The Book of Mormon teaches plainly that lying is wrong (2 Nephi 9:34, 2 Nephi 26:32, 2 Nephi 28:8, Alma 16:18, 3 Nephi 30:2, 4 Nephi 1:16, Mormon 8:31). God does not tell lies (Enos 1:6, 3 Nephi 27:18, Ether 3:12). The devil is "the father of all lies" (2 Nephi 2:18, 2 Nephi 9:9,... Continue Reading →
“Will Ye Persist in Supposing That Ye Are Better One Than Another?” – Alma 5:54
Equality is a core principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Alma resigned as chief judge and dedicated himself to the ministry because of the inequality he saw among his people. Members of the church were becoming proud, wearing expensive clothing, being "scornful, one towards another," and persecuting those who believed differently from them (Alma... Continue Reading →
“I Have Spoken Unto You Plainly” – Alma 5:43
From the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi set the standard: in this book, the word of God would be preached in plainness. In the opening chapter, Nephi's father, Lehi, sees a vision which "[manifests] plainly" to him "of the coming of the Messiah" (1 Nephi 1:19). Nephi later foresees a time when corrupt... Continue Reading →
“From the Dust” – 2 Nephi 33:13
Nephi tells us that he "did liken all scriptures" to himself and to his family. Here's an example of a passage from Isaiah which he identified with personally: And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall... Continue Reading →
“Revealed…Manifest…Loosed” – 2 Nephi 30:17
As we've studied 2 Nephi 26-30 this week, I've noticed a pattern. Every one of these chapters affirms God's desire to bless us with knowledge: "He manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost" (2 Nephi 26:13). "The Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words... Continue Reading →
“Come Unto Me” – 2 Nephi 26:25
In 2 Nephi 26, Nephi asks a series of rhetorical questions to illustrate the universality of the Savior's love: "Doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me?" (2 Nephi 26:25) "Hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship?" (2 Nephi 26:26) "Hath he... Continue Reading →
Internalizing Isaiah
Nephi loved the words of Isaiah. He read them to his family to "persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer" (1 Nephi 19:23). He assigned his brother Jacob to preach a sermon about a passage from Isaiah (2 Nephi 6:4). He quoted 16 chapters from the book of Isaiah in his writings. And... Continue Reading →
What Is a “Flaxen Cord?” – 2 Nephi 26:22
Nephi prophesied that, in the last days, the devil would lead people "by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever" (2 Nephi 26:22). It's clear from the context that the "flaxen cord" described here was not strong. I envision a person with a very thin thread wrapped... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?”
dwindle - Diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength (Oxford English Dictionary) Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi learns from the Spirit that, without the brass plates containing the scriptures, his family would "dwindle and perish in unbelief" (1 Nephi 4:13). King Benjamin later emphasized this point to his sons: "Were it not for... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Affirm?
This is the second in a series of posts answering a set of questions recommended by President Russell M. Nelson. In yesterday's post, I discussed what the Book of Mormon is. Today, I will discuss what the Book of Mormon affirms. The Book of Mormon affirms many truths. As I've pondered this question today, I've... Continue Reading →