Question - can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? (2 Nephi 31:10)
As Nephi prepared to conclude his record he wrote that “the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ” (2 Nephi 31:2). After noting that John the Baptist baptized Christ, Nephi observed, “if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!” (v 5).
Nephi’s observation sets up his asking two intriguing questions: how “the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water? Know ye not that he was holy?” (v 6-7). In other words, if Christ was a holy being, without sin, why did he need to get baptized? Or, if baptism is for cleansing us from sin, why did Christ, who was sinless and pure, need to get baptized? Careful pondering of such inspired questions can open us to inspiration from heaven. We are blessed by Nephi sharing what he had learned in answer to these questions.
Nephi explains that “notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.” As a result, “after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove” (v 8). Nephi then notes that this act by the Lamb of God shows us “the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which [we] should enter, he [Christ] having set the example before [us]” (v 9). So we did not miss Nephi’s point in all this, he notes that Christ said, “follow thou me.”
Having explained Christ’s submissiveness to the father in choosing to be baptized and his invitation to “follow thou me,” Nephi asks an almost rhetorical question that is the focus of this writing, “can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?” (v 10). What a question! This is a question for everyone—particularly the serious disciple. The answer is an obvious and emphatic, “No!” There is no way we can follow Christ, who constantly sought to do the Father’s will without being willing to “keep the commandments of the Father,” just as He did.
There is much that is appropriately spoken of Jesus’ love, compassion, meekness, and every other good characteristic. This is all good and right. However, Jesus’ existence from the beginning, the core of his character and life and message, is a consistent manifestation of His determination to obey the Father and to invite and make it possible for you and me to do the same. It was Christ who taught his disciples, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34); and, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do” (John 5:19); and, “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30); and, “I do always those things that please [the Father]” (John 8:29); and, the exclamation point on Christ’s obedience to the Father, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39, see also Mark 14:36). So, the question stands, “can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?” Again, the answer is an obvious and emphatic, NO!
As though we needed more support for Nephi’s answer to his own question, he provides one of the few quotes we have of the Father, “Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son” (v 11). To which Christ adds, “He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do” (v 12), including being baptized. There are no favorites in the Father’s plan. He offers to us the same he offers His Beloved Son. The issue is whether we will follow The Son and thereby be blessed as he is blessed.
Lest we think being baptized is a perfunctory act or lifeless ritual, Nephi concludes that we must “follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy, and no deception before God, but with real intent” (2 Nephi 31:13). Nephi then explains that to “follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy, and no deception before God, but with real intent” means:
repenting of our sins
witnessing unto the Father that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ, by baptism
Let’s look at these two instructions in turn. First, repenting. In the original greek of the New Testament, repent is derived from the word metanoia. As President Russell M. Nelson has taught,
The word for repentance in the Greek New Testament is metanoeo. The prefix meta- means “change.” The suffix -noeo is related to Greek words that mean “mind,” “knowledge,” “spirit,” and “breath.”
Thus, when Jesus asks you and me to “repent,” He is inviting us to change our mind, our knowledge, our spirit—even the way we breathe. He is asking us to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our [spouses], teach our children, and even care for our bodies.
Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ (Russell M. Nelson, We Can Do Better and Be Better, April, 2019 General Conference)
The question is whether we will repent. Whether we will accept the invitation of the Savior to “change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our [spouses], teach our children, even care for our bodies.” When we are determined to follow Christ with full purpose of heart and real intent we are determined to change whatever of our desires, thoughts, actions, and words is necessary to align with God’s will at all times, in all places, in all things—just like the Savior did (see Mosiah 18:9). This is how we follow him. The only exception noted in the Book of Mormon is for “little children” who “need no repentance, neither baptism” because they are not “accountable” (see Mormon 8:10-15). However, once we are of accountable capacity our life should be marked by choices to change—to repent.
In addition to repenting, Nephi calls us to witness “unto the Father that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ, by baptism.” We get a key insight into what “the name of Christ means” from Alma’s instruction to Zeezrom. He explained that God called “on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid)...(Alma 12:33).” The “name of Christ” is shorthand for “the plan of redemption.” Therefore, when we take upon ourselves the name of Christ through baptism and reaffirm that covenant by partaking of the sacrament, we are agreeing to participate in the plan of salvation ourselves through repentance and baptism, and to help others do the same. The label is not enough. We must not only be known as Christians by name, but we must be engaged in Christ’s work—the work of salvation through faith in Christ unto repentance and baptism (Alma 32: 21; 34:15-16).
