The Savior taught: "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39)
During His ministry, the Savior made the bold claim that He was the Savior and the Messiah which the prophets had promised for millennia would come to dwell among the Jews in the flesh. By the time he made that statement, He had worked enough miracles that the Jews could have easily identified Him as their Messiah if they had only been familiar with the scriptures.
The Scriptures Are Not a Smorgasbord
Before then and ever since, the world has had a habit of approaching the scriptures smorgasbord-style, believing and teaching to believe only that which they find palatable or believable. In many cases, the world has believed and taught things that can and should be disproved or understood differently, given a holistic approach to scripture study. The secular world cares only to accept that part of the scriptures which has historicity they cannot disprove, while relegating the accounts of miraculous events to a category of "Christian fables" and the commandments and warnings of God and his prophets to that of "adult material" as though teaching such things constitutes emotional abuse to those who "can't handle it".
They are forgetting that the Gospel of Luke together with the book of Acts was written by a professional historian who went to great lengths to gather eyewitness accounts. (see Luke 1:1-4) They are forgetting that the other gospel writers followed suit and also gathered eyewitness of the things they too remembered and cherished about the ministry of the Savior among them. They are forgetting that, when they overlap, scriptural accounts corroborate each other without being so close to each other in their wording or details as to make room for collusion. They are forgetting that in most cases, the prophets who testified of things that are impossible for the spiritually ignorant to believe asserted these things to have equal historicity with that which the world has been unable to disprove. They are forgetting that, where available, outside sources such as Roman and Egyptian records validate the scriptural accounts.
In so doing, the world and even much of Christianity has missed out on the spiritual feast provided by our loving Heavenly Father and His prophets.
Lee Strobel's The Case for Christ
Evidences supporting the Book of Abraham
Examination of text written by Josephus in Rome
A Quick Word About Priestcraft
The Pharisees and Sadducees of the Savior's day did not teach their people to be literate, let alone that they should study their scriptures. Yet they knew the Old Testament forwards and backwards - they had every word of it memorized before they were allowed to teach! They knew who the Savior was! It was the Sadducees and Pharisees with whom Herod consulted when the wise men came, announcing the appearance of a new star and the birth of a king. (see Matthew 2:1-12)
Yet they were not about to teach the people of Israel these things. Why? Their knowlegde of "the law" gave them money and power. They could not have a young upstart from the tiny village of Bethlehem threaten their power over the minds of the people and destroy their living. They were not about to teach Israel the prophecies that would have enabled them to identify Jesus for who He was. Because of it, they are largely to blame for the fact that the vast majority of Israel missed the coming and going of their promised Messiah in the flesh.
Following the passing of the prophet and apostles in that period of time, this tradition of earning by preaching - or preachers keeping the word of God to themselves - crept into Christianity. Too many preachers of the Christian faith tell their respective flocks that they are the stewards of the word of God in their behalf, that respecting the word of God and interpreting it correctly means leaving it to their religious leaders. They are not about to teach the world that Jesus Himself invited all to "study the scriptures" and "learn of me" for themselves. It destroys their value proposition. If people did that, what need would they have of a preacher? What influence could a preacher have to stop people from believing what they find in the scriptures? In the mind of any sensible human being, this should beg the question: what else aren't they teaching me? What are they hiding in the Bible? What is it they don't want me to find out?
Don't get me wrong; I believe there have been millions of men and women of the cloth who did their level best to pass on the word of God as best they knew how. Thank goodness for them, for without them, we would not have the Bible today! I believe the majority of preachers in our day do it with that same goal in mind. But I for one believe those early preachers who corrupted Christianity by this tradition did so under the impetus of far less holy motives - the same motives that drove the Sadducees and Pharisees to have the Savior crucified.
Read about the importance of having an unpaid ministry in the Bible and in latter-day scripture.
