Purposes of the Book of Mormon PDF

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The Purposes of the Book of Mormon The Title Page of the Book of Mormon states four primary purposes for the book. First, the Book of Mormon shows “unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers.” Second, the record begun by Nephi and finished by Moroni makes known “the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever.” Third, the book was written “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST.” And fourth, The Book of Mormon teaches all people how to “be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.” If these are the stated purposes of the Book of Mormon, we might ask why are they so important and how much the ideas permeate the pages of the book. Of the four, knowing the great things the Lord hath done for our fathers may be the least obviously important outcome. However, upon reflection, knowing the miracles and works of God in the past can give us confidence in His ability to deliver on His promises—If He did it before, He can do it again. Furthermore, considering God’s great dealings from the beginning helps us tie the plan together and see valuable interconnections. Using the Book of Mormon to learn how to be found spotless at the judgement-seat of Christ could be a very specific category or become quite broad as we use the lives of disciples, and those who are struggling, to teach us principles of success or failure as we strive to prepare to face the Lord. Since discipleship is so central to the purposes of BYU-Idaho, this class will focus on the Doctrine of Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring in faith to the end) and other principles of discipleship that demonstrate worthwhile and counterproductive things we can do with our probationary estate. The Title Page also discusses the idea that what was written and sealed up will “come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof”. Interpreting the scriptures is both a spiritual and intellectual endeavor. This course will introduce several scripture study skills that will allow you to interpret the scriptures in personally powerful ways. The Great Things the Lord has Done for Us Revealing Truth One of the first great things we see the Lord doing for our fathers relates to revealing truth to mankind. In the first verse of the Book of Mormon, Nephi stated that he was given a knowledge of the goodness and mysteries of God (1 Nephi 1:1). Whether receiving revelations and commandments is an individual experience or brought to us by prophets and other inspired teachers, it is an astounding thing. What a choice opportunity it is to know we have communed with God and that we understand something He wants us to do, or something that is happening. From the beginning of the Book of Mormon we see prophets explain the way to safety and warn of destruction (1 Nephi 1:4). We see Lehi and Nephi respond to prophets and become prophets themselves as they are taught both by the Spirit, and through visions and dreams (1 Nephi 1:8; 2:1; 3:1-2; 8:2; and chapters 10-14). The fact that the Lehites were warned and given saving commandments (1 Nephi 2:2; 7:2) should inspire us that we can receive timely guidance because of God’s love for us. Similarly, the warning to Nephi to flee with his people from the Lamanites (2 Nephi 5:5) and Mosiah to flee years later (Omni 1:12-14) teaches us that even though God will not always remove our challenges, He does care about us and will help us with them. Revelation is not just intended to save us from destruction. It is also provided to saints who strive to build God’s Kingdom. For example, God showed Nephi how to build a ship that would cross the ocean (1 Nephi 17:8, 10) and inspired him to make plates and record precious things upon them for the good of mankind (2 Nephi 5:29-31). In fact, greater revelation is reserved for those who pray to the Lord with all their heart in behalf of other people (1 Nephi 1:5). Those who seek to bring forth Zion will have the “gift and power of the Holy Ghost” (1 Nephi 13:37) which is the foundation for most of our revelatory experiences. Providing the Scriptures Another wonderful thing the Lord has done for us is providing us with scriptures (1 Nephi 1:11). Those who have not had their lives changed by the scriptures might underestimate this gift, but many people would choose the scriptures over almost any other earthly item that could be given. Imagine the work both by prophets and by God to write sublime scriptures, preserve them, and then transmit them throughout the world. The scriptures teach about the Plan of Salvation, but also preserve our language (1 Nephi 3:19) and unify us with saints

