We have reached 60 A.D. The people remained righteous and
faithful. Peace reigned throughout the land. The disciples of Christ performed
great and mighty miracles among the people.
Peace and righteousness continued throughout the land over
the next twenty years. By around 100 A.D., all who had lived during Christ’s
ministry had died and entered the paradise of God. The only exception was the
three who asked to live until the Second Coming.
As members of the twelve died, others were called and ordained
to fill the vacancies.
“And I, Nephi, also
saw many of the fourth generation who passed away in righteousness” (1 Nephi
12:12).
“Perhaps the place of vulnerable people—widows, orphans, the
aged and infirm—is a benchmark of the righteousness and refinement of any
culture. Nearly 200 years in the Nephite colony could not have passed without
such common social realities and their attendant challenges for society at
large. Adversities did not disappear. Yet ‘there was no contention in the land,
because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And
there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings,
nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a
happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God’ (4
Nephi 1:15–16).”[1]
“As a result of the great destruction that took place at the
time of the crucifixion, both of the motives for war that had prevailed were
suddenly eliminated. The peaceful teachings of the Savior became dominant
equally among those who had constituted the Nephite victims and among the
descendants of those who had been Lamanite aggressors. The old feud lost its
meaning in the light of the new faith (see 4 Nephi 1:15–17).”[2]
“We all need to work together to build spiritual unity
within our wards and branches. An example of perfect unity existed among the people
of God after Christ visited the Americas … Unity is not achieved by ignoring
and isolating members who seem to be different or weaker and only associating
with people who are like us. On the contrary, unity is gained by welcoming and
serving those who are new and who have particular needs. These members are a
blessing for the Church and provide us with opportunities to serve our
neighbors and thus purify our own hearts.”[3]
Nephi3 died and his son, Amos, received the
plates of Nephi and became the record keeper.[4]
Amos kept the plates for eighty-four years. This brings us
to around 200 AD. For the most part,
peace continued throughout the land. We begin to see division appearing among
the people at this time. A small number opposed the church. They called
themselves Lamanites. The period of
peace was coming to an end.
Amos1 died, and his son, Amos2
received the record from his father. The second generation, the children of
those who were alive during the Savior’s ministry had passed away.
The people were now spread across the face of the land. They
had become rich and prosperous as a people.
It was at this point (around 200 AD) when the people began
to turn away from the gospel. We begin to see the Nephite disease, pride,
spread among the people. We also see the result of the people’s pride, costly
apparel. The Nephites are beginning the last period of wickedness that will end
in the destruction of the Nephites. They no longer lived with their goods and
possessions in common.
“To live as economic equals may be the most difficult form
of at-one-ment[5]
to achieve. At least we might infer as much after observing the rich ruler fail
his final test of discipleship—to give his wealth to the poor (see Luke
18:18–22). In the Book of Mormon, during that singular season when the Lord's
people did achieve perfect at-one-ment, their drift toward separateness was
signaled early on by their divisions into economic classes (see 4 Nephi
1:24–26). Because economic at-one-ment is so difficult to achieve, the poor are
always with us (see John 12:8; Mosiah 4:16–21).”[6]
The people divided society into different classes. They built churches for the purpose of
becoming rich. “For the time speedily
shall come that all churches which are built up to get gain, and all those who
are built up to get power over the flesh, and those who are built up to become
popular in the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh and
the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity; yea, in fine, all
those who belong to the kingdom of the devil are they who need fear, and
tremble, and quake; they are those who must be brought low in the dust; they
are those who must be consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words
of the prophet” (1 Nephi 22:23).
“But it is they who do not fear me, neither keep my
commandments but build up churches unto themselves to get gain, yea, and all
those that do wickedly and build up the kingdom of the devil—yea, verily,
verily, I say unto you, that it is they that I will disturb, and cause to tremble
and shake to the center” (D&C 10:56).
“In the world there is rampant contention and iniquity and a
major emphasis on divergent cultures and inequality. In the Church, except for
language units, our wards and branches are geographical. We don’t divide by
class or rank. We rejoice in the fact that all races and cultures are mixed
together in a righteous congregation. Our ward family is important to our
progress, happiness, and personal effort to be more Christlike.”[7]
People reject the true church of Christ.
“Once again the Book of Mormon shows that the driving force
was pride, which led to hubris,[8]
and finally to atē.[9]
First, ‘there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as
the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of fine
things of the world.’ Further, ‘they began to be divided into classes’—pride
being translated on a major scale into the structure of society (4 Nephi 1:24,
26). It was not long until the proud ‘denied the Christ; and they did persecute
the true church of Christ’ (4 Nephi 1:29). Soon ‘they did cast them [the Lord’s
disciples] into prison . . . and did seek to kill them’ (4 Nephi 1:30—31).”[10]
[1] The
Savior and the Children in 3 Nephi, M. Gawain Wells, Maxwell Institute
website.
[2] Last-Ditch
Warfare in Ancient Mesoamerica Recalls the Book of Mormon, John L.
Sorenson, Maxwell Institute website.
[3] Ye
Are No More Strangers, By Bishop Gérald Caussé, October 2013 General
Conference.
[4] “But behold the plates of Nephi do contain the more
part of the things which he taught the people” (3 Nephi 26:7).
[5] The
state of being one.
[6] “No
Poor Among Them,” Lindon J. Robison, Maxwell Institute website.
[7] The
Lord Is My Light, Elder Quentin L. Cook, April 2015 General Conference.
[8] The attempt by individuals and nations
to become a law unto themselves, and that the consequence of hubris is atē.
[10] Hubris
and Atē: A Latter-day Warning from the Book of Mormon, Richard D. Draper,
Maxwell Institute website.
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