Day 59; Moroni 6-8

Day 59; Moroni 6-8 

I am tackling the Book of Mormon in 60 days. My plan is to have the Book of Mormon studied by the end of 2011. During my challenge, I will post a daily blog of my reading, in this blog I will share with you... my thoughts, feelings, opinions and knowledge about the Book of Mormon. Do you have questions? Comments? Please... lets start a discussion. I would be more than happy to answer your questions, comments or concerns!

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How the Book of Mormon came about: http://youtu.be/FMQEb9A9L2g        

         

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 6: Moroni speaks a little about how the church should be conducted.

                We learn that only those who have a "...broke heart and a contrite spirit..." and "...brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it." (Moroni 6:1-2). Essentially you have to come forth and repent of your sins and truly be committed to changing your old ways and taking upon yourself the name of Christ, before you can be baptized.

                After you are baptized and received into the church, we learn that it is the job of every member to fellowship and teach the new members of the church. That they may pray and fast often. We are to look out for each member of the ward.

                Every meeting in the church is to be conducted by the spirit. In the individual meeting houses, where "wards" meet, this is the job of the Bishop to insure that the meetings are filled with the spirit.

                Those who do not confess of their sins, will be excommunicated.

Chapter 7: Moroni continues a little more of his father's teachings on Faith, Hope and good works.

                We learn that "...by their works ye shall know them..." (Moroni 7:5). If we live a life of evils works we will be judged for that. God knows us by our works and will judge us for good or bad by what we chose to do with our lives here on earth.

                If a man prays "...and not with real intent of heart; yea,...it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such." (Moroni 7:9) We must avoid vain repetitions and always pray with a real intent as if we are having a conversation with our Heavenly Father, because we are.

                Moroni points out what seems to be the obvious, but for many of us is not so obvious... good and evil. We need to be careful to judge what is good and evil... but at the same time God has given us the ability to know what is good and evil and to avoid that which is evil.

                We have read in other scriptures that faith can move mountains, and Moroni reassures us of this, when he quotes Christ "...If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing expedient in me." (Moroni 7:33)

                The Book of Mormon was really written for our time period... the days that we live in our sometimes scary, with economic crisis, wars, earthquakes, Tsunamis, etc. But Moroni speaks to the souls of the future generations, our generations... Asking us...

                 "...what is it that ye shall hope for?..."

"...ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his ressurrection, to be raised to life eternal..." (Moroni 7:41)

                To have this Hope, we must believe in Jesus Christ and follow his commandments. We must have Charity, Moroni defines Charity;

                "And Charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." (Moroni 7:45)

Chapter 8: Moroni includes a letter from his father Mormon, concerning a matter that was troubling him. He writes to Moroni about the baptism of Infants.  

                 "Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me. And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children. Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach—repentance and baptism unto those who are a accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children. And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins. But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism! Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell. Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell." (Moroni 8:8-14)

                Those who believe that Children need baptism, do not understand what baptism is all about. Little children cannot repent, and therefore do not need a baptism.