Christ gives several sermons to the people. One of these sermons discusses works, a concept often misunderstood in other Christian denominations. Christ’s sermon in 3 Nephi 27 explains more about works and how they operate within the grace of Jesus Christ.

Building Christ’s Church

When Jesus visits the Americas, He spent quite a bit of time establishing His church among the people. He called apostles and demonstrated the sacrament. He instructs that the church needs to be in His name:

And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel. (3 Nephi 27:8)

Christ continues to say that “if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it” (27:10). If the people build the church upon the gospel of Jesus Christ, then Heavenly Father will be able to manifest His works through it. If, however, the people decide to build the church upon their own works and ideas, Christ says, “they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire.”

Why is it important that the true church be built on the gospel instead of on the works of men and women? This is crucial because men and women are fallible; the doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ, however, are perfect. Even though the church will be operated by imperfect people, the strength of the purity of the doctrines will compensate for our shortcomings. A church built upon our own works would fail and lead us away from God.

Our Works Are Important

Some Christian denominations disagree about which will get one to heaven: grace or works.The answer is both. We would have no chance of returning to Heavenly Father without the grace of Jesus Christ. Christ Himself explains His purpose in God’s plan:

And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil. (27:14)

So the Savior came to earth so that He can draw us unto Him, but our choices here still make a difference. Jesus Christ can’t save us if we don’t let Him, and the way by which we accept His grace is to pattern our lives after His.

We Accept Christ by Living His Commandments

I have a friend who thought that Mormons’ emphasis on works contradicted the grace of the Savior. She thought that by accepting Him you were automatically saved, that there were no further action to be taken to achieve salvation. This isn’t what the doctrine of Jesus Christ teaches us. When Christ was preaching to the people in the Book of Mormon, he said that “this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do” (27:21).

Christ did suffer for us and did atone for our sins, but that gift isn’t free. If we are to accept His infinite gift, we must do so upon His conditions, which are to live His commandments and strive to become like Him. That’s why our works are so important: our works are what demonstrate to the Savior who we are becoming and to what extent we accept His grace.

Jesus summed up this sermon in a simple sentence: “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (27:27). God certainly does not mean for us to earn our way to heaven; that would indeed contradict the plan of redemption. What He does intend, however, is for the depth of our conviction to be made manifest in how we live. This life is one of becoming, and if we are to be saved by Christ, we must accept Him by trying to become like Him. He will know our hearts and know of our intent. If we simply do the best we can, He will make up the rest and shape us so that one day we will be as He is.

The grace of Jesus Christ is amazing because it affects our souls. Christ’s grace is what allows us to change and choose and become. Our works operate in tandem with the Savior’s grace, allowing us to outwardly change and become like Him.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Arise and Come Forth

The story of Christ’s visit to the people of the Americas following His resurrection is so beautiful. In 3 Nephi 11:14, Christ stands before them, a resurrected being, and says “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.”

Though there is a very large group of people gathered, no one is denied the opportunity to spend a personal moment with their Savior. Verse 15 says, “And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come” (emphasis added).

Just as Christ invited the people living in the Americas in ancient times to come to Him one by one, He invites us today to come to Him personally. Despite the extremely large amount of people on this earth, He makes time for each one of us and cares for us deeply. Christ’s Atonement is not only infinite, extending to every human being, but intimate, catering to our every need and circumstance. We may often feel misunderstood or forgotten, but Christ truly understands our deepest hopes, sorrows, weaknesses, and desires. He will not leave us alone and continues to call out to us, “Arise and come forth unto me.”

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While studying here at BYU, I have the opportunity to participate in a religion class where we focus completely on the teachings of Jesus Christ throughout the Book of Mormon.  For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe the Book of Mormon is another work of scripture that we cherish and study along with the Bible. So, this past week as we have been studying the Book of Mormon, we have discussed a certain tenet of Christian theology: the condescension of God.  A main concept of the condescension of God is that Jesus Christ descended from Heaven to become a man and descend below man in order to exalt us mortals. This tenet is embraced throughout the entire world in Christian churches and teachings. However, not always is the tenet properly addressed.  Do we truly understand what it means that Jesus Christ descended from Heaven to become a man in order to exalt us? Do we truly understand what sacrifice, heartache, and pain our Savior had to go through by descending to earth and below man?

