Christian Scriptures: The Book of Mormon an Introduction

INTRODUCTION

The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains, as does the Bible, the fulness of the everlasting gospel.

The book was written by many ancient prophets by the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Their words, written on gold plates, were quoted and abridged by a prophet-historian named Mormon. The record gives an account of two great civilizations. One came from Jerusalem in 600 B.C., and afterward separated into two nations, known as the Nephites and the Lamanites. The other came much earlier when the Lord confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel. This group is known as the Jaredites. After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are among the ancestors of the American Indians.

The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come.

After Mormon completed his writings, he delivered the account to his son Moroni, who added a few words of his own and hid up the plates in the hill Cumorah. On September 21, 1823, the same Moroni, then a glorified, resurrected being, appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and instructed him relative to the ancient record and its destined translation into the English language.

In due course the plates were delivered to Joseph Smith, who translated them by the gift and power of God. The record is now published in many languages as a new and additional witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that all who will come unto him and obey the laws and ordinances of his gospel may be saved.

Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”

In addition to Joseph Smith, the Lord provided for eleven others to see the gold plates for themselves and to be special witnesses of the truth and divinity of the Book of Mormon. Their written testimonies are included herewith as “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” and “The Testimony of Eight Witnesses.”

We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10: 3-5.)

Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.

What Christians Do…Do You? 2 Timothy 2:19-26

2 Timothy 2:19-26
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Commentary:
In verse 19 We learn the foundation of God is sure or solid having his seal or approval.  The lord knows all  of mankind and which people in humanity are His already. And as we will see a bit latter He is not content with knowing whose are His, He wants all of humanity, not in any greedy senese, but because He knows what will make His children happiest and He wants to live with all his children  for e ternity. Our Father in Heaven doesn’t want to loose anyone.

In verses 20-21 The scriptures use a metaphor of  a great house being our world. Vessels  would be His children and the children  of  gold and silver could be people of high place and stature. The vessels of wood and earth may be the common man or the poor. Of all these people some honor The Lord while others do not honor the Lord. Be they rich or poor, bond or free.

Those vessels or children of God who honor Him are serviceable to the Lord. If the dishonorable will repent and cleanse themselves of unrighteousness then they to can become servicable to our Father in Heaven to the extent they can do every good work required of them in the service of our Heavenly King.

In verse 22-26 we are given further instruction as to what the penitent should do to keep on the side of honor and what the  those who are already honorable should do to stay that way.

The list is detailed: “Flee also youthful lusts”, “follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace”. The phrase “with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” shows that these virtues are what the honorable or those who seek and serve the Lord already do.

These verses go on to say “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.” Thise phrase tells us that we are not to engage in strife or contention but follow after peace as has already been stated. 

Those seeking after the Lord must be gentle unto all men, teach the good word unto all men and also be patient with all men. No one said being a Christian was easy. We’re told that in meekness we must instruct those opposing the natural or base man. We Should not cease striving to help those in dishonour becasue we don’t know who “God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth”.

If we can help someone to the truth and to repentance then so much the better. If we can help others escape the snares of the wicked one or recover those already taken captive by the devil then we bring further honor to the Lord. Everything we do should be done for the glory of God.

Remember the resurrected Lord has made repentance possible, not just for you and me but for those who are being tempted and falling away from the truth. The atonement covers all men and not only do we need to help these people repent but also bring the gospel by teaching and instruction to those who don’t have it. We can do this by both word and example.

Christian and Religious Jewelry