Thursday, November 16, 2023

Examples of Distinctive Teachings in the Book of Mormon

The following is based on Robert L. Millet, “Appendix 1: Powerful Precepts from the Book of Mormon” in Remember, Remember: Life-Changing Truths from the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2023), 229-34

 

·       Israel is “grafted in” as they come to the knowledge of the true Messiah (1 Nephi 10:14)

·       The Holy Ghost, or Spirit of the Lord, is in the form of a man (1 Nephi 11:11).

·       The tree of life is a symbol of Jesus Christ (1 Nephi 11:4-7, 21-22).

·       In a sense, all of God’s children will be redeemed. Following the Resurrection, all are brought back into the presence of God to be judged (2 Nephi 9:15; Helaman 14:15-18).

·       The ordinances of salvation, including baptism, are essential (2 Nephi 31).

·       The doctrine of Jesus Christ, or gospel of Christ, consists of faith, repentance, baptism, reception of the Holy Ghost, enduring to the end, resurrection, and eternal judgment (2 Nephi 31; 3 Nephi 27).

·       Israel is scattered when it rejects the true Messiah. Israel is gathered whenever it accepts the true Messiah, His gospel, his Church, and His doctrine (1 Nephi 15:12-19; 2 Nephi 6:8-11; 9:1-2; 10:5-7; 15).

·       The Fall of Adam and Eve is as much a part of the plan of salvation as is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. “Adam fell that men might be and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25).

·       Joseph Smith is the foreordained “choice seer” in the last days (2 Nephi 3).

·       We are to worship God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ (2 Nephi 25:16; Jacob 4:5).

·       Those who are truly built in the rock of Christ are eager for new revelation, even new scripture (2 Nephi 28-29).

·       Remission of sins comes after baptism by immersion and through the conferral of the Holy Ghost; the Holy Ghost is the Sanctifier (2 Nephi 31:17).

·       People speak with the tongue of angels when they speak of the words of Christ—that is, when they speak by the power of the Holy Ghost (2 Nephi 31:13-14; 32:1-5).

·       True disciples experience Christ—they believe in Him, view His death, suffer His cross, and bear the shame of the world (Jacob 1:8).

·       Christ and his Atonement have been preached since the beginning of time (Jacob 4:5; 7:11; Jacob 1:11; Alma 39:17-19).

·       Spiritual darkness comes by looking beyond the mark (Jacob 4:14).

·       We become unshaken in the faith as we have regular spiritual experiences (Jacob 7:5; Enos 1:2-11).

·       We know that we have been forgiven of our sins when the Spirit dwells with us once again, and when we feel joy and peace of conscience (Mosiah 4:3).

·       We are born again, be become the sons and daughters of Jesus Christ (Mosiah 5:7).

·       Jesus Christ is designated as the Father and the Son—the Father because He was conceived by the power of the Father, and the Son because of the flesh, His physical body (Mosiah 15:1-4; Alma 11:38-39; Helaman 14:12; Mormon 9:12; Ether 3:14).

·       The First Resurrection will include the prophets and those who heeded their words (Mosiah 15:21-22).

·       At the time of baptism, we covenant to bear one another’s burdens, mourn with those that mourn, comfort those who stand in need of comfort, stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all places; in addition, we take upon us the name of Christ (Mosiah 18:8-10).

·       All those who receive the Melchizedek Priesthood in this life were foreordained to do so in the premortal existence (Alma 13:1-12).

·       Predestination is a false doctrine (Alma 31).

·       The Atonement of Christ is infinite because Jesus Christ is an infinite being (Alma 34:13-14).

·       The same spirit we have at the time of our death will continue with us as we go into the post-mortal spirit world (Alma 34:33-35).

·       The only sins more serious to God than sexual immorality are murder and the sin against the Holy Ghost (Alma 39:5).

·       At the time of death, one experiences a partial judgment and either goes to paradise or to hell/outer darkness (Alma 40:11-14).

·       We are sanctified by fielding our hearts to God (Helaman 3:35).

·       When the fullness of the times of the Gentiles comes, the gospel will then be taken on a preferential basis to the house of Israel (3 Nephi 16:10-12).

·       The sign that the work of the Father (the work of gathering Israel) has commenced in the last days is the coming forth of the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 31:1-7; 29:1; Ether 4:17).

·       Those who reject the Lord’s latter-day servant (Joseph Smith) will be cut off from the Lord’s covenant.

·       In order for a church to be the Lord’s church, it must (1) be called after His name and (2) be built on His gospel. Then the works of the Father will be manifest in it (3 Nephi 27:7-10).

·       Translated beings are changed so that they do not experience death or the pains of this life (except sorrow for the sins of the world). They remain in a translated state until the Secon Coming of Jesus Christ, at which point they are changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to resurrected immortality (3 Nephi 28).

·       We should not dispute God’s word simply because we cannot see, for we receive no witness until after the trial of our faith (Ether 12:6).

·       We remain spiritually vigilant, watchful unto prayer, through relying alone on the merits of Christ, who is the author and finisher of our faith (Moroni 6:4).

·       The Spirit of Christ is given to every person that they may know good from evil. Everything that invites to do good and to believe in Christ is sent forth by the gift and power of Christ and is of God (Moroni 7:16).

·       Angels have not ceased to minister to the children of God. They are subject to Christ and minister to those who have strong faith and a firm mind. The office of their ministry is to call people to repentance, first by declaring the word of Christ to the chosen vessels, who then minister to the rest of humankind (Moroni 7:29-31).

·       Infant baptism is a false doctrine and a wicked practice, for baptism is only for those who have faith and require repentance, those who are accountable. Since little children are redeemed from the foundation of the world, they are innocent (Moroni 8:10-12).

·       We must never deny the gifts of God or gifts of the Spirit; they are given for our profit (Moroni 10:8-18).