Jesus descended below all things for us.

Jesus Christ was mocked, humiliated, hurt, and ultimately killed by those who testified they were waiting for a Redeemer.  He is the Redeemer, but He allowed himself to be so defiled in order to save the entire world.  Jesus Christ prepared the way for all of us who have ever lived on the earth, and for those who have yet to be born to be able to repent of our sins and mistakes and become more like Him.  Christ descended below the strength of mortal men and undertook mental and physical abuse because He loves us all.  After His death, Jesus Christ overcame the grave and was resurrected to live again.  Because of that act, all of us may return to Heaven and live with Christ and our Heavenly Father again.

As we studied the concept of the condescension of God throughout the Book of Mormon here at BYU, I was basically hit in the head with the realization that Jesus Christ descended below any type of hurt, trouble, stress, or heartache I could ever feel, and that He knows exactly what it feels like; He knows all of my sorrows and knows exactly how to comfort me.  I am so grateful for a loving Savior and Heavenly Father.

By Erin H.

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Because of Christ’s Atonement we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again.

We as humans are not perfect. We all fall short of God’s glory, which prevents us from coming back to live in God’s presence. Fortunately for us, God provided a way for us to return to Him; He had His Son Jesus Christ come to earth, gain a body, and sacrifice Himself in order to bring back the rest of us. Prophets throughout the scriptures, including the Bible and Book of Mormon, have acted as witnesses of the coming and sacrifice of Christ: “And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world” (1 Nephi 11:33). In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ suffered for the sins of everyone who will ever live, and He then allowed Himself to be crucified. These actions performed by Christ are the two parts of the Atonement, which effectively overcome spiritual and physical death.

This sacred act allows us all to return to God again—but not automatically. I once heard an analogy illustrating this point: It’s as if you’re walking along and suddenly fall into a deep pit. The walls are steep and there’s no way you can get out without help. Looking up, you see a rope ladder slowly being lowered into the pit. It descends all the way to the bottom of the pit and hangs there, ready for use. This represents the Atonement. Christ descended below all of us to help us, but it is our choice to decide to take advantage of this miraculous gift. In the pit analogy, you have that ladder mercifully given to you, but you have to be that one to proactively grab onto the ladder and begin the climb upward. Through teachings in the Book of Mormon, we learn that if we have the faith to begin the climb, we will receive a personal conviction that the Lord is there. In 1 Nephi 21, the Lord personally makes us a promise that “thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.”

I am not ashamed of my religion. I am proud to call myself a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that only through the Atonement of Christ can I be saved in His kingdom. I also know that although His mercy will allow me to be forgiven of my sins, I must do my part by “climbing the ladder” in order to fully accept His mercy and utilize its potential of bringing me back into the glorified presence of my Heavenly Father and my Savior for all eternity. In the very last verse of 1 Nephi 22, the prophet Nephi proclaims: “…if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day.” I know which way I should live my life in order to be saved. I rejoice in keeping the Lord’s commandments because I know that through my righteous living, I am steadily climbing that ladder back to Christ.

This post was written by Emily B., a student at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

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The groundwork for this saving sacrifice, the Atonement, was laid before mankind walked the earth in the flesh. In this existence before mortal life, a plan was set in order for humans to reach their ultimate potential. To do this, we needed to gain bodies and be tested in this mortal realm.  Only after we had proven ourselves worthy could we return perfected to our Heavenly Father and gain all He has to offer. There was one problem, however: we are imperfect beings, and even from the beginning, we knew that we could not lead the necessary perfect lives.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to return to live with God.

Though you and I could not accomplish this faultlessness, there was one being who could.  He was Jehovah, Jesus Christ, the literal son of our Heavenly Father. Only He was intrinsically good enough to lead a perfect life. In order to complete the plan, He elected to stand as a Mediator between us and heaven. In Him, “the merciful plan of the great Creator” (2 Nephi 9:6) was complete.

