2 Ne 25:1 Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my
people to understand
The
Nephites, understandably, had a difficult time understanding Isaiah. As Nephi
points out, they didn’t know concerning the manner
of prophesying among the Jews. This was intentional on Nephi’s part, for their works were works of darkness (v. 2). The
Jews had a way of prophesying which could confuse just about anyone:
“The
prophets sometimes speak of future events as present, because they are present to
them in their visions. For instance, ‘Unto us a
Child is born.’ (Isa. 9:6)
“Similarly,
they sometimes speak of the future as already past. For instance: ‘He hath borne our grief and carried our sorrows; yet we
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.’ (Is. 53:4)
“Another
peculiarity is that the prophets sometimes group together future events very
much as one combines stars into constellations in the wide expanse, according
to their apparent position to an observer on earth, rather than their actual
distance from each other.” (Reynolds and Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon,
vol. 1, p. 370)
We
have several advantages which help us understand Isaiah better than the
Nephites did. Today, we have the entire Old Testament history to read. We have
other prophets, like Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zecharaiah, which prophesied in a
manner similar to Isaiah. We have linguists and scholars helping us understand
the poetic forms of Hebrew writings. But more than all this, we have the
advantage of other scriptures which teach us about the writings of Isaiah.
There are interpretations of his writings in the New Testament, Book of Mormon,
and Doctrine & Covenants. Lastly, we have the benefit of history on our
side. All the things that Christ did during his mortal ministry are easy to
understand when looking through the “retrospectoscope.” Nephi emphasizes this
point later. He explains that when men see Isaiah’s prophecies being fulfilled
they will finally understand their meaning, in the
days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men shall know of a
surety, at the times when they shall come to pass (v. 7).
2 Ne 25:4 the words of Isaiah…are plain unto all those that are
filled with the spirit of prophecy
Nephi
had no trouble understanding Isaiah. This is reminiscent of Joseph Smith’s
comment about the book of Revelation. He said, “the book of Revelation is one
of the plainest books God ever caused to be written” (Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 290). It is easy for Nephi to say that Isaiah
is not hard to understand and for Joseph Smith to say that the book of
Revelation is one of the plainest books ever written, because they had both
seen in vision the same things that Isaiah and John the Revelator saw. If we
had the advantage of seeing in vision the same things seen by these great
prophets, the interpretation would be a piece of cake.
Nevertheless, this is no excuse for us.
The Lord has specifically commanded us to study Isaiah, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently;
for great are the words of Isaiah (3 Ne 23:1). We must seek the spirit
of prophecy in order to understand Isaiah. The gift of prophecy is one of the
gifts of the spirit (1 Cor 12:10). It is through this gift that Isaiah can be
understood. We should seek this gift as with the other gifts of the spirit, seek ye earnestly the best gifts (DC 46:8).
John the Revelator further explained
the spirit of prophecy, the testimony of Jesus is
the spirit of prophecy (Rev 19:10). Some have mistakenly assumed that
only a priesthood holder, ordained as a prophet of the Lord, could have this
spirit. Nothing could be further from the truth. Every member should have a
testimony of Jesus. Every member should have some portion of this spirit of
prophecy. Without it, the things of the spirit cannot be understood (see DC
50:13-24). As our testimony of the Savior is strengthened, we will gain greater
spiritual gifts until we become like Nephi, filled
with the spirit of prophecy.
Hugh Nibley
“Remember,
when they asked Joseph Smith, ‘Are you a prophet of God?’ He said, ‘Yes, and so
is any other person who can bear a testimony of Jesus Christ.’ This can only be
done by the spirit of prophecy.” (Ancient Documents and the Pearl of Great
Price, lecture 21, p. 6)
Joseph Fielding Smith
“Revelation
may be given to every member of the Church. The Prophet said that every man
should be a prophet; that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. It
is not only the privilege but the duty of each member of the Church to know the
truth which will make him free. This he cannot know unless it is revealed to
him. Moroni has promised every person who humbly and sincerely reads the Book
of Mormon that he may know by revelation that it is true. The gift of the Holy
Ghost is given to the members of the Church so that they may have the spirit of
prophecy and revelation. Let it be understood however, that they will not
receive revelation for the guidance of the Church. That gift is reserved for
and vested in the man who holds the keys of the Priesthood. But the members of
the Church are entitled to receive revelation which is needful for their
progress and if they will hearken to the Spirit of truth and walk humbly before
the Lord, they will not fall short of this spiritual guidance.” (Church
History & Modern Revelation, vol. 4, p. 36)
The
reason that Nephi and Joseph Smith had a far greater capacity to understand the
prophecies of others was not because they were entitled to the spirit of
prophecy and we are not. Rather, their ability comes from a more sure word of
prophecy. As Peter said, We have also a more sure
word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that
shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your
hearts (2 Pet 1:19). And, The more sure word
of prophecy means a man’s knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by
revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood
(DC 131:5).
