Lesson Highlights

• Nephi teaches of the doctrine of Christ.
• Nephi teaches that we must press forward and endure to the end.
• Nephi speaks of the importance of feasting on the words of Christ.
• Nephi declares that people will believe his words if they believe in Christ.

Scripture references for study:  2 Nephi 31–33
    Note: Underlined scripture references have been hyperlinked to the LDS Scriptures at LDS.org and will open in a new window.

Lesson 11 Handout (PDF format)

The Doctrine of Christ - 2 Nephi 31

1. A study of the scriptures can be a great challenge. As we read the scriptures we often struggle to understand their meaning. We may even turn to scholarly commentaries, even though the best of scholars differ in their understanding.
1. Brother Joseph F. McConkie: "Some have responded to such difficulties by avoiding the challenge. They are satisfied to depend on interpretations given by others, particularly if the commentary comes from a prominent person. The thought seems to be that all interpretation and meaningful insights will come from a selected few while the rest of us are to depend on their understanding; and that when we are called upon to speak or teach, we are to confine ourselves primarily to weaving together quotations from those commissioned to understand." (Studies In Scripture, 7:162-163)
2. I suppose the great irony is to quote a scholar to make this point. Nonetheless, we are often guilty of leaning on the study and understanding of others in an effort to achieve understanding.
3. One of the great things about the Book of Mormon is the assurance that we all may know and understand the doctrines of salvation.
4. WHAT IS NECESSARY TO GAIN TRUE UNDERSTANDING?
• Faith, sincerity, righteousness, and obedience.
• We all have equal claim to these things. We do not need a degree from a divinity school. We do not have to have visited holy sites around the world. The humblest person, in the most remote part of the world, has as much claim on true understanding as the greatest scholar.
5. This chapter contains a discourse by Nephi that is without equal in the entire Standard Works in terms of plainness and clarity. Those who apply these simple ingredients (faith, sincerity, righteousness, and obedience) to this chapter has claim on the greatest treasure man can obtain.

The Savior Is Our Example In All Things

1. "Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying." (2 Nephi 31:2)
2. READ 2 NEPHI 31:4-5. Jesus baptized to fulfill all righteousness.
• WHAT DOES NEPHI MEAN WHEN HE SAYS THAT THE LORD WAS BAPTIZED TO "FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS"?
• In being baptized Christ fulfilled "all righteousness" in that:
• He humbled himself before the Father.
• He covenanted to be obedient and keep the Father's commandment.
• He had to be baptized to gain admission to the celestial kingdom.
• He set an example for all men to follow.
      (see 2 Nephi 31:6-10)
• Christ was not given a separate set of commandments from the rest of us. He followed the same path that we must follow to gain eternal life and exaltation.
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE RIGHTEOUS?
• It is not simply the absence of evil or impropriety.
• It is actively seeking of the mind and will of the Father.
• Full compliance once that knowledge has been obtained.
• Christ, in being absolutely obedient to the will of the Father, truly fulfilled all righteousness.
• Christ is our example in all things. All we have to do is to get on the path and follow Him.
• Can we not fulfill all righteousness in our own lives by repenting and following the Savior into the waters of baptism and entering into a covenant to do all that the Father would have us do?
• Nephi wrote that the Father commands us to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (v11).
• Jesus says to "...follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do" (v12).
• Nephi counsels us:
• If we truly repent and are baptized we shall receive the Holy Ghost (v13).
• If you do this and deny the Son it would have been "better for you that ye had not known me" (v14).
• He that endures to the end shall be saved (v15).
• Follow the example of the Savior (v17).
• The Master has scouted the trail ahead and has prepared it for our passage. All we have to do is get on the path and follow him.
• Baptism in the name of the Son, with its attendant covenants, is the gate to the path.
• Nephi counsels us as to what we must do after we have made our way onto the path:
• READ 2 NEPHI 31:19-20.
• WHAT DOES NEPHI TELL US WE MUST DO? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DO THESE THINGS?
1. Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ.

