A Study of the Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 25:21-31 The premise for these final verses of chapter 25 is found in the end of verse 20 : ...yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.  Then in verse 21 , Nephi explains that this is the reason that the Lord had promised him that the things which he should write would be preserved and made available to future generations. These verse that follow talk about Nephi's efforts to persuade his children to believe in Christ. He said that he "labored diligently to write, to persuade [his] children, and also [his] brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God;"(See verse 23 ). This same verse then concludes with this defining, doctrinal statement: "For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." Nephi goes on to make a very interesting set of observations, ...

2 Nephi 18:1-8 There is a theme that runs throughout this chapter. It is first stated like this: Forasmuch as this people refusesth the waters of Shiloah that go softly... behold, the Lord bringeth upon them the waters of the river, strong and many... ( vs 6 & 7 ). "Shiloah" in this verse is another name for the Messiah, (see JST Genesis 50:24 ). "The waters of Shiloah that go softly..." This reminds me of other names or titles attributed to the Savior, such as "living water". In John 4:14 from the conversation that the Savior has with the woman at the well, it reads: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. So perhaps in a similar sense, what Isaiah is accusing his people of rejecting is the gentle, peaceable gospel of Christ--these waters that flow softly. Focusing on the promise extended to those that do...