2 Ne 25:4 my soul delighteth in plainness
unto my people, that they may learn
The
Lord does not intend to teach us things we cannot understand. Rather, He gives
us line upon line, depending on our spiritual preparation, until we understand
the mysteries of the kingdom. For my soul delighteth
in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children
of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh
unto men according to their language, unto their understanding (2 Ne
31:3).
Hugh Nibley
“If
the Book of Mormon said only what we wanted it to we wouldn't need it. But we
do need it. It is written ‘according to the
plainness of the word of God’ (Jacob 2:11), ‘in
plainness, even as plain as word can be’ (2 Nephi 32:7). It needs no
handbook (not even this one) to explain its meaning. ‘I
glory in plainness,’ said Nephi (2 Nephi 33:6), ‘for
my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work,
. . . for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their
understanding’ (2 Nephi 31:3). So that leaves us pretty much without
excuse.” (Since Cumorah, p. 387)
Orson F. Whitney
“A
speaker's first duty is to make himself understood, to speak with plainness,
and he must also be in earnest, must mean what he says, and say what he means,
or he can never impress the hearts of his hearers. If he be sincere, earnest,
and plain in his instructions, eloquence will take care of itself. A man is
never eloquent when he tries to be. Eloquence comes from being earnest, from
having in our hearts a desire to bless the people and feed them with the bread
of life. It is my desire, during the few moments I shall stand before you, to
speak plainly, to make myself understood, and reach your hearts by the power of
the Spirit of God.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1910, p. 59)
Elder Charles W. Penrose
“The
President alluded to some of these things this morning, and the counsel he gave
to us is very pertinent and very necessary at the present time, and if our
brethren, and some few of our sisters, perhaps, would quit this quibbling, when
they search, when they seek, they will be sure to find. If they are seeking for
contradictions, they will find them, but if they are seeking for the word of
life, they will find it, and they will rejoice therein, and everything will be
clear and plain before their minds. In that I delight, and I rejoice in the
gospel of Jesus Christ as it has been revealed to us in these latter days
because of its plainness. I am one with the prophet Nephi in this respect. He
said, ‘My soul delighteth in plainness,’ and
this has been a joy to me ever since I first heard the gospel.” (Conference
Report, Oct. 1916, p. 18)
2 Ne 25:8 [the words of
Isaiah] shall be of great worth unto them in the
last days; for in that day shall they understand them
Nephi
is declaring that the people of the last days will understand the words of
Isaiah. This is encouraging. It suggests that our understanding of Isaiah is
correct. Still we worry because we cannot understand every reference that
Isaiah makes. Let’s look at an example. We may be worried by the fact that we
don’t understand all the terms used in the passage in 2 Ne 13, where Isaiah
speaks of the daughters of Zion and their changeable suits of apparel, mantles,
wimples, and crisping-pins. Even if these accessories are foreign to us, we
still understand the principle that Isaiah is teaching. We understand that the
Lord is not pleased with the vanity of the daughters of Zion. We understand
that this applies to our day as well as Isaiah’s. And we understand that there
will be an appropriate punishment for those who are vain and proud. The
important principle is that the Lord is not pleased with pride and vanity not
that we understand every reference to ancient Hebrew dress. We should not be
worried if we cannot understand certain passages if we can get the big picture,
the overriding spiritual truth, or the latter day reference. We must be
encouraged by the statement of Nephi, for in that
day shall they understand them. We should understand the words of Isaiah
because he frequently spoke of our day and the events which are soon to take
place.
