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
Moroni outlined the qualifications for baptism and emphasized that they were not baptized save they:
- "brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it" (Moroni 6:1)
- "came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit (Moroni 6:2)
- "witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins (Moroni 6:2)
- "took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end" (Moroni 6:3)
I also love his description of the cleansing power of the Holy Ghost: They were "wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost"
Moroni also talked about the responsibility of other members to watch over and care for new members of the church. These administrative functions were significant in helping new members make the transition into the church and to continue to grow in their faith and testimony. "They were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith" (Moroni 6:4).
That They Might Be Remembered and Nourished by the Good Word of God
Making lists, documenting membership, and assigning members to visit and care for one another can seem contrived and mechanical. But it is for us now as it was for the ancient Nephites essential to create organizational processes to support each other in our spiritual growth. On of the takeaways for me from this verse is that we should use our best organizational and interpersonal know-how to care for the people in our congregations and in our communities of stewardship. By virtue of our status as literal children of God, we all have a direct link to Him though prayer. It is easy to wonder why we need a church structure at all to facilitate our spirituality and our relationship with Him. God has specifically ordained, and organized the social construct of the church for our growth and benefit. In the process of caring for and being cared for by one another we can participate in God's work, relate to His outlook and motivations, and increase the chances that people remain connected to God and live according to His counsel. Making mistakes and learning on each other's time is part of the program.
The Author and the Finisher of Their Faith
To me the word "author" describes someone who writes a book, and implies that they are the initiator or the creator. An author is the genius behind something new. An author directs the development of a plot, or records all the essential information in a novel or biography. When I think of a finisher I see my dad in his work close holding a nail gun and hear the groan of an air compressor in the background. My grandpa was a general contractor and my dad's brothers were carpenters who produced custom woodwork. Watching my dad, grandpa and uncles install wood trim and cabinets as a kid gave me my first definition of a "finisher." They would follow each nail hole with a small can of tan putty to fill and smooth each hole until the woodwork was flawless after the major construction was done.
Christ, through His merits as the perfect Son of God, not only initiates and directs the development of our faith from its infancy, he will also complete it and bring it to fruition. Christ's power and the affect of His atonement allow us to overcome our doubts and failings so that we can have perfect faith.
Application Questions
What are the "fruits"--the words, attitudes, and behavior--that show that a person is ready to be baptized? How can you continue to show your commitment to your baptismal covenant through your actions and speech?
How has the Holy Ghost transformed your nature?
What can you do to organize yourself and take action to help people in your family, your ward, and your community?
Want does "relying alone upon the merits of Christ" look like?
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