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...
The book of 3 Nephi opens with a crisis of faith for the Nephites. As the foretold time of Christ's birth approached, "there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the Lamanite" (3 Nephi 1:5). The wicked used this as leverage to try to undermine the faith of the righteous and "they began to rejoice over their brethren, saying: Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain" (3 Nephi 1:6). They even went so far as to threaten those who believed with death if the sign of Christ's birth did not appear on the appointed day.
I have never been in physical danger because of my belief in God. I have never been disadvantaged in my education or career because I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And yet in subtle almost indiscernible ways well-intentioned friends, coworkers, and society say and do things to undermine my belief or trivialize a faith-based life. I doubt any of these casual jokes and good-humored jabs are intended to harm. Usually they come innocuously dressed as cynicism or rationalism, but in aggregate exert a steady friction.
In response to the disbelief and threatenings of the wicked, the righteous Nephites "did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain" (3 Nephi 1:8). The righteous Nephites surely experienced anxiety during this period and no shortage of self-doubt. This verse implies that they questioned their own faith, and worried that it might have been in vain. There response to this insecurity and internal conflict, however, is telling. They "watched steadfastly" for the realization of the promised sign, and as a result increased the certainty of their faith. When we question our beliefs or wonder about aspects of the Gospel as we understand it, are we fixated on the arguments and counter-arguements of critics, or do we increase our efforts to seek and study.
As a leader Nephi was faced with horror of the extermination of his people. He was the spiritual leader of the righteous Nephites and had no reason to doubt that the wicked Nephites would make good on their threat to kill the believers. In what must have been a moment of fear and desperation, "he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day," and in response to his prayer, "the voice of the Lord came unto him" (3 Nephi 1:12). Nephi received reassurance, and more detailed and specific insights into the prophesied sign of Christ's birth. On the eve of the possible genocide of his people, the Lord told Nephi, "Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets" (3 Nephi 1:13).
God fulfills all of his promises and "though the heavens and the earth pass away, [His] word shall not pass away" (D&C 1:38). Because His promises are sure we can feel certainty and be of good cheer inspire of any circumstances. In this chapter of my life, I am in the "early middle" of what seem like never-ending endeavors: raising my children, starting a business, advancing my career, continuing my education. On some days I don't have a lot of evidence that I am succeeding or making progress in these areas, but evidence is not a prerequisite for faith. I'm grateful for the hope that Christ's life and atonement provides, to be applied to both trivial and eternal things.
Application Questions
How is your faith in Christ mocked by others? How can you respond when others belittle or undermine your beliefs?
How have you seen God fulfill his promises to you?
Image Credit: Bruno Ribeiro
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