LeGrand Richards
“We
are all here today in fulfillment of the words of the prophets, and I love the
prophecies of Isaiah because it seems to me that he lived almost more in our
day than when he was actually upon the earth, because the Lord gave him to see
so many of the things that would transpire in the latter days” (Conference
Report, Oct. 1956, p. 23)
2 Ne 25:11 notwithstanding they have been carried away they shall
return again
When
the Babylonians captured Jerusalem (c. 589 BC), they took the Jews who survived
back to Babylon. The Jews remained there for 70 years. When they finally
returned, they reestablished their nation and rebuilt the temple. As Jeremiah
prophesied, this whole land shall be a desolation,
and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy
years (Jer 25:11).
2 Ne 25:12 the Father of heaven and of earth,
shall manifest himself unto them in the flesh
We
like to think of the Godhead as consisting of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost. Therefore, references to Jehovah as “the Father,” can sometimes be
confusing. Here, Nephi is prophesying that the
Father of heaven and of earth will become mortal and minister to the
Jews.
We
need to look at how Jesus Christ can be referred to as “the Father.” Jesus
Christ can be referred to as the father in three different contexts. First, as
the creator of the heavens and the earth (under the direction of Elohim), He
becomes the “Father of heaven and of earth.” Second, as the redeemer, he
becomes our spiritual father by redeeming us from spiritual death. When we
accept Him as our Savior, we become sons and daughters unto Christ. If we are
his sons and daughters, then he must be our father. And
now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children
of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath
spiritually begotten you (Mosiah 5:7). Third, Jesus Christ is “the
Father” because of his special designation as the Only-Begotten of the Father
(Elohim) in the flesh. Abinadi explained how Christ is both the Father and the
Son, The Father, because he was conceived by the
power of God; and the son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and
Son (Mosiah 15:3).
Neal A. Maxwell
“Jesus is even described as the Father,
because he is the Father-Creator of this and other worlds. Furthermore, he is
the Father of all who are born again spiritually. When we take upon ourselves
his name and covenant to keep his commandments, we then become his sons and
daughters, ‘the children of Christ.’
Additionally, since he and the Father are one in attributes and in purpose,
Jesus acts for the Father through divine investiture, sometimes speaking as the
Father.” (Mosiah, Salvation Only Through Christ, ed. By Nyman and Tate,
pp. 5-6 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon
compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 62)
2
Ne 25:14-15 Jerusalem shall be destroyed again…the
Jews shall be scattered among all nations
This has reference to the destruction
of the Jews at the hands of the Romans in 70 AD. After the Romans destroyed
Jerusalem, they took the surviving Jews and scattered them all over the vast
Roman Empire. For a detailed discussion of the atrocities which befell the Jews
at this time, refer to the commentary for 1 Ne 19:13.
2 Ne 25:16 until they (the Jews) shall be persuaded to believe in Christ
One
of the most consistent signs which is to precede the Lord’s fulfillment of the
promises made to the fathers regarding the restoration of the house of Israel
is this sign—that the Jews shall be persuaded to believe in Christ. This sign is given in numerous other
passages, 2 Ne 9:2, 2 Ne 10:7, and 2 Ne 30:7. As Nephi explains, when this
happens, the Lord will set his hand…to restore his
people and proceed to do a marvelous work and
a wonder among the children of men (v. 17). The Lord has already set his
hand to recover his people and has been performing his marvelous work and a
wonder for the past 170 years. Therefore, this scripture, that the Jews are persuaded to believe in Christ, must have already
come to pass.
