The Gospel and Dwindling

1 Nephi 10:11 - 16, NC 1 Nephi 3 par. 4


And it came to pass, after my father had spoken these words, he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah who should come, and after he had been slain, he should rise from the dead and should make himself manifest by the holy ghost unto the gentiles. Yea, even my father spake much concerning the gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared like unto an olive tree whose branches should be broken off and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth. Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth. And after the house of Israel should be scattered, they should be gathered together again, or in fine, after the gentiles had received the fullness of the gospel, the natural branches of the olive tree — or the remnants of the house of Israel — should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer. And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and speak unto my brethren, and also many more things which I do not write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were expedient for me in mine other book. And all these things of which I have spoken were done as my father dwelt in a tent in the valley of Lemuel.

Was Lehi speaking to Laman and Lemuel concerning "the gospel which should be preached among the Jews"?

Or was Lehi speaking to Laman and Lemuel concerning the gospel, "which should be preached among the Jews"?

The Messenger of the Heavenly Council was in the cosmos, and the cosmos existed through Him, and the cosmos had not acquired His knowledge. He came into His own creation, but those there were unable to understand Him. As many as perceived the Light in Him, to them He gave knowledge to enable them to follow the path to become like Him, begotten children in the family of the Most High God. This is only possible for those who believe through His name. Those who believe through His name are no longer born of blood to follow the appetites of flesh, nor the ambitions of man, but are able to become, like Him, the offspring of God. This one who was Spokesman from the Heavenly Council was made flesh, and He temporarily cast His tent among us, and we could see His knowledge of the path to ascend in light and truth, he was a member of the Family of God, full of the power to ascend and able to display truth to others. (The Testimony of St. John 1 par. 3)

Doesn't this scripture show what the "gospel" is, that was preached among the Jews?

Was what was preached among the Jews any different than what Lehi had been preaching to Laman and Lemuel?

Didn't Lehi, and Nephi, and Adam, and Abraham, and Enoch, and the brother of Jared, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Joseph Smith, etc., etc. (everyone) who received the "gospel" follow the path pointed out in the scripture above?

Are the terms of salvation, the "gospel", the same for all the human family regardless of the historic time frame?

The Lectures on Faith teach us this.

But it is equally as necessary that men should have the idea that he is a God who changes not in order to have faith in him as it is to have the idea that he is gracious and long-suffering. For without the idea of unchangeableness in the character of the Deity, doubt would take the place of faith. But with the idea that he changes not, faith lays hold upon the excellencies in his character with unshaken confidence, believing he is the same yesterday, today, and for ever, and that his course is one eternal round. (T&C 110, Lectures on Faith, Lecture Third, par. 21)

and

But it is also necessary that men should have an idea that he is no respecter of persons, for with the idea of all the other excellencies in his character and this one wanting, men could not exercise faith in him; because if he were a respecter of persons, they could not tell what their privileges were, nor how far they were authorized to exercise faith in him, or whether they were authorized to do it at all; but all must be confusion. But no sooner are the minds of men made acquainted with the truth on this point — that he is no respecter of persons — than they see that they have authority by faith to lay hold on eternal life, the richest boon of Heaven, because God is no respecter of persons and that every man in every nation has an equal privilege. (T&C 110, Lectures on Faith, Lecture Third, par. 23)

By understanding these characteristics that God possesses in perfection, can we conclude that whatever has been promised to and required from the children of men in order for them to receive the "gospel" in any age, from the beginning, is exactly what was promised to and required from the Jews at the time that John the Baptist and the Lord preached among them?

Would that also be true today?

Is there a difference between hearing the "gospel" preached to you and receiving the "gospel"?

Is it important then that I(we) receive the exact same promises and fulfill the exact same requirements that all who have received the "gospel" have done before from the time of Adam and Eve?

Is it important to consider the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief?

What does it mean to dwindle in unbelief?

The following is from the Glossary of Terms.

When one prizes his or her errors and holds them as true (when they are not), one dwindles in unbelief. Unbelief is often used in connection with losing truth, forsaking doctrine, and therefore, “dwindling.” The phrase “dwindling in unbelief” is the Book of Mormon’s way to describe moving from a state of belief, with true and complete doctrine, to a state of unbelief, where the truth has been discarded. Miracles end because men dwindle in unbelief. (Glossary of Terms, Dwindle in Unbelief)

Lehi declares here, in no uncertain terms, that the Jews would dwindle in unbelief.

