In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught his disciples: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16; see also 3 Nephi 12:16). To the Nephites he declared that he is the light which we are to hold up-the light of the world. Only through him can we become a “light of the world” (see Matthew 5:14; see also 3 Nephi 12:14).
There is both an individual and an institutional application of this passage. First, individually, we hold up Christ as the light of the world in our lives as we take his name upon us, have his image engraven in our countenances by personifying his teachings and by receiving his Spirit.
Second, as an institution the Church is commanded to hold Christ up to the world as the light that illuminates our way and gives life and meaning to all that we do. In all our ministering and meetings he should be our focal point and the object of our attention and our adoration.
Others who observe our institutional efforts must be able to perceive that in the institutional Church, as well as in our individual lives, “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ” (2 Nephi 25:26). Reflecting the light of the world in the light of our lives and our ministry, we can invite all to come unto Christ and thereby see good works that are centered in Christ. We would hope they will then be moved to glorify the Father.