What Is the Purpose of the Book of Mormon?

I was reading the very last chapter of the Book of Mormon the other day and the third to last verse in the last chapter stood out to me. It reads:

"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."
Moroni 10:32

Here as Moroni concludes the Book of Mormon he summarizes the central purpose for the book. The purpose of the Book of Mormon is to bring us (the readers) to Christ. Why? So that we can ultimately be saved by returning to the presence of God.

The Book of Mormon's title page also lists 3 purposes for the Book of Mormon, including the central purpose I mentioned above:

1. "To show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers."

2. "That they [the House of Israel] may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever."

3. For "the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations."

Book of Mormon Title Page

So, once again we see that the central purpose is to bring us to our Savior, Jesus Christ! What a wonderful goal. I know that this book has greatly helped me come to know my Savior and trust in Him.

I found a lot more information about the Book of Mormon here . Usually the best place to get information is from the source, so that link (from the Mormon (LDS) Church is a good source).

Matthew 13:11-12 Why Did Jesus Teach in Parables?

Often we think of parables as unclear, difficult ways to teach or understand important doctrines? If the Savior knew that some people would not understand his parables, why did he then choose to teach this way? When his disciples asked him why he taught in parables, this was his response, as recorded in the New Testament Book of Matthew:

"He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath."
Matthew 13:11-12

Basically, verse 11 tells us that Jesus did not want everyone to understand what he was teaching. If his teachings are important doctrines, required for salvation, then why wouldn't he want everyone to understand them? Verse 12 reveals his reasoning. He wants to "give" this additional knowledge and understanding to those who "have" some already, or in other words, to those who are already learning his doctrine and making an honest effort to know more, he will give more. This is probably along the lines of not throwing pearls to swine.

Jesus continues by explaining that with those who don't have any (including those who have some but are not doing anything to further increase it), the little that they have is more than they should have, so nothing will be given them, rather what they have will be taken away. This is such a truth in our lives!

If we want to understand one of Jesus's parables, we need to put in some effort- just like the Jews. Many of the Jews heard Jesus speak and faithlessly disbelieved or tried to discredit his teachings. He was not there to teach these disbelievers. He was there to teach the faithful, those who would take the time to study and understand his parables. It makes perfect sense. So, if you want to understand what Jesus was teaching, take the time to prayerfully study it. In our time, we can find many resources on the internet and in books that will also help us understand, but not without effort.

Keep in mind, the truth that Jesus taught about receiving knowledge in general. If we want to continue progressing spiritually, we can't stop studying the scriptures! If we do, it "shall be taken away even that [we] hath." And as we continue studying, it will be given to us, little by little, to understand the doctrines and teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So keep studying the scriptures and learning- there will always be more you can learn!

No more animal sacrifices? So, what now?

Animal sacrifices were part of the Law of Moses. When Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses, he commanded us to give a different kind of sacrifice- a broken heart and contrite spirit.

The Lord commanded the Nephites:

"And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost..."

3 Nephi 9:19-20

How do we offer a broken heart and contrite spirit to the Lord?

I believe this means we must be humble, repentant, and willing to do God's will at all times. To be broken hearted, we must not allow ourselves to set our hearts on things of the world with know eternal significance. Our spirits will be contrite when they overcome the sins of the flesh to be in perfect harmony with God's will.

We are not perfect, so this means we will slip up from time to time. To have a broken heart and contrite spirit we must recognize our shortcomings and feel sorrowful enough to fully repent to the Lord.

This is really what Christian living is all about, and this is the sacrifice that is now required of all followers of Christ.

Why Do People Sin When They Know It's Wrong?

After a short period of righteousness among the Nephites, they began to become wicked again. This verse describes their actions:

"Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did wilfully rebel against God."
3 Nephi 6:18

Why do people sin when they know it is wrong to do so? I would love to hear any thoughts that readers of this blog might have- feel free to leave a comment!

I know there are dozens of reasons. Pride, for example, could cause someone to do something wrong knowingly because he or she has a reputation to keep. Someone may justify sins as he or she seeks for power, riches, or prestige.

Satan is a tricky devil, a very good devil at that. He has been doing what he does for a long time, and he has learned how to put attractive wrapping paper and flashy ribbons on the most dangerous packages. One may think that a single pornographic image is harmless, one drink of alcohol won't hurt, or a few slots at the casino is "just for fun". However, any of these actions would allow Satan to tie a small, weak string around your wrists. It is easy enough to break free at any time, so it doesn't worry you. When you take another look at that picture, go out for another drink, or move to the poker table, another small, weak string is added. You know you can break free of those weak strings so you disregard them. As this pattern continues, you find yourself trapped, imprisoned to the father of all lies, the devil. Though it's easy to break free of a couple weak strings, it is near impossible when it becomes a rope.

I guess to summarize that story in a way that answers the question, we too often underestimate "little sins" because we underestimate the devil who is working full time to bring us into captivity to himself.

