Lesson 16: “Ye Shall Be Called the Children of Christ”

Mosiah 4-6

Purpose:To encourage class members to seek and maintain the “mighty change” of heart that comes through exercising faith in Jesus Christ.

Lesson Development:

1. King Benjamin’s people seek and receive a remission of their sins.
2. King Benjamin teaches his people how to live Christlike lives.
3. King Benjamin’s people experience a “mighty change” and covenant to do God’s will in all things.

SCRIPTURE DISCUSSION AND APPLICATION

Today we pick up where we left off last week, with King Benjamin addressing the great assembly of his people near the temple at Zarahemla. With the end of Chapter 3, Benjamin has just concluded a major section of his speech: He has taught the people what eternity will be like if they reject God, and what it will be like if they follow him, and, most importantly, he has taught them about the mission of Jesus Christ in mortality.

In Chapter 4, he will continue his address. But before he does, there is an important response from the crowd. We read of this response in Mosiah 4:1-3, lines that are not quotations from Benjamin’s speech. Whose words are these? [Mormon’s.] Mormon wasn’t there – he won’t be born for another 500 years – so he didn’t participate in these events. How would Mormon know what happened to be able to narrate it for us? [He read about these events from the large plates of Nephi and summarized/restated/quoted them for us; in some cases, perhaps, he might have seen certain important events in vision or received other forms of revelation; he understood Nephite culture because he was a part of it (allowing, of course, for changes that occurred over the course of 500 years; any other reasonable ideas suggested by class.] This reality of Mormon’s being the narrator, and how he knew what he recorded, is going to matter at some points in the future, so I’ll be asking this same question from time to time, so that we constantly realize what we are reading.

Let’s read Mosiah 4:1

1 And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them.

What is “fear” of the Lord? Benjamin has just preached that the torment of the damned “is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable” – have the people fainted because they are frightened of that picture? What else might it mean? [A TG footnote refers readers to the topic “Reverence” – is that a clue?] If a group of Latter-day Saints were suddenly overcome by the Spirit and a testimony of the presence and power of God, it’s not unreasonable to think that we might “fall to our knees” – would that mean our legs suddenly no longer worked properly? So what is going on here with the Nephites? [The likely are bowing in reverence and obedience before God, accepting his righteous judgment.]

Verse 2:

2 And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.

Earlier in his speech (Mosiah 1:11), Benjamin told the people that they were “a diligent people in keeping the commandments of the Lord.” Yet here they are, bowed to the ground and pleading for mercy. Is this the prayer of a people who have not been diligent in keeping the commandments? Is it a prayer of repentance, or something else?

Verse 3:

3 And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.

Then King Benjamin continues his speech, teaching the source of the peace and salvation they have just experienced. Let’s read verses 5 and 7, skipping the parenthetical verse 6 for the moment:

5 For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state— …

7 I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world.

Verse 6 details what a man must know and do in order to receive salvation. [Read, noting points on board]

6 I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body—

Know

God (power, wisdom, patience, long-suffering)
Atonement

Do

trust in the Lord
diligent in keeping commandments
continue in the faith

8 And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you.

I don’t see anything in this list about repentance, or baptism – does Benjamin simply ignore those details, or are they somehow included?

How does this compare to Nephi’s outline of the “doctrine of Christ” in 2 Nephi 31? (Repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, endure to the end)

Benjamin must really want his people to understand this point, because he repeats what he has just told them

9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

10 And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.

11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.

Believe/Know

in God (his existence)
he is Creator
he has all wisdom
he has all power
he understands more than we can

Do

repent
be humble before God
seek forgiveness
act as we believe

Why must we know and do each of these things? What is the evidence that we … [Go through list, discussing actions that evidence our belief and acceptance.]

*** Benjamin then tells us what will be the results of our belief and action. Notice that even though we often cite these verses as a list of commandments that we must keep, as Benjamin presents them they are actually the blessings, the end results of keeping the commandments:

12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.

13 And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due.

14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.

15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.

Let’s pick out some items from those verses and talk about them as blessings for keeping the commandments, not as commandments but as the reward for keeping the commandments. How is it a blessing to you, and what commandments are likely to bring that blessing – to grow in knowledge of God’s glory? to live peaceably? to care for your children? to take care of those in need of physical or economic help?

King Benjamin talks about one particular blessing at great length. As we read these verses, ask yourself why this is a blessing that comes to you as a result of keeping the commandments? What commandments bring this blessing?

16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—

18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.

22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.

23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world.

What do you have to know, and sincerely believe, and actually practice, in order to find joy in sharing your substance?

*** “Substance” clearly includes wealth – but do you have other gifts that might also be considered as “substance” for you to share for the benefit of others?

This blessing is available not only to those who have plenty and to spare. It is a blessing that is also available to people who have only enough to get by from day to day.

24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.

25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received.

And yet, even though the way Benjamin structures his sermon, the joy of giving is presented as a blessing for keeping the commandments, it is also a commandment, with its own blessing:

26 And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.

27 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.

By telling us that there are limits, or at least methods, to what we should give, is he giving us an “escape hatch” from this commandment? How do you know if you’re running faster than you have strength, or whether you’re using that as an excuse not to run at all?

Next comes a commandment that might seem a little out of place here:

28 And I would that ye should remember, that whosoever among you borroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he borroweth, according as he doth agree, or else thou shalt commit sin; and perhaps thou shalt cause thy neighbor to commit sin also.

How does an instruction about borrowing fit in with instructions about giving? How can you cause your neighbor to sin if you don’t return what you borrow?

29 And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.

30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

So many ways to sin! Numberless ways, in fact. What, then, is the only way to cope with sin and sinning in this world?