"And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have been to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!" (2 Nephi 31:5)
Remember that John the Baptist did not want to baptize the Savior. He considered himself unworthy and understood that the ordinance was designed for the wicked. It was only at the insistence of the Savior that he acquiesced.
"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him." (Matthew 3:13-15)
"Though Jesus was God; though He reigned in the heavenly kingdom; though he was alive spiritually and fit in all respects to return to the presence of the Father - yet He was baptized. He was baptized in order to gain salvation in the celestial kingdom of God, thereby setting the perfect example for all men." (Church News, "Jesus, the Sinless One, Was Baptized by John to Fulfill All", Jan. 14, 1995, p. 21)
"Nephi, to dramatize the importance of baptism, tells us that the Savior had to be baptized to "fulfill all righteousness" (2 Nephi 31:5). The doctrine is both little understood and marvelously important. In the high spiritual sense there is no righteousness without willing submission to all the ordinances of salvation. No more perfect example could be found than Christ himself. Christ who was sinless, had to be baptized in order to be considered righteous. To be righteous, as the world is used in its highest spiritual sense, means far more than being sinless, pure, or merely good. Righteousness is not simply the absence of evil or impropriety; it is the active seeking of the mind and will of the Father and compliance with that will once it has been obtained." (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 361)
Nephi explained that Christ did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized (2 Nephi 31:4-11):
He humbled himself before the Father.
He covenanted to be obedient and keep the Father's commandment.
He had to be baptized to gain admission to the celestial kingdom.
He set an example for all men to follow
"Our Lord's baptism 'showeth unto the children of men the straightness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.' (2 Nephi 31:9.) If even the King of the kingdom could not return to his high state of pre-existent exaltation without complying with his own eternal law for admission to that kingdom, how can any man expect a celestial inheritance without an authorized and approved baptism?" (Bruce R. McConkie)
Nothing can be more plain! I firmly believe that God will not command us to do something that the Savior did not do. Jesus is the perfect example for all men who we should follow. We note this corresponding teaching by Joseph Smith:
"If a man gets the fulness of God he has to get [it] in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it and that was by keeping all the ordinances of the house of the Lord.
"There really are no exceptions!" (Lord, Increase Our Faith, p. 75.)
After the fall of Adam... there was no way nor means by which man could be raised from the grave except through the death of the Divine One. A great and eternal law had been violated, and it required the death of a God, really, to atone for the broken law and to bring to pass the salvation of man and the salvation of the world... I like to look upon if from a practical point of view, or in a way that we may clearly understand it... If you had lost the home where you were born, the old family homestead that was very dear to you because in a foolish moment you overreached yourself and in excessive confidence you placed a mortgage on that home, with the thought that you could easily redeem it, would you not feel very much distressed and sad when finally it was discovered that you could not redeem it and the mortgage was to be foreclosed so that it was to pass out of your hands?
Supposing in such a moment a friend of yours could settle with the holder of that mortgage, and he would say to the holder of the mortgage, "You do not want this property." He would say, "No, I want my money." "Very well, I can give you the money. I will pay you. You surrender the mortgage to me." And when that friend had paid the price and had secured the title to the homestead, would he not be a wonderful friend if he should return and say to you, "Now I know this was your home, and I know you love it. I know you are very sorry to lose it. I have redeemed it. It is mine, but I propose to give it back to you on certain conditions. They are easy. It is possible for you to fulfill them. I will not only give it back to you as it was, but I will glorify it also. I will make it more splendid and more wonderful than ever, and I will give it to you forever and ever." Would he not be a wonderful friend? That is the kind of friend the world has in Jesus Christ. The mortgage of death was foreclosed, and death claim its own. The grave received the body, and there it would stay forever and forever, were it not that Jesus Christ has interceded. He was settled with the holder of the mortgage. The price he paid was his life; in some way not yet perhaps fully comprehended and understood by us, he attained in that sacrifice a value of worth recognized, bartered for and exchanged and given to the holder of the mortgage, and satisfied the claims upon these earth bodies.