This
may not make sense to some. One could argue that the Jews of today have not yet
accepted Christ in sufficient numbers to fulfill this prophecy. Such an
interpretation misunderstands the difference between the way Nephi used the
term, “Jews,” and the way that we sometimes use the term, “Jews.” If we think
of the “Jews” as that group of people which recognizes its heritage, accepts
the religion of Judaism, and is returning in vast numbers to the Holy Land, the
scripture doesn’t make sense. That group of people is not turning to Christ as
their Messiah in any great numbers. When the Savior comes again there will be
some of this group which ask, What are these wounds
in thine hands and in thy feet (DC 55:68), signifying that they have not
yet accepted Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
However, if we understand the way in which
Nephi uses the term, “Jews,”—to mean anyone of the house of Israel—this
prophecy makes a lot more sense (see 2 Ne 9:1-2). In that sense, all those of
Nephite and Lamanite descent who have accepted the Book of Mormon and the
gospel of Jesus Christ have fulfilled this prophecy. All those who lived in
Europe and America, who unknowingly are of the blood of Israel, and accepted
the gospel have fulfilled this prophecy. The blood of Israel has been scattered
all over the earth. Those who accept the gospel are either adopted into the
house of Israel or belong to it by birthright, even if they did not realize
their own lineage. This is what Nephi was speaking of when he said, And it shall come to pass that the Jews which are
scattered also shall begin to believe in Christ (2 Ne 30:7).
2
Ne 25:17 a marvelous work and a wonder
The “marvelous work and a wonder”
doctrine comes from Isaiah, Therefore, behold, I
will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a
marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall
perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid….And in
that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind
shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. The meek also shall increase their
joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel
(Isa 29:14,18-19). What is marvelous and a wonder is the work the Lord
performs in the last days. Verse 18 above shows that the Book of Mormon plays a
role in the process but is not the “marvelous work and a wonder.” The phrase
means that the Lord will build a kingdom in the latter days using the simple
and meek of the earth. He will gather the tribes of Israel by a great
missionary effort that will be successful because of the Book of Mormon and
other latter-day scriptures. LeGrand Richards explains how crucial the ministry
of Joseph Smith was to this process.
LeGrand Richards
“Joseph
Smith, or any other man, could not have obtained all this information by
reading the Bible or studying all the books that have ever been written. It
came from God. It is exactly what Isaiah promised the Lord would do when
conditions upon the earth should become as Joseph Smith found them when he went
into the woods to pray for light as to which of all the churches he should
join….
“It
truly is a marvelous work and a wonder. Can you conceive of anything that could
be more marvelous or more wonderful?” (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder,
pp. 411)
Heber J. Grant
“Truly a great and marvelous work has come forth and been proclaimed in every land and in every clime all over the wide world. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored--by a personal visitation of the apostles Peter, James and John, laying their hands upon the heads of Oliver Cowdery and the Prophet Joseph Smith and ordaining them to the apostleship; by a personal visitation of John the Baptist, who baptized the Savior, laying his hands upon Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith and ordaining them to the Aaronic, or the lesser priesthood--the gospel is again restored to the earth, with the power and authority that existed in the days of the Savior. Millions of dollars in money have been expended for erecting and maintaining temples wherein ordinances are performed for the salvation of those who have died without a knowledge of the gospel. All these things bear witness of the inspiration of God to that man Joseph Smith, when he delivered this statement in a revelation to his father, that a great and a marvelous work was about to come forth among the children of men.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1920, p. 4)
2 Ne 25:18 he shall bring forth his words unto them, which words
shall judge them at the last day
John the
Revelator recorded, I saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which
is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which
were written in the books, according to their works (Rev 20:12). Nephi
explains that the Book of Mormon is one of those books out of which the dead
were judged. If you have read the Book of Mormon, you will be held responsible
for living by all the principles contained therein, And
the words which I have spoken shall stand as a
testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man the right way (v.
28).
Ezra Taft
Benson
“Do eternal
consequences rest upon our response to this book? Yes, either to our blessing
or our condemnation. Every Latter-day Saint should make the study of this book
a lifetime pursuit. Otherwise he is placing his soul in jeopardy and neglecting
that which could give spiritual and intellectual unity to his whole life. There
is a difference between a convert who is built on the rock of Christ through
the Book of Mormon and stays hold of that iron rod, and one who is not.” (A
Witness and a warning, pp. 7-8 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on
the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 152)
Marion G.
