Mosiah 5:1-5

Chapter 5

The saints become the sons and daughters of Christ through faith—They are then called by the name of Christ—King Benjamin exhorts them to be steadfast and immovable in good works. About 124 B.C.

1 AND now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had thus spoken to his people, he sent among them, desiring to know of his people if they believed the words which he had spoken unto them.

2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.

3 And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things.

4 And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy.

5 And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that we may not bring upon ourselves a never–ending torment, as has been spoken by the angel, that we may not drink out of the cup of the wrath of God.

Mosiah 5:1-5

King Benjamin ends his words.  He now wanted to know if the people believed in his words.  He sent messengers out to learn if they believed or not.  “So concerned was Benjamin with his major sermon that he sent among the people to see if they really believed in his words (see Mosiah 5:1). Benjamin was much more concerned over connecting with his spiritual constituency than with his political constituency. He was continually concerned about communicating.”^[1]

In response to Benjamin’s inquiry, the people “cried with one voice,” professing their acceptance of his words.  The Spirit of the Lord has confirmed the truth of his words.  There has been “a mighty chance in us, or in our hearts.”  They no longer had the desire to do evil.  King Lamoni’s court experienced the same desires in their miraculous conversion.  “And it came to pass that when Ammon arose he also administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni; and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing—that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil” (Alma 19:33).

Alma₂ would ask the people of Zarahemla a similar question.  “And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God?  Have ye received his image in your countenances?  Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts” (Alma 5:14).

In his confrontation with Zeezrom, Alma₂ taught him, “Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God” (Alma 13:12).

Noel Reynolds explains:

If we truly have this Spirit of Christ in our lives, if the Holy Ghost comes to us and blesses us in this way, we become charitable towards others. It is a sign that people have that true Spirit in their lived, guiding them. Their hearts have been changed, again to use King Benjamin's language from Mosiah 5:2, 7, and from Alma 19:33.^[2]

John Welch further observes:

Benjamin was a man of action who voiced his aims in words of historic simplicity. He stirred his people to repentance and induced "a mighty change" in them, so that they had "no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2). From a literary standpoint, Benjamin was able to accomplish this largely by presenting crucial issues in terms of stark contrasts that exposed two clear extremes.^[3]

They continued proclaiming through the Spirit, and were it beneficial, they could prophesy of all things.  Hugh Nibley explains what this means.

Here the people receive their individual revelations. Prophesy means both to foretell and speak out, but here there is a contrary-to-fact or future-less-vivid condition: the individual is expected to receive and follow the promptings of the Spirit for himself, but not to introduce his personal revelations into public discussion. It is "expedient" for all to receive "great views" by revelation, but not expedient, unless so commanded, to teach them publicly.[4]

Through faith, the people rejoiced in their knowledge.  M. Catherine Thomas expands on these thoughts.

It was not just the news that the Savior would minister on the earth in the near future that filled them with joy—because they already knew all the prophecies of the holy prophets with respect to the Savior's ministry—but that the atonement was about to become very personal to them. Their faith in the Lord was about to become knowledge (see Mosiah 5:4). This joy announced by the angel was not to be just a momentary experience. If they were diligent unto prayer (see Moroni 8:26) and obedient to other instructions their king would give them, they would be changed forever, could retain this perfect love and joy in their hearts, and would even "grow in the knowledge of the glory of [God]" (Mosiah 4:12). We might infer then that these two parties—the king and the people—had been praying and preparing for the time when the whole community, in the ancient tradition, might be redeemed and born again.[5]

The people agreed they would enter into a covenant with God, to obey his commandments for the rest of their days.  Entering into a covenant like this is similar to what Israel did after hearing the preaching of Azariah.

12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

13 That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets [HEB shofarim; horns].

15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

2 Chronicles 15:12-15

People entering or renewing their covenant with God must do so willingly, voluntarily, eagerly, and resolutely. The people of Benjamin expressed their willingness to enter into a covenant. They covenanted to do whatever God might command them all the rest of their lives. In terms that were rigorous and broad, the people entered into a covenant promising "to do his will" (Mosiah 5:5). Moreover, they promised to keep whatever commandments he might ever give them, now or in the future, all the days of their lives.[6]

Traditionally, only the king would enter into these covenants.

In traditional Israelite coronations only the king entered into the covenant with God and thereby became his son (see Psalm 2:7). In Benjamin's kingdom, however, every person was allowed to enter into a covenant in connection with Mosiah's coronation (see Mosiah 5:1–5), and thereby they all became God's "sons, and his daughters" (Mosiah 5:7).^[7]

  

They do this so they will not suffer the torments in hell and “not drink out of the cup of the wrath of God.” 

Every just and righteous person must recognize that Benjamin was a great man and that his oration, judged by religious standards, was a noble achievement. Was the oration successful? Did it change the people in any way? Even the king was anxious to know, and he sent among them to find out. They universally cried out their belief in the words which he had spoken (see Mosiah 5:1—5). Not only did they believe, but they consented to enter into a covenant with Christ to keep his commandments and become his spiritual sons and daughters.^[8]

“[N]ow, these are the words which king Benjamin desired of them” (Mosiah 5:6).

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[1] King Benjamin's Sermon: A Manual for Discipleship, Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 12, 2014.

[2] Nephi's Teachings (part 2), Noel Reynolds, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 12, 2014.

[3] Benjamin's Speech: A Masterful Oration, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 12, 2014.

[4] Assembly and Atonement – Public and Private, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 12, 2014.

[5] Benjamin and the Mysteries of God, M. Catherine Thomas, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 12, 2014.

[6] Benjamin's Covenant as a Precursor of the Sacrament Prayers, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 12, 2014.

[7] Benjamin's Speech: A Masterful Oration, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 12, 2014.

[8] Types of Literature in the Book of Mormon: Historical Narrative, Memoir, Prophetic Discourse, Oratory, Sidney B. Sperry, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 12, 2014.