The promised blessing when we follow the Son is the same as the Father gave the Son—that we will “receive the Holy Ghost,” which includes “the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.” With this gift we can, “speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel” ( 2 Nephi 31:13). We can faithfully walk the covenant path.
However, Nephi reminds us that “After [we] have repented of [our] sins, and witnessed unto the Father that [we] are willing to keep [His] commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny [Christ], it would have been better for [us] that [we] had not known [Him]” (v 14). This is one of the more stern declarations of the Savior in holy writ. These are not words with which we should trifle. To provide the ultimate emphasis to the Son’s declaration, Nephi again quotes the Father, “Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved” (v 15). Those who choose otherwise do not receive the same reward as The Son.
What does Nephi conclude from all this? “...unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved” (v 16). It is not enough to know of Christ and his example. We must follow the example of the Son”to the end.” Our recognition of Christ must evolve to adoration, but then mature to emulation through faith and repentance. Therefore, Nephi calls us to action—“do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost” (v 17).
Learning the gospel is more than simply acquiring gospel stories, facts, and figures or memorizing a handful of scriptures to be quoted on demand as though we are preparing for a quiz or game show. No, when it comes to gospel knowledge it is to be acted upon, it is to be applied in our own lives, it is to shape all that we desire, think, say, and do, and we are to help others do the same. As the Savior taught, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17). Of primary importance is the application of gospel knowledge to repent and walk the covenant path, starting with baptism, and to help others do the same. The promise is healing, comforting, liberating, strengthening, and protecting by Christ for ourselves and all others when we do so.
When we have done as Nephi has instructed and received God’s word and sincerely decided to follow the example of the Son by repenting and being baptized, by which we make sacred covenants, we are then “in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life.” Actually, we “have entered in by the gate; [we] have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and [we] have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if [we] entered in by the way [we] should receive” (v 18).
Lest we think that simply repenting and being baptized and receiving the Holy Ghost means we are done and can relax, Nephi asks another crucial question. “...after [we] have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?” Once again, Nephi’s answer is an emphatic “Nay.” Why? We “have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save” (v 19). Therefore, we “must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ” along the covenant path. It is not enough to make covenants, we must walk the covenant path by keeping our covenants—heeding gospel principles and the covenants we have made as we go about our daily lives.
As we press forward we are to have “a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.” We are to be beacons of hope and love as we reflect the light received from heaven through us to others who may have less hope and love for God and others. Why such hope and love? Because as we increasingly receive and live God’s word we become more and more determined to repent and make and keep sacred covenants. Doing so demonstrates our love of God and prepares us to better love others. Therefore, if we “press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (v 20).
In conclusion, Nephi declares, “this is the way.” Feasting on God’s word, demonstrating our faith by deciding to repent, thereby aligning ourselves with his word, making sacred covenants and remaining faithful to these covenants as we go about life, with hope and love for God and all His children—“this is the way.” Lest we miss the point, Nephi declares, “and there is none other way nor name [work of salvation] given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.” Again, it is good to remember that the name of Christ is another way of saying, the work of Christ—the work of redemption, salvation, and exaltation (see Alma 12:33). Nephi then concludes, “this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (v 21).
What are we to derive from all this in terms of correct principles by which we can abide in our daily choices? I would offer a the following, while inviting you to make your own list from the verses we have reviewed in this writing:
We are to seek for and receive God’s word
As we learn God’s word we will see the need to make changes—we will need to repent
As we repent we will want to make and keep sacred covenants, starting with baptism, and the weekly renewing of those covenants through worthily partaking of the sacrament, so we remember God and the covenant path
We must walk the covenant path without hypocrisy, with hope, with love for God (see John 14:15) and others. As we do so, God will bless us with the companionship of the Holy Ghost, which will invite us to learn more, repent more, covenant more, receive more, learn more, repent more, covenant more...filling us with hope and love as we do so.
As I have chosen to live true to these precepts I am much happier and hopeful than before, and my love for God and others grows. I want to show my love for God by becoming more repentant and better keeping His commandments. And I want to show my love for others by helping them do the same. When I choose otherwise I am less authentic, have less love of God and others, and less hope. As we learn from both Lehi’s and Nephi’s visions of the tree, we can all wander from the path. Nephi is trying to help us find, re-find, and stay on the covenant path. Hence, he declares, “this is the way.” I join my witness with Nephi that “this is the way.”
No comments:
Post a Comment