|
|
|
|
CHAPTER 31Nephi tells why Christ was baptised—Men must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to be saved—Repentance and baptism are the gate to the strait and narrow path—Eternal life comes to those who keep the commandments after baptism. [Between 559 and 545 B.C.] |
||
|
1 AND now I, Nephi, make an end of my
aprophesying unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot
write but a few things, which I know must surely come to pass; neither can I
write but a few of the bwords of my brother Jacob.
2 Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I amust speak concerning the bdoctrine of Christa; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying. 3 For my soul delighteth in aplainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the bunderstanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their clanguage, unto their understanding.
|
2a a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ Whether so constained by the spirit or by the very word and commandment of God, Nephi 'must speak' concerning the 'doctrine of Christ'. Now the 'Doctrine of Christ' was known and practiced among men from the beginning, yea, from the days of Adam. Even they who were the early Bishops of the Church of Christ understood this to be the case. Consider the word of Bishop Eusebius of Ceaserea, for he stated that, '... now one may suppose that his doctrine is new and strange, as if it were framed by a man of recent origin ...'(History of the Church, Book I Chapter 4 paragraph 1. No indeed is was not of so recent origin, but did come forth from the days of Adam as Bishop Eusebius further so states, 'If any one should assert that all those who have enjoyed the testimony of righteousness, from Abraham himself back to the first man [Adam], were Christians in fact if not in name, he would not go beyond the truth.' (History of the Church, Book I Chapter 4 Paragraph 6). And here in lies the truth of the matter, for indeed, Joseph Smith has come forth to so proclaim it by the revelation of the word of God. For the Doctrine of Christ, His Gospel has been had since the days of Adam (Moses 5:58-59). And they who have lost it or obtain a lesser law than it have done so due to their lack of faith and righteousness before God. Adam down to and including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had it. The people of the Book of Mormon had it. Those of the Law of Moses had a similitude of it for they questioned not the baptism of John, but by what authority it did to it. And also therefore in the day of Chirst they once had it before it became corrupted and lost unto them. And we have it today just as plainly herein set forth by the words of Nephi. plainly practiced and set forth by |
1a
2 Ne. 25:4 (1-4) b 2 Ne. 11:1 2a 2 Ne. 11:4-6) 3a 2 Ne. 25:7-8; 2 Ne. 32:7 b TG Understanding b D&C 1:24; TG Language
of the Doctrine of Christ "3 We belive that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and orinances of the Gospel." "4 We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immerson for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." And here in 2 Nephi 31, Nephi also is commanded to set forth in his words just what that basic Doctrine of Christ is and entails in the 'plainess' of Nephi. |
|
4 Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto
you concerning that aprophet which the Lord showed unto me,
that should baptize the bLamb of God, which should take
away the sins of the world.
5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being aholy, should have need to be bbaptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be cbaptized, yea, even by water!
|
4a
1 Ne. 10:7;
1 Ne. 11:27 b TG Jesus Christ, Lamb of God 5a 1 John 3:3 b Matt. 3:11-17; TG Jesus Christ, Baptism of b TG Baptism, Essential
|
|
|
6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the
Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by
water?
7 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 aobedient unto him in keeping his commandmentsa. 8 Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the aform of a bdove.
|
7a he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments A foremost reason why Jesus was baptized was that he like we did need to pass through this second estate. And the primary test for successful passage through this second estate has been state to be that we may be proven here with if we would do all things whatsoever God shall command us to do (See Abraham 3:25). Thus for the pure reason of being obedient and compliant unto the commandment of God that all must be baptized, so was Jesus so baptized, being thus also obedient in that he, himself did comply unto the ordinance of baptism. |
7a
John 5:30;
TG
Obedience 8a 1 Ne. 11:27 b TG Holy Ghost, Dove, Sign of
|
|
9 And again, it showeth unto the children of men the
straightness of the patha, and the
narrowness of the agate, by which they should enter, he
having set the bexample before them.
10 And he said unto the children of men: aFollow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we bfollow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?
|
9a it showeth unto the children of men the straightness of the path Christ was without sin and though a major purpose for us to be baptized is to have our sins removed from us by the atonement of God, this was not the reason why Christ was baptized. One reason he was baptized was to show us the way, that we might follow him in that path which leads to eternal life. |
9a
2 Ne. 9:41;
2 Ne. 14:14 (13-14);
D&C 22:4; D&C 43:7 b TG Example 10a Matt. 4:19; Matt. 8:22; Matt. 9:9 b Matt. 8:19; Moro. 7:11; D&C 56:2
|
|
11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the
name of my Beloved Son.
12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, afollow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do. 13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall afollow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no bhypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real cintent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are dwilling to take upon you the ename of Christ, by fbaptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the gbaptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the htongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israela.
|
13a then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel What is meant by being able to 'speak with the tongue of angels'? True angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, but what do they speak? Nephi in his plainness seems to give the answer directly. It is to speak praise unto the Holy One of Israel. Perhaps stated in the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:1-2 where Paul is speaking concering 'spiritual gifts' or Gifts of the Spirit, Paul states: '... no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.' Shouting praise to the Holy One of Israel is but testifying that Jesus is the Christ, the same as the Lord God Jehovah; who per the condescession of God has come down to take upon his self the sins of the world and put into effect the saving grace of the atonement. And this he has done according to the will of the Father, the Father of Spirits who from the beginning did select Jehovah the Firstborn in the spirit to act in the stead of the Father in all things. That by and according to the direction of the Father, Jesus as Jehovah did create the temporal heaven and earth and form the temporal bodies of Adam and Eve to house their spirits while living in this temoral world. To testify of Christ is to speak with the tongue of angels. And the Nephites did just that, they spoke of Christ and did testify of him (2 Nephi 25:26). |
12a
TG
Holy Ghost, Gift of b Matt. 16:24-26; Luke 9:59 (57-62); John 12:26; 1 John 2:6; TG God, the Standard of Righteousness 13a TG Jesus Christ, Exemplar b TG Hypocrisy c TG Integrity; TG Sincerity d TG Agency; TG Commitment e TG Jesus Christ, Taking the Name of f Gal. 3:27 (26-27) g TG Holy Ghost, Baptism of h 2 Ne. 32:2-3; TG Holy Ghost, Gifts of
|
|
14 But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son
unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the
Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water,
and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak
with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should
adeny me, it would have been bbetter for
you that ye had not known me.
