Lesson 10
“He Inviteth
All to Come unto Him”
2 Nephi 26-30
By
Bruce Satterfield
In the spring of 1820, Joseph Smith
went to a grove of trees on his family’s farm in western New York
to offer his first vocalized prayer expressing the anxiety he
felt regarding the “the confusion and strife among the different
denominations” of his day (see Joseph Smith–History 1:5-20).
The different Christian religions located in his area were debating
many matters of salvation with very opposing views. The
debate began with the Methodists, who believed salvation offered
by Christ could be attainable to any who accepted Christ and endured
to the end. Opposed to this view, Presbyterians believed
that salvation was limited to only those God had elected to be
saved while all else would “suffer everlasting punishment in hell.” [i]
Joseph Smith admits that he was leaning
toward the Methodists view of salvation while many in his family
had adopted Presbyterianism. But he also expressed that
“so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations,
that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted
with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was
right and who was wrong.” It was after two years [ii] of frustrating
confusion that Joseph decided to go to the grove of trees to ask
God which of all the religious sects were true. As a result
of his prayer, Joseph saw of vision of God the Father, and Jesus
Christ, who told him that none of the different religions then
upon the earth were authorized by God. At that time, Joseph
was “promise[d] that the fullness of the Gospel should at some
future time be made known unto [him].” [iii]
To begin the fulfillment of this
promise, Moroni was sent to Joseph Smith who gave him the “keys
of the stick of Ephraim” (D&C 27:5) [iv] authorizing him
to translate the Book of Mormon which contains “the fulness
of the gospel of Jesus Christ “(D&C 20:8-9). [v] From the
Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith learned that salvation is available
to all mankind. The message of the Book of Mormon states:
“Wherefore, [God] commandeth none that
they shall not partake of his salvation. . . Hath he commanded
any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold
I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and
he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men
to repentance. Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that
they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto
you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other,
and none are forbidden. . . and he inviteth
them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness;
and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and
free, male and female; and he remembereth
the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile”
(2 Ne. 26:24, 33; emphasis added).
The Book of Mormon Exposes the
Enemies of Christ
To bring mankind unto Christ is the
purpose of the Book of Mormon. This has been emphasized
by President Ezra Taft Benson who taught: “The Book of Mormon
was designed by Deity to bring men to Christ.” [vi] On one occasion he explained that this is accomplished
in two ways. “First, it tells in a plain manner of Christ
and His gospel. It testifies of His divinity and of the necessity
for a Redeemer and the need of our putting trust in Him.
It bears witness of the Fall and the Atonement and the first principles of the gospel,
including our need of a broken heart and a contrite spirit and
a spiritual rebirth. It proclaims we must endure to the
end in righteousness and live the moral life of a Saint.”
He then explained the second way
the Book of Mormon brings men to Christ in these words: “Second,
the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ.
It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2
Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ
against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil
in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon
is similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite
foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see
the error and know how to combat false educational, political,
religious, and philosophical concepts of our time.” [vii]
2 Nephi 26-30
Many enemies of Christ are exposed
throughout the Book of Mormon, Indeed, “the evil designs, strategies,
and doctrines of the devil” are found in every book of the Book
of Mormon. In line with this important purpose of the Book
of Mormon, 2 Nephi 26-30 discloses several aspects of Christ’s
enemies.
These chapters are filled with prophecies
ranging from Christ’s resurrection to His second coming and the
great Millennial era. The chief
interest of this section of Nephi’s writings, however, is the
time period in which the Book of Mormon was to come forth to the
world–the latter days! It is obvious that a book “designed
by Deity to bring men to Christ,” would not go unchallenged by
Satan. Indeed, in the last days, Satan would unleash every
enemy possible to thwart the effects of the Book of Mormon.
Among the enemies of Christ and the Book of Mormon exposed in
these chapters are pride, false systems of salvation, hedonism,
laxity towards sin, false teachers, apathy within the Church,
the precepts of men, and Satan, himself. [viii]
The First Enemy–Pride
Though not listed in Alma’s
triad of the most serious sins–denial of the Holy Ghost, murder,
and adultery(Alma 39:5-6)–pride is perhaps the most serious
of all sins. It seems that pride is the root of every abominable
sin. Therefore, pride is the chief enemy of Christ.