By Their Fruits Shall Ye Know Them
There is another aspect to the scriptures - one that the spiritually uneducated cannot know: the authors of scripture have always been spiritual people. These were people who kept commandments such as "thou shalt not bear false witness" and "thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain". Yet they told accounts that can only be believed by those willing to become familiar with the workings of God, and they testified of the truthfulness of these things in His sacred name. These were people who were honest enough to admit imperfection and weakness - even their sense of being overwhelmed at the Lord's request that they teach and record the things He had given them. (see Ether 12:22-26, Mormon 8:12-21, Mormon 9:30-31)
The prophet Daniel was proven to be just such a person. In his time, there were those who sought to discredit him before the king, to find fault with him in an effort to destroy him and thus garner more power for themselves:
Nephi: That Our Children May Know
Nephi said:
Nephi's Love for the Scriptures
Nephi had an extraordinary love for the scriptures:
"...and upon these [plates] I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard." (2 Nephi 4:16-17)
A Strait and Narrow Way, An Iron Rod, A Tree of Life, and Living Water
Speaking of the life-changing power of the scriptures, Nephi and his father, Lehi, likened them to an iron rod which was "strong and bright and true", leading us perfectly down the Lord's straight and narrow path toward the tree of life which symbolized the ultimate manifestation of the pure love of God. They also spoke of a fountain of living water that provides spiritual power for making the journey, joyfully doing the things that the scriptures teach us.
"And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood. And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain..." (1 Nephi 8:19-20)
Nephi and his father gave us what they knew of the word of God because it was a source of great joy and spiritual power for them. They knew that if we would follow it, the word of God would always be and do the same for us.
Jesus gave us His words and His doctrine because He wanted so very badly to help us as only a God can! Said He:
Moroni: Ye May Know the Truth of All Things
Moroni: Come Unto Christ
Near the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni summarized his reasons for contributing to this volume of scripture as the the Lord had commanded him. To Moroni, the whole point of the scriptures was to invite people to come unto Christ:
"And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true. And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing. Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot." (Moroni 10:29-33)
A Treasure Buried in Scripture: Soul-Changing Joy!
Why do the prophets preach the things they do? Why do they teach the importance of the remission of sin, of becoming "holy, without spot"? King Benjamin pointed out the reason why he wanted his people to experience a remission of their sins:
Not Just Nice Words on a Page - Quick and Powerful!
As we read the scriptures, if we're not careful, there's a tendency to gloss over the words without stopping to think deeply about what they mean, or to realize what they could do for us in our lives. It's easy to think of some of the strange things we read in the scriptures as just nice words on a page.
The scriptures contain principles that provide power for changing, overcoming habits and even addictions. In his abridgement, the prophet Mormon preserved stories about people being subjected to captivity because of their sins. These can be likened to our struggles to overcome. Note how one group responded to their situation:
"And now all the study of Ammon and his people, and king Limhi and his people, was to deliver themselves out of the hands of the Lamanites and from bondage." (Mosiah 21:36)
Following their study of the scriptures, they began to leverage the power of prayer; they came to know their God and make a covenant with Him. Because of all these things, they were ultimately delivered out of captivity by miraculous means. If we find ourselves in captivity to our choices, we too stand in need to be delivered from our sins by means that are no less miraculous!
My intent in telling you about my own struggles is to show you why I have interpreted and applied the principles of the scriptures in my life the way I describe in my articles. In showing you my own, personal, down-in-the-mud applications of gospel principles, I hope to preclude the possibility that any of us will any longer be able to dismiss the things we read in scripture as mere "nice words on a page". I sincerely hope to get you thinking deeply about what the scriptures mean to you.
In my own life, I have noticed that when I let my scripture study slip, everything becomes more temporal and less spiritual, even to the point that spirituality has nothing to do with anything. When I get my scripture study where it should be, everything temporal is also spiritual. Without scripture study, I find myself living "in a carnal state", doing way too much of living "without God in the world". (see Alma 41:11) With scripture study in my life, I find the words of the prophets flowing through my mind and heart often throughout each day. (see Alma 12:9-10)
The scriptures truly open the way into godliness.
To me, the scriptures contain real principles that have changed my life. Every time I let go of them, as I too often do, I feel my "salt" losing its "savor" all over again, I feel myself becoming spiritually lukewarm yet again, and I feel my life starting to look and feel too much like it did before I ever knew my Savior. But every time I take hold of these principles once again, and put them back into play in my life, I feel more power, wisdom, joy, meaning, and purpose flow into my life than I could ever hope to invent in my own humble imagination. I feel as though I am captained by Christ anew, bought with a price once more, and born again!
