Tuesday, August 8, 2017

The Importance of the Book of Mormon and the Covenant it Establishes

The Book of Mormon as a covenant establishes the foundation  upon which we can dwell together in peace if we unitedly adopt and establish these principles set forth by the Messiah, Jesus Christ, as the sure foundation and rock upon which all brothers and sisters can establish their hearts, homes, and communities as Holiness to the Lord.

Even as in times past God has given his commandment to be one and to Love the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength those who take upon them the yoke of Christ will uphold the Ten Commandments and the Sermon at the Temple as enumerated by the Book of Mormon to be the foundation and constitution upon which all hearts may come together in oneness and all communities can establish themselves in covenant peace forever heeding the words of God and the prophets, “Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise..” (1 Nephi 2:20)

But now Abinadi said unto them: I know if ye keep the commandments of God ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the commandments which the Lord delivered unto Moses in the mount of Sinai, saying:

1. I am the Lord thy God, who hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other God before me.

2. 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.

3. And now, ye remember that I said unto you: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of things which are in heaven above, or which are in the earth beneath, or which are in the water under the earth.

4. And again: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generations of them that hate me;And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

5. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

6. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

7. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; But the seventh day, the sabbath of the Lord thy God, thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is; wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

8. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

9. Thou shalt not kill.

10. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal.

11. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

12. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.

The Book of Mormon renews the covenant relationship for those dwelling in the land.  The Heart of the Covenant is the Sermon at the Temple with the Chief and Corner Stone Being the Doctrine of Christ:

"Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.

And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them. And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning….” (3 Nephi 11)

Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine.

“And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me. And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.

And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost. And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.

And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things. And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.

And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.” ( 3 Nephi 11)

The Book of Mormon provides the necessary witnesses to both Jew and Gentile- indeed to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people who come upon this land to receive it as a Land of Promise and  the ordinances contained therein are the ordained instructions to establish this covenant in the land.
The importance of the Book of Mormon cannot be overstated because through it man may connect with God and establish Heaven even Zion on Earth.  Taking this as our foundation we can then commence in walking in the way of peace with greater truths still yet to be revealed. Is it any wonder the articles of faith state in summary, “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” (Articles of Faith)