In his land mark talk on pride, President
Benson taught: “The central feature of pride is enmity–enmity
toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means
‘hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.’ It is
the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.
Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against
God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit
of ‘my will and not thine be done.’
As Paul said, they ‘seek their own, not the things which are Jesus
Christ’s.’ (Philip. 2:21.)”
Because of pride, many fall prey
to serious sin. “Our will in competition to God’s will,”
said President Benson, “allows desires, appetites, and passions
to go unbridled.” He continued, “The proud cannot accept
the authority of God giving direction to their lives. (See
Hel. 12:6.) They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great
knowledge, their abilities versus God’s priesthood power, their
accomplishments against His mighty works. Our enmity toward
God takes on many labels, such as rebellion, hard‑heartedness,
stiff‑neckedness, unrepentant, puffed up, easily offended, and sign
seekers.” [ix]
Pride was the cause of the downfall
of the Nephites. In 2 Nephi 26, Nephi
prophesies of Christ’s appearance to the Nephites
after his resurrection. As a result of this experience,
Nephi observed that the Nephites would
live in peace for three generations. Then Nephi foresaw
that in the fourth generation, pride would begin to take hold
of the hearts of the Nephites until
it eroded their righteousness. In this condition, Nephi
said, they will “sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward
of their pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction;
for because they yield unto the devil and choose works of darkness
rather than light, therefore they must go down to hell” (2 Ne.
26:10).
Nephi followed this prophecy with
these words: “For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive
with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction,
and this grieveth my soul” (2 Ne.
26:11). This statement anticipates the finale of
the book of Mormon. President Benson noted:
“The Doctrine and Covenants tells us that the Book of Mormon is
the ‘record of a fallen people.’ (D&C 20:9.) Why
did they fall? This is one of the major messages of the
Book of Mormon. Mormon gives the answer in the closing chapters
of the book in these words: ‘Behold, the pride of this nation,
or the people of the Nephites, hath
proven their destruction.’ (Moro.
8:27.) And then, lest we miss that momentous Book of Mormon
message from that fallen people, the Lord warns us in the Doctrine
and Covenants, ‘Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites
of old.’ (D&C 38:39.)” [x]
The Spirit of the Lord Will Not
Always Strive With Man
How does pride and sin lead to the
loss of the Spirit of the Lord? The answer is important
to us as Latter-day Saints for we are told that before the second
coming of the Lord the world will be as wicked as the Nephites
became, or the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, or even as in the
days of Noah (Luke 17:26-30). Recently, to the faculty of
the Church Educational System, President Boyd K. Packer of the
Quorum of the Twelve declared that time is already upon us.
“The world is spiraling downward at an ever-quickening pace,”
said President Packer, “I am sorry to tell you that it will not
get better.” He then declared:
“I know of nothing in the history of the Church or in the history
of the world to compare with our present circumstances.
Nothing happened in Sodom and Gomorrah
which exceeds in wickedness and depravity that surrounds us now
. . . . At Sodom and Gomorrah these things
were localized. Now they are spread across the world, and
they are among us.” [xi]
To understand how the Spirit of the
Lord is lost, the importance of the Spirit of the Lord must first
be understood. The Spirit of the Lord, also known as the
light of Christ [xii] ,
is essential to man’s agency. In order for agency to exist,
there must be opposing choices, knowledge of the consequences
of the choices, and enticement by the choices. Speaking
of this, President Harold B. Lee, said: “Father Lehi explained
to his son that in order to accomplish that eternal purpose there
must be opposition in all things, and that to every individual
upon the earth there had to be given the right of free agency
and also that there must be in the world the power to entice
to do evil and the power to entice to do good.” [xiii]
Mormon taught that the light of Christ
is the agent that entices men and women to do good (see Moroni 7:16-17).
On the other hand, Lehi explained that it is the “the will of
the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth
the spirit of the devil power to captivate” that entices men and
women to do evil (2 Nephi 2:29). Without the light of Christ
there would be no agency. With no enticement for good, man
would naturally give way to the enticement for evil. Therefore,
the scriptures teach that the light of Christ “strives” to be
with man (D&C 1:33; Genesis 6:3; Moses 8:17; 2 Nephi 26:11;
Ether 2:15).
But the light of Christ may be lost.