in all dispensations. Prophets have spoken the truths of God from the beginning and their words are available to us through the scriptures (1 Nephi 3:20). We discuss Jacob’s ladder extending into heaven, but a better analogy might be climbing a rope to heaven with the scriptures being one of the strong strands in the rope. If we make a rope on earth, getting it to heaven is impossible. But, a rope tossed down from heaven affords us an opportunity to climb or sometimes just hold on as we are pulled up. The scriptures originate with God and as we hold fast to them we are drawn toward heaven. Indeed, those who hearken to the word of God will not perish—the temptations of Satan will not overpower us unto blindness and destruction (1 Nephi 15:24). God provided the bible to retain a remembrance of the covenants of the Lord (1 Nephi 13:23). While exercising faith in God’s promises can be a challenge in itself, not knowing the promises is particularly debilitating. In a real sense, the Book of Mormon strives to help us know God’s plans and promises to us and then strives to demonstrate that He has the power and love to deliver on them. In addition to the bible, other books will be provided which convince people of the truth of the bible (1 Nephi 13:38-39). God miraculously preserved the Book of Mormon plates, protected them, and brought them forth. He saw that they were translated and able to bless those who could be touched in no other way (2 Nephi 27:23-32). In the latter days the Lord has retaught the things that have been lost through apostacy (1 Nephi 15:15). Divine Intervention While not necessarily as important as revelation and scriptures, divine intervention in our lives to deliver us from trials is an amazing thing the Lord has done on many occasions. We see times where He sends angels to protect and teach (1 Nephi 3:29). Likewise, in reviewing history, we can see times when God worked mighty miracles to free His people. He freed Israel, divided the Red Sea, and destroyed Pharaoh’s army (1 Nephi 4:2; 17:2627). Joseph of Egypt was preserved to save his family, and his family was freed and preserved miraculously as well (1 Nephi 5:14, 15). God sustained the Children of Israel with Manna and by bringing water out of a rock (1 Nephi 17:28-29; 20:20-21). God led the Israelites into the land of promise (1 Nephi 17:42). God delivered Judah even though the mind of man could not see how it could be done (2 Nephi 17:4-9). The Lord provided the Liahona to guide the Nephites in the wilderness (1 Nephi 16:10, 16, 26-29). He also made his the Lehites strong so that they could bear their journeyings without murmurings (1 Nephi 17:2). In addition to blessing the group at large, God miraculously protected Nephi from his brothers (1 Nephi 17:52) and allowed Nephi to miraculously shake his brothers (1 Nephi 17:54). This type of protection extended to Jacob when God struck Sherem dumb as he denied Christ and undermined testimony (Jacob 7:14-15). Stepping in and doing great things for given people is demonstrated by the scatterings God orchestrated for positive purposes. Various people were brought to America by the hand of God (1 Nephi 13:12). Those who came to America were freed and delivered by God (1 Nephi 13:19). God even guided Nephi’s ship by miraculous means (1 Nephi 18:21-23). Because divine intervention is so timely and needed, it can overshadow God’s other great works. The Savior actually struggled to get the Jews to rejoice in His ability to forgive sin and return them to God because they became too focused on His power to feed and heal. Having God help us with today’s problems can take our eyes off eternal needs. Orienting our lives around divine intervention can make our relationship with God be reactive rather than proactive. Our prayers can become almost exclusively oriented around temporal needs to the exclusion of eternal issues. In spite of the danger of starting to view God as a genie who grants us wishes to ease our lives, divine intervention is a wonderful gift requiring our acknowledgement and gratitude. Revealing the Future A truly great thing the Lord has done for His children is to reveal the future to them (1 Nephi chapters 1012). John and Nephi were shown the future of the world to the end (1 Nephi 14:21-22, 24). Beyond seeking to prepare people for what they will face, revealing the future also magnifies God. He shows many things that will happen before they happen so that people will not credit themselves or some other force (1 Nephi 20:3-5, 7). Sometimes, God did not reveal the future as much as make provision for it. This happened when God inspired Mormon to include the small plates of Nephi with his abridgement of the large plates (Words of Mormon 1:6-7) which transformed Joseph’s loss of the 116 pages from a tragedy to an inconvenience. The great things God does demonstrate His omnipotence. Revealing the future demonstrates His omniscience. For God to be able to fulfill His promises, He must possess absolute power and perfect knowledge.

