you are Baptist, Lutheran, Hindu, Buddhist or Muslim, Christ will draw all mankind back to life from the grave.
Once we are brought back from the grave, “we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” (Rom. 1:70) Does it not make sense to prepare for that event? Given the importance of the claims by and about Jesus Christ, it is worth the effort required to investigate His teachings.
He explained that any of us can do it: “Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavily loaded, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. And you shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 6:8) That probably does not mean what you think it means, because we think “easy” and “light” mean we will be required to do practically nothing.
Christ’s “yoke” is easy because it spares you from the afflictions, diseases, indignities, disappointments and fears we inevitably encounter when our life is adrift in sin. Christ’s burden is “light” because we are rescued from the corruption, confusion, degradation and slavery imposed on us by a malignant culture urging vanity, selfishness and pride as virtues. Even if the world then hates you, being reconciled with Christ will free you from the control the world’s hate attempts to exercise over you.
A life in Christ is far more meaningful than a life without Him. Far more at peace with Him than without Him. Read the accounts of His life for yourself. Test His teachings by living them. Reconcile yourself to Christ. Find peace.