Men lose the light of Christ when their pride leads them to continually
sin against the light. Speaking to the brother of Jared,
the Lord said: “ye shall remember that
my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will
sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall be cut off from the presence
of the Lord” (Ether 2:15). In addition, the attitude of
the sinner towards sin plays a major role in the loss of the Spirit.
President George Albert Smith said: “The spirit of God continues to strive with men everywhere,
as long as they make the effort to keep his commandments.
When men abandon the truth, refuse to do the right, the
Lord of necessity withdraws his spirit and men are left to the
buffetings of the adversary.” [xiv] Likewise,
President Spencer W. Kimball cautioned:
“Conscience warns but does not govern. Conscience tells
the individual when he is entering forbidden worlds, and it continues
to prick until silenced by the will or by sin’s repetition.” [xv]
As one continues in sin, it becomes
nearly impossible to repent. President Kimball wrote, “A
man may rationalize and excuse himself till the groove is so deep
he cannot get out without great difficulty. . . And if the yielding
person continues to give way he may finally reach the point of
‘no return.’ The Spirit will ‘not always strive with man.’(D&C
1:33.)” [xvi] This is
the most damnable aspect of continuing in sin. “Free agency,”
declared President Marion G. Romney, “possessed by any one person
is increased or diminished by the use to which he puts it.
Every wrong decision one makes restricts the area in which he
can thereafter exercise his agency. The further one goes
in the making of wrong decisions in the exercise of free agency,
the more difficult it is for him to recover the lost ground.
One can, by persisting long enough, reach the point of no return.
He then becomes an abject slave. By the exercise of his
free agency, he has decreased the area in which he can act, almost
to the vanishing point.” [xvii]
When a society as a whole reaches the point that the light of Christ
no longer strives with them, then they are “ripe for destruction”
(Alma 10:19; 37:28, 31; 45:16; Helaman 13:14).
Such was the condition of the people in the days of Noah as well
as the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Elder Neal A. Maxwell explained:
“Being a loving Father, though deeply devoted to our free agency,
there are times in human history when He simply could not continue
to send spirits to this earth who would have had virtually no
chance. This was the case with Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plains.” [xviii] “The
children born into these cities had no choice at all left to them.
Such was the conformity in wickedness that babes could be born
free, but not remain agents unto themselves.” [xix] Likewise,
President John Taylor taught: “Because in forsaking God, they
lose sight of their eternal misery on many. And hence the
inhabitants of the old world, and of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
were destroyed, because it was better for them to die, and thus
be deprived of their agency, which they abused, than entail so
much misery on their posterity, and bring ruin upon millions of
unborn persons.” [xx]
False Systems of Salvation
Another enemy exposed by Nephi is
false systems of salvation. “For it shall come to pass in
that day [when the Book of Mormon shall come forth] that the churches
which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall
say unto the other: Behold, I, I am the Lord's; and the
others shall say: I, I am the Lord's; and thus shall every one
say that hath built up churches, and not unto the Lord–And they
shall contend one with another; and their priests shall contend
one with another, and they shall teach with their learning, and
deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance”
(2 Ne. 28:3-4).
Among these churches are those who
teach that the work of the Lord is finished and salvation is in
the hands of man. Nephi warned of their teachings:
“they say unto the people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept;
for behold there is no God today, for the Lord and the Redeemer
hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men; behold,
hearken ye unto my precept; if they shall say there is a miracle
wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day
he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work” (2 Ne. 28:5-6).
Such religions deny the necessity
of modern revelation. Recall that shortly after the Joseph
Smith received the first vision, he confided with a Methodist
minister who had been influential in his life. Upon hearing
Joseph’s account of the vision, “he treated my communication not
only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the
devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations
in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles,
and that there would never be any more of them” (Joseph Smith–History
1:21).
Hedonism
Another prevalent enemy of Christ
Nephi foresaw in the latter-days is hedonism–the doctrine of self-gratification
and pleasure seeking as the sole good in life. “Yea, and
there shall be many which shall say,” Nephi warned, “Eat, drink,
and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us”
(2 Ne. 28:7). Such people do not view what God has declared
sinful as inappropriate. Rather, such activities are considered
normal and acceptable behavior. This attitude leads to a
life of indulgence, debauchery, and dissipation. Unless
changed, those who continue in hedonism will eventually drive
away the light of Christ leaving the person in a state of darkness,
unhappiness, and misery.
