And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me saying, Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently with lowliness of heart. And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper and be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you, a land which is choice above all other lands.
Before discussion about the above I would like to express again, as I did at the beginning of the blog clear back in 2017, that what is shared here reflects my current understanding of things that I have been taught in our Book of Mormon study group.
I do not claim to have all truth. I am looking for truth and so if I am able to meekly progress in the path towards God I expect that many of my presently held understandings will change with time and experience.
I invite anyone who so desires to comment on any Book of Mormon subject being discussed here.
I appreciate my sister for her question in the beginning of the Book of Mormon study group posts that made me look into a matter that I really had not considered before as I should have.
I appreciate Leonard sharing his insights into a topic that was recently looked at.
I would hope that anyone who so desired would express their opinions, ideas and understandings about any or all of the subjects with their own self awareness that what they are expressing is their present idea, opinion, or understanding.
I do not feel threatened if someone expresses something I had never considered or something that is different or in disagreement with what I have shared.
I would hope no one would feel threatened or angered by the expression of an honestly held opinion, idea, or understanding of anyone else even if it is different than or in disagreement with their own.
I believe that I would be able to learn much from the insights of others.
I have learned so much from the insights of those just in our little Book of Mormon study group.
If at anytime anyone feels to comment please do so.
Please remember that what you express is your present understanding, opinion or idea. I do not believe that anyone could be offended or threatened by another expressing their views this way even if they are different from each other.
I do believe that we could share things of immeasurable good; things we had never considered before.
When I ask questions in a post I am asking questions to myself as much as to anyone else in an attempt to get my head around things that I am just barely becoming aware of. They are not meant to corner anyone in their views or feelings. They are helpful to me to help me hopefully consider more angles to a topic than I have considered before.
The Lord, who is speaking with Nephi here, tells Nephi that he is blessed because of his faith.
If God is no respecter of persons, which we believe to be the case, then if a person is to be called "blessed" by God will it be because they possess faith like Nephi?
What kind of faith or what quality of faith; what is it that Nephi possesses?
As a group we have read through The Lectures on Faith which I have made mention of in previous posts.
This book is now contained as scripture in Teachings and Commandments section 110.
The Lectures on Faith contains the following and much more concerning faith.
"Faith, being the first principle in revealed religion, and the foundation of all righteousness, necessarily claims the first place in a course of lectures which are designed to unfold to the understanding the doctrine of Jesus Christ. (T&C 110, Lecture First, par. 1)
We believe that Nephi is on an individual path back to the presence of God.
Is this path, what Nephi is doing, what the Prophet Joseph is referring to when he mentions "revealed religion"?
If it is, would that make "revealed religion" a very personal, singular and indivdual experience?
If we are to believe Joseph, then Nephi is in possession of the first principle of revealed religion.
Is this the religion that God revealed to Adam in the beginning? Is that what is meant by stating that it is "revealed religion?"
Is Joseph in essence saying this is what God revealed from the heavens in the beginning to be religion?
If that is the case, does that mean that any other idea, group, institution, philosophy, etc. that claims to be a religion is false or a false religion?
Joseph claimed that these lectures were designed, "to unfold to the understanding the doctrine of Jesus Christ."
Christ declared,
"Behold, verily, verily I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine. And this is my doctrine which the Father hath given unto 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."
Can we say that anyone who comes to an understanding of the lectures on faith will have unfolded to their understanding what it truly means to believe in Christ, be baptized, and inherit the kingdom of God?
Joseph declared that faith is the, "foundation of all righteousness."
What constitutes righteousness?
Faith is the foundation of it so if Nephi possesses faith, which the Lord declared Nephi does, then as we look at Nephi's recorded works can we consider that his works were done in righteousness?
Is it righteousness to kill an individual? Nephi is going to run into this dilemma.
The first lecture continues.
"In presenting the subject of faith, we shall observe the following order: First, faith itself - what it is, Secondly, the object on which it rests, and Thirdly, the effects which flow from it." (T&C 110, Lectures on Faith, Lecture First, pars. 2 - 5)
Anyone studying these lectures will discover that they contain precisely what the above introduction states will be presented.
It is immpossible to cover faith, in an adequate way here.
Suffice it to say Nephi possesses it at this point in the journey and it is because of his possessing it that the Lord declares that he is blessed.
Faith, then is an indispensable part of the path back to the presence of God.
For a real understanding of faith we would encourage anyone who seriously desires to possess it to study, The Lectures on Faith combined with the talk on Faith given during the Ten Talks on the 40 years of Mormonism.
This talk is found on denversnuffer.com/papers/ and then scroll down to "Lecture 2 - Faith."
Lectures on Faith can be found in a PDF copy of Teachings and Commandments found on http://scriptures.info/scriptures/tc
We might ask at this point, what does it mean to be blessed?
Does being blessed mean that the individual is above those around him or her?
We know from what the Lord is declaring to Nephi that an individual must possess faith in order to be blessed.
The Lord declared the following to the Nephites at Bountiful.
