2 Nephi 10:23-25

As Jacob ends his sermon, he turns to a subject that is common in the Book of Mormon.  Remember, he said, “ye are free to act for yourselves” (2 Nephi 10:23).  He is repeating something Lehi told him as a part of his blessing.  “Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself.  Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other” (2 Nephi 2:16). 

Acting for ourselves, we have two choices.  The first choice is to follow the devil and received “everlasting death.”  The second choice is to follow the Lord and find “the way to eternal life” (2 Nephi 10:23).  Hugh Nibley writes:

There is no more emphasized doctrine in the Apocrypha, especially the Christian Apocrypha, than the teaching of the Two Ways, the Way of Light and the Way of Darkness … Constantly the Book of Mormon people are told to choose between life and death, with emphasis on the fact that man is placed on this earth in the peculiar position of being able to choose either good or bad as long as he is here: "Remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life" (2 Nephi 10:23; cf. Helaman 14:30—31; Alma 12:29, 31; Alma 13:3 ff.;²³; 1 Nephi 14:7).[1]

Jacob calls upon the people to “reconcile yourselves to the will of God and not to the will of the devil” (2 Nephi 10:24).  There is only one way we are saved, and that is through the grace of Christ.

Again, Jacob is supporting Lehi’s teachings.

All of this was, according to Lehi, part of the plan by which "there is an opposition in all things," allowing men to choose between good and evil (2 Nephi 2:11). The first of these choices was made in the garden of Eden, where the "forbidden fruit [was] in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter" (2 Nephi 2:15). Jacob reflected these concepts when he declared, "Reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh" (2 Nephi 10:24).[2]

Jacob closes his sermon.  “[M]y God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the atonement” (2 Nephi 10:25).  John Tvedtnes observes:

Jacob's teachings on resurrection derive directly from what he learned from his father. Lehi had spoken of the "power of the Spirit . . . the resurrection" (2 Nephi 2:8), and told him that, without the resurrection, the body would "have been created for a thing of naught [and] there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation" and would have destroyed "the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes" (2 Nephi 2:12). Jacob, too, referred to the "power of the resurrection" (2 Nephi 9:6, 12; 10:25; Jacob 4:11; 6:9) and reflected other thoughts of Lehi in his discourse…[3]

Again, Jacob refers to the grace of God.  John Gee writes:

Nephi's brother Jacob extols the wisdom, mercy, and grace of God in providing the resurrection (2 Nephi 9:8, 53). Jacob, like his brother, notes that one must first be "reconciled unto God," and then, after that, one is saved "through the grace of God" (2 Nephi 10:24). At that point "grace divine" allows one to praise God (2 Nephi 10:25). Jacob also prefigures Jesus's own teaching by noting that "the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things" (Jacob 4:7).[4]

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[1] The Apocrypha and the Book of Mormon, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed October 4, 2013.

[2] The Influence of Lehi's Admonitions on the Teachings of His Son Jacob, John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed October 4, 2013.

[3] Ibid.

[4] The Grace of Christ, John Gee, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed October 4, 2013.

2 Nephi 2:7-9

There is a lot of good "stuff" in the Book of Mormon, and Latter-day Saints are most fortunate to know where it comes from. Having God's gift of the Book of Mormon and knowing of its truthfulness bestows upon every member of the Church a responsibility, for, as Lehi said: "Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth" (2 Nephi 2:8).[1]

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Lehi continues to explain the atonement to Jacob.  Christ, Lehi says will offer Himself as a sacrifice for sin.  Only those who come to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit will be able to take advantage of the sacrifice “and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered” (2 Nephi 2:7).  Paul would tell the Romans, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4).

All the inhabitants of the Earth need to understand the importance of these things.  The only ones who may stand in the presence of God, in the flesh are those who, “through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise” (2 Nephi 2:8).

The word “resurrection” appears, for the first time in the Book of Mormon, in verse 8.

The first appearance of resurrection in the Book of Mormon is in 2 Nephi 2:8, where Lehi tells Jacob that the Messiah will "bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise." It is interesting that Lehi is the first person in the Book of Mormon recorded as using the word resurrection, given that he is closest to the time and culture of the Old Testament, in which the word resurrection never appears.⁸ Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has noted that the Book of Mormon "links the religious worlds of Malachi and Matthew not only by bridging the intervening years between them . . . but, more important, by bringing Old and New Testament texts together in the continuity of doctrine taught." ⁹ Lehi's use of resurrection is one example of such a linkage.[2]

There are many references to the fact that, only through Christ, can we be saved in the Kingdom of Heaven.

And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.  And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end.  Amen.

2 Nephi 31:21

And this is the means whereby salvation cometh.  And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you.

Mosiah 4:8

And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

Alma 7:12

And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead.

Now, if it had not been for the plan of redemption, which was laid from the foundation of the world, there could have been no resurrection of the dead; but there was a plan of redemption laid, which shall bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, of which has been spoken.

Alma 12:24 - 25

Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.

Alma 21:9

And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ.  Behold, he is the life and the light of the world.  Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.

Alma 38:9

What does it take for us to be saved?  As Lehi said, “salvation is free” (2 Nephi 2:4).  We cannot earn salvation.  We cannot march up to the gates of heaven and demand entrance because of our good works.  It is only through the atonement of Christ that we are saved and no other way.

Latter-day Saints readily acknowledge that though our efforts to be righteous are necessary, they will never be sufficient to save us. Book of Mormon prophets thus explained that above and beyond all we can do, we are saved by the grace of Christ and that our most significant labor is to trust in and rely upon the merits and mercy and grace of the Holy Messiah (see 2 Nephi 10:24; 25:23; 2 Nephi 2:8; 31:19; Moroni 6:4).[3]

Joseph Smith did in fact teach that our own efforts could never do anything to "earn salvation"—which Davies claims is part of the "traditional" sense of grace—but that it is only the name of Christ and his merit that has the power to save. A verse from the second book of Nephi in the Book of Mormon serves to make this point more apparent: "Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah" (2 Nephi 2:8). It is this sense of grace that has been perpetuated throughout the church's history and recently reiterated by authors like Millet and Robinson.[4]

Christ will be the first fruit of the resurrection.  He will make intercession for all of us if we believe in Christ and are saved.  “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).

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?

For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.

Moroni 7:27 - 28

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[1] The Book of Mormon, An Interpretive Guide to the New Testament, Dennis Largey, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 10, 2013.

[2] Who Uses the Word Resurrection in the Book of Mormon and How Is It Used? John Hilton III, and Jana Johnson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 10, 2013.

[3] 7. What do Latter-day Saints believe a person must do to be saved? Robert L. Millet, and Noel B. Reynolds, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 10, 2013.

[4] Work, Worship, and Grace, David L. Paulsen, and Cory G. Walker, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 10, 2013.