Laxity Towards
Sin
In a closely associated way, there
are those who express hedonistic attitudes toward sin but with
a false view of God’s punishment. Nephi recorded: “And there
shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry;
nevertheless, fear God‑‑he will justify in committing
a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because
of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in
this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it
so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes,
and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Ne. 28:8).
This enemy is found both within and
without the Church. Of those within the Church, Elder Dallin
H. Oaks noted: “We are concerned that
some people have a very lax attitude toward sin. Some young people
say, ‘I’ll just have a few free ones, and then I’ll repent quickly
and go on a mission (or get married in the temple), and everything
will be all right.’ Young people are not the only ones with
a lax attitude toward sin. We know of mature members of
the Church who commit serious transgressions knowingly and deliberately,
relying on their supposed ability to repent speedily and be ‘as
good as new.’ Such persons want the present convenience
or enjoyment of sin and the future effects of righteousness, in
that order. They want to experience the sin but avoid its
effects. The Book of Mormon describes such persons: ‘And
there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry;
nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little
sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his
words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and
do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that
we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last
we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.’ (2 Ne.
28:8.) The attitudes and positions of such persons are exactly
opposite those of the Savior, who never experienced sin, but whose
atoning sacrifice subjected him to all of its anguish.” [xxi]
False Teachers
Such views as hedonism are the mainstay
of many false teachers, both Christian and non-Christian.
Nephi warned, “Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach
after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall
be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their
counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark.
And the blood of the saints shall cry from the ground against
them. Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have
become corrupted. Because of pride, and because of false
teachers, and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted,
and their churches are lifted up; because of pride they are puffed
up” (2 Ne. 28:9-12).
Nephi’s warnings of false teachers
in the last days should not be slighted. Elder M. Russell
Ballard delivered this warning: “As Apostles of the Lord Jesus
Christ, it is our duty to be watchmen on the tower, warning Church
members to beware of false prophets and false teachers who lie
in wait to ensnare and destroy faith and testimony. Today we warn
you that there are false prophets and false teachers arising;
and if we are not careful, even those who are among the faithful
members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints
will fall victim to their deception. . . . When we think of false
prophets and false teachers, we tend to think of those who espouse
an obviously false doctrine or presume to have authority to teach
the true gospel of Christ according to their own interpretation.
We often assume that such individuals are associated with small
radical groups on the fringes of society. However, I reiterate: there are false prophets and false teachers who
have or at least claim to have membership in the Church. There
are those who, without authority, claim Church endorsement to
their products and practices. Beware of such.” [xxii]
President Joseph F. Smith gave this
counsel to the Church: “We can accept nothing as authoritative
but that which comes directly through the appointed channel, the
constituted organizations of the Priesthood, which is the channel
that God has appointed through which to make known His mind and
will to the world. ¼ And the moment that individuals look to any
other source, that moment they throw themselves open to the seductive
influences of Satan, and render themselves liable to become servants
of the devil; they lose sight of the true order through which
the blessings of the Priesthood are to be enjoyed; they step outside
of the pale of the kingdom of God, and are on dangerous ground.
Whenever you see a man rise up claiming to have received direct
revelation from the Lord to the Church, independent of the order
and channel of the Priesthood, you may set him down as an imposter.” [xxiii]
Apathy Within
the Church
Another destructive enemy of Christ
comes from within the Church–the enemy of Apathy. Nephi
foresaw the latter-day Church and saw the destructive nature of
apathy: “And others will he pacify, and lull them away into
carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion;
yea, Zion prospereth, all is well‑‑and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth
them away carefully down to hell” (2 Ne.
28:21).
Security is something everyone wishes
to have. There is nothing wrong with that. “The real
issue,” said Elder Charles Didier, “has always been where and
how to find righteous security as opposed to carnal security.”
Continuing, he said, “we will call righteous
security spiritual security.” [xxiv] Carnal
security is trust in things of the world rather than the things
of God. When that happens, the centrality of God in our
lives is replaced with things that really cannot offer true security
in the end. Those caught up in a false sense of security
fail to discern the continual danger of the natural man.
