Once again, Christ emphasizes the importance of keeping
records by commanding the Nephites to write all they have seen and heard.
The importance of record keeping is found throughout the
scriptures. For example, John was commanded, “Write the things which thou hast
seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter”
(Revelation 1:19).
During his vision, Nephi saw Christ’s words “must come
according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and
the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well
as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall
be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the
earth” (1 Nephi 13:11).
Alma commanded Helaman to “keep a record of this people,
according as I have done, upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all these things
sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept them; for it is for a wise
purpose that they are kept.
“And these plates of brass, which contain these engravings,
which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which have the
genealogy of our forefathers, even from the beginning” (Alma 37:2-3).
Records have been important in the Church from the
beginning. “And again, I say unto you that it shall be appointed unto [John
Whitmer] to keep the church record and history continually; for Oliver Cowdery
I have appointed to another office” (D&C 47:3).
Christ reminds them of His commandment there were events
they were forbidden to write.
The records are important as all will be judged by the words
in the record. Nephi’s closing words in his record told us, “For what I seal on
earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord
commanded me, and I must obey” (1 Nephi 33:25).
Mormon would explain, “And they were handed down from king
Benjamin, from generation to generation until they have fallen into my hands.
And I, Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved from this time
henceforth. And I know that they will be preserved; for there are great things
written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at
the great and last day, according to the word of God which is written” (Words
of Mormon 1:11).
We will be judged by our works, which will be made known
unto all men. David told us,
“The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of
men.
“From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the
inhabitants of the earth.
“He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their
works” (Psalms 33:13-15),
The angel told Nephi, “Wherefore, if they should die in
their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the things which are
spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be
brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works
have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must
needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of
God must be filthy also” (1 Nephi 15:33).
All things written in the Book are written by the
Father. Earlier, Christ had told the
multitude, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the
Lord hearkened and heard; and a book of remembrance was written before him for
them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name” (3 Nephi 24:16).
John saw the final judgment. “And I saw the dead, small and
great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was
opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:12).
Nephi emphasized this fact. “For I command all men, both in
the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the
islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them;
for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man
according to their works, according to that which is written” (2 Nephi 29:11).
Next, speaking to the twelve, He told them they will judge
the Nephites according to His words. Nephi prophesied, “And he said unto me:
Thou rememberest the twelve apostles of the Lamb? Behold they are they who
shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel; wherefore, the twelve ministers of thy
seed shall be judged of them; for ye are of the house of Israel.
“And these twelve ministers whom thou beholdest shall judge
thy seed. And, behold, they are righteous forever; for because of their faith
in the Lamb of God their garments are made white in his blood” (1 Nephi
12:9-10).
Mormon reminded “the remnant of this people, who shall also
be judged by the twelve whom Jesus chose in this land; and they shall be judged
by the other twelve whom Jesus chose in the land of Jerusalem” (Mormon 3:19).
Christ asks an important question. “Therefore, what manner
of men ought ye to be?” Peter counseled, “Seeing then that all these things
shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy
conversation and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11).
But, Christ had given us the answer earlier, “Therefore I
would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is
perfect” (3 Nephi 12:43).
“‘[W]hat manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto
you, even as I am’ (3 Nephi 27:27). The context for that is how we render
judgments, how we judge. Is this not the same thing we would find in the Joseph
Smith Translation of Matthew 7? What is the command? ‘Judge not unrighteously,’
the Savior said, ‘but judge righteous judgment.’ We are going to make ten
thousand judgments. It isn't that we won't judge; it's that we must judge
righteously.”[1]
“To help guide us we have the words of God and of His Son
found in our holy scriptures. We have the counsel and teachings of God’s
prophets. Of paramount importance, we have been provided with a perfect example
to follow—even the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—and we have
been instructed to follow that example. Said the Savior Himself ‘Come, follow
me.’ ‘The works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do.’ He posed the
question, ‘What manner of men ought ye to be?’ And then He answered, ‘Verily I
say unto you, even as I am.’ ‘He marked the path and led the way.’”[2]
[1] The
Doctrine of the Risen Christ: Part 3, Robert L. Millet, Reprinted from FARMS Book of Mormon Lecture
Series, Maxwell Institute website.
[2] Ponder
the Path of Thy Feet, President Thomas S. Monson, October 2014 General
Conference.
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