2 Nephi 9:45-48

45  O, my beloved brethren, turn away from your sins; 

           shake off the chains of him that would bind you fast; 

      come unto that God who is the rock of your salvation.

2 Nephi 9:45 (Emphasis mine)

(Layout for this scripture is found in The Book of Mormon - A Reader's Edition, pg 45)

In v44, Jacob reminds the people that he has taught them and warned them of the consequences of their sin.  Here Jacob waxes somewhat poetic calling up on the people to cease sinning and return to God.

Jacob uses "rock" as an attribute of God.  Here are some other examples found in scripture.

1  AND David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:
2  And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

2 Samuel 22:1-2 (Emphasis mine)

1  I WILL love thee, O LORD, my strength.
2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Psalms 18:1-2 (Emphasis mine)

31  For who is God save the LORD?  or who is a rock save our God?

Psalms 18:31 (Emphasis mine)

46  The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

Psalms 18:46 (Emphasis mine)

10  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Acts 4:10-11 (Emphasis mine)

1  MOREOVER, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (Emphasis mine)

In the October 2001 General Conference, Virginia U. Jensen, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency,  said:

"Let us arm ourselves with faith and stand firm in our convictions. Let us never forget that we are building a foundation for and with our family upon the rock of our Redeemer. Let us put our hand into God’s hand. With the Lord’s help we can build homes that are a righteous fortress." (Emphasis mine)

In the  April 2006 General Conference, President Henry B. Eyring said:

"We are safe on the rock which is the Savior when we have yielded in faith in Him, have responded to the Holy Spirit’s direction to keep the commandments long enough and faithfully enough that the power of the Atonement has changed our hearts. When we have, by that experience, become as a child in our capacity to love and obey, we are on the sure foundation.  From King Benjamin we learn what we can do to take us to that safe place. But remember: the things we do are the means, not the end we seek. What we do allows the Atonement of Jesus Christ to change us into what we must be. Our faith in Jesus Christ brings us to repentance and to keeping His commandments. We obey and we resist temptation by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost. In time our natures will change. We will become as a little child, obedient to God and more loving. That change, if we do all we must to keep it, will qualify us to enjoy the gifts which come through the Holy Ghost. Then we will be safe on the only sure rock." (Emphasis mine)

46  Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment, that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained to exclaim: Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but I know my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine; and the devil hath obtained me, that I am a prey to his awful misery.
47  But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake you to an awful reality of these things?  Would I harrow up your souls if your minds were pure?  Would I be plain unto you according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from sin?
48  Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin.

2 Nephi 9:46-48 (Emphasis mine)

Jacob calls upon his congregation to prepare for judgment day.  Once again, it is made clear and plain to us that we will know where we stand before the Lord.  Jacob uses phrases like "I know my guilt," "I trangressed thy law," and "my transgressions are mine."  We will clearly know and understand the consequences of our actions.  We will proclaim to God "the devil hath obtained me." 

But, the opposite is true. Standing before Him, we will know if we are worthy to enter back into His presence, to return to Him.

Why is Jacob calling on the people to repent?  The people have sinned.  The people are not keeping the commandments of God.  Jacob basically says to them, "You know exactly why I'm preaching this.  Your minds aren't pure, you're not a holy people, and you are living a sinful life.  It's my responsibility to call you to repentance, to understand the consequences of your sins."

30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

John 5:30 (Emphasis mine)

8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:8-10 (Emphasis mine)

 

8  Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

9  The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

Psalms 25:8-9 (Emphasis mine)