As a follow-up to my last post, I would like to share some of what I understand about the doctrine of Christ. There is a lot that I feel to share. I’m likely to forget some of it. When I remember things, I will edit this series of posts on the doctrine of Christ. They will be a work in progress, so you might want to revisit them from time to time.
Chapters 31 and 32 of 2 Nephi are two of my most favorite chapters in all of scripture. Nephi’s writings in these two chapters are simply priceless. Imagine, for just a moment, being in Nephi’s place: you are older and approaching death; you are fully aware of the future of your posterity (and it’s not good); you have spent a good portion of your life creating and engraving metal plates to pass down a record of your history to what will be a mostly ungrateful posterity who will reject what is written on them; you are running out of both space on those plates and time here on earth; and you want to write what will be of most worth to whomever may read and take to heart what you choose to write in what little space remains.
1 And now I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things, which I know must surely come to pass; neither can I write but a few of the words of my brother Jacob.
2 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.
With the beginning of this chapter, Nephi’s prophesying in the previous chapters (his expounding of Isaiah) comes to a close, as do the few included writings of his brother, Jacob. Could Nephi have continued prophesying? Undoubtedly, but he doesn’t. A finite world requires an end to things. With the remaining space, he “must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ.” Why “must” he? Must be important. Not only that, but he says that he is going to speak “plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying.” What does he mean by this?
Isaiah’s writings are filled with prophecies that not only applied to ancient Israel, but that also apply to our day. They are not easy to understand because Isaiah’s imagery only makes sense to those who are either familiar with Israelite culture and thought or who have the spirit of prophecy (see 2 Nephi 26:1-9).
The doctrine of Christ is similar. It is couched in much of ancient scripture and ritual. However, because we are not well-versed in ancient culture or symbolism, we have a difficult time seeing it. Nephi knows this, and, because he knows how fundamental the doctrine of Christ is, he lays it out for us in plainness.
Knowing that he takes the time to lay the doctrine of Christ out in plainness on the last few plates that he has at the end of his life should tell us something about how Nephi feels about this important subject. I cannot emphasize enough how important the doctrine of Christ is. It is Gospel 101. It is the basis for a life of Christ-centered discipleship. You, literally, cannot be a disciple of Christ without it. The doctrine of Christ is a topic so simple that its application can be understood by little children, and so rich and full of potentiality that, when fully, intentionally, and continuously implemented, it invariably leads to eternal life.
3 For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.
I love this scripture! It’s like this little vignette in the chapter that gives us some insights into the Lord’s heart and into the heart of his servants. “The Lord God giveth light unto the understanding.” So do his servants. And they delight in it—in spite of what it costs them to impart that understanding to others.
4 Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world.
And, here we go. Nephi reminds us of his account of Christ’s baptism (see 1 Nephi 11:27). It is an important thing to recall. There are many who debate the “necessity” of baptism. They would do well to note that an account of Christ’s baptism is made in each of the four gospels, in addition to Nephi’s account in the Book of Mormon. Five witnesses right there. Why?
5 And now, 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!
6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?
7 Know ye not that he was holy? But 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.
I’m not actually going to go into these verses in detail in this post. You can find details in another blogpost that I wrote about this here. In short, we are commanded to be baptized. Baptism is a commandment that is specific and set apart to demonstrate our willingness to be obedient to all of God’s other commandments. Christ was baptized as a witness of his willingness to obey all of the Father’s commandments and our baptism should witness the same. For Christ, what did that level of willingness yield? Nothing less than complete obedience to the Father. Our level of willingness should yield the same in order for us to honestly claim that we follow him.
8 Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.
An observable sign was given to testify of the Holy Ghost’s descending upon Christ as a result of his obedience to the specific command of being baptized.
9 And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.
10 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?
Here we are introduced to concepts of a path and a gate. It is unwavering obedience that makes the path strait. Baptism is a narrow gate because it is a clearly prescribed command that we are to obey in order to witness our willingness to obey all of God’s other clearly prescribed commands.
11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.
12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: 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.
These verses are fascinating to me for several reasons, but here we have Nephi recounting the Father’s command for us to be baptized in the name of his Son and the Son’s promise to us that, when we are baptized in his name, the Father will give us the Holy Ghost just as he did to Christ. The sign of the dove mentioned in verse 8 served as a witness to others that the gift of the Holy Ghost is, indeed, the consequence of full submission to God. When we become fully submissive, and with the gift of the Holy Ghost, Christ can lead us to do all the things that he does.
Faith, repentance, baptism by immersion, gift of the Holy Ghost, enduring to the end—these are, indeed, the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. We exercise faith in Christ when we hear, believe, and act upon the information that Christ has something to offer us that is better than what we have now. Repentance is a fruit of faith in Christ. It is submission to him and a complete turning away from that which does not improve us in Christ. Repentance leads to baptism by immersion in the name of Christ. The reception of the Holy Ghost—the promised blessing of true repentance and of initially conforming the image of our spirit to the image of Christ’s spirit—prepares a person to truly follow Jesus and to do the things that he does.