Romney
“For me there
could be no more impelling reason for reading the Book of Mormon than this
statement of the Lord that we shall be judged by what is written in it.” (Conference
Report, Apr. 1960, pp. 110-111 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on
the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 152)
2 Ne 25:19 his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God
“One of the
marvelous contributions of modern revelation (including the Book of Mormon) is
an insight into the nature of Christ's eternal gospel, the revelation to the
Church and to the world that Christian prophets have taught Christian doctrine
and administered Christian ordinances since the days of Adam. The name of the Messiah--revealed to us as
Jesus Christ, meaning literally ‘Jehovah is salvation, the anointed one’--was
known from the very beginning of earth's history. God spoke to Adam as follows:
‘I made the world, and men before they were
in the flesh. And [God] also said unto him:
If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and
repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water in the name of
mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ,
... ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.’ (Moses 6:51-52.) Enoch, whose name and city are associated
with transcendent righteousness, pleaded in behalf of the people of the
earth: ‘I
ask thee, O Lord, in the name of thine Only Begotten, even Jesus Christ, that
thou wilt have mercy upon Noah and his seed, that the earth might never more be
covered by the floods’ (Moses 7:50).
Noah called upon a wicked generation:
‘Believe and repent of your sins and be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even as our Fathers, and
ye shall receive the Holy Ghost’ (Moses 8:24). Likewise, the brother of Jared, the spiritual leader among that
colony which left the eastern hemisphere at the time of the confusion of
tongues at the Tower of Babel was told: ‘Behold, I
am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my
people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ.’
(Ether 3:14.)” (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of
Mormon, vol. 1, p. 292)
2 Ne 25:20 there is none other name given under heaven save it be
this Jesus Christ…whereby man can be saved
As a
missionary, I once had a long conversation with a Buddhist about the process of
salvation. He contended that as many roads lead to Rome, there are just as many
ways that one can reach heaven. He had asked me if it was possible for a
Buddhist who never converted to Christianity in his lifetime could, according
to my beliefs, be saved. I responded that he could, but there were
qualifications. In discussing these qualifications, the doctrine that there is
no other name whereby man can be saved was discussed. This is not what the
Buddhist man wanted to hear. He thought that this Christian doctrine was
narrow-minded and ethno-centric. It would be both of those things if it weren’t
the truth.
We understand
from the scriptures that salvation comes only in and through the name of Jesus
Christ. This applies to the Buddhist as well as to the Muslim. It applies to
the Jew as well as to the Hindu. It applies to the atheist as well as the
agnostic. There is no way around this doctrine, for every knee shall bow and
every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God
(Mosiah 27:31).
2 Ne 25:23 it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do
This is the
key scripture in the argument against the sectarian, “by grace ye are saved”
doctrine. The sectarian doctrine
teaches that as soon as one accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, the
individual is saved. Being saved, then, is a single event in time and space
which takes place when one accepts Christ. The reason why this doctrine is so
unacceptable is not because of the words used, for it truly is “by grace that
we are saved.” Rather the doctrine is unacceptable because of how the
sectarians have interpreted it and the implications of the interpretation. If
salvation comes as easily as that—by a cursory acceptance of Christ—it implies
that an individual has no responsibility to follow God after being saved.
Theoretically, one could accept Christ today, then return to a wicked life
tomorrow and still expect salvation. On the other hand, the individual who
accepts Christ and then devotes the rest of his/her entire life to following
the Master can expect no greater reward than the former individual. Such a
doctrine denies the justice of God.
In reality,
the individual who “accepts Christ” and then returns to living a wicked life
never really accepted Christ in the first place. A cursory acceptance and a few
monetary donations do not make a disciple of Christ. This Nephi passage makes
it clear that we have some responsibility in the relationship—it guarantees
salvation by grace after all we can do. After
one has started on the path of discipleship, Nephi clearly teaches what must
take place next, after ye have gotten into this
strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you,
Nay…ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect
brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall
press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold,
thus saith the Father: ye shall have eternal life (2 Ne 31:20).
There is a
doctrinal spectrum with faith on one end and works on the other. Paul was
teaching people who thought that salvation came through the works of the Law of
Moses, so he emphasized faith and grace. Many latter-day saints respond to the
sectarian emphasis on grace and faith with an emphasis on works. In doing so,
their teachings become reactionary—they overemphasize the importance of works.