When I am diligently applying these lessons in my life, the power, living water, and healing I need to succeed at living the gospel just seem to flow naturally into my life as though from a pool that has no bottom and no end, which pool is the very Fountain of All Righteousness, even Jesus Christ! (see Ether 12:27-28)
Through the words of the scriptures, it is the prophets of old whom I have to thank for showing me the way unto my Savior. I love the words of the prophet Helaman who said:
"Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name. Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked— And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out." (Helaman 3:27-31)
I testify that the things the scriptures teach are quick - meaning "alive" - and they are powerful!
That the World Through Him Might Be Saved
The world increasingly speaks poorly of the Bible because of its many do's and don'ts and its many warnings from God and His prophets concerning those who stand in need of repentance. Inasmuch as the world gains exposure to the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, they'll do the same with these volumes of scripture, and for all the same reasons.
But let me point out that the scriptures are replete with reminders of the Father's unceasing good will toward men.
Here I give a series of examples, these being but a few among many.
When Jesus was born, His Father sent angels to shepherds "keeping watch over their flocks by night", announcing it and expressing His good will toward those whom the Lord was born to save:
"...And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them... And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord... And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:8-14)
Isaiah prophesied of the ministry of the Savior, and of the purposes for His being sent to dwell among us in the flesh:
Isaiah foresees the birth of Christ, who illuminated a dark world and whose government taught us principles of peace:
"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor... For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (2 Nephi 19:2-6, compare Isaiah 9:2-6)
Isaiah forsees the suffering of the Savior on behalf of the transgressors:
"For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground... he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all... Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:2-12)
The the Good Shepherd told us how He feels about all people, whether they choose to follow Him or not:
This is how the Lord feels when we don't let Him help:
"...how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not. O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart." (3 Nephi 10:5-6, compare Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34, D & C 43:24-25, D & C 10:57-69)
Given all the Lord has invested in mankind, from the creation of the heavens and the earth and all things that in them are, to the atoning sacrifice and resurrection, I would have given anything to be there to see the conviction in His countenance and hear the passion in His voice when the Lord spoke those oft-quoted words to Moses:
"For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39)
And last, though certainly not least, the Savior Himself said:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)
God has given us his prohpets, His words, and His scriptures because He loves us dearly!
We Need to Study the Scriptures - Urgently!
God has restored the fulness of His gospel in the latter days. He gave it to a handful of people and commanded them to give it to a world that is quickly running out of time:
Speaking the whole of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord said:
The Lord has many things He would teach us, to warn us of the consequences of doing evil, and to guide us toward the joy and the happiness that we can only find in Him. His love and wisdom are not just for those who currently believe in Him. His priesthood ordinances, prophets and apostles - indeed, the fulness of the restored gospel - are for everyone! It is for this reason He has called prophets and apostles in our day as in times of old, to have them restore and teach us the fullness of His ancient, timeless gospel:
"And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth: I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh; For I am no respecter of persons..." (Doctrine and Covenants 1:34-35)
Receive Ye, Therefore, My Law
The Savior reminded the leaders of the Church that the attaining of heavenly glory is predicated on obedience to His law:
Feast Upon the Words of Christ
Nephi taught his people:
"...feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)
It isn't enough to get baptized. To enter into the "strait and narrow way", we also have to receive a remission of our sins - a blessing predicated upon obedience to the laws of heaven, laws that must be studied and applied. Once we have gotten to this point, Nephi talks about what needs to happen next. Notice the importance he places on familiarizing ourselves with the word of God:
The Worth of the Word of God
A Book of Mormon prophet by the name of Abinidi taught a wicked king Noah and his court from the scriptures. This he did, knowing it would cost him his life. Abinidi did it willingly because he knew the worth of the word of God and of those who preach it. When the priests of king Noah asked him about the meaning of a certain verse in Isaiah, Abinidi took the opportunity to tell them:
As a missionary, I myself experienced the deep gratitude of those who accepted the gospel because I knocked on their door. They could not believe that as a youth, I had left home, learned a new language, adjusted to a new culture, and come to bring them good tidings.
