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TODAY'S THEME
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Jesus Christ Teaches the Nephites at Bountiful -by John Scott |
You will first read of Jesus' call to twelve Nephite men to be his disciples (apostles) who were to serve the people there.
Being that you are most likely acquainted with the four Gospels of the New Testament, you may quickly recognize that the teachings you will soon be reading, are very similar to those Jesus provided His followers in Palestine when still in mortality. It only makes sense that the Savior of the World would teach basically the same things to this branch of the house of Israel (some of the other sheep of his fold - John 10:16) as He had taught His flock in Palestine during His mortality.
This demonstrates that Jesus is the same person as before, with the exception being, that he is now resurrected and glorified for all eternity.
3 Nephi 12: 1-48
I remind you: that which is written in each chapter in the greater portion of the Book of Mormon (such as the chapter you just listened to and read) is a condensed collection (Abridgement is the correct English language translation of the Nephite Hebrew word Mormon used) put together by the prophet Mormon who was born in about A.D. 312.
In this sub-book, 3Nephi, Mormon has made it clear that his record is taken from the writings of this prophet, Nephi who was chosen by our Savior as one of his twelve disciples in that land and to whom He had spoken through the power of His Holy Spirit just before He was born into this life in the village of Bethlehem in Palestine, assuring Nephi that the prophesied signs would be given that night
(thus saving their lives from the hands of the unbelievers who had set the date for their being killed if the prophesied signs did not appear by then)and that he would be born the next day.
It is clearly indicated by Mormon that the words given us in our Book of Mormon passages such as the one given just above, are the exact words our (and their) Savior spoke to them In this particular chapter which you have just read and listened to, I believe each principle the Lord Jesus Christ taught the Nephites, applies equally to you and me. I hope you easily agree! When we live by each of these principles in the spirit by which He taught them, we can be sure of rich spiritual blessings in this life and then in time, be promised eternal life by Him.
(spoken of course, in their native Hebraic language after being translated like this people regularly did into modified Egyptian characters in their writings which was their practical custom followed by them in order to save space.).
That which I shall now highlight for you is something that may not directly apply in our lives, because none of us (most likely) has been living under the Law of Moses, but perhaps you can see some application as you contemplate that which Jesus spoke to the Nephites.
Because we haven't ever lived under the Law of Moses, we can't very easily imagine the difficult transition these Nephites were being asked to make. However, reading some of the Apostle Paul's words regarding the difficulty the people he was teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ had, in giving up living by the Law of Moses, should help us understand the necessity of Jesus saying what He did in verses 46-48 above to these Israelites who had also been living the Law of Moses since their ancestor, Lehi left Jerusalem.
Perhaps these words of our Savior to the Nephites help us better recognize the transition their (and our) Savior desired of them. Don't we understand these principles more clearly, or like new, after we have really focused on what He said?
I hope there has been much which you have read in this blog post today that helped you and me more fully realize that these people, the Nephites, truly existed, and were another part of Jesus' flock which He chose, at that time, (because He had promised them through their prophet, Nephi) to visit and teach. Hopefully, we have learned that we must learn and live more fully the same principles He taught them.
Mormon 9: 32 And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.
33 And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record.
34 But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people (not including their Resurrected Lord and Savior who in life spoke a language closely related to theirs and no doubt possessed the Godly gift of knowing all languages) knoweth our language; and because that none other people knoweth our language, therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof. (clarification added)35 And these things are written that we may rid our garments of the blood of our brethren, who have dwindled in unbelief.
3 Nephi 12: 46 Therefore those things which were of old time, which were under the law, in me are all fulfilled.
47 Old things are done away, and all things have become new.
48 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
Galations 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
3Nephi 12:47 Old things are done away, and all things have become new.
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| Alex Caldiero |
I have to ask a question of Professor Caldeiro of the Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah (Who spoke on the PBS Video: "The Mormons" in late March and early April of 2007) Are the words quoted in this Blog post from the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, just words put together by an uneducated and poor farm boy as you indicated in your presentation in that video?
Shame on you for having the gall to say that. I doubt that you have ever really read the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ! There are other so-called "experts" like you on the Book of Mormon who say the kinds of things you said about it, and none of them have ever read any of it!
I have a special love for the Nephite-Lamanite people and their descendants. I worked for a good number of years for the Indian Placement Program of the LDS (Mormon) Church, where LDS American Indian children were helped to improve the quality of their education by living with a volunteer LDS foster family during the school year, and then returning home to their own families on the "Indian Reservations" (where the schools, at that time, were generally not of a very high quality) for the summer vacation.
I have at times, wondered who the other lost sheep were who were also of our Savior's flock that He refers to in John 10:16.
I have at times, wondered who the other lost sheep were who were also of our Savior's flock that He refers to in John 10:16.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.Early in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ in His pre-mortal life, inspired Nephi, the fourth son of Lehi to write the following words: (this doesn't answer my question but does promise an answer in the future):
II Nephi 29:13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews. (emphasis added)
I remind you of the inspiring and uplifting Christmas Video I embedded at the end of my just previous blog post (39i). In case you haven't seen that, I have just now embedded that video here in this post:
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This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.
TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following: Jesus Christ, Our Resurrected Savior Begins His Long Expected Ministry . . In Central America In A.D. 34,-Post 39j. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)
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