Why study the Book of Mormon? feel too much. But I have to tell you, nothing brings peace to my life as swiftly as does the study of the scriptures. And studying the Book of Mormon hand in hand with the Bible is equally the experience for me.
Here is why. President Ezra Taft Benson, now deceased but the prophet and leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prior to his death, stated:
“The Book of Mormon, the record of Joseph, verifies and clarifies the Bible. It removes stumbling blocks, it restores many plain and precious things. We testify that when used together, the Bible and the Book of Mormon confound false doctrines, lay down contentions, and establish peace.
“We do not have to prove the Book of Mormon is true. The book is its own proof. All we need to do is read it and declare it! The Book of Mormon is not on trial – the people of the world, including the members of the Church, are on trial as to what they will do with this second witness for Christ.
“I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God; and therefore Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith is a prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, with its authorized servants to perform the ordinances of salvation today” (Ensign, Nov 1984, 8).
In a previous blog I had mentioned the confusion which seems to reign in the minds of many in today’s world about who Jesus Christ is and was. After all, it has been two thousand years since His birth. The Bible has gone through many translations. We all know what happens in the “Telephone Game,” where in a long line of people a message is transmitted ear to ear down to the end of the line. By the end, even with great effort, the message is garbled or changed from the first.
We see this even in the Bible. Some portions record that no man can see God at any time and live; other portions record accounts of men seeing God in ancient Biblical times. Which is it?
This is why reading the Book of Mormon hand in hand with the Bible is such a clarifying and spirit-full event for me. If you’ve had the opportunity to approach the Book of Mormon and read it with humble mind, without preconceived notion, I daresay you will feel its sweet spirit. Nowhere does the book teach evil activities. Nowhere does the book teach to deny Christ. In fact, it is just the opposite. Here is just one sample verse from early on 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.” (2 Nephi 25:26)
This ancient record, the Book of Mormon, stands as a witness of Jesus Christ. It has blessed my life with its sweet teachings of the sacred Son of God. I study it alongside the Bible to understand better the word of God. May it bless your life equally as well.
Did you know you can study the scriptures online? Here is an easy link.