King Noah's response to Abinidi's passionate message of hope and salvation was to have him burned at the stake. Abinidi died not knowing if his words had affected his audience in the least. But, among the priests of king Noah's court was found one Alma, later known as Alma the Elder. He heard the words of Abinidi and believed. Having been so directed of God, he built up the church and began to teach the words of Abinidi, words that changed enough people's lives that they built a city together. (see Mosiah 23:9-22) After the story of Abinidi, the remainder of the book of Mosiah was written by Alma the Elder. The book of Alma was written by his son, Alma the Younger. The book of Helaman was written Alma's son and grandson, both named Helaman. Third Nephi was written by the latter Helaman's son, Nephi. Ether and Mormon were written by Mormon, who was charged by a descendant of this Nephi to recover the records and abridge them according to the word of God. The book of Moroni was written by Moroni - Mormon's son. In other words, Abinidi gave his life so that you and I could have Mosiah chapter eighteen and everything that comes after it!
Read how Joseph Smith's study of Mosiah 18 likely led to the restoration of the priesthood
During His ministry, the Savior made the bold claim that He was the Savior and the Messiah which the prophets had promised for millennia would come to dwell among the Jews in the flesh. By the time he made that statement, He had worked enough miracles that the Jews could have easily identified Him as their Messiah if they had only been familiar with the scriptures.
The Scriptures Are Not a Smorgasbord
Before then and ever since, the world has had a habit of approaching the scriptures smorgasbord-style, believing and teaching to believe only that which they find palatable or believable. In many cases, the world has believed and taught things that can and should be disproved or understood differently, given a holistic approach to scripture study. The secular world cares only to accept that part of the scriptures which has historicity they cannot disprove, while relegating the accounts of miraculous events to a category of "Christian fables" and the commandments and warnings of God and his prophets to that of "adult material" as though teaching such things constitutes emotional abuse to those who "can't handle it".
They are forgetting that the Gospel of Luke together with the book of Acts was written by a professional historian who went to great lengths to gather eyewitness accounts. (see Luke 1:1-4) They are forgetting that the other gospel writers followed suit and also gathered eyewitness of the things they too remembered and cherished about the ministry of the Savior among them. They are forgetting that, when they overlap, scriptural accounts corroborate each other without being so close to each other in their wording or details as to make room for collusion. They are forgetting that in most cases, the prophets who testified of things that are impossible for the spiritually ignorant to believe asserted these things to have equal historicity with that which the world has been unable to disprove. They are forgetting that, where available, outside sources such as Roman and Egyptian records validate the scriptural accounts.
In so doing, the world and even much of Christianity has missed out on the spiritual feast provided by our loving Heavenly Father and His prophets.
Lee Strobel's The Case for Christ
Evidences supporting the Book of Abraham
Examination of text written by Josephus in Rome
A Quick Word About Priestcraft
The Pharisees and Sadducees of the Savior's day did not teach their people to be literate, let alone that they should study their scriptures. Yet they knew the Old Testament forwards and backwards - they had every word of it memorized before they were allowed to teach! They knew who the Savior was! It was the Sadducees and Pharisees with whom Herod consulted when the wise men came, announcing the appearance of a new star and the birth of a king. (see Matthew 2:1-12)
Yet they were not about to teach the people of Israel these things. Why? Their knowlegde of "the law" gave them money and power. They could not have a young upstart from the tiny village of Bethlehem threaten their power over the minds of the people and destroy their living. They were not about to teach Israel the prophecies that would have enabled them to identify Jesus for who He was. Because of it, they are largely to blame for the fact that the vast majority of Israel missed the coming and going of their promised Messiah in the flesh.
Following the passing of the prophet and apostles in that period of time, this tradition of earning by preaching - or preachers keeping the word of God to themselves - crept into Christianity. Too many preachers of the Christian faith tell their respective flocks that they are the stewards of the word of God in their behalf, that respecting the word of God and interpreting it correctly means leaving it to their religious leaders. They are not about to teach the world that Jesus Himself invited all to "study the scriptures" and "learn of me" for themselves. It destroys their value proposition. If people did that, what need would they have of a preacher? What influence could a preacher have to stop people from believing what they find in the scriptures? In the mind of any sensible human being, this should beg the question: what else aren't they teaching me? What are they hiding in the Bible? What is it they don't want me to find out?
Don't get me wrong; I believe there have been millions of men and women of the cloth who did their level best to pass on the word of God as best they knew how. Thank goodness for them, for without them, we would not have the Bible today! I believe the majority of preachers in our day do it with that same goal in mind. But I for one believe those early preachers who corrupted Christianity by this tradition did so under the impetus of far less holy motives - the same motives that drove the Sadducees and Pharisees to have the Savior crucified.
