Let me start off on giving some background information on what has been happening in 3 Nephi. The Nephites learned about how the Son of God was going to be born in Bethlehem, and the approximate time, by the arrival of a new star in the sky. They witnessed the terrible weather that surrounded the Savior's crucifixion. They were told that Christ would visit them, in the Americas, after He had returned to heaven. Christ reappeared and visited the Nephites, beginning in chapter 11.
We now jump ahead to chapter 27, verse 13, "Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you - that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me." These are the words which Jesus Christ spoke to the Nephites. He was proclaiming why He was sent into the world, to do the will of His Father. His Father is God, which makes Jesus the Only Begotten Son of God. And He was sent to Earth to proclaim the gospel. Now, what is the gospel? According to the Bible Dictionary, "the word gospel means good news. The good news is that Jesus Christ has made a perfect atonement for mankind that will redeem all mankind from the grave and reward each individual according to his/her works" (pg 682). Jesus Christ came to earth to be that perfect sacrifice. It's up to us to determine whether or not we will accept that gift.
Verse 14, "And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil-".
Christ knew from the beginning that He would be sent to the earth to die. It was part of the plan, before He and His Father created the world. Through this choice, of being the perfect sacrifice, the only blameless, sinless, being to ever walk the face of the earth, could he cover the sins of all mankind. By becoming the sacrifice for all of mankind, Christ hoped to draw people towards him. That by His example, people may investigate what He was preaching and teaching, so that He could change their lives for the better.
When Christ was crucified, men lifted his body onto the cross to die. Since he gave his life as this sacrifice, we now have the opportunity to live, and to use the atonement fully. Part of the way we can use the atonement, is by drawing to God whenever we are in times of need. When Christ was on the cross, suffering pure agony, He not only felt all the sins of the world, He also experienced all our pain, our sorrows, everything. Christ knows exactly how we feel in all situations, because He felt it too. He's been through it all. He's felt rejected, unloved, pushed aside, abandoned, humiliated, ashamed, you name it, He's been there. And He has made it through. Because He has made it through, we can take comfort in the fact that we can persevere as well. Doctrine and Covenants 19:18, "Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore..." He felt everything.
When we have the times of greatest need, when we are suffering, or in a great trial, that is when we need to turn to God. God will lift us up and support us. He might not always take the trial away from us, but He will provide the strength we need to get through the trial at hand.
After death and resurrection, comes the final judgment. That is when each person will be held responsible for all the choices, actions, deeds, basically how they have lived their lives. Christ will be our judge. Verse 15, "And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works." More of the same idea as before. I know it sounds a bit ominous, I mean, nobody is perfect. If I were to stand before Christ today, He could find countless things that I have done wrong that should keep me from entering heaven.
However....verse 16, "And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world." This verse tells exactly what we must do. We must repent of our sins and be baptized. I feel like this is a good place to end for now...but don't worry! I will come back to address this topic, beginning here, in next week's post, continuing on in the Doctrine of Christ. (And for those of you who were hoping to read more about conversion and seeking truth in the Book of Mormon, I'm still working on that as well, and all will be written on, in subsequent weeks).
And if someone wants a copy of the Book of Mormon, you can get it free by calling 1-888-537-2200.
No comments:
Post a Comment