I was present for this great council in heaven, though I do not remember it. Before I was born, I – the same as each son and daughter of God – crossed a veil of forgetfulness, after which point all of my previous knowledge was hidden from me. Nevertheless, I know that these events transpired. I have been taught by scripture and modern revelation, and through prayer and thoughtful study, I have received unshakeable knowledge of the truth of these matters, by the power of the Holy Ghost, who testifies the truth of the gospel unto all who are willing to hear it. Through the Holy Ghost, I know the truth of the history I have given, and of the history I will continue to give.

At the meridian of time, the beginning of the Common Era, Jesus Christ was born on earth.  He lived the sinless life that no other man could live. He dedicated his life to preaching the Gospel to those who would receive it. At the end of His mortal ministry, He atoned for our sins, in Gethsemane and in Golgotha.  He suffered our pains, our fears, and the consequences for all of our sins. He died for us.  After three days in the grave, He rose again, resurrected and perfected. He overcame everything for us.

We must only “come unto Him” to receive the blessings of the Atonement.

Jesus Christ did all these things that he might “save all men if they will hearken unto his voice”.  Because of His sacrifice, we can be saved from death. To satisfy all the requirements to live with Him and Heavenly Father again, the only thing we need to do is to come unto Him. He can bear all our burdens; He already has. I know that I could never withstand all the afflictions that have beset me without His help.  I know that I can come unto Him in my times of need, and He is always there to lift me up, to save me.

I know that my words are entirely inadequate to describe the eternal significance of this event, but I will give them nonetheless. I know that my Savior lives; I know that He sacrificed himself for me, as for everyone else; I know that I can come unto Him for loving guidance and assistance; and I know that I can be saved because I have thrown in my lot with Him. It is forever my earnest intent to come unto Him in mind and in spirit, so that I can reserve for myself all the blessings of heaven, and I readily invite all others to do the same. I guarantee that you will know no greater happiness than what can be found through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

This article was written by Austin A., a student at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Jesus Christ in Gethsemane.

For example, while in class, my professor explained the meaning of the word Gethsemane, or in other words oil press, the name of the place where Jesus began his suffering and atonement for the sins and pains of all. The word atonement was keyed by William Tyndale, to describe the process of becoming at one with God, at one with us. In the process of atoning for our sins Christ gave us the key, opened the door in a sense for us to become one with God. For our sins to be ‘blotted out’ and the demands of justice satisfied so we could be made clean, so we could return to the presence of our God, our Heavenly Father. But the price to pay was so high, even the name Gethsemane  just furthers to intensify and explain metaphorically the pain.  Gethsemane means oil press; an oil press in ancient times was generally a millstone that would roll along a circular path and make the olives ‘bleed from every pore’ if you will. They were crushed under the weight of the millstone. As I pictured my Savior in his own press, I wondered of what weights He had to bear that night. He had to bear all the sins of the world, all the depression, the weakness, the sorrow, the feelings of inadequacy and lack of self worth, not to mention the physical pains.

But for some reason it was the fact that he had to experience the sensation of inadequacy that struck me. For the first time ever, my Lord felt the debilitating emotion that I so often feel but magnified to an extent greater than any other person before.  The difficulty of having to do the hardest thing that has ever been done with such negative feelings, feelings He never had cause to feel before. I am so grateful that He had the strength to complete it. When you read in Isaiah we see that there was no back up Christ, that if He failed, that all would be lost and our bodies ‘would rot and the flesh fall away’ and yet we have no need to fear anymore, for death has been conquered. Man made free. I know my Redeemer suffered and died for me, for you, and for everyone that has yet to live, and all those who have lived and passed on. He loves me with a love so pure I cannot imagine, so loyal it makes me feel unworthy and yet, I know that is all right. HE knows me more perfectly, more acutely than I can imagine and I know that just as He was patient and merciful to those who crucified him, so is He to me. And I will strive each day of my life to be more worthy of this love. This gift I do not deserve, nor ever will.

This article was written by Rachel G., a student at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

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The Fall brought physical and spiritual death into the world.

Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, we now are susceptible to two kinds of death: physical death and what Jacob calls “spiritual death.”  Adam and Eve would have remained in their unchanging state in the Garden of Eden had they not eaten of the fruit. Because they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they had to leave the Garden, becoming mortal and prone to physical weaknesses—sickness, death, and other problems. When we die, it is our bodies dying. This is the physical death.

