We are not ultimately defined by where we were born, what nation claims us, what tribe we belong to, or what institutions we are connected with. We are defined far more profoundly by who we love and how we love them.

We are also defined by what we love.

Who we love, how we love, and what we love often determines our choices and behaviors.

On the other hand, we often find ourselves in settings and situations where conventions, traditions, and institutions influence and even control behaviors in obvious ways. In the workplace, personnel are required to act professionally; they are expected to act cool, calm, and collective, without bias, prejudice, and often even without emotion. In the military, soldiers are required to issue and obey orders like robots, without emotion. And often ordinary citizens are required by their governments to comply with laws, rules, edicts, and decrees regardless of personal beliefs, feelings, or conflicting loyalties. But what do we do when the love within us demands something different? What then?

As disciples of Christ, we are required to live a higher law. And as disciples of Christ we answer to a higher power. Indeed, as disciples of Christ we understand that we will all, ultimately, be held accountable to that higher power for how we responded to the principles and laws of God as they were revealed to us.

The revelation of God is received by everybody. Everyone knows, intrinsically, what the ideal human should be. The atheist authors and script-writers have proven this again and again, as I have previously demonstrated in these essays:

Spock as and Archetype of Christ

Seven of Nine: Archetype of the Divine Feminine

Icheb’s Transformation from Borg to Man of Sacrifice

And so, it is easily demonstrated that we all know and understand, intrinsically, the supernal necessity for love, as it has been demonstrated by righteous individuals throughout history. The question then, which so many of us wrestle with is: Who should we love? How should we love? and What should we love?

Fortunately, these questions are easily answered by an appeal to the doctrine of Christ, as contained in the holy scriptures.

Jesus consolidated and clarified the great obligations we all have to love with these two commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” and “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:37–39). But He did not stop there. He deliberately carried the commandment beyond the comfortable boundaries of family, friendship, tribe, and reciprocity: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you” (Matthew 5:44).

The difficult question, again, is not merely whether we love, or even who we should love, but how we love. Christian love is not simply being agreeable, pleasant, tolerant, or nice. True love often requires much more.

Often love warns, confronts, teaches by example, comforts, and forgives. Accordingly, true love is not only patient, kind, and compassionate, but it is also committed to truth. In other words, genuine love seeks the greatest possible good of another person. It asks not merely, What will make this person happy? but What will actually bless them? What will produce the greatest value, benefit, growth, healing, and best outcome?

Jesus loved this way. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, forgave sinners, defended the vulnerable, rebuked hypocrisy, exposed falsehood, called people to repentance, and ultimately gave His life for those He loved. His love was never mere sentiment. His love was proactive, courageous, difficult, sacrificial, and committed to making possible the best value, benefit, and outcome. 

Who and how we love is also what defines holiness. Holiness is not just the appearance of goodness, religious institutional status, or a spiritual vibe. It is the result of the gradual transformation of our character until we begin to think, speak, serve, forgive, sacrifice, and love as Christ does.

And in doing this, we do not merely take upon ourselves the name of Christ; ultimately, we metaphorically receive His image.

Alma asked the penetrating question: “Have ye received his image in your countenances?” (Alma 5:14). This does not mean that faithful disciples somehow acquire the physical facial features of Jesus. It means that what Christ is becomes increasingly visible in what we are. We are to demonstrate His character, and as we do, His light shines through us.

To receive the image of Christ in our countenance is to demonstrate how He is. It is to demonstrate how one is to live His teachings and assimilate His attributes. It is to demonstrate His love in all we do. Those who do this are called saints.

King Benjamin taught that through yielding ourselves to the Holy Spirit we may “[become saints] through the atonement of Christ the Lord” by becoming “submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love” (Mosiah 3:19). The evidence that Christ is changing us is therefore found in what we do, what we become, and in what our efforts produce in our lives and in the lives of others.

This gives profound insight into what it means to take upon ourselves the name of Christ. His name is not merely something we profess; it is something we emulate by what we do. When we do what Jesus would do, for the reasons Jesus would do it, we make His character increasingly visible in our own lives. We become merciful, truthful, courageous, forgiving, and loving because He has demonstrated these things and taught us the intrinsic value and benefit in being this way. We don’t do these things just because we are commanded to, but because the reality of the benefits compels us to. We have every incentive and reason to be this way!

And it is that truth, that incentive, and that reason that stimulates this transformation from what we were into what Christ is.

By this transformation we become “the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters,” because our hearts have been changed through faith on His name (Mosiah 5:7). Through faith we understand, we believe, and we do these things. And thus by faith, this becomes our covenant identity. This is not an imagined identity. It is the identity we take upon ourselves and it the name he gives to those who faithfully follow Him.

The name of Christ is received by all those who are true disciples of Christ because they demonstrate what it means to bear His name.

And so, we become defined by what we love, whom we love, and the manner in which we love them. As the love of Christ becomes the governing principle of our thinking, feeling, and conduct—even toward those who oppose us—we cease merely calling ourselves Christians and increasingly become what the name implies: sons and daughters of God, bearing the character and likeness of Christ.

---