The best place to be in the Faith-Works Spectrum is right in the middle. We
need to understand that faith without works is dead (James 2:17), but also that
works without faith are dead. Indeed, the more we understand about the process
of salvation, the more we understand that it is not our righteousness that gets
us there. This is beautifully taught by Stephen E. Robinson:
“At
first glance at this scripture (2 Ne 25:23), we might think that grace is
offered to us only chronologically after we have completed doing all we can do,
but this is demonstrably false, for we have already received many
manifestations of God's grace before we even come to this point. By his grace,
we live and breathe. By grace, we are spiritually begotten children of heavenly
parents and enjoy divine prospects…The grace of God has been involved in our
spiritual progress from the beginning and will be involved in our progress
until the end.
“It
therefore belittles God's grace to think of it as only a cherry on top added at
the last moment as a mere finishing touch to what we have already accomplished
on our own without any help from God. Instead the reverse would be a truer
proposition: our efforts are the cherry on top added to all that God has
already done for us.
“Actually,
I understand the preposition ‘after’ in "2 Ne. 25:232 Nephi 25:23
to be a preposition of separation rather than a preposition of time. It denotes
logical separateness rather than temporal sequence. We are saved by grace
‘apart from all we can do,’ or ‘all we can do notwithstanding,’ or even
‘regardless of all we can do.’ Another acceptable paraphrase of the sense of
the verse might read, ‘We are still saved by grace, after all is said and
done.’
“Thus,
the correct sense of "2 Ne. 25:232 Nephi 25:23 would be that we are ultimately
saved by grace apart from whatever we manage to do. Grace is not merely a
decorative touch or a finishing bit of trim to top off our own efforts—it is
God's participation in the process of our salvation from its beginning to its
end.” (Stephen E. Robinson, Believing Christ: The Parable of the Bicycle and
Other Good News, p. 91-2) Bruce R.
McConkie “Man cannot
save himself. He cannot be saved by the works of the Mosaic law; he cannot be
saved by the works of the gospel. Man cannot resurrect himself; neither Mosaic
works nor gospel works can bring him forth from the grave. The resurrection
comes by the grace of God; all men are resurrected, and in that sense all are
saved by grace alone. And further: No man can raise himself unto eternal life;
he cannot create a state of salvation and provide the means to obtain it. Man
cannot create the kingdom of God, nor can he save himself in such a kingdom. If
it were not for the grace of God, as shown forth in the redemption of his Son,
there would be no eternal life. Neither the works of the Mosaic law nor the
works of Christian righteousness, standing alone, without the grace of God as manifest
in the sacrifice of his Son could save a man. Salvation does not come into
being by the works of men; it comes because of Christ and his atonement.
Because there was such an atonement, man can have faith, perform the works of
righteousness, endure to the end, and ‘work out [his] own salvation with fear and trembling.’
(Philippians 2:12.) “Nephi's
teachings accord with Paul's. ‘Believe in Christ,’
the American Hebrew exhorts, ‘and be reconciled to
God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.’
(2 Nephi 25:23.) His brother Jacob also accords: ‘Reconcile
yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh;
and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through
the grace of God that ye are saved.’ (2 Nephi 10:24.) But perhaps no one
has ever expounded the doctrine of salvation by grace better than Moroni did in
these words: ‘Come unto Christ, and be perfected in
him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of
all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is
his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ.’
Hear it, O all men: the grace of God, in the full sense, in the sense of
salvation, is manifest only to those who, through righteousness become perfect
in Christ. ‘And if by the grace of God ye are
perfect in Christ,’ Moroni continues, ‘ye can
in nowise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are
perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by
the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the
covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy,
without spot.’ (Moroni 10:32-33.) God be thanked and God be praised for
his goodness and grace unto the children of men.” (A New Witness for the
Articles of Faith, p. 150) 2 Ne 25:24-5 we keep the law of Moses The Law of
Moses was given as a lesser law, with a lesser priesthood, as Paul said, to be
a schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ
(Gal 3:24). Every time the Lord reveals his will to a given people by giving
them commandments, there is a group of indispensable components. The law is not
given in isolation; it is given with associated covenants, priesthood,
ordinances, temple services, blessings, cursings, and sacrifices. The author of
the Book of Hebrews taught this beautifully in chapters 7-10: The days come, saith the
Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the
house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in
the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt (Heb 8:8-9).