Did the Jews know that they had dwindled in unbelief?

How did the Jews consider Christ, the Messiah, the Spokesman from the Heavenly Council?

If we accept the above to be a true definition of "dwindling in unbelief" then how does this situation come about among a people who possess scriptures, and sacred ordinances, and sacred space to perform those sacred ordinances?

The following from the Glossary of Terms contained in the Teachings and Commandments is instructive of how this happens.

Religion moves through two stages. In the first, God reveals Himself to man. This is called “restoration.” It restores man to communion with God, as in the Garden of Eden. In the second, man attempts to worship God according to His last visit. This stage is always characterized by lack and inadequacy. This is called “apostasy.” Apostasy always follows restoration. Abraham, Moses, and Isaiah ascended the bridge into God’s presence. Through Jesus Christ, God descended the celestial bridge to live with man. Those examples all show God wants to reconnect with man. Unfortunately, the participants in a restoration leave only an echo of God’s voice unless they remain connected with God through continual restoration. Every restoration risks a lapse back into lack and apostasy. Whether the echo is preserved through a family (as in ancient Israel) or through churches (as in Christianity), some organization acts as a substitute for God’s presence during apostasy. Unfortunately, organizations can only imitate God’s involvement. Though Moses guided Joshua into the abundance of restoration obtained by Joshua’s own direct contact with God, Israel forfeited their opportunity to do the same thing. Earlier, Abraham established a restored dynasty in Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Abraham’s was the greatest success since the time of Adam. Apostasy is the rule, restoration the exception. It is a curious failure since God declared His works and words never cease. Institutions cannot control God. As faith in God is institutionalized, it becomes part of this world and, necessarily, influenced by cultural, social, legal, and economic pressure. These forces erode faith. Religious institutions are where the ideal comes into conflict with the less-than-ideal. LDS Mormonism illustrates this dynamic. Through compromises of its ideals, the pattern unfolds in modern time. Religion has always frustrated good men. Churches fail to practice the ideal. This frustration produces reformers who reject the inevitability of spiritual famine and who long for the return of a revelatory God. Either on a collective or personal basis, the path requires motion. Man remains in motion all the time. There is no stasis, no holding a position. He advances (that is, experiences restoration), or he recedes (that is, experiences apostasy). There is no avoiding movement. It is not possible for an individual, nor a collection of individuals, to remain static. They are either involved with restoring truth or are in apostasy from it; they are never merely “preserving” it. Those who claim to merely preserve the truth given them are concealing the fact of their apostasy. They are soothing their conscience. Caretakers simply cannot exist. Mankind should not be misled by the language of revelations about the restoration through Joseph Smith being “the last”: …which kingdom is coming forth for the last time (T&C 90:1); …this Priesthood given for the last days, and for the last time, in the which is the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times (T&C 124:7). These references (and more) should be understood as “most recent” — as in the same language of T&C 69:5: …this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: that he lives. Just as this language does not mean there will never be a testimony of Christ after February 1832 — only that theirs was the latest — likewise, the other use of “last” in the revelations means “most recent.” (T&C, Glossary of Terms, Restoration or Apostasy)

When there is an apostasy plain and precious truths are removed from scripture.

As Example:

And I beheld a book, and it was carried forth among them. And the angel said unto me, Knowest thou the meaning of the book? And I said, I know not. And he said, Behold, it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew — and I, Nephi, beheld it. And he said unto me, The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets. And it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many. Nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the gentiles. And the angel of the Lord said unto me, Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew. And when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew, it contained the fullness of the gospel of the Lamb, of whom the twelve apostles bare record; and they bare record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God. Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the gentiles, according to the truth which is in God. And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb from the Jews unto the gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is the most abominable of all other churches. For behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men. Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and most precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God. And after these plain and precious things were taken away, it goeth forth unto all the nations of the gentiles. (1 Nephi 13:20 -29, NC 1 Nephi 3 par. 21)

We see that any organization or collection of individuals who remove the plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men are classed in the group known by the Lord as a great and abominable church.