Nor do they sense the urgency of the atonement. Thus, President
Spencer W. Kimball taught, “Zion
is to be in the world and not of the world, not dulled by a sense
of carnal security, nor paralyzed by materialism. No, Zion is not things of the lower, but of the higher order, things that
exalt the mind and sanctify the heart.” [xxv]
Carnal security produces a laxity
in spiritual things that lends to small sinful habits that are
overlooked as serious. As with the attitude expressed earlier,
they “justify in committing a little sin”–sensing no great concern.
Small sins lead to bigger iniquities with stronger chains that
bind. Thus, the unsuspecting are led “carefully down
to hell.” The danger of this enemy was described perfectly
in C. S. Lewis’s, The Screwtape Letters:
“It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their
cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out
into the Nothing. . . . Indeed, the safest road to Hell is the
gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings,
without milestones, without signposts.” [xxvi]
The Precepts of Men
Nephi warned of another aspect of
apathy within the Church. “Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well! Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth
unto the precepts of men, and denieth
the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost! Yea, wo be unto him that saith:
We have received, and we need no more! And in fine,
wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because
of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock
receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy
foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.
Wo be unto him that shall say: We
have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word
of God, for we have enough! For behold, thus
saith the Lord God: I will give unto
the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here
a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken
unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall
learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth
I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough,
from them shall be taken away even that which they have” (2 Ne.
28:25-30; emphasis added).
Three times Nephi warned of an attitude in the latter-day Church that
expresses, “we have received enough of the things of the Lord”–desiring,
instead, to follow the precepts of men! Members of
the Church caught up in this attitude are content with their level
of understanding of the gospel. Neither do they want further
light and knowledge from God on any subject. Rather, they
prefer to listen to and follow the precept of men. Such
members will desire marriage, for example, but prefer to follow
the precepts of men regarding when, where, and how! They
want children but will listen to the voice of the world that tells
them to have their children when it is most convenient to their
life style rather than according to the Lord’s time table.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell warned of the
dangers of this kind of attitude in these words: “Events and circumstances
in the last days make it imperative for us as members of the Church
to become more grounded, rooted, established, and settled (see
Col. 1:23; Col. 2:7; 2 Pet. 1:12). Jesus said to His disciples,
‘settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which
I shall teach, and command you’ (JST Luke 14:28). If not
so settled, the turbulence will be severe. If
settled, we will not be ‘tossed to and fro,’ whether by rumors,
false doctrines, or by the behavioral and intellectual fashions
of the world. Nor will we get caught up in the ‘talk
show’ mentality, spending our time like ancient Athenians ‘in
nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing’ (Acts
17:21). Why be concerned with the passing preferences of
the world anyway? ‘For the fashion of this world
passeth away’ (1 Cor.
7:31).” Such members of the Church, he said, “give
of their time yet withhold themselves, being present without giving
of their presence and going through the superficial motions of
membership instead of the deep emotions of consecrated discipleship.” [xxvii]
These members of the Church, as Joseph
B. Wirthlin warned, “may believe sincerely
that their testimony is a raging bonfire when it really is little
more than the faint flickering of a candle. Their faithfulness
has more to do with habit than holiness, and their pursuit of
personal righteousness almost always takes a back seat to their
pursuit of personal interests and pleasure.” [xxviii]
Following the precepts of men does
not lead to true happiness but to the inevitable confusion, disillusionment,
and eventual destruction that the practices of men as always produced.
Therefore, Nephi warned, “Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh
flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save
their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost”
(2 Ne. 28:31).
Satan–The Ultimate Enemy of Christ
Finally, Nephi describes the chief
enemy of Christ as Satan, “the enemy of all righteousness” (Acts
13:10; Mosiah 4:14; Moroni 9:6). Satan’s goal is to “grasp” all
men “with his everlasting chains” (2 Ne. 28:19). Satan uses many tactics in his war against
God’s children. Nephi listed just a few.
(1) Satan stirs men “up to
anger” (2 Ne. 28:19). Anger is
a secondary emotion, always triggered by primary emotions such
as pride, jealousy, etc. Anger darkens the mind and leads
to other sins. In the last days, Nephi admonished, Satan
will “rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them
up to anger against that which is good” (2 Ne.
28:20).