He has purchased us; he has redeemed us; he has bought us; and we belong to him. And now he proposed to give back these bodies glorified. To those who keep the full law he promises to give a celestial body, full of celestial power and glory and splendor and to those who keep the terrestrial law, a body not so glorious, but still glorious and splendid; and telestial bodies to those who keep the telestial law; thus he extends each this privilege. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for man (see Degrees of Glory).
A man walking along the road happens to fall into a pit so deep and dark that he cannot climb to the surface and regain his freedom. How can he save himself from his own folly? Not by any exertions on his own part, for there is no means of escape in the pit. He calls for help and some kindly disposed soul, hearing his cries for relief, hastens to his assistance and by lowering a ladder, gives to him the means by which he may climb again to the surface of the earth.
This was precisely the condition that Adam placed himself and his posterity in, when he partook of the forbidden fruit. All being together in the pit, none could gain the surface and relieve the others. The pit was banishment from presence of the Lord and temporal death, the dissolution of the body. And all being subject to death, none could provide the means of escape.
Therefore, in his infinite mercy, the Father heard the cries of his children and sent his Only Begotten Son, who was not subject to death or to sin, to provide the means of escape. This he did through his infinite atonement and the everlasting gospel...The Savior said, "I lay down my life for the sheep...I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father"(John 10:15, 17-18).
"For behold, I say unto you that as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel." (2 Nephi 30:2)
The difference between Jews and Gentiles, which was so important to the Jews of Christ's day, is abolished with the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek...for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:28-29). Those Gentiles who repent and receive Christ as their Savior will become the covenant people of the Lord. They are effectively adopted into the house of Israel. Conversely, those Jews who reject Christ will be cast off as though no promises were ever made to them.
The significance of being adopted into the house of Israel begins with the promises made to Abraham. Because of Abraham's great faith and obedience, even that he would offer his son Isaac, the Lord promised him, That in blessings I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed(Genesis 22:17-18).
Those who understand the true meaning of the promise of eternal life and eternal increase understand that seed multiplied as the stars of the heaven is an eternal and not merely a mortal promise. Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, means that the Lord will bless them, prosper them, and protect them from political oppression. In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed is fulfilled in several respects.
First, the house of Israel will do the genealogy and temple work for the dead and perform temple ordinances for the returning ten tribes, becoming saviors on mount Zion, And there shall they (the ten tribes) fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim (D&C 133:32).
Second, the Savior of the world and most of the prophets were to come through the lineage of Israel. Third, the gospel will be brought to the world primarily through the house of Israel. Fourth, the world has been blessed by the contributions to art, science, inventions, industry, philosophy, politics, etc. made by the descendants of Abraham.
Other promises related to the covenant made with Abraham are to be had in the temple of God. John the Revelator explained that those who are sanctified by Jesus Christ are made kings and priests unto God (Revelation 1:6). This phrase could be rendered kings and priests in the house of Israel for it is through the house of Israel that the Lord establishes his church and reigns in his kingdom, for now and for all time. All of these promises that are part of the Abrahamic covenant are available to every member of the church. They are promises with incredible eternal consequences which are often under appreciated.
Joseph Smith taught that there was an actual spiritual transformation which purges out the old blood, "the effect of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile, is to purge out the old blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham. That man that has none of the blood of Abraham (naturally) must have a new creation by the Holy Ghost."(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 150) see also Romans 9:6-8, D&C 103:17, and the Bible Dictionary on "Adoption."
"And because my words shall hiss forth - many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible." (2 Nephi 29:3)
Most missionaries who have served in a Christian country have heard this argument from someone. It is the main argument against the Book of Mormon.
"The argument is, as the Lord suggests, most foolish. It is our modern counterpart to those of Jesus' day who rejected him in the pretense of being loyal to the Law of Moses, the irony being that loyalty to the Law of Moses demanded acceptance of Jesus as the Christ. The purpose of the Law of Moses as to teach and testify of Christ. Such is also the purpose of the Book of Mormon, it being the most Christ-centered book ever written. Yet it is rejected in the name of loyalty to the Bible. The logical extension of such reasoning would be to reject the Gospel of Mark in the name of loyalty to Matthew or to reject the wintess of Peter in the pretense of loyalty to Paul and his teachings." (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 347)
Most people who cry, we have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible, have no idea why they believe that. Some will quote the passage in Revelation 22:18-19:
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
"And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."