Isn't it dwindling in unbelief to have your eyes blinded and your heart hardened because you believe something that is incomplete and unable to save?

Here is an example from the Jews at Jerusalem during and after the time of Lehi.

The Nephites possessed the words of a prophet Zenos.  Zenos' prophecies were in the brass plates.  Originally the words of Zenos were had among the Jews but his prophecies were removed from their cannon because he spoke plainly concerning the Messiah who should come.

Remember Lehi was under threat of death because he preached of the Messiah.

Did the great and abominable church remove the plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb among the Jews; therefore blinding their eyes and hardening their hearts to Christ?

Was this existence of the great and abominable church part of what was responsible for the Jews dwindling in unbelief?

How about one of many examples from our day?

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, The Lectures on Faith, Lecture First par. 1)

The above is the very first paragraph of the Lectures on Faith, prepared by the Prophet Joseph personally, found in one of the first cannons of scripture at the beginning of the Restoration; The 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.

If faith is the foundation of all righteousness and these lectures were designed to unfold to the understanding the doctrine of Jesus Christ, could we conclude that they constitute a plain and precious part of the gospel of the Lamb?

What happened to the Lectures on Faith?

You find that in the History of the Church Volume 2 beginning at page 180. He defended every principle that was advanced. It was brought before a Council of the Church. And I'm reading from the Joseph Smith papers. This is on page 307 of Volume 2 of the Revelations and Translations. “On 17 August 1835, a general assembly of the church met for the purpose of examining a book of Commandments and Covenants that had been compiled and written by the publications committee. (Joseph Smith headed the publications committee.) This committee having finished the said book according to the instructions given them, (the minutes read) it was deemed necessary to call the General Assembly of the Church to see if the book be approved or not by the authorities of the Church. That it may, if approved, become a law of the church, and a rule of faith and practice of the same.”
Though the assembly was convened by the Presidency of the Church, several of them were absent at the time of the vote. So the responsibility of presenting the book to the conference fell to Oliver Cowdery, a member of both the presidency and the four man publication committee and Assistant President of the Church at the moment that this took place. Sidney Rigdon, the other presidency member and committee member, stood and explained the matter by which they intended to obtain the voice of the assembly for or against said book. Voting on the book proceeded by quorums and groups with the leader of each group bearing witness of the truth of the volume before his group voted. And then they proceeded to vote. And they voted by quorums from the least to the greatest. Then after all the quorums of the church had accepted the Doctrine and Covenants, the first 70 some pages of which were The Lectures on Faith, the General Assembly voted, including everyone who was present. Children, women, everyone voted. They all sustained this as the Doctrine of the Church.(Faith, Denver Snuffer 9-28-13, Lecture 2: Idaho Falls, Idaho, pg. 6)

The Lectures on Faith were originally accepted by the General Assembly of the Church, all quorums women and children present, as the Doctrine of the Church.

In 1921 The Lectures on Faith were dropped from the scriptures by a committee comprised of George F. Richards, Anthony W. Ivins, Melvin J. Ballard, James E. Talmage, John A. Widstoe, and Joseph Fielding Smith. That committee dropped The Lectures on Faith from the scriptures because, “Certain lessons entitled The Lectures on Faith which were bound with Doctrine and Covenants in some of its former issues, are not included in this edition. Those lessons were prepared for use in the School of Elders. But they were never presented or accepted by the Church as other than theological lessons or lectures.” (Faith, Denver Snuffer 9-28-13, Lecture 2: Idaho Falls, Idaho, pg. 6)

Not only is the statement by the committee who removed the Lectures on Faith a lie, but also by removing the Lectures on Faith from scripture, and therefore removing part of the plain and precious truths existent in the gospel of the Lamb did those men in the committee and the institution supporting them promote dwindling in unbelief?

From that time forward those who accept(ed) the scriptural cannon in the LDS Church had their eyes blinded and their hearts hardened towards the words of the Prophet Joseph concerning faith.

Wouldn't that make those individuals and the institution that supported their decision part of the great and abominable church?

Can we see just how easily dwindling in unbelief can be regardless of the possession of scriptures and ordinances and sacred space to perform ordinances?

