The Nephite Beatitudes, Part II

Just a quick commercial for the Scriptures: CD-ROM Edition 1.1. The price is right, the word-search is really good, 12 different languages, and I really like the notes feature...

Anyhow, back at the ranch...

3. "Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (3 Nephi 12:3)

The Greek renders it better (in my opinion) as "spiritual beggars" rather than "poor in spirit".

"For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have…?" (Mosiah 4:19)

So, we need to recognize our own spiritual dependence on the Lord, but that is only the first part. The second, and most vital, part is the phrase that was left out of the Matthew account, "...who come unto me...". What good is it to recognize your spiritual dependence if you do nothing about it?

The Savior's invitation "come unto me" is repeated more often in the Book of Mormon than any other book of scripture. Christ bids us to "come unto me" so we can:
-find rest (Matt 11:28)
-drink of the Living Water (John 7:37)
-receive of His mercy (2 Nephi 28:32)
-receive the place prepared for us in the mansions of the Father (Enos 1:27)
-receive eternal life (3 Nephi 9:14, Ether 4:18, Moroni 7:34, D&C 45:5)
-be healed (3 Nephi 18:32)
-be numbered among His people (3 Nephi 21:6)
-be sanctified by the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 27:20)
-receive a remission of your sins (3 Nephi 30:2)
-receive hidden knowledge (Ether 4:13)
-be shown our weaknesses in order to be made strong (Ether 12:27)

The Lord does not expect us to do something without first showing us how to do it. So how do we come unto Christ?

"Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day." (3 Nephi 27:20)

Notice in the scriptures the Lord never invites us to "come unto me" to be chastised or punished.

4. "And again, blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." (3 Nephi 12:4)

This one may not make sense either. What's so great about being depressed? Are we supposed to be sad all the time? Isn't the Gospel the 'good news'? The "plan of happiness" (Alma 42:8)? So why are the mourners so blessed?

Let's look at the scriptural examples of those who mourn:
-Nephi mourned because of the unbelief and wickedness of others (2 Nephi 32:7)
-The people of Limhi mourned because of their own afflictions (Mosiah 7:23)
-Alma the Elder taugh we should mourn with those that mourn (Mosiah 18:9)
-Alma the Younger taught we would mourn over our unrighteous works (Alma 5:36)
-He also taught his son to let his sins trouble him "with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance" (Alma 42:29). Elder Richard G. Scott referred to this as "healing sorrow" (Gen Conf, April 1995).
-The Nephites mourned several times over the loss of family members due to wars, famine, or natural disasters (see Alma 28:12, 3 Nephi 8:23-25)

So why should any of those examples make us feel blessed? There is no inherent blessing in just mourning. I believe the key is found in Doctrine & Covenants 136:29, "...if thou art sorrowful, call on the Lord thy God with supplication, that your souls may be joyful."

Just as being poor in spirit profers us nothing without coming unto Christ, so mourning brings us no blessing without also turning to the Lord. As an example, when Alma and his followers were subjected to harsh burdens from the Lamanites, they turned to God, who "did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord." (Mosiah 24:15)

Therein lies the blessing. If our mourning leads us to the Savior, then we too can be strengthened to bear whatever burden we are called to carry. Christ suffered "pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind... that his bowels may be filled with mercy... that he may know ... how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12)

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, "We can confidently cast our cares upon the Lord because, through the agonizing events of Gethsemane and Calvary, atoning Jesus is already familiar with our sins, sicknesses, and sorrows. He can carry them now because He has successfully carried them before." (General Conference, Oct 1987).

How comforting it is to know that there is nothing we can experience in mortality that Christ has not already experienced on our behalf. And because of His experience, he knows perfectly how to comfort and strengthen us as we go through our own experience.

The Nephite Beatitudes, Part I

Look at me, getting the lesson material up before Sunday's lesson (3 Nephi 12-15)...

Here, Christ gives the Nephites the equivalent to the Sermon on the Mount with a few subtle differences that give more light and meaning to the original version (like to which audience He was speaking and when, the chosen 12 or the multitude in general). I don't have room to go through all of it, so I'll just focus on the beatitudes.

I don't think many people recognize the first two as actually being part of the beatitudes, but they fit the pattern.

1. "...Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am." (3 Nephi 12:1)

God has again called and authorized servants in our day. We are led by a living prophet and 12 apostles. The promise applies as much to us in our day that if we will heed their words, "I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost."

Wilford Woodruff once taught that, "the very moment that men in this kingdom attempt to run ahead or cross the path of their leaders, no matter in what respect, the moment they do this they are in danger of being injured by the wolves. ... I have never in my life known it to fail." (Journal of Discourses 5:83)

There is safety and security in following the counsel and direction from the Lord's prophet, for "whether by [God's] voice or the voice of [His] servants, it is the same." (D&C 1:38)

2. "And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins." (3 Nephi 12:2)

This one confused me a bit, but I think I'm starting to catch on. Initially, it almost sounds like Christ is saying it's better to have 2nd-hand knowledge than 1st-hand experience, but I don't think that's where He's going with this.

There are several examples in the scriptures of those who fell away after seeing miracles, angels, or other manifestations. Laman and Lemuel heard the voice of God and saw an angel, but still couldn't soften their hearts. On the other hand, the wife of King Lamoni believed her husband would rise again simply because Ammon said so. "...I have had no witness save thy word... nevertheless I believe that it shall be according as thou hast said.

"And Ammon said unto her: Blessed art thou because of thy exceeding faith; I say unto thee, woman, there has not been such great faith among all the people of the Nephites." (Alma 19:9-10)

Orson Pratt said: "If I had seen angels, I might doubt, without having the Holy Ghost. I might doubt if I had seen great miracles, without the Holy Ghost accompanying them; and I might doubt if I saw the heavens opened, if I heard the thunders roll; and I might go and build a golden calf and worship it: but when the Holy Ghost speaks to me and gives me a knowledge that this is the kingdom of God, so that I know it just as well as I know anything else, then that knowledge is past controversy." (Journal of Discourses 8:313)

So, as I understand this, we're being taught that the witness that comes from the Holy Ghost is more powerful than seeing signs or angels. "What greater witness can you have than from God?" (D&C 6:23)

Also enshrined in this beatitude is the charge to share our faith and testimony with others, "because that ye shall testify that .... ye know that I am."

"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)