Tuesday, December 3, 2019

King Benjamin gives "The Sermon"

I found almost all of the elements of the collection of doctrines I refer to as "The Sermon" in Mosiah 3. You may recall this is a pattern I have identified in numerous other sermons in the Book of Mormon.  See this post for more details. Another interesting aspect is that these truths are all found in the temple endowment presentation as well as the scriptures.

What follows is a list of the 12 truths followed by the verses which declare that doctrine.  Mosiah 2 also contains additional examples of some of these truths, but to keep things simple I focused on chapter 3.


Foundational Truth: The plan was established before the foundation of the world, according to the knowledge of God.


5 ...the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity...(not a perfect fit, but there is a mention of a transcending of time)


Truth 1: The fall was brought about by Adam and Eve through transgression.


11 ...those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam...


Truth 2: The fall caused separation from God.


19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam,


Truth 3: The fall brought about temporal death.

(I couldn't find an example of this doctrine in this chapter.)

Truth 4:.Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice (intercession) brings meets the demands of justice and allows for mercy.


12 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.


Truth 5: Messengers are called to declare repentance to the children of Adam and Eve


2 And the things which I shall tell you are made known unto me by an angel from God. And he said unto me: Awake; and I awoke, and behold he stood before me.
3 And he said unto me: Awake, and hear the words which I shall tell thee; for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy.
...
13 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue...

Truth 6: Mortality is a probationary state/time.


19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.


Truth 7: The (merciful) Plan of Redemption


13 ...that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.


Truth 8: God gives His law to men in order to establish righteousness/happiness as opposed to punishment/misery.


14 Yet the Lord God saw that his people were a stiffnecked people, and he appointed unto them a law, even the law of Moses.
15 And many signs, and wonders, and types, and shadows showed he unto them, concerning his coming; and also holy prophets spake unto them concerning his coming; and yet they hardened their hearts, and understood not that the law of Moses availeth nothing except it were through the atonement of his blood.


Truth 9: Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all will be resurrected and brought to stand before God.


10 And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.


Truth 10: We will either be clean/clothed/crowned/bright/pure/spotless when we are brought to stand before God, or we won't be.


21 And behold, when that time cometh, none shall be found blameless before God, except it be little children, only through repentance and faith on the name of the Lord God Omnipotent.
24 ...they shall be judged, every man according to his works, whether they be good, or whether they be evil.


Truth 11: The wicked shall be filthy/condemned/chained/cut off when they stand before God (chains of darkness)

25 And if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless torment, from whence they can no more return; therefore they have drunk damnation to their own souls.
26 Therefore, they have drunk out of the cup of the wrath of God, which justice could no more deny unto them than it could deny that Adam should fall because of his partaking of the forbidden fruit; therefore, mercy could have claim on them no more forever.
27 And their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever.

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