They argue that John was declaring that nothing could be added to the Bible or taken away from the Bible. This is their proof that the heavens closed after the Bible was written.
This argument implies that John was writing the book of Revelation as the last chapter of the New Testament. It is in this context only that the passage above can be construed to refer to the entire Bible. This thought process is false for the following reasons-first the books that we know as the New Testament were not compiled at the time of John's writing. They were scattered epistles gathered together sometime later. Second, John is thought to have written the epistles of John after writing the book of Revelation-demonstrating that the passage does not mean that there can be no more revelation. Third, the context of the passage itself demonstrates that John was talking about the book of Revelation not the entire Bible. When John says, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book he is referring to the plagues discussed in Revelation 15 & 16 not the plagues written in the New Testament. The New Testament is not a book of plagues, the book of Revelation is. Fourth, a very similar passage is found in Deuteronomy 4:2:
"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you."
If such a passage is meant to imply that there cannot be any more scriptures, then everything in the Bible after Deuteronomy must be false.
The real meaning of the scriptures is that the commandments of God should not be altered. Nevertheless, they were altered for we know that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book (1 Nephi 13:28). When Joseph Smith altered passages of the book of Revelation in the Joseph Smith Translation, it was to restore those plain and precious things that were lost.
Those who declare that the Bible is the only revelation that God ever intended for his children also claim that the Bible is perfect. They contend that all man never needs to know regarding God and salvation is contained in it's pages. McConkie and Millet comment on this view:
"The fundamental error of Bible cultists is the doctrine of Bible infallibility. This tenet holds that the Bible must be 'completely authoritative and trustworthy in all that it asserts as factual, whether in matters of theology, history, or science.' The Bible, it is held, 'does not contain error of any kind.'
"It has to be significant that the Bible makes no such claim for itself: There is not a single passage of scripture that can properly be used to sustain such a view. For is there any agreement among those maintaining such a position as to what version of the Bible should be used or what the Bible is saying on a host of matters.
"...To claim for the Bible what it does not claim for itself is to misuse the Bible. The Bible does not claim to be the constitution of the church, it does not claim to be infallible, nor does it claim to be the answer in all things. What the Bible does claim is that whenever God had a people that he ackowledged as his own he spoke to them through living prophets who when added those words to the canon of scripture. The purpose and spirit of the Bible is to open the heavens, not seal them." (McConkie and Millet, Sustaining and Defending the Faith, pp. 40, 50)
I bring forth my word unto...all nations of the earth
The doctrine that the Lord speaks to all nations is repeated three times in this chapter. In verse 11 it reads, For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them, and from verse 12, I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it. We should not be surprised to find out one day that many of the writings the ancient Orient, Near East, and Africa have divine origins. The Lord has said he would bring forth his word unto all the nations of the earth. Why should we disbelieve him?
the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God
The Lord operates by the system of witnesses. He will not destroy a people for wickedness until they have been adequately warned. He will not hold us responsible for rejecting his law unless we have been sufficiently taught his law. Therefore, in order to justify his punishment of the wicked, his word must also be established by more than one witness. Paul recited the ancient Hebrew law as follows, in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established (2 Cor 13:1). The word of God is no exception. In this verse we see that the Lord is declaring to the world that the Book of Mormon is the second witness, and is in fact, another testament of Jesus Christ. It was written with the intent to show the world that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations. Elder Maxwell explains what the third witness is.
"The splendid Book of Mormon advises that a third scriptural witness is yet to come from the lost tribes (2 Nephi 29:12-14)...We do not know when and how this will occur, but we are safe in assuming that the third book will have the same fundamental focus as the Book of Mormon-'that...their seed [too]...may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer' (3 Nephi 16:4). If there is a title page in that third set of sacred records, it is not likely to differ in purpose from the tiltle page in the Book of Mormon, except for its focus on still other peoples who likewise received a personal visit from the resurrected Jesus (3 Nephi 15:20-24; 16:1-4)." (First Nephi, The Doctrinal Foundation, BYU Religious Studies Center, p. 15 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 163)
The doctrine that the Bible is all of God's word falsely implies that God can no longer speak to man, that He no longer has the ability or the intent to communicate with his children, that his work is finished. The current state of wickedness in the world clearly demonstrates that the Lord is not yet finished with his work. He hasn't given up on his children and he never will.