Read about the importance of having an unpaid ministry in the Bible and in latter-day scripture.
By Their Fruits Shall Ye Know Them
There is another aspect to the scriptures - one that the spiritually uneducated cannot know: the authors of scripture have always been spiritual people. These were people who kept commandments such as "thou shalt not bear false witness" and "thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain". Yet they told accounts that can only be believed by those willing to become familiar with the workings of God, and they testified of the truthfulness of these things in His sacred name. These were people who were honest enough to admit imperfection and weakness - even their sense of being overwhelmed at the Lord's request that they teach and record the things He had given them. (see Ether 12:22-26, Mormon 8:12-21, Mormon 9:30-31)
The prophet Daniel was proven to be just such a person. In his time, there were those who sought to discredit him before the king, to find fault with him in an effort to destroy him and thus garner more power for themselves:
"Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him." (Daniel 6:3-4)
Similarly, in a bid for what they call "freedom" (I call it latitude for lasciviousness) or for power over the minds of those whom they lead, people seek to twist the word of God or even destroy Christianity in our day, and in the process, "take away the righteousness of the righteous from him." (Isaiah 5:20-23).
In so deceitful a world as ours and therefore not unduly cynical,
it seems impossible that honest and genuine people could exist and write such marvelous things as those found in the scriptures, claiming and testifying that they had actually witnessed these events.
Yet those of us familiar with the scriptures
know that the careful study and diligent application of them produces such people. "By their fruits shall
ye know them." the Savior said. (see Matthew 7:15-20) Knowing of the great and essential power which intense personal scripture study brings to my own walk with Christ, I would be deeply distrustful of anyone who forbids it.
Why God and His Prophets Give Us These Things
Joseph Smith: These Things Should be Attended To
Joseph Smith eloquently expressed the feeling that motivates all prophets and, indeed, all who follow Christ, to bring forth and share His truths with the world:
Joseph Smith eloquently expressed the feeling that motivates all prophets and, indeed, all who follow Christ, to bring forth and share His truths with the world:
"And also it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart— For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it— Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven— These should then be attended to with great earnestness. Let no man count them as small things..." (Doctrine & Covenants 123:11-15)
Nephi: That Our Children May Know
Nephi said:
"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)
Nephi's Love for the Scriptures
Nephi had an extraordinary love for the scriptures:
"...and upon these [plates] I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard." (2 Nephi 4:16-17)
Through the study of the scriptures, I have come to feel as Nephi did, "for my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for... learning and... profit (in a spiritual sense)" of myself and others.
A Strait and Narrow Way, An Iron Rod, A Tree of Life, and Living Water
Speaking of the life-changing power of the scriptures, Nephi and his father, Lehi, likened them to an iron rod which was "strong and bright and true", leading us perfectly down the Lord's straight and narrow path toward the tree of life which symbolized the ultimate manifestation of the pure love of God. They also spoke of a fountain of living water that provides spiritual power for making the journey, joyfully doing the things that the scriptures teach us.
"And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood. And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain..." (1 Nephi 8:19-20)
"I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow. And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is precious above all."(1 Nephi 11:8-0)
"I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms. And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw? And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things. And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul... And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life;
which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld
that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God." (1 Nephi 11:20-25)
LDS Hymns #274 - The Iron Rod
LDS Hymns #274 - The Iron Rod
Nephi and his father gave us what they knew of the word of God because it was a source of great joy and spiritual power for them. They knew that if we would follow it, the word of God would always be and do the same for us.
Jesus gave us His words and His doctrine because He wanted so very badly to help us as only a God can! Said He:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls..." (Matthew 11:28-29, emphasis added)
Moroni taught us how to make the most of the scriptures:
"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:3-5)
"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:3-5)
Moroni: Come Unto Christ
Near the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni summarized his reasons for contributing to this volume of scripture as the the Lord had commanded him. To Moroni, the whole point of the scriptures was to invite people to come unto Christ:
"And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true. And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing. Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot." (Moroni 10:29-33)
A Treasure Buried in Scripture: Soul-Changing Joy!
