Mormon asks if miracles have ceased since Christ ascended
into heaven. He claims the right of mercy upon the children of men.
“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be
satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he
shall bear their iniquities.
“Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and
he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul
unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of
many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:11-12).
He has met the demands of the law and claim all who have
faith in Him. They will hold to all good things. He will be the advocate for us
with the Father eternally. “My little children, these things write I unto you,
that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
“And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the
victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children
of men” (Mosiah 15:8).
“And now I go unto the Father, because it is expedient that
I should go unto the Father for your sakes” (3 Nephi 18:35).
Because He intercedes on our behalf with the Father, have
miracles ceased? No! And angels continue to minister to men.
“But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors,
and brought them forth, and said,
“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the
words of this life” (Acts 5:19-20).
Angels are subject to Christ. They minister to us through
the word of his command. They appear to those who have strong faith.
“When God establishes his way among men it is by special
divine messengers who come to men well prepared, ‘of strong faith and a firm
mind in every form of godliness’ (Moroni 7:30). Every restoration of the gospel
has been accomplished through a series of heavenly visitations and glorious
manifestations, with the divine plan fully and explicitly set forth for that
dispensation, with all the divine authority and revealed knowledge necessary to
establish the kingdom at that time.”[1]
The office of their ministry is to call us to repentance.
They also fulfil and do the work of the Father and the covenants he has made
with us. They prepare the way among us by declaring Christ to those chosen by
the Lord and who bear testimony of Him. “Which was given by inspiration, and is
confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the
world by them” (D&C 20:10).
By sending ministering angels, the Lord prepares the way
that the residue of men will have faith in Christ.
“After this I will return, and will build again the
tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins
thereof, and I will set it up:
“That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all
the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these
things” (Acts 15:16-17).
“To others it is given to believe on their words, that they
also might have eternal life if they continue faithful” (D&C 46:14).
We must have a place for the Holy Ghost in our heart. Through
this manner the covenants the Father made with us will be fulfilled.
“It is interesting how these visions seem to get around, and
the Book of Mormon casts some light on that problem too when it reports that
after Lehi had described his vision to his family, his son Nephi was granted
the identical revelation, only with a fuller explanation, including points that
Lehi had overlooked. Thus we see how the same vision, far from being reserved
to one man, might be shared by others with the intent that through the
preaching of those thus favored the vision might become the common property and
tradition of all the people (Moroni 7:29-32).”[2]
[1] Beyond
Politics, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute website.
[2] Since
Cumorah – Chapter 7: Checking on Long-Forgotten Lore, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell
Institute website.
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