Three Outstanding Messages of The Book of Mormon to this Generation

Three Outstanding Messages of The Book of Mormon to this Generation

by Sidney B. Sperry

the message that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.—The second of the three outstanding messages of the Nephite scripture to our time is that it is the witness of two great nations of the past (Nephites and Jaredites) that Jesus is the Christ. In the second paragraph of the title page of the Book of Mormon, Moroni tells of the abridgment of the Book of Ether (a record of the Jaredites) and informs us that one of its purposes was “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting Himself unto all nations.” It is clear to the student of the Nephite record that this purpose is one of the major concerns of the whole volume.

Early in the history of the Nephite people, the great Nephi rejoiced that he had seen in vision the Lord’s day and his heart rejoiced in His holy name. (2 Nephi 25:13.) He spoke of the scattering of the Jews and of the time that should come when they would be persuaded to believe in Christ and in the power of His atonement. (2 Nephi 25:16.) Notice also these words of interest to all of us:

“… this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved. Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should never perish as long as the earth should stand. Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words which are written. For we labour 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, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled.” (2 Nephi 25:20-24.)

 The importance of these words to this generation can scarcely be emphasised enough. Moreover, some of Nephi’s farewell words to us should be a sufficient testimony of the significance he attached to the work and mission of the Christ:

“I have charity for the Jew—I say Jew, because I mean them from whence I came. I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the straight path which leads to life; and continue in. the. path until the end of the day of probation. And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and He hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are His words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before His bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weaknesses.” (2 Nephi 33:8-11.)

Nephi's words concerning the Christ are part of the general warning of the Book of Mormon to our time. “You and I shall stand face to face before His bar” is warning enough.

When Mormon, the great historian, abridged the Nephite accounts of the personal appearance of the resurrected, glorified Christ to the ancient inhabitants of this land he was careful to accent for our benefit the fact that they (the Nephites) were individual witnesses of the risen Lord. On the first day of the Saviour’s ministry, it is recorded that He extended this invitation to the twenty-five hundred men, women and children who were present:

“Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into My side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in My hands and in My feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.” (3 Nephi 11:14.)

Then Mormon writes these words of what ensued:

“And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hand into His side, and did feel the prints of the nails in His hands and in His feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and. did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was He, of whom it is written by the prophets, that should come. And when they had all gone forth and witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, … (3 Nephi 11:15, 16; bold type ours.)

Notice the words in bold type. Mormon’s purpose in writing the account is quite apparent. The emphasis which he attaches to the Nephites as witnesses of the Christ and of the powers of heaven is strikingly brought out in another passage. In a touching scene Jesus blesses the Nephite children, after which the heavens open and angels encircle the little ones about as with fire. (3 Nephi 17:21-24.) Then follows this testimony:

“And the multiude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that their record is true for they all of them did see and hear, every man for himself; and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and children.” (3 Nephi 17:25; bold type our.)

Such a witness must impress every honest heart—at least Mormon meant it to.

Although the Nephite witness of Christ to our time is or should be a voice of gladness, we must not forget that this revelation of our Lord from the past brings with it additional responsibility to this generation. Mormon, like Nephi in this respect, adds to the note of warning which is sounded by the Book of Mormon. The world of our day is addressed by him and cautioned not to deny the Christ or spurn His works:

“And when ye shall see these sayings coming forth among you, then ye need not any longer spurn at the doings of the Lord, for the sword of His justice is in His right hand; and behold, at that day, if ye shall spurn at His doings He will cause that it shall soon overtake you. Wo unto him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord; yea, wo unto him that shall deny the Christ and His works! Yea, wo unto him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost!" (3 Nephi 29:4-6.)

Moroni, the great son of Mormon, also bears witness to our day that Jesus is the Christ, and adds a note of warning to his farewell to the Gentiles:

“And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood. And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that He hath talked with me face to face, and that He told me in plain humility, even as a man telleth another in mine own language concerning these things; and only a few have I written, because of my weakness in writing. And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen.” (Ether 12:38-41.)

Nor should we forget that in his farewell note to the Lamanites of our time he urges them also to come unto the Christ and be perfected in Him:

“Yea, 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; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in no wise 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. And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.” (Moroni 10:32-34.) 

(Concluded in the next issue)