Moroni 10: “Come unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him” (December 14-20)

“I exhort you.” Eight times in his final chapter, Moroni uses this phrase or the related phrase, “I would exhort you.” He introduces the chapter as “a few words…of exhortation unto you” (Moroni 10:2).

To exhort is to “strongly encourage or urge someone to do something” (Oxford English Dictionary). So Moroni’s final order of business is to strongly encourage us (his future readers) to do the following eight things:

1. Remember the mercy God has shown to people throughout history and ponder it (Moroni 10:3).
2. Ask God if the Book of Mormon is true (Moroni 10:4).
3. Don’t deny the power of God (Moroni 10:7).
4. Don’t deny the gifts of God (Moroni 10:8).
5. Remember that every good gift comes from Christ (Moroni 10:18).
6. Remember that Christ is unchanging and that His gifts are eternal (Moroni 10:19).
7. Remember the importance of faith, hope, and charity in preparing you for the final judgment (Moroni 10:27).
8. Come unto Christ, and receive every good gift (Moroni 10:30).

Here is a summary of the chapter, with my key takeaways: Moroni’s Final Message.

Here is a blog post about these exhortations and the related truths Moroni affirms in the process: I Would Exhort You… – Moroni 10.

I’ve written several posts comparing the contents of Moroni 10 with related content in the Book of Mormon:

• Moroni is most likely the author of the Title Page of the Book of Mormon. (See Who Wrote the Title Page of the Book of Mormon?) Here is a blog post examining the similarities between Moroni 10 and the title page, which suggests that Moroni may have written them at about the same time: The Title Page and Moroni 10.
• Like other authors in the Book of Mormon, Moroni’s final words are about the final judgment. Here is a comparison of those final testimonies: The Pleasing Bar of the Great Jehovah – Moroni 10:34.
• Moroni’s final exhortation to “come unto Christ” echoes a similar exhortation made by Amaleki, the final author of the small plates of Nephi. Here is a comparison of those passages: What Does It Mean to “Come Unto Christ?”

Here are some lessons I’ve learned from this chapter:

• God will bless us, because He has always blessed His children: Remember How Merciful the Lord Hath Been – Moroni 10:3-5.
• Pondering, combined with prayer, leads to understanding: What Does It Mean to Ponder?
• We need to recognize and celebrate the gifts God has given to us, and the gifts that God has given to other people: What Are the Gifts of the Spirit? 
• God loves all of His children even though He blesses them in different ways: Moroni 10:8 Deny Not the Gifts of God, for They Are Many.
• God wants all of His children to hear the gospel in a way that they can understand: What Is the Gift of Tongues?
• Believers in Christ strive to become holy: What Is a Saint?
• To be sanctified, we must “shift [our] focus away from worldly distractions” (President Russell M. Nelson): How Can I Become More Holy?
• A key to overcoming hopelessness is repentance: How Can I Be More Hopeful?
• Christ’s power begins to flow into our lives the moment we turn to Him, and it continues to bless us and to change us as we continue to follow Him: What Does It Mean to “Come Unto Christ?”
• Every step of the way, we are making choices, and every step of the way, we are being carried by His grace: Moroni 10:32-33 Come Unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him.
• Our ordinary efforts can produce extraordinary results, when coupled with God’s matchless power: Why Is It Important to Know That God’s Grace Is Sufficient?
• Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament: What Is the Significance of the Name “Jehovah?”
• The gospel is for all of God’s children, on both sides of the veil: How Is Christ the Judge of “Both Quick and Dead?”