By Faith Disciples Do What Jesus Does

John 14:12; 12. By faith all things are possible, and nothing is too hard for the Lord. See Matthew 18:19-20; also, Luke 17:5-6. But are we to understand that the disciples shall surpass even the miracles and mighty works of their Lord? Are they to quell storms, walk on the water, curse fig trees, turn water into wine, provide food for thousands, raise the dead, heal the sick, preach the gospel—all in greater measure than their Master? Obviously their ministries did not, and were not designed and intended, to excel his. What, then, is the meaning of the promise that they shall do greater works than they had seen him do?

John 14:12; Joseph Smith answers this question with inspiring insight. First he points to the scriptures which say that when the Lord shall appear the saints shall be like him (1 John 3:1-3), that the saints are to be holy as God is holy (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15-16), and that men are commanded to be perfect as their Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48.) Then he refers to the petitions of Jesus, made in his great Intercessory Prayer, in which he asks the Father to make the disciples one with the two of them, one in perfection, power, and glory. (John 17:20-24.)

John 14:12; "All these sayings put together give as clear an account of the state of the glorified saints as language could give—the works that Jesus had done they were to do, and greater works than those which he had done among them should they do, and that because he went to the Father. He does not say that they should do these works in time; but they should do greater works, because he went to the Father. He says in the 24th verse [of the 17th chapter of John]: 'Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory.' These sayings, taken in connection, make it very plain that the greater works which those that believed on his name were to do were to be done in eternity, where he was going and where they should behold his glory." (Lectures on Faith, pp. 64-66.)

John 14:12; He that believeth on me] "In nearly every instance, the scriptures use belief as a synonym for faith. The two terms are interchangeable; they mean the same thing, are gained in the same way, and the same effects flow from them. The Prophet adopted this usage in the Lectures on Faith; and accordingly, no one has faith in Christ who does not believe that he is the Son of God, nor does a person believe in Christ in the full sense without having faith in him. Faith is belief, and belief is faith. To illustrate: Two blind men besought Jesus to restore their sight. 'Believe ye that I am able to do this?' he asked; and receiving an affirmative, 'Yea, Lord,' in reply 'Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened.' (Matthew 9:27-31; Romans 10:13-17.)" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 75.)

John 14:13-14; 13-14. "And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you." (3 Nephi 18:20.) "Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you." (Moroni 7:26.)

John 14:13-14; In my name] As our Lord nears the close of his ministry he is completing and perfecting his teaching, teaching that has come line upon line and precept upon precept as rapidly as his disciples were able to receive it. Now he announces, twice, that petitions to the Father are to be in his name, and in so doing he is renewing the same instruction that has always been in force among people who had the fulness of the gospel. "Thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son," an angel told Adam, "and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the son forevermore." (Moses 5:8.)

John 14:13-14; "Jesus Christ is the name given of the Father whereby salvation and all things incident thereto may be attained. (Acts 4:12; Mosiah 3:17.) It is the name the saints take upon them in the waters of baptism (D&C 18:21-25; 20:37); the name by which they are called (Alma 5:37-38; 3 Nephi 27:3-10), in which they worship (D&C 20:29), and which they use to seal their prayers (D&C 50: 31); it is the name in which the saints serve God (D&C 59:5), work miracles (D&C 84:66-73), speak prophecies (D&C 130: 12), and do all things. (D&C 46: 31.)

John 14:13-14; "Use of the name of Christ centers one's faith in him and constitutes a solemn affirmation as to where all power and authority lies. For God the Father 'hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' (Philipians 2:9-11.)" (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 475-476.)