Book of Mormon Commentary CofC - Odessa, Missouri Community ...

Book of Mormon Commentary
Mormon Chapter 4
change or vary from time to time. It seems logical for people to believe that all things will
continue as they have been. It is difficult to believe in something one has never experienced (II
Pet. 3:3,4).
AN OMNIPOTENT GOD TO JUDGE MEN, VER. 70-103
Mormon 4:73 And they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being
redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death;
Because Christ went through the experience of mortality, he bridged the gulf to eternal life by his
resurrection. The phenomenon we call death was for Christ of short duration, hence temporal. Our
stay in the grave will be of longer duration, but nonetheless temporal, because it will have an end
in our resurrection to participate in eternal life. While all shall come forth from the grave (1
Cor.15:22), not all shall be permitted to enter celestial glory to live with God. After the judgment,
"he that is filthy, shall be filthy still" (Mn. 4:74). Death has no magic by which the wicked or
filthy shall be transmuted into righteous and happy persons.
Moroni again speaks of God's omnipotence. "By the power of his word, man was created of the
dust of the earth." And by that same power "hath miracles been wrought" (78). Jesus Christ and
the apostles did many miracles. God cannot cease to perform miracles "and yet be an
unchangeable being" (79- 82). But the time may come when miracles shall cease because men
have changed. When "they dwindle in unbelief, and de- part from the right way," then God will
withdraw his Spirit (83).
Mormon 4:86 Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; and he that believeth
and is baptized, shall be saved, but he that believeth not, shall be damned.
"But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11.6). "These signs shall follow
them that believe" (Mn. 4:87; Mark 16:16). Signs through gifts and miracles are not given to
convince doubters, but to confirm the believer (Mn. 4:88).
Mormon 4:93 Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all
your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.
"Strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not that ye may consume it on your lusts" (94). "See that
ye are not baptized unworthily." True repentance must precede baptism. No one should resolve to
test the Lord by being baptized as an experiment to see if anything unusual will happen. The
sacraments of God are not to be trifled with.
"See that ye partake not of the sacrament of Christ unworthily" (95). This refers to those
participating in the Communion who know they have not complied with the laws of preparation,
and who do not fully intend to witness a willingness to "take upon them the name of thy Son
[Christ], and always remember him and keep his commandments" (D. and C. 17:22d).