This doctrine concludes that God is a changeable being, that although he spoke with prophets and revealed new truths throughout time, his pattern of behavior has changed. Yet the Lord told Malachi, I am the Lord, I change not (Mal. 3:6). And from Hebrews, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Heb 13:8).
Therefore if the words and works of God have cease among the children of men it must be a reflection on the people not on the Lord. Moroni explains:
"...has the day of miracles ceased?
"Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
"Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain." (Moroni 7:35-37)
I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel
The lost ten tribes will produce the third witness that Jesus is the Christ. Their record will contain the story of Christ's visit to them after his ascension and visit to the Nephites, But now I go unto the Father, and also to show myself unto the lost tribes, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them (3 Nephi 17:4).
This branch of Israel is by far the largest, at least by the number of involved tribes. They were led north after the Assyrian captivity and have since been referred to as the Lost Ten Tribes. It is apparent from the scriptures that many of these lost Israelites were scattered all over the earth. It is equally apparent that a main body retained its identity and heritage. Proof of this is seen in the fact that they were a cohesive body that the Lord could visit in the meridian of time (3 Nephi 17:4), that they had their own prophets who would record this visit and other prophecies (v. 12), and that they will return as a cohesive unit from the north to receive their temple blessings at the hands of Ephraimites (D&C 133:26-32). Their brethren who have been scattered are meanwhile being gathered by the great missionary effort of the latter days.
"They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are THE HUMBLE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men." (2 Nephi 28:14)
Nephi is referring to the humble followers of Christ among the many churches of the last days. In other scripture, he refers to those outside the Mormon Church as saints, "Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God...for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity (1 Nephi 13:5,9). In this latter example, Nephi is speaking of the saints among the Gentile nations prior to the life and mission of Columbus. Therefore, in these two separate instances, Nephi refers to those outside the church as being acknowledged by the Lord. This should not surprise us. For the Lord to save an unrighteous Mormon and damn a righteous Methodist is an unacceptable doctrine that denies the justice of God.
Many wondered, "what will happen to those of the other churches who followed Christ their entire lives, but never joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?" Nephi makes it clear that the Lord recognizes those humble followers of Christ even if they are few in number and err because they are taught by the precepts of men. Like everyone else, they will be judged according to their works and according to that portion of light which they had received in mortality.
However, in order for these to receive all the blessings that the Lord has promised for the righteous, they must receive the ordinances of salvation. Whether in this life or the next, they must receive baptism and temple ordinances in order to enter the celestial kingdom-for baptism, performed by one with priesthood authority, is the key to entering the gate of the celestial kingdom:
"Therefore in the ordinances OF THE KINGDOM,
the power of godliness is manifest.
"And without the ordinance thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
"Denying the doctrine of the premortal existence of man shrinks man's perspective. He begins to think, mistakenly, that this life is all there is; that the insignificant 'me' of a tiny 'now' is not only all there is, but all there ever was. The adversary is quick to use that 'what if' there is no purpose to life in order to induce some to act 'as if' such were the case. The resultant misbehavior only deepens the despair (see Moroni 10:22).
