Scripture Study Insights - week seven
2 Nephi 25
Some keys to understanding Isaiah:
· Understand Jewish prophesying and culture
· Have the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10)
· Live in the last days
· Use Nephi’s explanations
It takes both grace and works to be saved. Don’t harden hearts. “The right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not.” (repeated twice!) “I have spoken plainly that ye cannot misunderstand.” That’s a lofty goal for all of our communication.
2 Nephi 26
Christ gives us words which we should follow or do. The proud and wicked will burn. The righteous – those who look to Christ with steadfastness - shall not perish. Destruction comes when we cease to have the Spirit with us. Developing charity helps us want to labor for Zion and help ALL come to Christ.
2 Nephi 27
God is a god of miracles. He is unchanging and omniscient.
2 Nephi 28
Wo unto the wise and the learned and the rich and the proud. Beware of Satan’s tools of not only dissension and anger, but flattery and pacification. God is always waiting for the repentant soul. Christ should be our foundation. We are given knowledge little by little – what we do with that knowledge determines what will be given to us in the future.
2 Nephi 29
The Book of Mormon contains God’s words. There are other records as well. Will we be prepared to accept them when they are made known to us? “I command all men to write the words which I speak unto them.” How am I doing at recording (writing) the words God speaks to me?
President Hinckley taught: “Emma was to be a teacher. She was to be a teacher of righteousness and truth. For the Lord said concerning this calling to her, “thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost, and thy time shall be given to writing, and to learning much.” (D&C 25:8) … To you women of today, who are old or young, may I suggest that you write, that you keep journals, that you express your thoughts on paper. Writing is a great discipline. It is a tremendous educational effort. It will assist you in various ways, and you will bless the lives of many—your families and others—now and in the years to come, as you put on paper some of your experiences and some of your musings.”
2 Nephi 30
Nephi testifies of the Book of Mormon. I do too.
2 Nephi 31
God speaks according to our understanding. We receive “line upon line, precept upon precept” (D&C 98:12). The doctrine of Christ is to follow him and do what he does – faith, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost, endure to the end.
2 Nephi 32
Answers question of “What should I do after baptism?” 1) study the scriptures, 2) pray always, and 3) listen to the Spirit.
2 Nephi 33
Elder Gerald Lund said - Nephi taught, “When a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men.” Elder David A. Bednar noted the use of the word unto: “Please notice how the power of the Spirit carries the message unto but not necessarily into the heart. … Ultimately, … the content of a message and the witness of the Holy Ghost penetrate into the heart only if a receiver allows them to enter.” Why just unto the heart? Individual agency is so sacred that Heavenly Father will never force the human heart, even with all His infinite power. Man may try to do so, but God does not. To put it another way, God allows us to be the guardians, or the gatekeepers, of our own hearts. We must, of our own free will, open our hearts to the Spirit, for He will not force Himself upon us.
My words are written to persuade you to do good, to learn of your fathers (or mothers), to believe in Christ, and endure to the end. (2 Nephi 33:4)
Some keys to understanding Isaiah:
· Understand Jewish prophesying and culture
· Have the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10)
· Live in the last days
· Use Nephi’s explanations
It takes both grace and works to be saved. Don’t harden hearts. “The right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not.” (repeated twice!) “I have spoken plainly that ye cannot misunderstand.” That’s a lofty goal for all of our communication.
2 Nephi 26
Christ gives us words which we should follow or do. The proud and wicked will burn. The righteous – those who look to Christ with steadfastness - shall not perish. Destruction comes when we cease to have the Spirit with us. Developing charity helps us want to labor for Zion and help ALL come to Christ.
2 Nephi 27
God is a god of miracles. He is unchanging and omniscient.
2 Nephi 28
Wo unto the wise and the learned and the rich and the proud. Beware of Satan’s tools of not only dissension and anger, but flattery and pacification. God is always waiting for the repentant soul. Christ should be our foundation. We are given knowledge little by little – what we do with that knowledge determines what will be given to us in the future.
2 Nephi 29
The Book of Mormon contains God’s words. There are other records as well. Will we be prepared to accept them when they are made known to us? “I command all men to write the words which I speak unto them.” How am I doing at recording (writing) the words God speaks to me?
President Hinckley taught: “Emma was to be a teacher. She was to be a teacher of righteousness and truth. For the Lord said concerning this calling to her, “thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost, and thy time shall be given to writing, and to learning much.” (D&C 25:8) … To you women of today, who are old or young, may I suggest that you write, that you keep journals, that you express your thoughts on paper. Writing is a great discipline. It is a tremendous educational effort. It will assist you in various ways, and you will bless the lives of many—your families and others—now and in the years to come, as you put on paper some of your experiences and some of your musings.”
2 Nephi 30
Nephi testifies of the Book of Mormon. I do too.
2 Nephi 31
God speaks according to our understanding. We receive “line upon line, precept upon precept” (D&C 98:12). The doctrine of Christ is to follow him and do what he does – faith, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost, endure to the end.
2 Nephi 32
Answers question of “What should I do after baptism?” 1) study the scriptures, 2) pray always, and 3) listen to the Spirit.
2 Nephi 33
Elder Gerald Lund said - Nephi taught, “When a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men.” Elder David A. Bednar noted the use of the word unto: “Please notice how the power of the Spirit carries the message unto but not necessarily into the heart. … Ultimately, … the content of a message and the witness of the Holy Ghost penetrate into the heart only if a receiver allows them to enter.” Why just unto the heart? Individual agency is so sacred that Heavenly Father will never force the human heart, even with all His infinite power. Man may try to do so, but God does not. To put it another way, God allows us to be the guardians, or the gatekeepers, of our own hearts. We must, of our own free will, open our hearts to the Spirit, for He will not force Himself upon us.
My words are written to persuade you to do good, to learn of your fathers (or mothers), to believe in Christ, and endure to the end. (2 Nephi 33:4)
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