While I worked on Covenant of Christ, there were passages that were very difficult for me to understand. So much so that I would highlight them and move on, then return later to grapple with the text.
An example of this kind of difficulty that I had to spend time studying to understand is the passage below from Helaman 4:11 “And may God grant, in his great fullness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for grace according to their works. And I would that all men might be saved.” This was written by Nephi, son of Helaman who was the son of Helaman, Alma the Younger’s son. I’ve read that passage for half-a-century. Probably have see it over a hundred times. But it never stood out to me until Covenant of Christ.
To understand the text I had to go back to the earlier text materials he wrote just prior to this, as well as the materials that he wrote afterward. This particular passage is a critical part of his overall message. It is a wonderful insight into how God dealt with his people, and in turn how God will deal with the Gentiles who receive the warnings in this book of scripture.
The believers in Nephi’s day fell into errors, forgot God, needed to be reminded to repent, and suffered punishment to bring them back to remember God. The Lord inflicted them with punishment, violence, slavery and death from time to time in order to motivate them to remember Him.
Nephi was keenly aware of what is required to let hard-hearted people return and repent. His account portrays these difficult circumstances as part of the necessary things to save people. In this difficult to understand text he is saying that he hopes, no matter what it requires, that God will take the steps needed to get people to repent and return.
Here is how that passage now reads in Covenant of Christ: “And may God in His infinite wisdom do whatever is required for mankind to be led to repent and do good works, so they can be restored to grace for grace based on their works. I want all mankind to be saved.”
If you read Covenant of Christ and compare it with the Book of Mormon, you will find that the book now addresses our condition, need to repent and accept Christ, and the danger of rejecting faith in Christ more clearly and understandably. Young people who are less able to understand 1600s English language will be particularly benefitted from reading this new version.