Moroni 9:1-6

The second epistle of Mormon to his son Moroni.

Chapter 9

Both the Nephites and the Lamanites are depraved and degenerate—They torture and murder each other—Mormon prays that grace and goodness may rest upon Moroni forever. About A.D. 401.

Mormon began by telling Moroni he still lives. But, the subject is grave.

He has been in bitter battle with the Lamanites, but were beaten. He tells Moroni three specific men have died (Archeantus, Luram, and Emron). These were apparently key men in the Nephite army.

Mormon fears defeat because they refuse to repent. Satan stirs up their anger. “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly” (Proverbs 17:14).

“Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away” (3 Nephi 11:30).

Mormon is laboring among the Nephites. He speaks the word of God with sharpness.

“And ye have murmured because he hath been plain unto you. Ye say that he hath used sharpness; ye say that he hath been angry with you; but behold, his sharpness was the sharpness of the power of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye call anger was the truth, according to that which is in God, which he could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning your iniquities.

“And it must needs be that the power of God must be with him, even unto his commanding you that ye must obey. But behold, it was not he, but it was the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, which opened his mouth to utterance that he could not shut it” (2 Nephi 1:26-27).

“For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority; and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people” (Words of Mormon 1:17).

“Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy” (D&C 121:43).

When he does, they tremble and are angry with him. When he does not use sharpness, they don’t listen to him. They harden their hearts against the word of the Lord. “A wicked man hardeneth his face” (Proverbs 21:29).

“[H]e that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief” (Proverbs 28:14).

The Spirit no longer strives with them. “Pray for them, my son, that repentance may come unto them. But behold, I fear lest the Spirit hath ceased striving with them; and in this part of the land they are also seeking to put down all power and authority which cometh from God; and they are denying the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 8:28).

“And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts” (D&C 1:33).

Their anger is so strong, they no longer fear death. They have lost their love for one another and they continually thirst for blood.

“And it is impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect description of the horrible scene of the blood and carnage which was among the people, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites; and every heart was hardened, so that they delighted in the shedding of blood continually.

“And there never had been so great wickedness among all the children of Lehi, nor even among all the house of Israel, according to the words of the Lord, as was among this people” (Mormon 4:11-12).

In spite of their hardness, Mormon tells Moroni they should continue to labor diligently. “And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day” (Jacob 1:19).

If they cease to labor they will face the condemnation of God. Their labor is to conquer the devil and his work.