Book of Mormon: Christ’s Atonement Changes Everything
Filed under: Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon
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The Book of Enos, found in the Book of Mormon, is one of the very shortest books in the volume. It is only one chapter and covers a single event in the life of the prophet Enos. Despite its brevity, however, it contains a powerful message about how the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ changes everything.
Enos went into the forest to hunt beasts, although this may be an allegorical statement. As he was in the forest he began to think about the things his father had taught him concerning Jesus Christ, eternal life, and the joy of having a testimony. Those things sank deep into his heart and he felt a hungering in his soul.
He knelt down there in the forest and began to pray, not an ordinary repetitious, dutiful sort of prayer, but one that came from the deepest places in his heart. He refers to what ensued as a wrestle before the Lord. He cried a full day and a full night to God for his soul.
Finally a voice spoke to him, saying, “Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.” Enos knew God spoke the truth and so he felt his guilt swept away.
Answers to prayers can come slowly
Why did God let Enos pray so long before answering him? We know that what comes too easily to us is never really appreciated. We most value what we really struggled to gain and we learn the most from the struggle. Praying so long allowed Enos to find out just how badly he really wanted forgiveness and what he was willing to do to get it. By the time it came, he was fully appreciative of the difference of how he felt when he was overwhelmed by his sins and how he felt when they were taken away. (more…)
Book of Mormon Jesus: Becoming a Christian
Filed under: Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon
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Mormons use the Book of Mormon as a companion book to the Bible. It contains more references to Jesus Christ and His mission even than the Bible does. We’ve been exploring a few of my favorite references to the Lord Jesus Christ found in the Book of Mormon. This small number doesn’t even come close to covering all of them. In this article, we’re exploring four principles that explain how to become a Christian.
The Book of Mormon, of course, does not actually use the word Christian in this section, which occurred in Old Testament times. The term developed in New Testament times and was initially used by outsiders to describe the followers of Jesus Christ. In 2 Nephi 31, we are continuing to follow Nephi’s sermon. Nephi was a prophet who came from Jerusalem just before the fall and is now living in what is today known as the Americas. He talks to his followers about the “doctrine of Christ.” This is a singular term, so it is not referring to everything Jesus taught. Jeffrey R. Holland, a Mormon apostle, said,
In the Book of Mormon, ‘the doctrine of Christ’ is simple and direct. It focuses on the first principles of the gospel exclusively, including an expression of encouragement to endure, to persist, to press on. Indeed, it is in the clarity and simplicity of ‘the doctrine of Christ’ that its impact is found. …
… The doctrine of Christ is not complicated. It is profoundly, beautifully, single-mindedly clear and complete” (Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 49–50, 56).
The first principles and ordinances of the gospel are, to Mormons, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. These are listed in the Articles of Faith, a summary of thirteen Mormon beliefs. It is these four principles that are the subject of this portion of Nephi’s sermon. (more…)
Jesus in the Book of Mormon: How to Know the Truth
Filed under: Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon
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There is a fascinating story in the Book of Mormon about a man named Sherem. He is the first of a number of anti-Christs that appear in this book. An anti-Christ is someone who knowingly tries to convince people there is no Christ—even when they know that isn’t true.
If you’ve been following this series, you’ll remember that we’ve been studying the teachings of a man named Nephi. We are skipping a lot of great stuff now in order to get closer to the most important part of the Book of Mormon and today we’re reading the works of Nephi’s brother Jacob. When he began to keep the records, he said that God told him to keep those records that testified of Jesus Christ, because they were the most precious of all teachings.
Follow along as we read about Sherem in the Book of Mormon free online.
Anti-Christ in the Book of Mormon
Jacob noted that under the next kings, the Nephites started turning away from Jesus Christ. A man named Sherem showed up and began teaching the people that Jesus Christ would not come to earth as the prophets had testified. He told people whatever they wanted to hear (which is usually whatever makes salvation seem easy and without sacrifice of worldly pleasure) in order to lead them away from the church. He succeeded, but he really wanted to teach Jacob, knowing Jacob had a personal testimony of Jesus Christ. His plan was to use his power of speech to mesmerize Jacob into losing his testimony. He was also very learned and thought he could reason him out of a testimony.
What he didn’t understand was that a true testimony is pretty unshakable if you are living according to your faith. Jacob knew Christ was real. He’d received personal revelation, he’d seen angels, and he’d personally heard the voice of the Lord speaking to him. He lived his faith and knew its value. His faith was unshakable because he had chosen to make it that way. (more…)
Book of Mormon Jesus and Baptism
Filed under: Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon
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If I wrote about every Book of Mormon verse about Jesus Christ, we’d be doing this series for decades, so I am skipping over a lot of great chapters to move us forward a little. We’re still in 2 Nephi, which is filled to the brim with information about Jesus Christ, but now we’re near the end. You can read 2 Nephi 31 free online in the Book of Mormon without even having to register.
Nephi, a Book of Mormon prophet, finished his long sermon on Jesus Christ by discussing Jesus’ baptism. Remember that this sermon occurred about 559–545 B.C., so Jesus has not been born yet. However, Nephi has seen visions that taught him about the life of Jesus Christ.
Why Was Jesus Baptized?
Nephi reminded his people that he had taught of a prophet who would baptize Jesus Christ. This, of course, was John the Baptist. He addressed the issue of why Jesus Christ needed to be baptized at all. Baptism is most often referred to as a way to wash away our sins after we repent, so we can be born again and start over in God’s eyes. Jesus Christ was perfect and had no sins.
Nephi explained that Jesus, although not needing repentance, was baptized to fulfill all righteousness:
Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. (more…)
Book of Mormon Jesus: Mormons Rejoice in Christ
Filed under: Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon
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A favorite scripture among Mormons (a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is found in 2 Nephi 25:26 in the Book of Mormon.
“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.” (more…)
Jesus in the Book of Mormon: Saved by Grace?
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2 Nephi, in the Book of Mormon, is a difficult chapter for many people to read. However, it is filled with valuable teachings about Jesus Christ and is an essential read for those who want to understand Mormon doctrines about the Lord Jesus Christ. Mormon is a nickname some people use when talking about the Mormon people, although it should not be used as the name of the Church.
Book of Mormon Jesus: The Infinite Atonement
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In this series of articles on Christ in the Book of Mormon, we’ve spent a great deal of time exploring verses related to the atonement. 2 Nephi 2 was almost entirely on that subject. Today we will explore 2 Nephi 9, which also discusses the atonement of Jesus Christ in-depth.
Mother’s Day: Do I Wish I had a Mormon Mother?
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I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the Mormon Church, when I was sixteen. I had been experiencing a huge emptiness inside and was church-hopping, looking to fill it. Although I enjoyed all the churches I visited, I had an undeniable spiritual experience the second I stepped into a Mormon meetinghouse, witnessing to me that this was the place.
Christ in the Book of Mormon: Creation, Fall, and Atonement
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In this series, we’re finding out what the Book of Mormon teaches about Mormons and Jesus Christ. What does their book actually say they believe? Mormons (a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) use both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, as well as two other books of scripture.
Christ in the Book of Mormon: Salvation is Free
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We have been exploring a small percentage of the teachings on Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon. In these first articles, we have followed the family of a prophet named Lehi, born in Jerusalem, who followed God’s command to take his family to what is now known as the American continent around 600 BC.
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