11 And I would
that ye should remember also, that this is the name that I said I should give
unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression;
therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted
out of your hearts.
12 I say unto
you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your
hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and
know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he
shall call you.
13 For how
knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto
him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?
14 And again,
doth a man take an ass which belongeth to his neighbor, and keep him? I say
unto you, Nay; he will not even suffer that he shall feed among his flocks, but
will drive him away, and cast him out. I say unto you, that even so shall it be
among you if ye know not the name by which ye are called.
15 Therefore, I
would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good
works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be
brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life,
through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all
things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen. (Mosiah 5:11-15)
Having rejected
Christ, and being found on the left hand of God, the names of the wicked will
be blotted through their sin. “Take heed
that ye do not transgress, that the name not be blotted out of your hearts.”
The people are told
to remember and retain the name Benjamin has given them; they are to have it
written in their hearts at all times. “I
have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law” (Psalms
119:55). The Lord makes the importance
of remembering the name clear.
“Wherefore, if they know not the name by which they are called, they
cannot have place in the kingdom of my Father” (D&C 18:25).
“The Book of Mormon explains the significance of being
called by the name of Jesus Christ. When the Savior showed his spirit body to
the brother of Jared, he introduced himself as the Father and the Son,
declaring that through his redeeming sacrifice all mankind who believed on his
name should have life eternal through him, ‘and they shall become my sons and
my daughters.’”[1]
If they don’t, they will be found on the left hand of God.
They must “hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the
name by which he shall call you.”
“Benjamin gives us
one of the most important statements in the Book of Mormon. We are told to serve Christ. How do we know Christ if we have not served
Him? We can’t. He will be a stranger us and we cannot
recognize Him. “If we are not serving
Jesus, and if he is not in our thoughts and hearts, then the things of the
world will draw us instead to them! Moreover, the things of the world need not
be sinister in order to be diverting and consuming.”[2]
King Benjamin tells them to remember to retain this name in
their hearts. “And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I
will bless them” (Numbers 6:27).
“I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have
kept thy law” (Psalm 119:55).
“Wherefore, all men must take upon them the name which is
given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day;
“Wherefore, if they know not the name by which they are
called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my Father” (D&C 18:24-25).
How, asks King Benjamin, can they know the master they haven’t
served? “For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children,
and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they
have no knowledge” (Jeremiah 4:22).
“For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me
they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand.
“And it shall come to pass that when the second trump shall
sound then shall they that never knew me come forth and shall stand before me.
“And then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, that
I am their Redeemer; but they would not be redeemed.
“And then I will confess unto them that I never knew them;
and they shall depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his
angels” (Mosiah 26:24-27).
This master is a stranger and far from his thoughts and the
intents of his heart.
Benjamin uses the
example of a person who has an animal herd.
If one of his neighbor’s cattle wanders into the person’s herd, he does
not keep it. He chases it out of his
herd and back to his neighbor. This is
the way it will be for the person who does not follow and obey Christ. They will not be recognized as part of Christ’s
“flock.” They will be chased out.
“Although Benjamin
does not turn explicitly to dust imagery when he warns his people against
breaking their covenant, he takes it for granted throughout his speech that
mortals owe to God everything that they have and are (see Mosiah 2:20–25), and
therefore it is to be expected that they will be returned to the dust, utterly
blotted out, driven away, and cast out if they are not true and faithful to
their God (see Mosiah 5:11, 14).”[3]
Follow Christ. Dedicate yourself to following Him. Be a strong and firm follower. Do good works, that Christ “may seal you
his.” You will have salvation and
eternal life in the presence of Christ.
“In today’s world,
no matter where we live and no matter what our circumstances are, it is
essential that our preeminent identity is as a child of God. Knowing that will
allow our faith to flourish, will motivate our continual repentance, and will
provide the strength to ‘be steadfast and immovable’ throughout our mortal
journey.”[4]
“After King Benjamin
taught his people that Christ is the only source of salvation and outlined the
obligations and consequences of enlisting him as their suzerain (ruling power,
ruler), the people declared their desire to “take upon [themselves] the name of
Christ” (Mosiah 5:8). However, King Benjamin issued a severe warning that they
must know his name,
meaning that they must recognize Christ’s authority, in order to receive
salvation (see Mosiah 5:14–15).”[5]
Follow Christ. Dedicate yourself to following Him. Be a strong and firm follower. Do good works, that Christ “may seal you his.” You will have salvation and eternal life in
the presence of Christ.
“In today’s world,
no matter where we live and no matter what our circumstances are, it is
essential that our preeminent identity is as a child of God. Knowing that will
allow our faith to flourish, will motivate our continual repentance, and will
provide the strength to ‘be steadfast and immovable’ throughout our mortal
journey.”[6]
[1] Taking
upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ, President Dallin H. Oaks, April 1985
General Conference.
[2]
King Benjamin’s Speech – Appendix: Complete Text of Benjamin’s Speech with
Notes and Comments, Maxwell Institute website.
[3]
Kingship. Coronation, and Covenant in Mosiah 1–6, Stephen D. Ricks, Maxwell Institute
website website
[5]
Treaties and Covenants: Ancient Near Eastern Legal Terminology in the Book of
Mormon, RoseAnn Benson and Stephen D. Ricks, Maxwell Institute website.
No comments:
Post a Comment