    Nephi talks about the path. All paths eventually lead somewhere. The path Nephi describes leads to eternal life.
    The dictionary defines "steadfast" to be "fixed in direction; steadily directed: a steadfast gaze....  firm in purpose, resolution, faith, etc." (Random House Webster's College Dictionary 1996, p1308). If one's goal is to reach the summit of a mountain, one needs to keep his or her focus on the end goal, not be easily distracted, or give into fatigue. In 2003, while traveling in Utah, my thirteen year old daughter and I attempted a climb of Mount Timpanogos in Utah County. We started early in the morning and steadfastly made our way up the trail from the base at Aspen Grove. About half-way to the summit, my daughter decided that the hike was too difficult and wanted to turn back. I persuaded her to continue up the trail to Emerald Lake, about six miles up the trail. Once there I could not convince her to go a step further. After taking a break we turned back. My daughter bounded down the trail with renewed energy. I felt my lack of conditioning and dragged myself back to the car. My daughter clearly had the ability and strength to go the distance (I'm not sure I did, but I wasn't about to admit it).  She was distracted by the challenge and a little fatigue. She was not steadfast in her resolution or purpose to reach the summit.
    On the path of eternal life, we need to be steadfast. Steadfast in what? Steadfast in following the example of Christ and in keeping our focus on him and our ultimate goal. There are many attractive distractions in our life. We cannot be distracted. We cannot become so weary with life's challenges that we give up. If we do not hang in there, we will be as Alma so clearly states, "...if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed" (Alma 34:33).
    Elder Neal A. Maxwell: "The idea or imagery of pressing forward suggests, therefore, earnestness and energy and not a passive stroll in the general direction of Home and Him. The imagery also emphasizes a direction—forward—not side trips and detours. Detours don't have to be bad to have a bad effect—they always cost us time. They may also mean that we were not there to help a fellow traveler who needed us as he stumbled. Pressing forward suggests an enthusiastic, relentless progress along the path, 'with a steadfastness in Christ' (2 Nephi 31:20) being part of the imagery." (Wherefore Ye Must Press Forward, p34)
2. Having a perfect brightness of hope.

    Along the path to eternal life, the road can seem long and difficult. We must maintain a "brightness of hope" especially when discouraged. Christ is that hope. It is he who clears the path and makes it possible to continue forward.
    Brother James K. Lyon: "The concept of hope plays a vital role in Latter-day Saint thought. Firmly centered in Christ and his resurrection, it is the 'hope of eternal life' (Titus 1:2) repeatedly alluded to by Paul. It is the opposite of the despair found among those who are 'without Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world' (Eph. 2:12). As the Book of Mormon prophet Moroni writes, 'If ye have no hope, ye must needs be in despair' (Moro. 10:22). For those, however, who accept Christ's Atonement and resurrection, there comes a 'brightness of hope' (2 Ne. 31:20) through which all who believe in God 'might with surety hope for a better world' (Ether 12:4)." (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, p656)
3. Love of God and all men.

    This is the action part of the path.  Our love for God is demonstrated as we keep his commandments and seek to do his will. "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Our love of God is further demonstrated when we reach out and serve our fellow men. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40).
4. Feast upon the word of Christ.

    Are you feasting upon His words today? Elder Neal A. Maxwell: "For some Church members the Book of Mormon remains unread.Others use it occasionally as if it were merely a handy book of quotations. Still others accept and read it but do not really explore and ponder it. The book is to be feasted upon, not nibbled." (But for a Small Moment, p28)
5. Endure to the end.

    If we were to enter a path which led to the top of a tall mountain, there might come times when we became discouraged, tired, or lose our focus on the goal and become become distracted.  Such was the case when my daughter and I attempted our mountain climb. Then comes a time of hanging in there. A time of not only being "steadfast", but just sticking to the path and pushing on one step at a time.
    I am reminded the running of my first marathon several  years ago. The first twenty miles were not easy and I worked through some physical challenges. Just past the twenty-mile mark I hit the proverbial wall. I no longer had the strength to continue the race at the same pace. In fact, with six miles to go, I wondered if I would reach the finish line at all. I continued forward, one step at a time, sometimes walking, sometimes jogging slowly. I was "enduring to the end" of the race. Enduring to me suggests times that are difficult, such as I encountered in the last miles of the marathon. It suggests a time when we continue to push forward one step at a time. To use modern terminology, a time of "hanging in there."
    The path to eternal life is a long one. We sometimes become weary. Paul understood this when he said, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6:9). We need to remain "steadfast" with our focus on Christ. We need to take one step at a time along the path. We cannot just leap ahead. King Benjamin reminds us, "And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order" (Mosiah 4:27).
    Elder Neal A. Maxwell: "Enduring is more than lasting, however: we are to 'endure it well' and to endure it 'valiantly' (D&C 121:8, 29). By taking Jesus' yoke upon us and enduring, we learn most deeply of Him and especially how to be like Him (see Matthew 11:29). Even though our experiences are micro compared to His, the process is the same." (Men and Women of Christ, pp68-69)
• Joseph Smith: "After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints." (TPJS, p150)
3. VERSE 21 AGAIN MAKES REFERENCE TO THE "DOCTRINE OF CHRIST." WHAT IS THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST? HOW WOULD YOU SUM IT UP?
• To repent and follow the example of the Savior in all things by being baptized and covenanting with the Father to do His will, to receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end.