(2) Satan pacifies and lulls
the unsuspecting “into carnal security” believing that they are
safe and secure through carnal means but are not secure in righteousness
(2 Ne. 28:21). With a false sense
of security, Satan gradually lures them into small sinful habits
that eventually and unsuspectingly led to greater habits.
Before they are aware, they are caught in a trap nearly impossible
to get out of without great humility and repentance.
(3) “Others,” Nephi says, are flattered
by Satan who “telleth them there is
no hell; and he saith unto them: I am
no devil, for there is none‑‑and thus he whispereth
in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from
whence there is no deliverance” (2 Ne.
28:22).
Beyond these listed by Nephi are
a multitude of devises that have tricked, seduced, and caused
many to fall into his snares that have ruined their lives.
The First Presidency has described Satan is these terms: “He is
working under such perfect disguise that many do not recognize
either him or his methods. There is no crime he would not
commit, no debauchery he would not set up, no plague he would
not send, no heart he would not break, no life he would not take,
no soul he would not destroy. He
comes as a thief in the night; he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” [xxix]
“A Great Division”
Despite the best efforts of Satan,
the Book of Mormon did come forth as prophesied and has been the
means of bringing many to Christ. As Nephi foresaw, it is
“as the voice of one crying from the dust” (2 Ne.
33:13; 26:15-16) that initiated a “marvelous work and a wonder”
(2 Ne. 27:26; see also 25:17) in the latter days to prepare the
world for the second coming of Christ. That marvelous work
and a wonder is the gospel of Jesus Christ administered by The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [xxx]
Nephi prophesied that through the
instrumentality of the Book of Mormon, the remnants of Lehi in
the last days shall be “restored unto the knowledge of their fathers,
and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among
their fathers” (2 Ne. 30:5). The
Jews also will “begin to gather in upon the face of the land;
and as many as shall believe in Christ shall also become a delightsome
people” (2 Ne. 30:7). Then “the
Lord shall commence his work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to bring about the restoration
of his people upon the earth” (2 Ne.
30:8).
With the gathering of Israel
from among the nations of the world, “a great division among the
people” will commence. Nephi observed, “For the time speedily
cometh that the Lord God shall cause a great division among the
people, and the wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his
people, yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked
by fire” (2 Ne. 10). Of this,
a latter-day revelation states: “And until that hour there will
be foolish virgins among the wise; and at that hour cometh an
entire separation of the righteous and the wicked; and in that
day will I send mine angels to pluck out the wicked and cast them
into unquenchable fire” (D&C 63:54).
In the great proclamation issued
by the Quorum of the Twelve issued on 6 April 1845, the following
was said of this “great division”: “As this work progresses
in its onward course, and becomes more and more an object of political
and religious interest and excitement, no king, ruler, or subject,
no community or individual, will stand neutral. All will
at length be influenced by one spirit or the other; and will take
sides either for or against the kingdom
of God, and the fulfillment of the prophets,
in the great restoration and return of his long dispersed covenant
people.” [xxxi] In the
October 1988 General Conference, President Benson spoke of this
separation in these terms: “I testify that as the forces of evil
increase under Lucifer’s leadership and as the forces of good
increase under the leadership of Jesus Christ, there will be growing
battles between the two until the final confrontation. As
the issues become clearer and more obvious, all mankind will eventually
be required to align themselves either for the kingdom
of God or for the kingdom of the devil.
As these conflicts rage, either secretly or openly, the righteous
will be tested.” [xxxii] Elder
Bruce R. McConkie noted that this division
has already begun: “The polarization that will gather the righteous
into one camp and the wicked into another has already commenced,
and these processes shall continue until the Lord comes.” [xxxiii]
Though this division may appear to
be frightening, Elder Neal A. Maxwell spoke of the optimistic
side of this great separation: “Yes, there will be wrenching polarization
on this planet, but also the remarkable reunion with our colleagues
in Christ from the City of Enoch.
Yes, nation after nation will become a house divided, but more
and more unifying Houses of the Lord will grace this planet.
Yes, Armageddon lies ahead. But so does Adam‑ondi‑Ahman!” [xxxiv]
The Great Millennium
The great division between good and
evil will eventually end with the destruction of the wicked upon
the second coming of Jesus Christ, initiating the great Millennial era. Nephi ended the prophecies of 2 Nephi
26-30 by speaking of the peaceful circumstance of the next estate
for the righteous: “then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb; and
the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the
young lion, and the fatling, together; and a little child shall
lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young
ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like
the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of
the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's
den” (2 Ne. 30:12-14).
