A Study of the Book of Mormon

Mosiah 15:10-17 Abinadi explains how those who access Christ's atonement by making his soul an offering for their sins, these are they who become his seed, or as King Benjamin had put it, the children of Christ. I have had a struggle with these verses this morning. I read and reread verses 10 and 11 about 10 to 15 times this morning. I was trying to look at it from the roll of the believer, then I tried to understand the role of the Lord, but that wasn't what the Lord wanted me to understand this time. Feeling rather distraught about the lack of spiritual information being communicated, I realized that there is one other perspective that could be taken: the role of the prophets. For without the instructive words of the prophets, there is nothing for the children of men to exercise their faith upon, to the end that they might apply the atoning blood of Christ and become heirs of salvation. Thus Abinadi's question, or  Isaiah's question:  who shall declare his generati...

Mosiah 15:1-10 Immediately after quoting this extended passage from Isaiah, Abinadi explains that "God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people." This one statement puts to an end the ambiguity, and confusion of religion and gives me a clear and direct line of belief. This is the what and the why of my belief. Verses 2 - 5 cannot be lightly passed over because they offer profound context for one of the greatest theological mysteries of our times. Especially helpful are the footnotes which reference a multitude of other scriptural sources that state the same thing: that Christ is one God, the Son of God and the Eternal Father of heaven and earth.  The verses leading up to verse 8 demonstrate how Christ was able to overcome and break the bands of death. It impresses me that this is as much in reference to the spiritual death as it is to the physical death. Verse 9 puts it in these terms: "having broken the bands of death, taken upon ...

Mosiah 14 I am memorizing this entire chapter. I already had it committed to memory at one point in my past. Having done so, has made it very familiar to me as I read through it again. As I have read though the chapter again those feelings of familiarity seem to also be reminders of Savior's friendship and concern for each of us. It is an interesting thing to contemplate that in the equity of the Lord's plan, relatively very few ever had the opportunity to know Christ during His mortal ministry. Perhaps a lie of the adversary is that thought that had we been alive and know Christ personally, intimately, then we would believe and have as much conviction as the apostles of Christ did. However, I wonder how I would have responded to Christ if my first interaction with Him would have been to meet him personally in mortality. Without any knowledge of the plan of God, or being subject wholly to the tendencies of the natural man, I fear that I would (as would probably many others) dis...

Mosiah 13:27-35 This is to me a very striking revelation, and leaves me appreciating the purpose for the law of Moses: to keep the people in remembrance of their God and their duty towards Him. So striking to me is this at this moment in time where I'm considering Priesthood duties and responsibilities, that it almost causes me to wonder why it was ever taken away. The remembrance of our God and our duties towards Him are of paramount importance in matters of salvation and enduring to the end. However, without a knowledge and proper understanding of the atonement of Christ, these reminders and the whole law has no significance. Moses understood this though when he gave the law. For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began—have they not spoken more or less concerning these things? ( vs. 33 )   Now perhaps I've come across as...

Mosiah 13:11-26 Abinadi proceeds to recount the remainder of the Ten Commandments. He says that he is doing so because it was his perception that the commandments were not written in their hearts. For the benefit of review, I will proceed to list and discuss the remaining eight commandments: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image." The Lord's explanation for the purpose of this commandment is to not deviate from the true form of worship. Praying to idols, or rendering service to them is grievous to the Lord. So He reminds us that so doing will bring upon us the judgments of God unto both us and our children even up until our great-grandchildren. There is a blessing to those that are obedient as well, and that is that mercy is extended to those who love God.  " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." The Lord goes on to explain that those who do take the Lord's name in vain will be found guiltless. Why? To use the name of Diety as ...

Mosiah 13:1-10 King Noah commands at the start of this chapter that Abinadi be taken, bound, and put away. The king discounted the prophet as a mad man, stating that he had no more business with this "fellow." Perhaps, but really what seems to be going on here is that Noah is being reminded of things that he already knows to be wrong. What is most fascinating about these verses is the power of the priesthood authority that is manifested as Abinadi uses it to deliver the message which he was sent to give. Guards attempt to lay hands upon him to take him away. He withstands them with words, the words of God, and it is so profoundly received that they who should have taken him away will not touch him. Later, his countenance begins to shine "with exceeding luster, even as Moses’ did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord." Once Abinadi comes to realize that he has a captive audience, or that they cannot prevail against him at that time, Abinadi helps ...

Mosiah 12:33-37 A review of the ten commandments would seem to be a bit elementary for this seasoned student of the scriptures. Yet, I am finding that I cannot casually gloss over them. Abinadi introduces the ten commandments as a starting point of "common" ground. Not that the priests of Noah were teaching or applying such principles, but it was familiar to them, or would be once Abinadi reminded them of it. Abinadi presents the first two commandments to prove to these priests their deviation from the commandments of God. Thou shalt have no other God before me. (Notably distinct from the Exodus translation wherein it reads "gods.") Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing in heaven above, or things which are in the earth beneath. I find it interesting that when the Lord gave these commandments to Moses, he prefaced them with a reminder to remember their deliverance from bondage. Gratitude for blessings received is a powerful moti...