keep the commandment Archives

2 Nephi 31: 10-11:

“And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.”

Notice the “prophetic-perfect” tense, where Nephi speaks of the Lord’s future conduct as if it were in the past. This is what happens when a prophet speaks in prophecy. To the prophet, the events are in the past because he was shown it before writing it. Although the event has not occurred yet, the prophet remembers it in his mind and to him it is a past event.

This “remembering” the future makes the mind of the prophet akin to the mind of God.

Nephi again addresses his “beloved brethren” in this plea. Can we “follow Jesus” and not keep commandments? Is “be willing to keep the commandments” the same as “keeping the commandments?” Are all commandments to be kept? What about those that create conflict? How did Christ resolve the conflict between the commandment to do good and honor God on the Sabbath, with the commandment to do no work on the Sabbath? Are some commandments objective and without conflict (like baptism) while others may conflict with each other? Can you keep them all? Do you think you even know them all? How do you resolve conflicts? How do you make up for the wrongs you do in ignorance? (Mosiah 3: 11.)

Notice the quote Nephi reports from “the Father.” Again, Nephi is telling us something about his associations. He says the Father has stated: “Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.” You can search all the scriptures and you will find this quote appears in this one place. Nephi is quoting the Father. Where did Nephi get the quote from if it does not otherwise appear in scripture?

What does that tell you about Nephi? What does it tell you about the Father’s view of baptism? What does it tell you about the actions of Christ and the will of the Father? Why does the Father refer to Christ as “my Beloved Son” while speaking of baptism?

With what emotion does the Father express Himself about Christ? Does that emotion attach to any of those who do as Christ did? Does it please the Father when we are baptized? Why?

What is God’s work? (Moses 1: 39.) How does baptism relate to this work? How do we “follow Christ” without seeking to do everything He did? Can we do all He did? Why did Joseph say we must go from one exaltation to another? What does Joseph refer to when he explained: “you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power.” (King Follett Discourse.) This was long after Joseph received the Vision of the Three Degrees of Glory found in Section 76. Section 76 was received February 16, 1832 while the King Follett Discourse was given April 7, 1844. Remember that all of what was seen in the vision was not recorded by Joseph: “But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpass all understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion; Which he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful forman to utter.” (D&C 76: 114-115.) Why would some things be known to a prophet but “not lawful” for him to reveal to others?

What does the idea of “following Christ” imply, if it were taken to its fullest extent? Why would that require someone to go “from one small degree to another?” What would be involved for someone to pass “from exaltation to exaltation,” as Joseph mentions in this discourse in April, 1844? How fully must we follow Christ?

If it is God’s work to bring to pass immortality and eternal life for His children, then must God work out salvation for His children to confer upon them immortality and eternal life? If another becomes “like God” will they undertake the same work? Will it require the same price to be paid? Is there another way?

2 Nephi 30: 1:
“And now behold, my beloved brethren, I  would speak unto you; for I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should  suppose that ye are more righteous than the Gentiles shall be.  For  behold, except ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall all  likewise perish; and because of the words which have been spoken ye need not suppose that the Gentiles are utterly destroyed.”
This is troubling if you understand what is said here. Let’s see if we can pull it apart.
Nephi adds this direct comment to his descendants, the forebears of the  remnant.  Although they are the target of covenants and beneficiaries of  the restoration, they too need to keep to the path. Though they are “beloved brethren” to Nephi, they are not given any unconditional  promises. No one is.  Everything we receive is based on what we do,  think and say. (See both Alma 12: 14 and D&C 130: 20-21.)
Note that this is not about the actual remnant, but about the  Nephites who would be destroyed. These people would have access to  Nephi’s record until the time of Mormon, when they would be destroyed. You can see the time frame in the word usage, “Ye are” as to the  Nephites, in contrast to “the Gentiles who shall be.”  This message is  addressed to the Nephites in a time before the gentile.
What is particularly distressing is the comparison Nephi is making. He  is saying that the Nephites, who possess the land of promise, needn’t  think themselves “more righteous than the Gentiles shall be” because if  these Nephite descendants do “not keep the commandments of God” then  they “shall all likewise perish.” If the Nephites do not keep the  commandments, they will, like the gentiles, perish.
This means that Nephi is confirming again his prophecy of  the destruction of the gentiles.  They are doomed. And the Nephites are  similarly doomed unless they are obedient.
Despite this warning we know what happened to the Nephites. They were destroyed. The gentiles will be destroyed also.
In the case of the Nephites and the gentiles, “ye need not suppose that the Gentiles are utterly destroyed.” That is, neither all the Nephites have been, nor all the gentiles will be “utterly destroyed.”
Well, this is happy news indeed. Some tiny fragment of the gentiles  will actually survive the destruction of the coming days! So we ought  to rejoice! All is well with us after all! And coming from Nephi we  know that we have a promise from one holding sealing authority who will,  as I have previously pointed out, seal this prophecy. (2 Nephi 33:  13-15.)
Interestingly Nephi warns his own descendants about their pride and  haughtiness. He says that these Nephite descendants, heirs of the  covenant, should not think of themselves as righteous. “I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should  suppose that ye are more righteous than the Gentiles shall be.” Nephi’s prophecy is clear to him, and clear to his descendants.  They both regarded the gentiles with pessimism. They (we) are  doomed. So they saw us as something dreadful to be compared to.  When  Nephi confirms they ought not think themselves better than us, he is  giving a strong warning indeed. The odd thing is that we read these  same records, this same prophecy, and we think we’re better than them! We have inverted the picture! We’re good, they were bad! But Nephi is  using us as the dreadful comparison, the stark warning, the terrible  warning that if the Nephites do not repent they will be like us and  perish.
When you pick these words apart and see the message it makes you wonder  how we could have come to our inverted view. Arrogance and pride really  do blind us. Almost completely. What more could Nephi have said to  get us to understand? (2 Nephi 32: 8.)