For the priesthood being changed, there is
made of necessity a change also of the law (Heb 7:12).
High priests…offer up sacrifice, first for
his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he (Christ) did once, when he
offered up himself (Heb 7:27).
Then verily the first covenant had also
ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a
tabernacle made (Heb 9:1-2) THE LAW OF MOSES THE GOSPEL OF
JESUS CHRIST______ 1. The Law: the 10
Commandments, etc. focusing on one’s actions & the
outward ordinances 1. The Law: the higher law,
focusing one’s actions, thoughts, and desires and requiring the exerciseof
faith. 2. The Covenant: If the
Israelites keep the commandments, they are promised, I will walk among you, and will
be your God, and ye shall be my people (Lev 26:12). 2. The Covenant: the new and
everlasting covenant. See also Heb 10:16-20 3. Blessings: see Deut 28:1-14 3. Blessings: all the
blessings of the covenant of Abraham and eternal life (DC 132) 4. Cursings: see Deut 28:15-68 4. Cursings: to be turned over
to the buffetings of Satan (DC 104:9). See also DC
84:41-42. 5. Priesthood: Aaronic 5. Priesthood: Melchizedek 6. Temple: Tabernacle of
Moses, and the Temple of Solomon 6. Temple: Latter-day Temples
with saving ordinances for the living and the
dead 7. Sacrifice: animal sacrifice
of the firstborn shall make an atonement
for…his sin, and it shall be forgiven him (Lev 4:26) 7. Sacrifice: The offering of
Christ’s perfect sacrifice requires of us a broken
heart and a contrite spirit (3 Ne 9:19-20) In spite of
the Nephite obedience to the Law of Moses, they understood the reason the law
was given—as a symbol for the mission of Jesus Christ. Hence the explanation by
Nephi, the law hath become dead unto us, and we are
made alive in Christ because of our faith. John Taylor “So firm a
foundation having been laid for the faith of the Nephite people, we find that
in every period of their history they retained their reverence for the law of
Moses, though disputations sometimes arose, by reason of iniquity, with regard
to its symbolism or its saving quality.
The apostates, who separated themselves from the Church, occasionally
fell into the grievous error of exalting the law above the Gospel, and, whilst
maintaining its divine origin, they ignored its typical value and denied that
it was a preparatory system leading to a higher, holier and more perfect law;
they refused to recognize it as a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ.” (The
Mediation and Atonement, chapter 14) 2 Ne 25:26 we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of
Christ, we prophesy of Christ Ezra Taft
Benson “Those who are
committed to Christ ‘stand as witnesses of God at
all times and in all things, and in all places’ that they may be in ‘even until death’ (Mosiah 18:9). They ‘retain the name’ of Christ ‘written always’ in their hearts (Mosiah 5:12). They take upon
themselves ‘the name of Christ, having a
determination to serve him to the end’ (Moroni 6:3). “When we live
a Christ-centered life, ‘we talk of Christ, we
rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ’ (2 Nephi 25:26). We ‘receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love’
(Jacob 3:2). Even when Nephi's soul was grieved because of his
iniquities, he said, ‘I know in whom I have trusted.
My God hath been my support.’ (2 Nephi 4:19-20.) “We remember
Alma's counsel: ‘Let all thy doings be unto the
Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy
thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be
placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings.’
(Alma 37:36-37.)” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 11) Spencer W. Kimball “Parents must
first teach of Christ. We can see that not all activities we could engage in
are of equal weight, even though they may appropriately be a part of a
spiritually balanced family unity development program. Some concerns have
higher priorities. We remember the words of Nephi as he counseled: ‘And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of
Christ, we prophesy of Christ ... that our children may know to what source
they may look.’ (2 Nephi 25:26.) What inner strength would be in every
person if he knew that the Master and His teachings were indeed his great
source of guidance, his great source of correct example, his great source of
help! That is our prime goal in all our teaching in the home. (The Teachings
of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 333) Carlos E. Asay “I emphasize
the ‘all-ness’ of the baptismal commitment. Witnessing of God is not confined
to a specific time, place, or circumstance. It is not something to be done once
and then forgotten. It is not something to be reserved for a select few. It is
not something to be jealously hoarded. Those who enter the Church through the
waters of baptism covenant to do what Nephi declared: ‘For
we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren,
to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by
grace that we are saved, after all we can do. . . . And we talk of Christ, we
rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write
according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may
look for a remission of their sins.’ (2 Nephi 25:23, 26.)” (The Seven
M’s of Missionary Service, chapter 3 under the heading, “ A Warning”) Bruce R.
