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.

What Pride Means in the Book of Mormon

We hear the word pride often in society, and it’s not often meant negatively. In the Book of Mormon, though, pride is not a virtue and can actually lead to apostatizing from The Church of Jesus Christ. What pride means within the doctrine of Christ is an enmity toward God, a love of self over love of God. Timothy describes pride this way: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, . . . Despisers of those that are good, . . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (3:2 – 4).

The Book of Mormon is replete with examples of those who choose pride over obedience to God’s commandments. Over and over again individuals and groups of people think they they know better than Heavenly Father and choose to follow their own wills rather than hearken to the will of God. These are the same people who cast out prophets and persecute believers in Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon shows the fate of the prideful: they suffer from spiritual death and often destruction.

The Book of Mormon also shows us what happens to those who are humble and repent before God. Alma the Younger is a man in the Book of Mormon who was very prideful and who actively sought to destroy the church of God. An angel visited him and made him aware of the severity of his sins, and Alma chose to repent. Once Alma repented he became a great leader and missionary. He and his people prospered as long as they kept the commandments of God. One of the central patterns visible in the Book of Mormon is that the pride leads to destruction and humility leads to prosperity.

Pride Leads to Other Sins

Pride is more than its own sin. In a spiritual sense, pride is a gateway drug. Once you become addicted to your own will and desires, you care less and less about what God thinks, and the enmity between you and God grows stronger. This will lead you to make more choices contrary to the commandments of God, and you may become more enthralled and less inspired. When you accept a state wherein your desires are more important than God’s, you will be on a slippery slope leading to more sin and more unhappiness.

Sins come in varying degrees. Lying, for example, is a sin, and in many instances, one that can be remedied in a simple and straightforward way. Sexual sins, on the other hand, are more serious because they often involve another person, can lead to irreversible consequences, and deal in more serious matters of the soul. Repenting from these sins is difficult and painful, but still possible. The root of all sin is pride, and if you can head off pride when you first see it taking root, you will avoid a whole slew of pain and heartache. President Ezra Taft Benson, a late prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ said, “The antidote to pride is humility. . . . We can choose to humble ourselves by loving God, submitting our will to His, and putting Him first in our lives.”

We Can Apply Lessons on Pride in Our Own Lives

The lessons found in the Book of Mormon can directly aid us in our own lives. Everywhere you look you see people caught up in the selfishness of their desires and worldviews. Opinions on everything from politics to family life are subject to the snare of pride. Especially where spiritual morality is concerned, I’ve seen men, women, and even children blatantly mock commandments and doctrines that I value. One of Satan’s greatest tools is pride.

The consequences of pride are real and severe. Those who become caught up in their own pride may often seem happy and prosperous, but their spiritual state is not one to envy. Ultimately those who embrace their pride will have to answer for their choices. The blessings of humility and obedience are also real. Adherence to God’s commandments results in peace, spiritual safety, prosperity, and an increased testimony of Jesus Christ.

We can find strength and courage from reading in the Book of Mormon about men and women who choose to follow the Savior and value God’s will more than their own. In fact, continued obedience and faithfulness will result in your will becoming more and more like Heavenly Father’s, so there’s not such a disparity between the two.

If you find yourself wrapped up tightly in your own pride and wish to be free, all you have to do is look to Jesus Christ. The man I told you about earlier, Alma the Younger, hit rock bottom when the angel visited: for the first time Alma saw the reality of the damage he was inflicting on the church and on himself. What freed him from his sins was remembering what his father taught him about Jesus Christ, that Jesus Christ is our Savior and will redeem us from our sins. This gift is not just for those who severely sin–it’s for all of us and for all of our sins, big or small. Pride starts out small and can become very big and very serious, but it’s never too much for the Lord to handle. If you want to change your life and discover God’s will, Jesus Christ and His gospel can pave the way for your recovery.

The Book of Mormon Provides Answers

This approach to pride may be new to you, and you may not understand what this all means. I encourage to seek your answers in the Book of Mormon. This book contains perfect truths and has real answers to real problems. If you think you are struggling with pride (which I think that we all are to some degree) look to Jesus Christ and seek to become more like Him. In reading the Book of Mormon, not only will you better understand pride and its devastating effects, but you will also come to know the Lord, Jesus Christ, in a more personal and intimate way. I know that I have found peace, answers, and forgiveness for my own pride through the doctrines taught in the Book of Mormon. I know it can offer you the same.

What’s in the Book of Mormon, Anyway?

The Book of Mormon contains the history of the people living in the American continents, beginning at about 600 B.C. and concluding at 400 A.D. These records coincide with the time period of many books in the Bible. The Book of Mormon recounts stories of family strife, missionary work, wars, conversions, and most importantly, the visit of Jesus Christ to the Americas.

Christ’s visit to the Book of Mormon peoples is central to the message of the Book of Mormon. I personally have found great inspiration, comfort, and direction when reading these passages. The doctrine of Jesus Christ transcends all race, creed, and time, and that becomes evident through reading the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon also contains accounts of several wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites, the two most prominent groups of people in the Book of Mormon. Through reading about these wars, we can see the impact that faith and obedience have on a group of people, and we can see the devastating and widespread effects of pride and wickedness. Is there any part of this that we can’t relate to today? Our world right now is full of war, greed, and destruction. The Book of Mormon provides the answers we need to bring ourselves back into the light.

The World Needs Another Witness of Christ

The world today seems to be continually moving further and further away from the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Values that used to be common and accepted are now seen as stodgy, out of date, and even intolerant. So many people operate under the delusion that they can be happy and enlightened through solely their own efforts; they think that they don’t need the redemption offered by Christ.

The Bible isn’t strong enough anymore to stand alone as a witness of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is there to add strength to the testament of the Savior. Mormons also have living prophets and apostles who are set apart as special witnesses of Christ. Our world needs many witnesses of Jesus Christ to effectively spread His message.

The Book of Mormon Is for Individuals

This book is not intended just to stand as a witness against the world–it is here for you individually, to help, guide, and comfort you through your journeys and trials. I have read the Book of Mormon through several times, and each time I learn something new. Different chapters and verses shine to me, and the Holy Ghost teaches me and helps me through the adversity I face.

I remember one time in particular when I was facing a situation that greatly affected me, but one over which I had little control. I was distraught; I didn’t know what to do or how to move forward. So I opened my scriptures and started reading in the book of 3 Nephi when Jesus Christ is ministering among the American peoples after His resurrection. I came across this verse: “And Jesus said unto them: Pray on; Nevertheless they did not cease to pray” (19:26). In that moment I knew that God knew me and that He knew my pain. All I could do in that situation was to keep praying, and I felt peace.

You too can find the peace you seek by reading the Book of Mormon. The testimonies of the Savior are powerful and beautiful, and you are invited to develop your own witness of Jesus Christ. (See Moroni 10:3 – 5). The Book of Mormon is meant for our times and for those individuals living in our times; it is meant for you.