Why do the prophets preach the things they do? Why do they teach the importance of the remission of sin, of becoming "holy, without spot"? King Benjamin pointed out the reason why he wanted his people to experience a remission of their sins:
"And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has [the Lord] suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy." (Mosiah 4:20)
With the help of the scriptures, Philip, a missionary in the New Testament, taught a eunuch to believe in Christ. Through a remission of his sins in baptism he experienced great joy:
At a time of great persecution, through His prophet, the Savior told the Latter-Day Saints:
"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And
Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And
he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And
he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into
the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And
when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught
away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way
rejoicing." (Acts 8:35-39)
At a time of great persecution, through His prophet, the Savior told the Latter-Day Saints:
"...fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full." (Doctrine and Covenants 101:36)
We have been blessed with the gift of the restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Its incredible beauty and life-changing power are right under our noses. Are we paying attention? We need to feel the beauty of the scriptures and the beauty of the unbelievably powerful love of God every day!
Not Just Nice Words on a Page - Quick and Powerful!
As we read the scriptures, if we're not careful, there's a tendency to gloss over the words without stopping to think deeply about what they mean, or to realize what they could do for us in our lives. It's easy to think of some of the strange things we read in the scriptures as just nice words on a page.
The scriptures contain principles that provide power for changing, overcoming habits and even addictions. In his abridgement, the prophet Mormon preserved stories about people being subjected to captivity because of their sins. These can be likened to our struggles to overcome. Note how one group responded to their situation:
"And now all the study of Ammon and his people, and king Limhi and his people, was to deliver themselves out of the hands of the Lamanites and from bondage." (Mosiah 21:36)
Following their study of the scriptures, they began to leverage the power of prayer; they came to know their God and make a covenant with Him. Because of all these things, they were ultimately delivered out of captivity by miraculous means. If we find ourselves in captivity to our choices, we too stand in need to be delivered from our sins by means that are no less miraculous!
My intent in telling you about my own struggles is to show you why I have interpreted and applied the principles of the scriptures in my life the way I describe in my articles. In showing you my own, personal, down-in-the-mud applications of gospel principles, I hope to preclude the possibility that any of us will any longer be able to dismiss the things we read in scripture as mere "nice words on a page". I sincerely hope to get you thinking deeply about what the scriptures mean to you.
In my own life, I have noticed that when I let my scripture study slip, everything becomes more temporal and less spiritual, even to the point that spirituality has nothing to do with anything. When I get my scripture study where it should be, everything temporal is also spiritual. Without scripture study, I find myself living "in a carnal state", doing way too much of living "without God in the world". (see Alma 41:11) With scripture study in my life, I find the words of the prophets flowing through my mind and heart often throughout each day. (see Alma 12:9-10)
The scriptures truly open the way into godliness.
To me, the scriptures contain real principles that have changed my life. Every time I let go of them, as I too often do, I feel my "salt" losing its "savor" all over again, I feel myself becoming spiritually lukewarm yet again, and I feel my life starting to look and feel too much like it did before I ever knew my Savior. But every time I take hold of these principles once again, and put them back into play in my life, I feel more power, wisdom, joy, meaning, and purpose flow into my life than I could ever hope to invent in my own humble imagination. I feel as though I am captained by Christ anew, bought with a price once more, and born again!
When I am diligently applying these lessons in my life, the power, living water, and healing I need to succeed at living the gospel just seem to flow naturally into my life as though from a pool that has no bottom and no end, which pool is the very Fountain of All Righteousness, even Jesus Christ! (see Ether 12:27-28)
Through the words of the scriptures, it is the prophets of old whom I have to thank for showing me the way unto my Savior. I love the words of the prophet Helaman who said:
"Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name. Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked— And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out." (Helaman 3:27-31)
I testify that the things the scriptures teach are quick - meaning "alive" - and they are powerful!
That the World Through Him Might Be Saved
The world increasingly speaks poorly of the Bible because of its many do's and don'ts and its many warnings from God and His prophets concerning those who stand in need of repentance. Inasmuch as the world gains exposure to the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, they'll do the same with these volumes of scripture, and for all the same reasons.
But let me point out that the scriptures are replete with reminders of the Father's unceasing good will toward men.
Here I give a series of examples, these being but a few among many.