Otherwise, he might not be able to do what He offers and we would struggle to believe sufficiently to act and sacrifice. Granting Grace or Power A wonderfully comforting thing the Lord has done for us is to grant us power to do things we could not do alone. We have been, and will be, armed with the power of God and with righteousness (1 Nephi 14:14). We marvel at the goodness and graciousness of God as He spares our lives in spite of our unworthiness (2 Nephi 1:2), and we rejoice when we are made able to stand against a host that drastically outnumbers us and still come off victorious with His help. This process of having a small group relying upon the arm of God defeat a large group relying upon their own strength is exemplified in Benjamin’s people receiving the strength of the Lord to drive the Lamanites from their land (Words of Mormon 1:14). What a beautiful thing it is to see God take an uneducated, poor, farm boy named Joseph Smith and make that weak man strong enough to restore and establish the House of Israel in this day (2 Nephi 3:13-19, 24). It is equally impressive to consider the fact that God gave Mormon the knowledge and understanding he needed to abridge the plates of Nephi (Words of Mormon 1:9). Doing that task during a time of war should have been as impossible for Mormon as translating the plates was for Joseph Smith. Anyone who has been overwhelmed, lonely, and downtrodden and has experienced God’s comfort and strength understands the joy and gratitude this gift elicits. It is a beautiful thing to see God forgive our faults, but it is perhaps even more impressive to watch him help us not to fail. He does not just bring us back, but also propels us forward. Providing the Creation, Fall, and Atonement It is easy to focus so much on the trees of God’s great gifts that we miss the forest. In the end, providing the creation, the fall, and the atonement are macro gifts that dwarf the micro things we usually notice. Salvation was prepared from the beginning and is free (2 Nephi 2:4). Once the miracle of creation was achieved, God ensured that there would be an opposition in all things which lent purpose to all of His creations and by which we were made able to act and not be acted upon (2 Nephi 2:11-12, 14-16). By making possible the fall of Adam, whereby a probationary state was available, we were enabled to repent and progress (2 Nephi 2:21-22, 25). After creating all things and allowing man to fall, God provided Jesus Christ to redeem the children of men from the fall so they can be free forever, knowing good from evil, to act for themselves and not to be acted upon (2 Nephi 2:25-27). The Plan of God begins with the creation, fall, and atonement. However, by the end, the great plan of God results in our resurrection, perfect knowledge, and righteousness (2 Nephi 9:13-14). Our eternal successes are made possible by building upon the creation, fall, and atonement through the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ while we are in this probationary estate. The majesty of the Plan of Salvation is easy to underestimate. We lose sight of the basic idea that God has designed something to make it possible for us to return to Him as perfected and eternal beings. If we could really comprehend His nature and love, the prospect of returning to Him and being like Him would fill us with awe. Providing the House of Israel God’s preparation of the House of Israel to bless all the kindreds of the earth is a great thing the Lord has done for all of mankind. In order to be able to help all of His children, God has blessed Israel with unbelievable advantages—being planted in a fruitful place, being protected, having obstacles removed, being planted with the choicest vine and given a tower to see better than others (2 Nephi 15:1-4). When members of the House of Israel fail to fulfill their duties, even God asks what more He could have done for them (2 Nephi 15:4). Throughout the history of the world God has tried to grow the House of Israel to do a great work. The tendency of Israel is to go wild and decay. Nevertheless, God has refused to give up on Israel and continues to work with her and nourish her. By the end, much fruit will have been produced from the various manifestations of the House of Israel (Jacob 5:3-77). God’s patience with us, His support of us as we work with Him to save His children, and the accomplishments He achieves through us are all great things. The honor, responsibility, and opportunity of being Israel should sober us more than it does. Great things are expected of us and the Book of Mormon strives to teach us what we should do and how we should do it. Grasping this challenge and centering our lives on it signals that a great thing has happened within us.

Conclusion The great and marvelous things the Lord has done, mixed with the promises he has made, should fill us with such hope and gratitude that we lift up our heads and rejoice (1 Nephi 9:3). Indeed, in the millennium, we will praise the Lord for the marvelous and excellent things He has done for us (2 Nephi 22:1-6). Reading about the more wicked part of the Nephites being destroyed and the righteous part being delivered because of the Lord’s promise concerning this land (Omni 1:5-7) is a great warning and testimony to us as the current inhabitants of the Promised Land. Indeed, the long list of covenants of the Lord taught in the Book of Mormon could be a sub-category in the list of great things the Lord has done for His children. Every covenant or promise from the Lord demonstrates God’s goodness, mercy, and generosity. Many covenants require no more from us than receiving a gift from God. Covenants that require action on our part are still always tilted in our favor—God requires so little from us while giving us so much. In essence, every promise of God is a great thing He has done for his children because His gifts are astounding. Since He will always keep His promises we can experience joy today in things we may not receive until tomorrow. God’s goal is to give us all of His knowledge and power so that we can become like Him. Could there be a greater thing He does for us than giving us eternal life through the atonement of His Son Jesus Christ?