This reminds me of what the prophet Nephi taught:

"And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell."
2 Nephi 28:21

Too often we have a sense of false security and allow ourselves to be led "carefully down to hell." We don't realize it until it's almost too late.

It is never completely too late, unless we die in our sins, because Jesus Christ atoned that we might be forgiven of our sins if we will repent and follow His gospel.

We can never say "the devil made me do it" but most of the time we can say "the devil convinced me to do it, but I made the choice." Satan won't pay the price of justice for the sins we commit, we will.

Let us open our eyes and realize what little things we may be doing in our lives that put small, weak strings around our wrists. Let's discover the tricks that Satan uses to deceive us and "convince" us to sin.

The Book of Mormon Was Written for Us

During Sunday School today, a certain verse in the Book of Mormon caught my attention. Moroni wrote this:

"Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing."
Mormon 8:35

As with other prophets, Moroni saw our day. He is speaking to us, those who read the book! With the audience (us) in mind, Moroni, Mormon, and other prophets wrote down their revelations, prophesies, and the events that transpired around them. What better book to read than one written for you, personally?

Not only does this verse clearly state that he was speaking to us "as if [we] were present," but it also tells us that the Lord showed us and our day to him. When he warns us about the snare of pride, it is because he can see the influence of pride all around us and its evidence in our own lives.

So we should read the Book of Mormon because it is God's word through his chosen prophets to us today, in our own time. It speaks to me. It speaks to you. In the same way that the Bible was written for the Jews, the Book of Mormon was written (according to the title page) for "Jew and Gentile"--which includes you and me.

There are links on the side bar of this blog to get your own free copy of the Book of Mormon.

Oh, one last insight that I had from this verse today. Moroni and other prophets saw our day; they saw us and knew what we are like. Let us not forget the more important truth that God knows us perfectly. He always sees us and knows more than just our actions; he knows our intentions and thoughts. If we always keep in mind that God is watching us, we are bound to behave in a more righteous manner in our day to day activities. We are also more likely to heed counsel that comes to us from His chosen servants, the prophets.

The Resurrection - Will I be resurrected?

One of the big three questions that most everyone asks at some point in their life is "What happens after death?" We wonder if life stops at death, or if it continues eternally. If it continues, what will it be like? Will our mortal actions determine our eternal future?

To be honest, the scriptures are full of answers to these questions. A New Testament verse gives an important insight:

"And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."
John 5:29

John teaches us here that EVERYONE will be resurrected. If we are good, we'll have the resurrection of life, meaning eternal life. If we are evil, we'll have the resurrection of damnation. We will be rewarded according to how we live on this earth.

What is the resurrection?
Simply put, resurrection is the reuniting of the body and spirit. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was the first to resurrect, breaking the bands of death for all mankind.

The Book of Mormon also teaches this doctrine very clearly:

"Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption."
Alma 11:45

I wish I had more time to continue examining the scriptural teachings about the resurrection, but here are two other great resources about life after death and resurrection and judgment.

Because of the righteous, your city is saved

"Yea, wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved; yea, wo unto this great city, for I perceive, saith the Lord, that there are many, yea, even the more part of this great city, that will harden their hearts against me, saith the Lord."
Helaman 13:12

Background
Samuel the Lamanite is on Zarahemla's wall prophesying to the wicked Nephites. As he prophesies, he is speaking for the Lord.

My Thoughts
Basically, Samuel is telling the Nephites that if it weren't for the few righteous people among them, the Lord would destroy them. He clearly states that the majority of the inhabitants are wicked, which means the city is ripe for destruction.

This reminds me of Abraham's conversation with the Lord in Genesis of the Old Testament. In response to the Lord's intention to judge and possibly destroy Sodom and Gomorrah:

"And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?"
Genesis 18:23

Abraham convinces the Lord to spare the cities if there are enough righteous people found therein. Originally they agree on 50 people (in a large city), but Abraham soon haggles the number down to 10. As we know from the next chapter (Genesis 19), Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their wickedness and lack of righteousness.

Basically what I learn from this is that in modern times, the righteous people of the earth are insurance for the wicked. I believe that the times we live in are every bit as wicked as the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. Perhaps the only real difference between now and then is the strength of the righteous people upon the earth. If there is ever a time when a city, state, or country decides to exile or kill all of the righteous living within its boundaries, there will be nothing to stop God from destroying the entity just as He did Sodom and Gomorrah.

So, to those of us who are striving to live righteously- you are protecting the lands in which you live. To those who live in wickedness- you had better show some respect and appreciation to those around you who are obediently living God's laws because without them your fate would be no different than those of Sodom and Gomorrah. Luckily for you, there is still time to repent and change. You can still be counted among the righteous. Click here for more information.

ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity

Samuel the Lamanite risked his life to be obedient to the Lord in calling the Nephites to repentance. Under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, he tells them that they will be destroyed if they do not repent. About 40 years later, this prophecy is fulfilled with a tremendous destruction among the Nephites when Jesus Christ is crucified by the Jews on the other side of the world. One point that I want to think out loud about a little bit is part of Samuel's great speech:

"...yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head."

Helaman 13:38

What Samuel says here can be related to people of all parts of the world and in all times. EVERYONE seeks for happiness. Period. That is what motivates us in most everything we do - we think we will be happier as a result. He goes on to explain that the Nephites at this time were looking in all the wrong places. They were trying to find happiness in sin. Analyzing it this way may seem intuitive, but when it's happening to you, it is significantly less obvious.

I want to make two points here:
1. How do people look for happiness in sin today?
2. Where can we find true happiness?

1. How do people look for happiness in sin today?
There are so many things that people do for "pleasure" and instant gratification that cannot possibly last and will inevitably leave a deeper sense of unhappiness. My goal is not to list everything that we can do to look for happiness in the wrong places, but rather identify a few that we might not realize.

Anything we do or use that can cause addictions is a sure sign we are looking for happiness in a place it cannot be found. The obvious addictive substances include drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Less obvious are coffee and black tea, though they both contain high quantities of addictive caffeine. A common plague that fits this category in society today is pornography. How many people turn to their pornography in hopes of happiness, when in reality they are only satisfying a sinful lust and damning their own souls as they distance themselves further from the Lord and his Holy Spirit?

There are other ways we vainly seek for happiness such as vanity and feeding our pride. We think that if our house is bigger, our car is faster, and our toys are more expensive, then we will be happier. Whoops, that's definitely wrong. The cliche that money can't by happiness it true. How often do we look at future events and say to ourselves, "When such-and-such thing happens or is attained, then I will be happier?" Living for tomorrow will not bring happiness, nor will living in the past. Happiness must be found in the now!

2. Where can we find true happiness?
I'm reminded of a verse in the Book of Mormon that describes the Nephites at a much earlier period in their history when they were living righteously. Nephi describes his people:

"And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness."

2 Nephi 5:27

This is the how we want to live. What can we learn about Nephi's people that made them so happy? Here are just a few things that they did: building a temple to worship God, being industrious and laboring with their hands, and being obedient to God's commandments. These things truly bring happiness. As we put God first in our lives and seek to learn of him and follow his commandments, he will bless us with happiness. Without God we cannot be happy. Period.

So, righteous living brings happiness. Giving meaningful service also brings happiness. To share something personal, one of the absolute happiest periods in my life was when I was fully engaged for a couple years sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others and serving people that I did not even know. I learned to love everyone around me and had a deep desire to help them in their lives and share the happiness that I had found with those around me.

If you are looking for happiness and have been unable to find the lasting happiness that God wants for you, then you need the true Gospel of Jesus Christ in your life. I can promise you that it will help you find Christ in such a personal way that your life will forever be blessed. You will be happy. To learn more, I encourage you to let missionaries visit you and teach you the Gospel of Jesus Christ. From their very first visit, you will feel a difference in your heart and in your life. Click here to arrange for missionaries to share more with you. Also, please feel free to visit www.mormon.org to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

less than the dust of the earth

Have you ever wondered what it meant that man is "less than the dust of the earth?" In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Mormon explains very clearly how and why it is that mankind truly is "less than the dust of the earth."

Mormon says that despite God's "great goodness and mercy towards [men], they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide." Mormon continues, "For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God."

So, basically when God commands men to do something, rarely do they obey and follow his instruction, but when God commands the dust of the earth to do something, it immediately obeys his voice. Mormon gives several examples of the mountains, valleys, and seas all obeying God's command, yet men are "quick to do iniquity" and "slow to do good."

This account can teach us a lot about agency. God is all-powerful, so why can't he make us obey him when he commands us to be good? God has given to all mankind agency so that we can choose good from evil. If God were to ever infringe upon our agency, his plan for us would be destroyed because it is based upon our agency and rewarding us according to that which we choose to do during our time on earth.

In conclusion, we have our agency to choose whether to obey God and when we use that agency to disobey his commandments we are "less than the dust of the earth." As we align our will to his and choose to follow Him in obedience, we can rise above the dust of the earth to our true potential as sons and daughters of God.

All quotes were taken from Helaman 12 in the Book of Mormon.

a new blog

For some time I've been thinking about creating a blog where I could think out loud about a variety of topics, including religion. I have decided that writing about many of the religious ideas that I read about and study will help me to understand them better while also assisting others who may seek to understand some of the truths that God has chosen to reveal to man.

I do not profess that this blog in any way represents the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but rather it is a blog about my views and beliefs as a member of the LDS (Mormon) Church. I will do my best to include citations whenever possible and to explicitly state when my opinion (rather than doctrine) is being expressed.

Please feel free to comment and ask questions!