If I were to pick one scripture that sums up our beliefs, 2
Nephi 25:26 would be very high on the list.
“[W]e talk of Christ, we rejoice
in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according
to our prophecies.” Some examples of
And
now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things; for why not speak of the
atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to
the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come?
Jacob 4:12
Wherefore,
the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently,
exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of
Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward
unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them.
Jarom
1:11
And
the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to
declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby
whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission
of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had
already come among them.
Mosiah 3:13
And
now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though
they had already come, there could have been no redemption.
Mosiah 16:6
Alan Ashton relates a great story about this scripture.
While we were serving on our
mission in Canada, two of our elders who were serving in a town near Niagara Falls
reported the following incident: Elder Taggart was talking to a woman in the
street when a belligerent man came up and yelled that the Book of Mormon was
not true. The missionary bore testimony that the Book of Mormon is true and
that it testifies of Christ. The man claimed emphatically that it did not.
Elder Taggart’s companion, Elder Medina, came over because of the raised voice
of the man and asked what the problem was. The man forcefully claimed that the
Book of Mormon did not testify of Christ. Elder Medina bore his witness that it
indeed does, but the man continued to disrupt the conversations of the
missionaries. Finally Elder Medina handed the loud man a copy of the Book of
Mormon and said, “Sir, open up this Book of Mormon and put your finger on the
page and read out loud what it says. If it doesn’t speak of Christ, we will go
on our way.” The man snatched the book, opened it up, plunged his finger on the
verse that happened to be 2 Nephi 25:26, and began reading aloud, “And we
talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of
Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to
what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” The man quietly
apologized and went on his way.[1]
Nephi gives us an insight to how the Nephites viewed the
gospel. We know from the record the
Nephites faithfully kept the Law of Moses.
When Abinadi called upon King Noah and his priests to repent, he taught
them about the Law of Moses.
Yet, Nephi tells us “we
speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law” (2
Nephi 25:27). Salvation cannot be obtained
through the words of the Law. There is
only one way we will be saved. That is
through the atonement of Christ. However,
until the Law is fulfilled, they must still follow it. It will not be fulfilled until Christ completes
His mission.
Hugh Nibley wrote:
The Nephites lived by the law of
Moses, as implemented, for example, by the laws of King Benjamin and Mosiah.
Yet they are constantly being notified that salvation does not come
by the law of Moses: "Notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the
law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law
shall be fulfilled. For, for this end was the law given" (2 Nephi
25:24-25). "Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may
know the deadness of the law; . . . that they need not harden their hearts
against him when the law ought to be done away" (2 Nephi 26:27). For the
law is tailored to our weakness, beginning with the Word of Wisdom,
"adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who
are or can be called saints" (D&C 89:3).[2]
And John Welch explains:
I see no reason, however, why such
an ancient person should have been relieved of the duty to obey the law of
Moses simply by realizing the ends of the law or by knowing the final goal of
eternal life. It is not inconsistent for one who holds the higher priesthood to
live concurrently the higher and the lower laws. Today, in the Church, the
Aaronic Priesthood is bestowed on young men and on recent converts so that they
may learn the principles of the gospel pertaining to the lower order of the
priesthood, and Church leaders holding the highest keys of the holy priesthood
teach and supervise the work of those holding the lower priesthood. Similarly,
Nephite prophets holding the rights and powers of the higher priesthood would
not act inconsistently or in a manner unbecoming to their higher spiritual
standing if they were to fulfill both the higher and the lower orders of the
priesthood that were in effect in their time. Nephi speaks clearly of the deadness
of the law, but at the same time reaffirms the necessity of living and teaching
the law (see 2 Nephi 25:25–27), and there is no evidence that this presented
any awkwardness for the Nephites. They respected God's laws and obeyed them.[3]
[1] Oh
How Surely Christ Sanctifies His Own, Alan C. Ashton, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 30, 2013.
[2] The
Meaning of the Atonement, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed October
30, 2013.
[3]The
Temple in the Book of Mormon: The Temples at the Cities of Nephi, Zarahemla,
and Bountiful, John W. Welch, accessed October 30, 2013.
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