15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the awords of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that bendureth to the cend, the same shall be saved. 16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall aendure to the end, in following the bexample of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.
|
14a
Matt. 10:33 (32-33);
Rom. 1:16 (15-18); 2 Tim. 2:12 (10-15); Alma 24:30; D&C 101:5 (1-5); TG Holy Ghost, Unpardonable Sin against b Heb. 6:4-6; 2 Pet. 2:21 15a D&C 64:31; D&C 66:11 b Jacob 6:11 (7-11); TG Endure; TG Steadfastness c Alma 5:13 16a Mark 13:13; Alma 38:2; D&C 20:29; D&C 53:7 b TG Example; TG Jesus Christ, Examplar
|
|
|
17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that
your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been
shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For
the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and
abaptism by water; and then cometh a
bremission of your sins by fire and by the Holy
Ghosta.
18 And then are ye in this astrait and narrow bpath which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which cwitnesses of the dFather and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.
|
17a the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost In summary form, the 4th Article of Faith doeth state it thus, 'We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are; first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, second, Repentance; third, Baptims by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.' These are the required principles and ordiances unto salvation and salvation comes unto none else but those who do enter in by this strait gate. There is no other way. Even Christ himself did so submit unto it at the hand of John the Baptist in order to fulfill all righteousnness and to the order of the will and the ordinances of salvation as give and set forth in the plan of salvation from before the foundation of the world by the word of the Father. And now, whereby do the dead who never heard of Christ or had opportunity to so participate receive of such, it is by the temple ordinances performed vicariously and spoken of in the New Testament being with 'baptism for the dead'. No other Church but the true church of Christ has in it such ordinances which do and will provide for the eventual salvation of all of mankind who ever has lived. And only in such is found the fulfillment of the salvation of Christ unto all of mankind who ever has lived upon the face of the earth. No other traditional Christian sect is Christian enough to have so considered it. And only in Christ's true church is it so paracticed today. |
17a
Mosiah 18:10;
TG
Baptism b TG Holy Ghost, Mission of; TG Remission of Sins 18a 1 Ne. 8:20 b Prov. 4:18; TG Gate; TG Path; TG Way c TG Holy Ghost, Mission of; TG Holy Ghost, Source of Testimony d 3 Ne. 28:11; Moses 6:66
|
|
19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this
strait and narrow apath, I would ask if all is
bdone? Behold, I say unto you,
Naya; for ye have not come
thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken
cfaith in him, drelying wholly upon the
merits of him who is mighty to esave.
20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a asteadfastness in Christa, having a perfect brightness of bhope, and a clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and dendure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eeternal life.
|
19a I say unto you, Nay Many
a traditional Christian view will state that all that is need is to confess
Christ and one is saved, but what exactly does that mean? All will be
resurrected as a free gift and every knee shall bow and every tongue confess
that Jesus is the Christ, but is that the height of salvation? The Christian
concept of degrees of glory and being judged according to one's works would
dictate Nephi's response to the question 'if all is done?' by such singular
simple one time actions. 'Behold', Nephi teaches, 'I say unto you, Nay!'
Yes, in the first sense we do rely wholly upon the meirts of Christ, his
Atonement, and he bign mighty to save. But one does not obtain glory in God
by merely standing idle or even backsliding at the gate. There is a path to
tread and many miles to travel before any reward is to be gained. 20a ye must press forward with steadfastness in Christ Traveling the path upon which the gate of baptism merely opens upon is esential. We must press forward in the word of Christ, living and obeying his commandments as we learn them line upon line, precept upon precept, and thus proceeding onward towards perfection, enduring to the end of this life and ready to continue on to eternal life in the world to come. |
19a
Hosea 14:9 (8-9) b Mosiah 4:10 c TG Faith d Moro. 6:4; D&C 3:20; Moses 7:53 e TG Jesus Christ, Atonement through 20a TG Commitment; TG Dedication; TG Perseverance; TG Steadfastness; TG Walking with God b TG Hope c TG God, Love of; TG Love d James 5:8 (7-11); Rev. 2:25-26; 3 Ne. 15:9 e 1 John 2:25; 1 John 5:13 (10-21); TG Objectives
|
|
21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the
away; and there is bnone other way nor
cname given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the
kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the ddoctrine of
Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the eFather, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is fone God,
without end. Amen.
|
21a
Ex. 33:13 (12-13);
Acts 4:12;
2 Ne. 9:41; Alma 37:46; D&C 132:22, 25 b 2 Ne. 25:20; Mosiah 3:17 c TG Jesus Christ, Taking the Name of d Matt. 7:28; John 7:16 e TG Godhead; Col. 2:9 f Deut. 6:4; Gal. 3:20; 1 Ne. 13:41; 3 Ne. 28:10; Morm. 7:7; TG Unity
|
| BM Book | Previous BM Chapter | Next BM Chapter | Commentary Page | Home Page |