26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach
of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies,
that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of
their sins.
27 Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our
children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of
the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ, and know for what
end the law was given. And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need
not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away.
If I were to pick one scripture that sums up our beliefs, 2 Nephi 25:26 would be very high on the list. “[W]e talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies.” Some examples.
“And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things;
for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge
of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come”
(Jacob 4:12).
“Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers,
did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to
diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given;
persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as
though he already was. And after this
manner did they teach them” (Jarom 1:11).
“And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children
of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that
thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might
receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even
as though he had already come among them” (Mosiah 3:13).
“And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of
things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no
redemption” (Mosiah 16:6).
Alan Ashton relates a great story about this scripture.
“While we were serving on our mission in Canada, two of our
elders who were serving in a town near Niagara Falls reported the following
incident: Elder Taggart was talking to a woman in the street when a belligerent
man came up and yelled that the Book of Mormon was not true. The missionary
bore testimony that the Book of Mormon is true and that it testifies of Christ.
The man claimed emphatically that it did not. Elder Taggart’s companion, Elder
Medina, came over because of the raised voice of the man and asked what the
problem was. The man forcefully claimed that the Book of Mormon did not testify
of Christ. Elder Medina bore his witness that it indeed does, but the man
continued to disrupt the conversations of the missionaries. Finally Elder
Medina handed the loud man a copy of the Book of Mormon and said, ‘Sir, open up
this Book of Mormon and put your finger on the page and read out loud what it
says. If it doesn’t speak of Christ, we will go on our way.’ The man snatched
the book, opened it up, plunged his finger on the verse that happened to
be 2 Nephi 25:26, and began reading aloud, ‘And we talk of Christ, we
rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write
according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may
look for a remission of their sins.’ The man quietly apologized and went on his
way.”[1]
Nephi gives us an insight to how the Nephites viewed the
gospel. We know from the record the
Nephites faithfully kept the Law of Moses.
When Abinadi called upon King Noah and his priests to repent, he taught
them about the Law of Moses.
Yet, Nephi tells us “we speak concerning the law that our
children may know the deadness of the law” (2 Nephi 25:27). Salvation cannot be obtained through the
words of the Law. There is only one way
we will be saved. That is through the
atonement of Christ. However, until the
Law is fulfilled, they must still follow it.
It will not be fulfilled until Christ completes His mission.
Hugh Nibley wrote:
“The Nephites lived by the law of Moses, as implemented, for
example, by the laws of King Benjamin and Mosiah. Yet they are constantly being
notified that salvation does not come by the law of Moses: ‘Notwithstanding
we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with
steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled. For, for this end
was the law given’ (2 Nephi 25:24-25). ‘Wherefore, we speak concerning the law
that our children may know the deadness of the law; . . . that they need
not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away’ (2
Nephi 26:27). For the law is tailored to our weakness, beginning with the Word
of Wisdom, ‘adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints,
who are or can be called saints’ (D&C 89:3).”[2]
And John Welch explains:
“I see no reason, however, why such an ancient person should
have been relieved of the duty to obey the law of Moses simply by realizing the
ends of the law or by knowing the final goal of eternal life. It is not
inconsistent for one who holds the higher priesthood to live concurrently the
higher and the lower laws. Today, in the Church, the Aaronic Priesthood is
bestowed on young men and on recent converts so that they may learn the
principles of the gospel pertaining to the lower order of the priesthood, and
Church leaders holding the highest keys of the holy priesthood teach and
supervise the work of those holding the lower priesthood. Similarly, Nephite
prophets holding the rights and powers of the higher priesthood would not act
inconsistently or in a manner unbecoming to their higher spiritual standing if
they were to fulfill both the higher and the lower orders of the priesthood
that were in effect in their time. Nephi speaks clearly of the deadness of
the law, but at the same time reaffirms the necessity of living and teaching
the law (see 2 Nephi 25:25–27), and there is no evidence that this presented
any awkwardness for the Nephites. They respected God's laws and obeyed them.”[3]
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