2 Nephi 32

1. Nephi says, "I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts that which ye should do after ye have entered in the way"
(v1).
• He continues, "Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do" (v3).
• I believe that reading and studying the Book of Mormon, more than any other book, will teach one how to feast upon the words of Christ and will keep that person on the path to eternal life.


    If you are struggling in life,
    If your testimony is weak,
    If you feel temptation pulling,
    Drench yourself in the living waters of the Book of Mormon.
 
2. "And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be."
(2 Nephi 32:7)
• It would appear that Nephi was going to write more, but he said that "the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance."
• WHY DO WE NOT HAVE MORE OF THE WORDS OF NEPHI?
• Some reasons:
• Unbelief.
• Wickedness.
• Ignorance and stiffneckedness.
• An unwillingness to search the scriptures or try to understand them, even when it is given in plainness.
• Nephi has counseled us to "feast upon the words of Christ." As Elder Maxwell stated, the scriptures are to be "feasted upon, not nibbled." Why should we be given more, when we are still "nibbling" on what we have? Why would anyone go to the effort of preparing a feast, just to have a few people nibble? We will receive more when we are feasting upon what we have and striving with all our hearts to abide by the principles taught therein.
3. The battle between good and evil.
• In Lesson 10 we talked about the ongoing battle between the forces of good and evil. We touched on some of the tools of the adversary.
• Nephi says, "For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray" (v8).
• The goal of the adversary is to separate men from God.
• If we do not pray, we are heeding the call of Satan.  Without communion with the Father, we cannot enjoy the fruits of the Spirit.
• The promise regarding the Book of Mormon requires us to speak with God.
• Without so doing we cannot know of its truth and we will not be blessed by the power of the "words of Christ."

2 Nephi 33

1. Nephi makes a passionate conclusion to his writings - a testimony of its source.
2. Nephi states that he cannot write all the things that were taught among his people (v1).
• He also says that he is not mighty in writing, like unto speaking. If Nephi is a greater teacher than speaker, can you imagine what it would be like to have him for a Sunday School teacher? Nephi's writings are some of the most clear, concise, and inspiring writings from any prophet. What an experience it must have been to sit at his feet and be taught.
3. READ 2 NEPHI 33:3-5. The words of Nephi are of great worth.
• The words of this book persuade men to do good, believe in Jesus, and endure to the end.
• "...no man will be angry at the words which I have written save he shall be of the spirit of the devil" (v3).
4. READ 2 NEPHI 33:10-11.
• If you believe in Christ, you will believe in these words.
5. Nephi's final witness.
• "And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the voice of one crying from the dust: Farewell until that great day shall come.
And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall condemn you at the last day. For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey.  Amen." (2 Nephi 33:13-15)

Gospel Doctrine Notebook

1. Record your thoughts on the teachings of Nephi as discussed in this lesson. In what ways can you follow his counsel to "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men"?

Resources Used In This Lesson

• But for a Small Moment by Neal A. Maxwell.
• Encyclopedia of Mormonism.
• Men and Women of Christ by Neal A. Maxwell.
• Studies In Scripture, vol. 7,  edited by Kent P. Jackson.
• Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (TPJS).
• Wherefore Ye Must Press Forward by Neal A. Maxwell.

Next Lesson

Lesson 12:  Jacob 1–4