McConkie “In
pleading with men to believe in Christ and be reconciled to God so as to gain a
remission of their sins, Nephi said: ‘…we talk of
Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ,…[for]
the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy
One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all
your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall
in nowise be cast out.’ (2 Ne. 25:26, 29.) “Thus
we are bold to extol his holy name, to proclaim that he is the Lord Jehovah,
the Great I Am, the Creator of heaven and earth and all things which in them
are. And thus we testify that he is the God of Israel, the promised Messiah,
the Only Begotten, the Son of God. “Our
proclamation is that he came into the world to ransom men from the temporal and
spiritual death brought upon them through the fall of Adam; that he was born of
Mary, inheriting from her the power of mortality, which is the power to die;
that he is literally the Son of God, in the same sense in which all men are the
offspring of mortal fathers; and that he inherited from his Father the power of
immortality, which is the power to live. “We
know that because he is the Only Begotten in the flesh, he was able to work out
the infinite and eternal atonement, whereby all men are raised in immortality,
which is redemption from the temporal fall, while those who believe and obey
his laws are raised also unto eternal life, which is redemption from the spiritual
fall.” (Conference Report, Oct. 1970, p. 127) 2 Ne 25:29 worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and
your whole soul No phrase
better sums up how we should treat our Maker. It encompasses the first great
commandment—to love the Lord thy God. Joseph
Fielding Smith “In answering
the question of the lawyer, ‘Master, which is the
great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said unto him: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’
(Matt. 22:36-40.) This commandment which was given to Israel before they
entered into their inheritances in the promised land, has again in this
dispensation been commanded of all members of the Church, and particularly of
all who receive inheritances in Zion. So important is this commandment that the
Latter-day Saints have had their attention called to it in a number of
revelations. It is plain to be seen that on these commandments hang all the law
and the prophets. If a person observes these commandments as they are given in
verses 5 and 6 of this section (59) he will keep the full law of God. We cannot
love our Heavenly Father, and worship him in the name of his Only Begotten Son,
our Redeemer, with all our ‘heart, might, mind, and
strength’ without keeping all other commandments. It naturally follows
that we will love our neighbor as ourselves and have sympathy and love for all
men who are the children of God. There would be no occasion for us to be
constantly reminded that we should keep the Sabbath holy, or pay our honest
tithes, or keep our bodies clean by observing the Word of Wisdom, or that we
should not neglect our prayers, secret and in the family circle, we would
observe all of these things and all else that we are instructed to do, If we
loved the Lord our God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. To the
extent that members of the Church observe the laws of the Lord, may their love
for him be measured.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, p. 199-200) Mark E.
Petersen “When the Lord
gave us the first great commandment, I am thankful also that he gave us that
part of the 4th Section of the D&C which says: “’. . . O ye that
embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might,
mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.’(Doc.
& Cov. 4:2.) “If you really
and truly believe in the first and great commandment, to love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, might, mind and strength, it means then that you will serve
him with all your soul, and with all your heart, with all your mind, with all
your might, and with all your strength. That means that you will serve him
without reservation of any kind, and that of a truth you will put your whole
soul, your whole heart, into the work of Almighty God, that you will apply the
best of your intelligence, you will serve him with all your mind, by seeking to
know the program of the Church, and then to live up to that program with all
your soul. “It means
likewise if you are going to love him and serve him with all your strength,
that you will serve him, with all your physical strength, with all your mental
strength, with all your spiritual strength, and with the strength of all your
resources, whatsoever they may be. If you really love the Lord your God you
will serve him in that manner. And all who do so are likened unto a wise man that
built his house upon the rock, and the rain descended and the floods came, and
the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded
upon a rock.” (Conference Report, Oct. 1944, p. 126)