"Naturally, such a view tends to be accompanied by a diminished belief or a pronounced unbelief in the resurrection and a perpetuation of personality, which pushes a person's hope for the future down to nil. This 'no answer' attitude equates with a 'no answer-ability' concept that too often leads to the 'eat, drink, and be merry' outlook. Thus one dimensional mortality relentlessly promotes a one dimensional morality!" (Neal A. Maxwell, But for a Small Moment, p. 89)
"Some people think of anything else but annihilation. What a glorious prospect for the sinner! Then he could say, 'Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow we die, and next day we will be annihilated, and that will be the end of our sorrow and God's judgment upon us.' Do not flatter yourselves that you are going to get out of it so easy. This Book of Mormon is replete all the way through with the testimonies of the servants of God that men are born to be immortal; that after the resurrection their bodies are live as long as their spirits, and their spirits cannot die. They are immortal beings, and they destined, if they commit the unpardonable sin, to be banished from the presence of God and endure the punishment of the devil and his angels throughout all eternity. I think the wicked would prefer annihilation to the suffering of such punishment. that would be an end to punishment -- and end to being. This view cannot be reconciled with the word of God." (Collected Discourses 1886-1898, ed. by Brian Stuy, vol. 4, Joseph F. Smith, Jan. 20, 1995)
"And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink and be merry; nevertheless, fear God - he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God." (2 Nephi 28:8)
"I want you to note that: 'He will justify in committing a little sin.' That cunning adversary knowing that if he could only get a man or woman to do a little wrong, that far they had gone into his territory, that far they were in his power.
"Nevertheless, fear God, he will justify in committing a little sin... Isn't that just exactly what the devil says to the children of men today as plainly as it is written here? Oh, commit a little sin, that won't do any harm, lie a little, that won't do any particular damage, the Lord will forgive that and you will only be beaten with a few stripes and at last you shall be saved in the kingdom of God. That is what he says to the man or the woman who has been taught the Word of Wisdom when he says, oh, drink a little tea, that won't hurt you; use a little tobacco, that won't make any difference: a little liquor won't do any harm. These are little things; he always does it a little at a time, not all at once. That is what I would like us to remember, my brethren, this morning. It is these insignificant insidious whisperings that betray mankind and that place us in the power of the devil." (George Albert Smith, Conference Report, Apr. 1918, p. 39-40)
"And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:
"None shall be weary nor stumble among them; non shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:
"Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:
"Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it." (Isaiah 5:26-29)
WHAT IS THIS ENSIGN?
The Hebrew word for "ensign" is nec (nace), meaning something lifted up, a standard, a signal, a signal pole, a banner, or a sign. It is also a standard, as in a rallying point.
The Hebrew word for hiss is sharaq (shaw-rak'). Among the possible definitions is to whistle, as to signal. In the military, a trumpet has been used to signal troops. The Church has issued the signal or invitation to the nations of the earth to gather to the Church.
"And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men.
Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them, which words shall judge them at the last day, for they shall be given them for the purpose of convincing them of the true Messiah, who was rejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that they need not look forward any more for a Messiah to come (2 Nephi 25:17-18)
HOW IS THIS PROPHECY BEING FULFILLED?
Missionaries are being sent, in increasing numbers, to the nations of the earth to gather to the Church.
Elder LeGrand Richards
"Since there were no such things as trains and airplanes in that day, Isaiah could hardly have mentioned them by name, but he seems to have described them in unmistakable words. How better could 'their horses hoofs be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind' than in the modern train? How better could 'Their roaring... be like a lion' than in the roar of the airplane? Trains and airplanes do not stop for night. Therefore, was not Isaiah justified is saying 'none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken'? With this manner of transportation the Lord can really 'hiss unto them from the end of the earth,' that 'they shall come with speed swiftly." (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, p. 236)
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:34-35.)
Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone would follow this commandment? Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone would just "love one another?" Not just any love, but the love he (Jesus) has for us. He said "as I have loved you." Whoa... that's a whole lot of lovin.
President Thomas S. Monson once said: "Love is the catalyst that causes change. Love is the balm that brings healing to the soul. But love doesn't grow like weeds or fall like rain. Love has its price. "God so loved the world , that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). That Son, even the Lord Jesus Christ, gave His life that we might have eternal life, so great was His love for His Father and for us."
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (John 4:11)
When Nephi saw the vision of the tree of life, he wanted to know the meaning of the tree of life. His explanation came in the form of a vision - he was shown the birth of the Savior. Then the angel said: "Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?" Now Nephi knew! He had been shown the greatest expression of God's love for his children, and he replied, "yea, it is the love of God" (1 Nephi 11:8-22). When we think of the loving acts of a kind Heavenly Father, we think of our creation as spirit children, we think of the creation of the earth, we think of the privilege of coming to earth, and we think of the great plan of happiness. Yet none of these beautiful gifts caused the Father any personal pain. But the gift of his Only Begotten was another story. To see him mistreated, spit upon, scourged, and suffering in Gethsemane must have been an almost unbearable sacrifice. Such was the love of God for the world!
