Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome. Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4). This priority was not only reflecte...
After seeing the Anti-Nephi-Lehis be slain instead of fighting back, the Lamanites shifted their rancor to the Nephites, and conflict between the Lamanites and the Nephites raged. The Nephites deflected Lamanite attacks, which prompted some Lamanites to humble themselves, repent of their sins, and join the Nephites. "For many of them, after having suffered much loss and so many afflictions, began to be stirred up in remembrance of the words which Aaron and his brethren had preached to them in their land; therefore they began to disbelieve the traditions of their fathers" (Alma 25:6)
As the Lamanites were converted to the gospel, the kept the law of Moses. "Yea, and they did keep the law of Moses; for it was expedient that they should keep the law of Moses as yet, for it was not all fulfilled. But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they did look forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of Moses was a type of his coming, and believing that they must keep those outward performances until the time that he should be revealed unto them" (Alma 25:15).
All aspects of the law of Moses were intended to teach and testify of Christ. This was accomplished through a number of "outward performances" or rules and rituals that the faithful adhered to in anticipation of the coming savior. There was nothing inherently magical about the observances of the law of Moses. To our eye, and possibly to the eye of those who kept the law of Moses, its prescribed performances may have felt arbitrary. There is no inherent value in sacrificing animals, just as there is nothing intrinsically transformative about eating a small piece of bread and sip of water each Sunday. The power of these acts lies within their symbolic value, and the meaning we attach to them. In fact, even keeping the commandments, serving the poor, and preaching the gospel are nothing more than signs and symbols; their power comes from the feelings of charity we insures into them, and their currency as symbols of faith. The scriptures are merely paper, leather and ink. A temple is nothing but concrete, wood, and steel. The sacrament is just a piece of bread and a plastic cup of water. Two people can sit in the same sacrament meeting and one can overflow with feelings of the spirit, while another person can remain unmoved.
Whether they are prescribed ceremonies, or our own efforts to live a good life, our "outward performances" are only powerful if we view them as "a type of his coming" and they help us "look forward to the coming of Christ." The spirit does not testify of the truth of a piece of bread and water, but of the thoughts we have while partaking them. I love the symbolic power of the ordinances of the gospel have come to hold for me, and the innumerable witnesses of God I see in nature, in the arts, in science, in gardening, etc. God speaks in the language of symbols and will enliven our "outward performances" as we participate with sincerity and righteous desires.
Application Questions
What are the "outward performance" of the gospel that you regularly keep? Why are they important to you?
How can you make partaking of the sacrament and temple attendance more meaningful?
What meaning do you attach to the outward things you do (work, service, church participation)? How can you use these things to direct your mind to Christ?
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