The Covenants of the Lord The pages of the Book of Mormon are replete with covenants and promises the Lord has made. Nestled throughout the covenants are continual reminders that God is able to keep His promises and is determined to do so. Once we come to know the nature of God—His omniscience, power, grace, and goodness, we can exercise faith in the amazing things He assures us He will do for us. Things of the future can become real for us today. Hope is more than a wish or longing. It is an earnest expectation founded in the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Because of the certainty of God’s promises, we can rejoice in them today as though we had already received them. They inspire and orient us. As Paul said, “we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).” Eternal promises negate fleeting hardships. The covenants of the Lord as found in the Small Plates of Nephi and the Words of Mormon will now be listed having first been broken into categories. Righteousness Brings Blessings, While Wickedness Results in Destruction It is surprising how many covenants or promises are enunciated in the Book of Mormon. The most common covenant ties to the general theme of “Righteousness brings blessings, while wickedness results in destruction.” God is perfectly just and merciful at the same time. Having Him emphasize the absolute truth of accountability and judgement is part of His mercy. He desperately wants us to be aware of the importance of obedience and its relation to success both temporally and eternally. Since He cannot negate the consequences of disobedience, He strives again and again to warn about the importance of keeping the commandments and following the truth. Below is a fairly complete list from the 1 Nephi to Words of Mormon of covenants or promises that teach the importance of obedience.            

If we come unto God, He will not suffer us to perish (1 Nephi 1:14) If we have faith, God will make us mighty even unto the power of deliverance (1 Nephi 1:20) If we keep the commandments, we will prosper in the land (1 Nephi 2:20; 1Nephi 4:14; 2 Nephi 4:4) If we rebel against God, we will be cut off from His presence (1 Nephi 2:21) If we keep the commandments we will be made leaders and teachers of others (1 Nephi 2:22) If we forget God, He may use other people as a scourge to us to stir us up in the ways of remembrance (1 Nephi 2:24) If we are wicked, we will be destroyed (1 Nephi 3:17) If we ignore warnings we will also be destroyed (1 Nephi 3:18) If we are iniquitous, we lose our right to lead (1 Nephi 3:29) If we reject the prophets, the Spirit of the Lord will cease to strive with us (1 Nephi 7:14) If we use our agency to defy the prophet’s warnings, we will be subject to them (1 Nephi 7:15) If we do wickedly and waste our probation we will be unclean and unable to live with God (1 Nephi 10:21)

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If we fight against the God, we will fall (1 Nephi 11:36) If the Gentiles hearken unto the Savior, He will make them powerful, remove their stumbling blocks, number them with the House of Israel, bless them on the promised land, and keep them free (1 Nephi 14:1-2) The plans of the enemies of God will be turned against them (1 Nephi 14:3) If the gentiles repent, it will be well with them, but wo be unto them if they harden their hearts (1 Nephi 14:56) The marvelous work of the Lord will be everlasting—either resulting in peace and life eternal, or in hardness, blindness, and captivity (1 Nephi 14:7) If we hearken to the word of God and hold fast to it, we will never perish, and the adversary will not be able to blind or destroy us (1 Nephi 15:24) The day will come when we will be judged of our works in this life and if we are filthy we cannot go to the Kingdom of God (1 Nephi 15:32-34) There is a place prepared for the wicked, and the righteous and the wicked will be separated according to the justice of God (1 Nephi 15:35-36) If we keep the commandments, God strengthens us and provides means for us to accomplish what he commands (1 Nephi 17:3) If we keep the commandments, God will be our light in the wilderness (1 Nephi 17:13) If we keep the commandments, we will be led to t...