A new commandment I give unto you,
That ye love one another; as I have loved you
"This is not emotional fluff. This is not pie in the sky, wishful thinking, or idealistic gas. Love is not some subsidiary principle that allows the weepy among us to go off on a crying jag. It's not just something thrown in for the benefit of the sisters or for the super-sensitive 'artsy' types. It is not an option that may be ignored by those who would prefer not to clutter their lives with other people's problems. There is a grand key here, probably the grandest of them all. It is this: the heart and soul of the gospel is love, and all the rest is commentary. Whatever else we may perceive religion to be, we are wrong-for true religion is love in action-God's love for us and our love for God and for our neighbors." (Following Christ: The Parable of the Divers and More Good News [Salt Lake City: Desert Book Co., 1995], 137.)
By this shall men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another
Elder Carl B. Pratt
"We are reminded of the Savior's word, 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another' (John 13:35). Will nonmembers, new converts, and visitors to our chapels recognize us as His disciples by the warmth of our greeting, by the ease of our smiles, by the kindness and genuine concern that shine in our eyes?
"Let us pay more attention to those who are new to our congregations. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught: 'For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?... And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?' (Matthew 5:46-47).
"In building the kingdom of God, every positive act, every friendly greeting, every warm smile, every thoughtful, kind note contributes to the strength of the whole. It is my prayer that we may be open outgoing, friendly, and helpful to all who come among us. But let us give special care and concern for the new converts to the Church. When we detect a halting step or stumble as they begin their journey on the gospel path, let us be there to lift and support with words of kindness and concern; let us be available to give gentle, loving counsel that will strengthen and sustain. Let us conscientiously look for occasions to show that love which the Savior admonished us to have when He said, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another' (John 13:34)." (Care for new Converts, Ensign, Nov. 1997, 12).
"And he (Christ) received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him......I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fullness." (D&C 93:17-19)
Many are familiar with the saying by Jesus that is recorded in the New Testament where he says "And ye shall know THE TRUTH and THE TRUTH will make you free." (John 8:32) Many who read this scripture miss the deeper meaning of this passage entirely. They think that "the truth" is that which is not false. To them, the truth is a set of facts that are accurate. However, this understanding of the passage is a profane or carnal understanding. In another passage, Jesus says "... I AM the way, THE TRUTH, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) Thus, the deeper (spiritual) meaning is that the truth is Christ himself. According to the passage, we have to KNOW Him (Christ) to become free. This idea is stated openly a few verses after the original passage, albeit it seems that almost none notice the words... "And ye shall know the truth and the truth will make you free... If THE SON therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."(John 8:32-36)
Another example of this symbolism is in the familiar story of Lehi’s dream in the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi chap. 8-15). Most are aware that the "iron rod" that leads beside the path to the Tree of Life represents the "word of God" (1 Nephi 15:23-24) and that it is by clinging to this rod that one is able to make it through the dark mists that are cast upon the path. Again, the profane (carnal or natural) meaning of this passage is that which seems to be the most obvious. Many think that the iron rod is the scriptures (words of the prophets), but in reality this is the (natural) understanding that brings damnation rather than life eternal.
A higher (spiritual) meaning lies in Jesus himself as being the word (the meaning of the rod of iron).... "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, THE WORD, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."(1 John 5:7) Thus, it is Christ himself that is represented by the rod of iron in Lehi’s dream to which all must cling to reach the Tree of Life. In reality, Jesus condemned those who relied upon the scriptures rather than clinging to the true "rod of iron".... "(Ye) Search the scriptures; for in them ye THINK (carnal understanding) ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And YE WILL NOT COME UNTO ME THAT YE MIGHT HAVE LIFE." (John 5:39-40) Most should notice that this is a restatement of the idea that "salvation cometh by none other than Jesus Christ" (John 14:6).