The Book of Mormon prophet Alma the Younger tells us why the Lord was to come to earth to dwell among us:
"And behold, he shall be born of Mary... she being a virgin, ...who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God. And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, ...and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:10-12)
"And behold, he shall be born of Mary... she being a virgin, ...who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God. And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, ...and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:10-12)
When Jesus was born, His Father sent angels to shepherds "keeping watch over their flocks by night", announcing it and expressing His good will toward those whom the Lord was born to save:
"...And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them... And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord... And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:8-14)
Isaiah prophesied of the ministry of the Savior, and of the purposes for His being sent to dwell among us in the flesh:
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord
hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me
to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To
appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for
ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit
of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the
planting of the Lord" (Isaiah 61:1-3)
Isaiah foresees the birth of Christ, who illuminated a dark world and whose government taught us principles of peace:
"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor... For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (2 Nephi 19:2-6, compare Isaiah 9:2-6)
Isaiah forsees the suffering of the Savior on behalf of the transgressors:
"For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground... he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all... Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:2-12)
The the Good Shepherd told us how He feels about all people, whether they choose to follow Him or not:
"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for ...the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep,
and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine,
and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." (Matthew 18:10-14)
This is how the Lord feels when we don't let Him help:
"...how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not. O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart." (3 Nephi 10:5-6, compare Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34, D & C 43:24-25, D & C 10:57-69)
Given all the Lord has invested in mankind, from the creation of the heavens and the earth and all things that in them are, to the atoning sacrifice and resurrection, I would have given anything to be there to see the conviction in His countenance and hear the passion in His voice when the Lord spoke those oft-quoted words to Moses:
"For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39)
And last, though certainly not least, the Savior Himself said:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)
God has given us his prohpets, His words, and His scriptures because He loves us dearly!
We Need to Study the Scriptures - Urgently!
God has restored the fulness of His gospel in the latter days. He gave it to a handful of people and commanded them to give it to a world that is quickly running out of time:
"And
now, verily saith the Lord, that these things might be known among you,
O inhabitants of the earth, I have sent forth mine angel flying through
the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel, who hath appeared
unto some and hath committed it unto man, who shall appear unto many
that dwell on the earth. And this gospel shall be preached unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. And
the servants of God shall go forth, saying with a loud voice: Fear God
and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come;" (Doctrine
and Covenants 133:36-38, cross reference: Revelation 14:6)
Speaking the whole of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord said:
"Wherefore,
I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants
of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto
him from heaven, and gave him commandments; And
also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these
things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which
was written by the prophets— The weak things
of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong
ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the
arm of flesh— But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; That faith also might increase in the earth; That mine everlasting covenant might be established; That
the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple
unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers. Behold,
I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were
given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their
language, that they might come to understanding." (Doctrine and
Covenants 1:17-24)
The Lord has many things He would teach us, to warn us of the consequences of doing evil, and to guide us toward the joy and the happiness that we can only find in Him. His love and wisdom are not just for those who currently believe in Him. His priesthood ordinances, prophets and apostles - indeed, the fulness of the restored gospel - are for everyone! It is for this reason He has called prophets and apostles in our day as in times of old, to have them restore and teach us the fullness of His ancient, timeless gospel:
"And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth: I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh; For I am no respecter of persons..." (Doctrine and Covenants 1:34-35)
Receive Ye, Therefore, My Law
The Savior reminded the leaders of the Church that the attaining of heavenly glory is predicated on obedience to His law:
"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And
when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law
upon which it is predicated." (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21)
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory. For
strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation
and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because
ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me. But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also. This
is eternal lives—to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom he hath sent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law." (D&C 132:22-24, cross reference: John 17:3)
How
can we come to be where He is if we don't read up on how to follow Him?
How can we know Him and thus experience eternal life, if we don't
"receive His law?" Can we say we have received his law if our
scriptures, which contain it, sit on the shelf, unread?
If,
as the Savior pointed out, in the scriptures we "have eternal life",
then it is also true that our personal scripture study defines the
limits of our salvation. Joseph Smith taught: "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance." (Doctrine and Covenants 131:6) He of all people should know, for it was his personal scripture study that opened the way for Paul's prophecy concerning a "dispensation of the fulness of times" to begin to be fulfilled!