The second part, spiritual death, also came with the fall of Adam. Jacob tells us that spiritual death is being “cut off from the presence of the Lord” (2 Nephi 9:6). We can take this in two meanings. First, Adam and Eve were with God in the Garden of Eden. When they were cast out, they were no longer able to be in His presence. This is one form of spiritual death. The other is more personal. When we make mistakes, or sin, we pull ourselves farther from our Heavenly Father.

Christ’s Atonement covers both physical and spiritual death. Jacob tells us,

“Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.”

We would die (physically) and that would be the end. As for the spiritual death, Jacob says this: “For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more.”  We would have remained in a fallen state, unable to become better. We would have to serve the devil, because we were not saved from our sins.

Because Christ took on all our sins and sufferings, He understands everything we are going through.

However, Christ did atone for us. Latter-Day Saints believe that He not only paid for our sins, He also felt the physical and emotional pains each person would have to go through. Christ died on the cross, and three days later, rose again from the grave, thus enabling us to be resurrected—or to also rise from the grave, with life after death. This overcame the physical death. Because he also paid for the sins of each person, we can come unto Him and be forgiven, thus overcoming the spiritual death.

Our God in Heaven loves us so much to let His Son, Jesus Christ, do this for every individual, in order to bring us back to Him.

This article was written by Beth W., a student at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She enjoys piano, swimming, reading, and eating chocolate.

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One of the main focuses of The Church of Jesus Christ is allowing people to learn about the Atonement of Christ. Near the end of His ministry on earth, Christ went into the Garden of Gethsemane and suffered all the pains, afflictions, and sorrows of the world because He loved us so much. I have known this since I was a child. Of course, as a child, I never fully understood why such a sacrifice was asked of Him. The insights I have gained thus far in my Book of Mormon class have helped me to understand why the Atonement was necessary, and why it is so important. Allow me to share some of these thoughts with you.

One of chapters of scripture I turn to when discouraged can be found in 2 Nephi 9 in the Book of Mormon. The speaker is a prophet named Jacob, whose father Lehi, also a prophet in Jerusalem at the same time as Jeremiah, received a vision from the Lord telling Lehi to take his family and go into the wilderness and to the Promised Land. After leaving Jerusalem, wandering in the desert, and crossing the sea in a ship, Lehi and his family arrive in the Americas. Jacob had seen many trials, from surviving in the desert to dealing with his rebellious and wicked brothers, and has remained righteous and obedient to God the entire time. In this chapter, Jacob talks about and praises the Atonement of Christ.

When Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden and were cast out, man experienced what is called the Fall. Because of that transgression, man became mortal, which meant that we will someday die. When Christ was resurrected, He overcame physical death so that we may also be resurrected someday. Jacob said it this way:

For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall. . . . Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more (2 Nephi 9:6-7).

But physical death isn’t the only death we experienced. Every time we sin, we separate ourselves from God and experience a spiritual death. However, we are not perfect. But this is where the beauty of the Atonement comes in. In 2 Nephi 9:12, Jacob explains how the infinite Atonement delivers our spirits from spiritual death, or hell, if we are willing to let Christ into our lives and live as He did.

Because of the Atonement, we can return to our Heavenly Father again.

What really strikes me, however, is what Christ went through in order to give all of us the gift of the Atonement. Jacob says, “And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children,” (2 Nephi 9:21). This is just a small glimpse into the suffering of the Atonement. Christ is the ultimate example and empathizer. Every physical pain, every emotional agony, every emotion and suffering every person has ever done was inflicted upon Christ. His words, “O my Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me” only hint at the difficulty of His task. However, his following words are filled with love: “nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). He suffered so poignantly in the Garden of Gethsemane, an olive under a millstone, but He tolerated it because He was our Savior. His love for us overcame the sorrows of the world, and our love for Him can do the same.

This article was written by Kennerley R., a student studying English at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and enjoys writing, the arts, and good adventures.

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The first two books in the Book of Mormon are named after Nephi, called First Nephi and Second Nephi, abbreviated 1 Nephi and 2 Nephi. 2 Nephi is where Jacob’s ministry takes place.  In chapters 7 and 8 of Second Nephi, Jacob teaches the people through the words of the prophet Isaiah. He quotes directly from the Old Testament in the Bible (which the Nephites had in the form of plates made of brass) and teaches the Nephites about Christ through his words.

