A Study of the Book of Mormon

Alma 34:1-17 Amulek picks up the baton in this chapter as a second witness to the people of the Zoramites. In the first seven verses he is summarizing what had already been shared by Alma. I appreciate this approach to teaching that is often employed by master teachers which helps me to understand the significance of what others have taught. Then in verse 8 , Amulek adds his testimony. Amulek talks of Christ both taking upon him the transgressions of his people, and atoning for the sins of the world. Why this distinction? The footnotes on transgression point to Redeemer. There is a distinction between those that want Christ to be their God, and those who do not. The reality is that Christ atoned for the sins of the world. Everyone. But only those who will accept him as their God does the real redemption come. The door is always opened. But only those who will walk through it and claim the Lord's redeeming help, to them is revealed the full scope of his redemptive power. It...

Mosiah 15:18-31 I am having a hard time following the natural flow of the chapter, as there are certain specific things that the Holy Spirit would point out for my immediate attention. Fore example, this morning I was stuck on the footnote for the word "foundation" found in verse 19, which linked to Mosiah 4:6 . This reminder of endurance to the end based on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, is the reminder that the Holy Spirit would have me to understand this morning. Now it is another morning, and I am brought to consider the footnote on the word "peace" found in verse 18 . There are references to the books of Micah and John, reaffirming that peace will be established through Jesus Christ. Almost universally everyone understands what peace is. Yet few there are that understand that peace can only come through faith on Jesus Christ, who is the "founder of peace," through whom the redemption and salvation of the whole human family had been prepared from the ...

Mosiah 9:1-2 I find this chapter very interesting for several reasons. Zeniff became leader of a people that returned to the land of Lehi-Nephi. We learn however from the first account given of this group over in Omni 1:27-29 that Zeniff wasn't the first leader of this group, but that it was a stiff-necked individual that caused them to fight amongst themselves. With both references in context, it appears that their purpose in going back up to the land of Nephi-Lehi was so that they could possess the land. One leader sought to do it contentiously. He was destroyed. The next (Zeniff) sought an agreement or treaty with Lamanites. Neither worked in the end, but the latter did give them a season of peace and prosperity. So as a spy, Zeniff was part of an army that was commanded to destroy the Lamanites. When he saw that which was good among them, he had no desire to destroy them. However, his leader commanded that Zeniff should also be killed for his opinion. A great battle resulted a...

Mosiah 3:20-27 This is about faith and repentance. The time will come when everyone will be required to exercise faith on the Lord Jesus Christ or perish... there will be no more blameless , except those that King Benjamin had already addressed earlier in this chapter. Because the words which King Benjamin had shared with his people, they had become subject to the demands of justice. And every one of them were to be judged according to their works whether they be good or whether they be evil. ( see 22-24 ) Verses 25 to 27 address the horrible state of they that are evil. It impresses me that it is the choice to do evil, to be evil that consigns them (the wicked) to become keenly aware of their guilt and wicked works. Such a course of choice will disqualify anyone from the claims of mercy. Therefore, what we choose to do in this life does matter.

Jacob 3:1-2 These first two verses of scripture have brought about a profound sense of peace in a very personal way. Only those who are aware of my personal struggles at the moment (which I haven't even been able to effective articulate to my own wife) may be able to fully understand why this is. "But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction. "Oh all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever." All the turmoil that I have been dealing with has been swept away as I read these two verses, because I know my God is with me, because my heart is pure. I have descended into a den of wolves. Wanting to avoid contention, by avoiding any re...

2 Nephi 9:21-27 The latter verses in this grouping stand out this morning. In verse 26 , "The atonement satisfies the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them...". This reminds me of Nephi's resilient observation that the Lord will not give commandments to his children, except he has prepared a way for the commandment to be fulfilled (see 1 Nephi 3:7 ). God is a merciful and just being. He has not prepared commandments with the intention of condemning us, but to exalt us. It impresses me that the Lord God Omnipotent performed the atonement on behalf of all. It impresses me that God will not condemn those who never had the opportunity to received his law. It impresses me that God does expect those who have the law, such as I, to live in obedience according to the standards of His law.

1 Nephi 15: 26-36 This has stuck out as something almost new to me in this reading. After describing the gulf of misery which separates the wicked from the tree of life, symbolized by the river of filthy water which Lehi saw, Nephi uses this as a springboard to make one final observation. Nephi states that his father also saw the justice of God in his vision, though nowhere else is there an account of it. He describes it as a bright flame that ascends up to God (the image of a flaming pillar is depicted in my mind), which is a divider between the righteous and the wicked ( see vs. 30 ). This "flaming fire" of justice is the topic of their conversation for the remainder of the chapter. Nephi declares that it is the justice of God that divides the righteous from the wicked. In studying the justice of God, close to it is the concept that God is no respecter of persons. I love this truth. In Isaiah 26 , it talks about the gates of the city of Judah being opened for the righteous...