Faith in Jesus Christ

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel. It is a principle of action that causes us to sincerely repent of our sins and strive to keep God’s commandments. It is also a source of strength to help us overcome temptations and meet life’s challenges.

The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Having faith in Christ includes having a firm belief that He is the Only Begotten Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of the world. It means believing that He is the Son of God and that He suffered for your sins, afflictions, and infirmities. When you have faith in Christ, you accept and apply His Atonement and His teachings. Heavenly Father blesses those who have faith to obey His Son.

It is important to note that faith in God is more than a theoretical belief in Him; it is a principle of action and power. To have faith in God is to be willing to act on your belief in Him. Heavenly Father requires that you act with hope and trust in Him before you see a final outcome (Alma 32:21).

Having faith causes you to try as hard as you can to learn about and become more like your Savior, doing all you can to bring about what you hope and pray for. Although you may still sin, you show your love for Him by striving to keep His commandments and avoiding sin.

You can pray in faith for strength to conquer temptation or to develop faith in a particular principle, such as the Word of Wisdom or tithing, by first believing in Jesus Christ strongly enough to obey His commandments. You can help your faith grow by hearing the word of God ( Romans 10:17) and by reading the word of God ( Helaman 15:7–8).

As you obey God, He blesses you. He gives you power to meet life’s challenges and helps you change the desires of your heart. Through your faith in Jesus Christ, He can heal you, both physically and spiritually.