During this existence, the righteous
shall be privileged to dwell with Jesus Christ for “the earth
shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover
the sea” (2 Ne. 30:15). Because
of the presence of the glorified Jesus, the righteous will be
taught great things, “yea, all things shall be mad known unto
the children of men. There is nothing which is secret save
it shall be revealed” (2 Ne. 30:16-17;
cf. D&C 101:32-33).
One of the great blessings experienced
during the Millennium is that “Satan shall have power over the
hearts of the children of men no more” (2 Ne. 30:18).
Conclusion
Joseph Smith taught that the purpose
of the restoration of the Book of Mormon and The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints was to prepare a people for the great
Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.
Joseph Smith learned this from Moroni.
Said Joseph: “This messenger proclaimed himself to be an angel
of God, sent to bring the joyful tidings that the covenant which
God made with ancient Israel was at hand to be fulfilled, that
the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah was
speedily to commence; that the time was at hand for the Gospel
in all its fullness to be preached in power, unto all nations
that a people might be prepared for the Millennial reign.
I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands
of God to bring about some of His purposes in this glorious dispensation.” [xxxv]
From 2 Nephi 26-30, we learn that
Satan would oppose both the coming forth of the Book of Mormon
and the Church with great force. Further, we are informed
of the various tactics of Satan and the enemies of Christ that
we face in these very important times that we live in. A
knowledge of the enemies of Christ is essential in the
present war every member of the Church faces. It is my prayer
that through this forewarning, we all might avoid the destruction
that Satan has laid before us and find
peace in an ever increasing wicked world.
Notes
[i] . For a discussion
of the beliefs of the different denominations at the time of Joseph
Smith, see, Milton V. Backman, Jr.,
Joseph Smith’s First Vision (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1971, 1980), pp. 90-111; also Milton V. Backman,
Jr., American Religions and the Rise of Mormonism (Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book, 1970). Since
the time of Joseph Smith, many of the doctrines of the various
contending religious denominations, such as the Presbyterians,
have changed reflecting a more universal salvation for mankind.
[ii] . Joseph Smith was fourteen years old
at the time of the First Vision (see Joseph Smith–History 1:7).
However, in his 1832 recital of the First Vision, Joseph Smith
records that he was twelve when he began to be concerned about
religion: “At about the age of twelve years my mind became seriously
impressed with regard to the all important concerns for the welfare
of my immortal Soul which led me to Searching the Scriptures .
. .” (Backman, Joseph Smith’s First
Vision, p. 156; spelling and capitalization are original).
[iii] . This is not found in the 1838 recital
of the First Vision recorded in Joseph Smith–History but is found
in the 1842 recital known as the Wentworth Letter (see History
of the Church, 4:536).
[iv] . Bruce R. McConkie
said that Moroni “placed
the plates in the prophetic hands and gave the youthful Joseph
‘the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim’
(D&C 27:5; see also JS—H 1:29–60).” (“This Final
Glorious Gospel Dispensation,” Ensign, Apr. 1980, p. 22)
[v] . Some are bothered by the concept that
the Book of Mormon contains the fulness
of the gospel when several other doctrines and ordinances believed
by the Church are not found within its pages. However, the
Savior defined the gospel in the following terms: “Now this is
the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto
me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the
reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before
me at the last day. Verily, verily, I say unto you, this
is my gospel” (3 Ne. 27:20-21; emphasis added). The Book of Mormon teaches
these doctrines over and over. Concerning the fulness
of the gospel taught in the Book of Mormon, Elder Dallin
H. Oaks taught, “This does not mean that
the Book of Mormon contains a full explanation of every principle
of the gospel. What it means, President Benson has explained,
is that ‘in the Book of Mormon we will find the fulness
of those doctrines required for our salvation’ (Ensign,
Nov. 1986, p. 6).” (“Another Testament of Jesus Christ,”
Ensign, Mar. 1994, p. 61)
[vi] . Ezra Taft Benson, “Keeping Christ in
Christmas,” Ensign, Dec. 1993, p. 5; also “Joy in Christ,”
Ensign, Mar. 1986, p. 5.