The above is just one example.

What about ordinances?

The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore has the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate; therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. (Isaiah 24:5 - 6, OC Isaiah 7 par. 1)

Isaiah speaks of the earth being defiled because of the changing of ordinances.

He speaks of the inhabitants of the earth being burned and few left as a consequence.

Is the changing of ordinances a part of dwindling in unbelief?

If the ordinances as changed is there any power left in them or are they even performed authoritatively in order to lead to salvation?

Is this part of what Malachi was referring to when he prophecied the following?

For behold, the day comes that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble. And the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and you shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says the Lord of Hosts. (Malachi 4:1 - 2,  OC Malachi 1 par. 10)

Is this related to Isaiah's prophecy that few men would be left?

Is part of the reason they are burned up because they have corrupted or changed ordinances?

Have the ordinances established originally by Joseph Smith been altered?

Could I find myself being a part of a people that has dwindled in unbelief but still considers that it has in its possession everything that is necessary for salvation?

Why did the Jews believe they still possessed everything necessary for salvation?

Prophecy is not given so you can anticipate the details beforehand. Prophecy is only given so that after the event takes place, you can then understand the scriptures’ meaning. Only after He has acted can you understand how the Lord intended to accomplish His will and fulfill His promise. Prophecy’s purpose is not to allow you beforehand to know the events with enough specificity so that God's will could be anticipated, prevented, and frustrated. If you knew what He was up to, you could prevent it. But because you do not, when the prophecies are fulfilled, then you know the Lord has acted. God can use any means He chooses to accomplish His promises. Everything God is doing is not disclosed at the time it is underway.
Take the opening of the New Testament as an example. Today we all know and accept John the Baptist as someone sent by God because history tells us that is so. But it was not until a revelation was given through the Prophet Joseph Smith that we understood the great hidden effort behind the scenes required to bring to pass John the Baptist’s mission. We did not know what I am going to read to you at the time John acted, but we do know it now because of a modern revelation.
Doctrine and Covenants section 84, beginning at verse 27: " Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. For he was baptized while he was yet in his
childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power, to
overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his
people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power."
It was because of this Joseph Smith said concerning John: John "wrested the keys, the kingdom, the
power, the glory from the Jews, by the holy anointing and decree of heaven."
Did the Jews notice? (Preserving The Restoration, Denver Snuffer 9-9-14, Lecture 10 Mesa, AZ, pg. 11)

The Jews retained control of their hierarchy, their wealth, their temple, and their synagogues.

Because they retained these things but had not the oracles or revelations of God they did not even know that they had dwindled in unbelief and their hearts were hardened and their eyes were blinded to the Lord.

Do we see any parallels to our modern world here?

In my opinion, priestcraft plays a big role in dwindling in unbelief as well.

We know from the Book of Mormon that priestcraft entails putting oneself up to receive gain (receiving money for a ministry) and praise of the world.

Priestcraft is the reason listed in the Book of Mormon that Christ was crucified by the Jews.

When a hierarchy, desiring to retain power, popularity, and wealth, undertakes to change doctrines and ordinances in order to get gain and the praise of the world they are participating in removing plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb.

They are hardening the hearts and blinding the minds of those who follow them to the true gospel of the Lamb.

The Jews claimed that they were a "chosen" people.

Are there any people today who claim they are "chosen"?

How have the "chosen" people historically acted; faithfully or deceitfully?

Does that seem to be the rule and not the exception historically?

If the Jews had dwindled in unbelief at the time that John the Baptist and the Lord came among them then weren't John and the Lord there among the Jews to bring about a restoration?

Should I expect that to be the same case today?

If there is a group who has dwindled in unbelief and someone is "sent" from heaven to be among them, isn't that individual there to bring about a restoration among those people?

Hasn't this always been the pattern?

As just one example of many in the Book of Mormon, do we remember Abinadi being sent by heaven among the people of king Noah who had dwindled in unbelief because of what they were taught by their priests, the priests of king Noah?

Should I personally always be aware of and be looking for evidence of dwindling in unbelief in whatever message it is that I decide to put my trust in?

Should I be willing to repent and return to God if I find myself dwindling in unbelief because of what I have been taught?