Feast Upon the Words of Christ
Nephi taught his people:
"...feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)
It isn't enough to get baptized. To enter into the "strait and narrow way", we also have to receive a remission of our sins - a blessing predicated upon obedience to the laws of heaven, laws that must be studied and applied. Once we have gotten to this point, Nephi talks about what needs to happen next. Notice the importance he places on familiarizing ourselves with the word of God:
"And
now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and
narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay;
for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with
unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is
mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press
forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of
hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press
forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end,
behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. And
now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none
other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the
kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the
only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen." (2 Nephi 31:19-21, emphasis added)
A Book of Mormon prophet by the name of Abinidi taught a wicked king Noah and his court from the scriptures. This he did, knowing it would cost him his life. Abinidi did it willingly because he knew the worth of the word of God and of those who preach it. When the priests of king Noah asked him about the meaning of a certain verse in Isaiah, Abinidi took the opportunity to tell them:
"Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets... are they not
his seed? ...and these are they who have published peace, who have
brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said
unto Zion: Thy God reigneth! And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet! And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace! And
again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall
hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever! And
behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the
mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the
founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea,
him who has granted salvation unto his people; (Mosiah 15:11-18, cross
reference: Isaiah 52:7)
As a missionary, I myself experienced the deep gratitude of those who accepted the gospel because I knocked on their door. They could not believe that as a youth, I had left home, learned a new language, adjusted to a new culture, and come to bring them good tidings.
King Noah's response to Abinidi's passionate message of hope and salvation was to have him burned at the stake. Abinidi died not knowing if his words had affected his audience in the least. But, among the priests of king Noah's court was found one Alma, later known as Alma the Elder. He heard the words of Abinidi and believed. Having been so directed of God, he built up the church and began to teach the words of Abinidi, words that changed enough people's lives that they built a city together. (see Mosiah 23:9-22) After the story of Abinidi, the remainder of the book of Mosiah was written by Alma the Elder. The book of Alma was written by his son, Alma the Younger. The book of Helaman was written Alma's son and grandson, both named Helaman. Third Nephi was written by the latter Helaman's son, Nephi. Ether and Mormon were written by Mormon, who was charged by a descendant of this Nephi to recover the records and abridge them according to the word of God. The book of Moroni was written by Moroni - Mormon's son. In other words, Abinidi gave his life so that you and I could have Mosiah chapter eighteen and everything that comes after it!
Read how Joseph Smith's study of Mosiah 18 likely led to the restoration of the priesthood
In similar fashion, the scriptures from previous generations have aided in passing down and preserving the gospel in its fulness.The scriptures of old and scriptures given anew have aided in the restoration of the gospel, even the opening of every new dispensation since the time of Adam. Thus, all the prophets of old and of this last dispensation
in the fulness of times have labored and sacrificed, in many cases
sealing their testimonies with the loss of their lives, so that you and I could
partake of the fruit of the tree of life, so that you and I could have living water to feed our souls and give us spiritual fuel for our journey through life, so that you and I could know for ourselves the sweetness and
incomparable joy of experiencing the infinite and pure
love of God!
Let us not allow the labors of the Lord, the sacrifices of the prophets, or the keys to receiving this great and eternal blessing sit on the shelf, gathering dust! The study of the scriptures is so important that the LDS missionaries will not allow someone to be baptized unless they are reading on a regular basis. Let us as members - and anyone else who would come unto Christ - read our scriptures every day for the rest of our lives!
Also of Interest
Learn about the Church of Jesus Christ as described in the scriptures
King Josiah and his people learn the importance of the word of God
Come to church with us!
Meet with LDS missionaries
What's in the Book of Mormon? The Pride of the World vs. Living Water
Fox News: The Forbidden Bible
Get a free copy of the Bible (KJV) or read it online
Get a free copy of the Book of Mormon or read it online
read the Doctrine and Covenants online
read the Pearl of Great Price online
Let us not allow the labors of the Lord, the sacrifices of the prophets, or the keys to receiving this great and eternal blessing sit on the shelf, gathering dust! The study of the scriptures is so important that the LDS missionaries will not allow someone to be baptized unless they are reading on a regular basis. Let us as members - and anyone else who would come unto Christ - read our scriptures every day for the rest of our lives!
Also of Interest
Learn about the Church of Jesus Christ as described in the scriptures
King Josiah and his people learn the importance of the word of God
Come to church with us!
Meet with LDS missionaries
What's in the Book of Mormon? The Pride of the World vs. Living Water
Fox News: The Forbidden Bible
Get a free copy of the Bible (KJV) or read it online
Get a free copy of the Book of Mormon or read it online
read the Doctrine and Covenants online
read the Pearl of Great Price online
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