After Christ commanded them to write a book which will be a
record of this people, He tells them that, out of this book they will be judged
and their works will be known among all men.
Christ then turned to the twelve and told them they would be
judges of the Nephite
“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).
“And I write also unto 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).
Then, He asks them “what manner of men ought you be … even
as I am” (3 Nephi 27:27). “Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as
I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect” (3 Nephi 12:48).
“[This verse] may be one of the most quoted and cited
passages in all the Book of Mormon, but I want you to notice the context for
it. We often quote it and quote it out of context. That is okay; even out of
context it is great. But notice the context for this passage: ‘And know ye that
ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give
unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what 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]
He was now ready to return to the Father. Then, he told them
whatever they ask the Father, in His name, will be given them.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
“For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).[2]
His joy is full because of the righteousness of this generation. Because of this, none are lost. “While I was
with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I
have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the
scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12).
Christ then referred to a prophecy made by Nephi. The
Nephites would be righteous through the fourth generation after His visit, but
they would once again fall into wickedness.
“And the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld
three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments were white
even like unto the Lamb of God. And the angel said unto me: These are made
white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him.
“And I, Nephi, also saw many of the fourth generation who
passed away in righteousness” (1 Nephi 12:11-12).
“But the Son of Righteousness shall appear unto them; and he
shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him, until three generations
shall have passed away, and many of the fourth generation shall have passed
away in righteousness.
“And when these things have passed away a speedy destruction
cometh unto my people; for, notwithstanding the pains of my soul, I have seen
it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass; and they sell themselves for
naught; for, for the reward of their pride and their foolishness they shall
reap destruction; for because they yield unto the devil and choose works of
darkness rather than light, therefore they must go down to hell” (2 Nephi
26:9-10).
Alma also referred to this prophecy in his words to his son,
Corianton.
“And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very
people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in
four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto
them, shall dwindle in unbelief.
“Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and
fall into the works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of
iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin against so great
light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the fourth
generation shall not all pass away before this great iniquity shall come” (Alma
45:10, 12).
Christ then turned to the twelve, and told them...
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and
broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat:
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 13:7-8).
[1] The
Doctrine of the Risen Christ: Part 3, Robert L. Millet, Reprinted from FARMS Book of Mormon Lecture
Series.
[2] “Say unto them, Ask of God; ask, and it shall be
given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
“For everyone that asketh,
receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall
be opened” (JST Matthew 7:12-13).
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