In chapters 9 and 10, Jacob gives commentary on chapters 7 and 8, explaining Isaiah’s words to his people. Chapter 9 of Second Nephi is a beautiful chapter.  It testifies of the goodness of God and the perfection of His plan for us.  Over and over it exclaims, “O how great the plan of our God!” and “O how great the wisdom of God, His mercy and grace!” and many similar statements. It goes on to describe why this plan is so glorious: God has given us a perfect way to overcome both spiritual death (separation from God) and physical death (separation of the spirit and body). This perfect way is the atonement of Christ. Jesus Christ, who is a perfect being, chose to descend below his Godhood status to live life as a mortal so that He could experience all that we have experienced. In His great act of love of the atonement, He suffered all that we suffered, as well as paying for our sins.  He makes up for what I lack, loving me always in spite of the mistakes I make again and again.

From the time when I was young, my dad loved to teach my sisters and I using analogies.  The gospel is so easy to make analogies for (I wonder who planned that!), so my dad would constantly show us how some aspect of our lives was similar to some aspect of the gospel.  Being raised this way has turned me into my father—I love to look for ways that little things in life symbolically teach me about the gospel.

One of the most wonderful feelings, I would have to say, is coming into the kitchen after a long day, remembering the dishes you left in the sink from lunch or breakfast, and seeing that one of your roommates has cleaned them for you and put them in the dishwasher. Silly as it may be, this reminds me of the atonement. My roommate chose, out of love, to clean what I did not.  Christ loves us, and He chose to suffer for our sins so that we didn’t have to. Obviously, someone cleaning my dishes for me is nowhere near as important as the atonement, but the love I feel from and for my roommate reminds me of the love I feel from and for the Savior. Jesus Christ truly does love us.

This article was written by Lydia T., a freshman at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loves music, reading, hiking, and cooking.

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Read what Mormons believe about Jesus Christ on an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Christ is waiting for us to let Him into our lives.

Being positive is one aspect that has helped me better understand myself. When I’m positive, I can focus on the things that matter most rather than be worried about all the things that are not going right. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the main contributing factor to my positive attitude. We must open our hearts and allow Christ to write upon them. This will bring happiness and guidance in our lives. If His gospel is written in our hearts, will our faith increase?

Often times, life doesn’t seem “fair.” All that is unfair about life can be made right by Christ’s atonement. The atonement works to strengthen, heal and cleanse each of us. We come closer to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost as we partake of the atonement. The atonement can be better understood when analogized with speeding tickets. When we get pulled over due to speeding, we get a ticket. Jesus has offered to pay our speeding tickets- every single one that we will ever receive. In fact, He already paid it! We can choose to allow Christ to cover the cost or we can repay the price. Which is silly if it has already been paid! By partaking of the atonement, we avoid the frustrations that come with “paying our tickets” through guilt, sorrow, sadness and loss of hope. We must rely on Christ and allow His act of charity to pay in full.

In Matthew, we read of the apostles in the midst of a storm and Christ is sitting in the boat with them. They must wake Him before He arises to aid them during their difficult time. We each experience this same thing! Christ is always with us, but we must ask for His help in order to receive it. He is willing and capable but we must be proactive in involving Christ into our lives. When we have external storms around us, we can choose to also have internal storms or to be calm inside. As long as Jesus is in the same boat as us, we won’t sink. And the storm will be made easier to bear with his support. He is there for each of us! He loves each of us! All we must do is ask for His hand in our lives. Cast your burdens upon him. Pray to Heavenly Father and tell Him about your pain. Give it all to Him and allow the atonement to take it away! Heavenly Father will give us answers and comfort through His Son. We can find His Son in the scriptures. They are the most reliable resource we have to find answers. I know that taking the time to study the scriptures will increase our understanding of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and ourselves! As we come to know them, we will come to know ourselves. That is my goal here at BYU. I want to come to know who I am, and I am going to do that by waking Jesus in my boat and asking for His atonement. I am already seeing positive progression and know that I will only continue upward with Him in mind.

This article was written by Mackenzie C., a student at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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