[vii] . Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon
Is the Word of God,” Ensign, Jan. 1988, p. 3; emphasis
added; also Ensign, May 1975, p. 64.
[viii] . For an excellent discussion of these
chapters, see Dennis L. Largey, “Enemies
of Righteousness,” Ensign, Dec. 1989, pp. 7-11.
[ix] . Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,”
Ensign, May 1989, p. 4.
[x] . Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,”
Ensign, May 1989, p. 4.
[xi] . Boyd K. Packer, “The One Pure Defense,”
Address to CES Religious Educators, 6 February 2004, Salt Lake Tabernacle (2004
by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.), p. 4.
[xii] . See Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine,
Compiled by John A. Widstoe (Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book, 1919.), p.60-61; Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye
In Holy (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974), p.115; Joseph
Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, 3 Vols. Compiled
by Bruce R. McConkie, (Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1954-56), 1:50-51; McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith (Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book, 1985), p.257.
[xiii] . Harold B. Lee, Conference Report,
October 1945, p.46; emphasis added.
[xiv] . George Albert Smith, Sharing the
Gospel With Others (Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book, 1948), p.29; also, Conference Report, Oct. 1916,
p.48; emphasis added
[xv] . Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball. Compiled
by Edward L. Kimball (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1982), p.162; emphasis added.
[xvi] . Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness
(Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969), p.86.
[xvii] . Marion G. Romney, “The Perfect Law
of Liberty,” Ensign
(Nov 1981), p. 45.
[xviii] . Neal A. Maxwell,
Sermons Not Spoken (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1985), p.91.
[xix] . Neal A. Maxwell,
Look Back at Sodom: A Timely Account from Imaginary
Sodom Scrolls (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1975), p.13.
[xx] . John Taylor, The
Government of God (Orem, Utah: Grandin
Book, 1992), pp.52-53.
[xxi] . Dallin H.
Oaks, “Sin and Suffering,” Ensign, July 1992, p. 70.
[xxii] . M. Russell Ballard, “Beware of False
Prophets and False Teachers,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, p. 62.
[xxiii] . Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine
(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1939), pp. 41–42.
[xxiv] . Charles Didier, “Spiritual Security,”
Ensign, May 1987, pp. 25–26.
[xxv] . Spencer W. Kimball, “Becoming the Pure
in Heart,” Ensign, Mar. 1985, p. 4.
[xxvi] . C. S. Lewis, The
Screwtape Letters (New York: Macmillan,
1961), pp. 64–65
[xxvii] . Neal A. Maxwell, “Overcome ¼ Even
As I Also Overcame,” Ensign, May 1987, p. 70.
[xxviii] . Joseph B. Wirthlin,
“Spiritual Bonfires of Testimony,” Ensign, Nov. 1992, p.
34.
[xxix] . Messages of the First Presidency,
comp. James R. Clark, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1965–75), 6:179.
[xxx] . Spencer W. Kimball stated: “During the unfolding of this Smith‑flower; during
the brief ripening years of this fruit of the loins of that other
Joseph of Israel, the world is preparing for the greatest event
since the meridian of time. The triplet infants, Liberty, Freedom,
and Justice, are contending for life; a small colonial nation
is struggling to its feet; the people from many lands, squirming
in the ‘melting‑pot,’ are firming up, suffering labor pains
toward the birth of a divine new program, ‘a marvelous work and
a wonder,’ the restoration of the gospel in all Its far‑reaching
detail” (Faith Precedes the Miracle (Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book, 1975), p.326); see also Heber J. Grant, Gospel Standards
(Salt Lake City: The Improvement Era, 1941), p.24; Joseph Fielding
Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, 1:195; The Restoration
of All Things (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1973), p.101.
[xxxi] . James R. Clark, ed. Messages of
the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints 1833-1989 6 Vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1965-1975),
1:257.
[xxxii] . Ezra Taft Benson, “I Testify,” Ensign,
Nov. 1988, p. 87.
[xxxiii] . Bruce R. McConkie,
The Millennial Messiah (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982),
pp.521‑522.
[xxxiv] . Neal A. Maxwell, “O, Divine Redeemer,”
Ensign, Nov. 1981, p. 10.
[xxxv] . From the Wentworth Letter written
by Joseph Smith and recorded in History of the Church,
Vol.4, p.536.