"Therefore, blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized after that ye have seen me and know that I am. And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me and know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost and shall receive a remission of their sins. Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. And again, blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted; and blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost. And blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. And blessed are all the pure in heart for they shall see God. And blessed are all the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name's sake for their's is the kingdom of Heaven. And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad for great shall be your reward in Heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you." (3 Nephi 12:1 - 12, NC 3 Nephi 5 par. 10)
The Lord associated blessedness with willingness to believe in Him and follow Him. He associated it with humility, being poor in spirit but coming to Him, meekness, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, mourning, mercy, pureness in heart, peacemaking and enduring persecution and revilings, having all manner of evil spoken against you falsely for His sake.
Does any of this denote some grandiose position of praise or authority over others?
Is it more of a situation of kneeling to lift others in obedience to Him?
Is it a situation of seeking after Him unceasingly?
Is it clear from the Lord's declaration to the Nephites at Bountiful why it would require faith to do such things?
Is the Lord declaring to Nephi, in a way, right here, Because you possess faith you will now be able to do these things; be merciful, be a peacemaker, be able to hunger and thirst after righteousness, be able to endure persecution for My name's sake, etc?
The lord further declared to Nephi, "thou hast sought me diligently with lowliness of heart."
Is Nephi is receiving something like Abraham at this time?
We are told in the Book of Abraham of an experience with Abraham and the Lord were the Lord declared to Abraham as follows.
"My name is Jehova, and I know the end from the beginning. Therefore, my hand shall be over thee, and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations. And thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and priesthood unto all nations. And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this gospel shall be called after thy name and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as unto their Father. And I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee. And in thee (that is, in the Priesthood) and in they seed, (that is, thy Priesthood) - for I give unto thee a promise this this right shall continue in thee and in they seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed or seed of the body) - shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life Eternal." (Abraham 2:8 - 11, T&C 145, Abraham 3 par. 1)
After explaining these promises and giving a minsitry to Abraham the Lord departed and this is what Abraham records.
"Now after the Lord had withdrawn from speaking to me and withdrawn his face from me, I said in mine heart, Thy servant has sought thee earnestly, now I have found thee." ( Abraham 2:12, T&C 145, Abraham 3 par. 2)
Is Nephi being told in so many words, by the Lord, You have sought me earnestly and now you have found me?
A little further on in the narrative, after Nephi declares that he will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, we read that when Lehi, "...had heard these words he was exceeding glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord." (1 Nephi 3:8, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 10)
This event is similar to Mormon and Moroni.
"An epistle of my father Mormon, written to me, Moroni; and it was written unto me soon after my calling to the ministry...My beloved son, Moroni, I rejoice exceedingly that your Lord Jesus Christ hath been mindful of you, and hath called you to his ministry, and to his holy work." (Moroni 8:1 - 2, NC Moroni 8 par. 1)
When Abraham spoke with the Lord and was blessed by the Lord he was given a ministry and promises.
Notice that when Mormon referred to Moroni's call to the minstry he stated "your Lord Jesus Christ."
Is that the same as acknowleging for example the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
The Lord appearing to Mormon and calling him to a ministry became the God of Mormon and now Moroni had been called to a ministry and so the Lord was also now the God of Moroni.
If we compare it all with Nephi, was Nephi given a ministry by the Lord at this time?
Was Nephi given promises even the promise of land?
Could it be that at this moment the Lord is now the God of Nephi even as He has already become the God of Lehi?
Would Lehi have received revelation from the Lord about Nephi's call to the ministry just as Mormon received revelation from the Lord about Moroni's call to the ministry?
Would this be the reason Lehi would have known that Nephi had been blessed of the Lord just as Mormon knew of Moroni's call to the ministry?
Is there a pattern here that has existed from the beginning with Adam?
Would someone called to the holy ministry by the Lord need to possess the attributes that would make them blessed as we discussed above?
The Lord tells Nephi that inasmuch as he keeps His commandments Nephi will prosper.
Does prospering have more to do with an association with the Lord and being able to accomplish what He commands rather than having vast physical wealth or success?
Could we say that Nephi and his brothers were prospered in obtaining the brass plates from Laban even though they lost the entire family fortune in the effort?
The Lord then tells Nephi that He would lead him to a land that He, the Lord had prepared for him; a land choice above all other lands.
Is this a pattern that the Lord uses; leading people out if they will obey His commands?
"Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited, and he hath created his children that they should possess it. And he raiseth up a righteous nation and destroyeth the nations of the wicked. And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands and the wicked he destroyeth and curseth the land unto them for their sakes." (1 Nephi 17: 38, NC 1 Nephi 5 par. 20)
The scriptures seem to confirm this all the way through with the Lord leading out His people.
The Lord led Abraham out and the children of Israel and those with Jared and his brother; Enoch and his people, king Mosiah the first and all who would listen to him, Nephi and all who would listen to him, and so forth
Is it possible for Him to lead a people out today?
Is it within His power today to create a safe place, a land, where His people may dwell in peace apart from the wickedness and chaos and violence of a fallen society?
Is what Nephi is experiencing here a pattern that shows what happens to anyone who comes to the Lord by their faith in Him?
Is this Nephi's call to the ministry?
If it is, would this be the experience of anyone who is called by the Lord to the same ministry?
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