< 2 Nephi 25 >
Isaiah prophesied of Christ
2 Nephi 25 is Nephi’s commentary on Isaiah — turning complex prophecy into plain testimony.
It shows that:
1) Understanding Isaiah v: 1–8: Nephi explains why Isaiah is hard for some to understand.
2) Prophecies of Jerusalem & scattering of the Jews v: 9–15: Foretells destruction, captivity, and later restoration.
3) Coming of the Messiah v.16–20: Testimony of Christ, His ministry, death, and resurrection.
4) The Gentiles & the last days v. 21–22: The gospel going forth again among all nations.
5) Purpose of the record v: 23–30: Nephi’s witness: “We are saved by grace, after all we can do.”
Verses 1–8 — Why Isaiah is Difficult
Nephi begins by saying Isaiah’s words are “plain” to those who understand the manner of prophesying among the Jews, but hard for others.
Key points:
Spiritual understanding, not just historical context, is key to reading Isaiah.
Verses 9–15 — Prophecies of Jerusalem’s Destruction & Scattering
Nephi summarizes Isaiah’s main prophecies about the Jews:
Verses 16–20 — The Coming of Christ
This section is the heart of Nephi’s testimony.
“And after they have been scattered… they shall believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind.” (v. 16)
Nephi prophesies:
Verses 21–22 — The Role of the Gentiles and the Latter Days
This foreshadows the Restoration — the Book of Mormon coming forth to gather Israel and remind the world of Christ.
Verses 23–30 — Nephi’s Plain Doctrine & Testimony
Salvation by Grace: “For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” (v. 23)
This doesn’t mean “grace plus our works” in a transactional sense — it means:
Law of Moses points to Christ:
“We keep the law… it is dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ.” (v. 25)
They still practice the law (because Christ hasn’t come yet), but they understand its true purpose — to teach of the Savior.
His people’s mission : “We labor diligently to persuade our children… to believe in Christ.” (v. 23)
2 Nephi 25 is Nephi’s commentary on Isaiah — turning complex prophecy into plain testimony.
It shows that:
- Isaiah’s message = Christ will redeem His covenant people,
- The gospel will go to all nations,
- And grace through Christ is the only path to salvation.
1) Understanding Isaiah v: 1–8: Nephi explains why Isaiah is hard for some to understand.
2) Prophecies of Jerusalem & scattering of the Jews v: 9–15: Foretells destruction, captivity, and later restoration.
3) Coming of the Messiah v.16–20: Testimony of Christ, His ministry, death, and resurrection.
4) The Gentiles & the last days v. 21–22: The gospel going forth again among all nations.
5) Purpose of the record v: 23–30: Nephi’s witness: “We are saved by grace, after all we can do.”
Verses 1–8 — Why Isaiah is Difficult
Nephi begins by saying Isaiah’s words are “plain” to those who understand the manner of prophesying among the Jews, but hard for others.
Key points:
- Nephi’s people don’t live in Jerusalem anymore; they’ve lost that context.
- Isaiah’s prophecies use symbolism, dual meanings, and Hebrew poetic forms.
- Nephi says he’ll “prophesy plainly” so his people can understand Isaiah’s message — the coming of Christ and Israel’s future.
Spiritual understanding, not just historical context, is key to reading Isaiah.
Verses 9–15 — Prophecies of Jerusalem’s Destruction & Scattering
Nephi summarizes Isaiah’s main prophecies about the Jews:
- After rejecting the Messiah, Jerusalem will be destroyed.
- The people will be scattered by the Romans (v. 10).
- Yet the Lord will remember His covenant and gather them again (v. 17).
- The destruction refers to Babylon (586 BC) and later to the Roman destruction (70 AD).
- The “gathering again” looks forward to modern Israel’s restoration and the gospel’s return.
Verses 16–20 — The Coming of Christ
This section is the heart of Nephi’s testimony.
“And after they have been scattered… they shall believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind.” (v. 16)
Nephi prophesies:
- The Messiah will come 600 years after Lehi leaves Jerusalem.
- He will minister, be crucified, and rise from the dead.
- His mission is for all humanity — both Jew and Gentile.
- Nephi glories in Christ alone:“We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ…” (v. 26)
Verses 21–22 — The Role of the Gentiles and the Latter Days
- After the Jews reject Christ, the gospel will go to the Gentiles (non-Jews).
- In the last days, it will come back to the house of Israel through the Book of Mormon and missionary work.
This foreshadows the Restoration — the Book of Mormon coming forth to gather Israel and remind the world of Christ.
Verses 23–30 — Nephi’s Plain Doctrine & Testimony
Salvation by Grace: “For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” (v. 23)
This doesn’t mean “grace plus our works” in a transactional sense — it means:
- We do all we can (faith, repentance, covenant keeping).
- Salvation still depends entirely on Christ’s mercy and grace.
Law of Moses points to Christ:
“We keep the law… it is dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ.” (v. 25)
They still practice the law (because Christ hasn’t come yet), but they understand its true purpose — to teach of the Savior.
His people’s mission : “We labor diligently to persuade our children… to believe in Christ.” (v. 23)
v. 2 For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the manner of the Jews; for their works were works of darkness, and their doings were doings of abominations.
Plainness: In other words, the Nephite record was meant to be plain and Christ-centered, free from the veiled symbolism that often obscured understanding among the Israelites.
Plainness: In other words, the Nephite record was meant to be plain and Christ-centered, free from the veiled symbolism that often obscured understanding among the Israelites.
v.11 ... wherefore, they shall be restored again to the land of their inheritance.
From Babylon back Home
Isaiah’s Lifetime and Prophecy
— Isaiah 39 : 6–7
This prophecy came true about 100 years after Isaiah died.
The Babylonian Conquest and Exile
The Return and Rebuilding (The Persian Period)
Between the Return and Jesus’ Time
After returning, the Jews lived through several foreign rulers:
From Babylon back Home
Isaiah’s Lifetime and Prophecy
- Isaiah lived roughly 740–700 BC.
- He prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
- At that time, the northern kingdom (Israel) was about to fall to Assyria(722 BC).
- Isaiah warned Judah (the southern kingdom, where Jerusalem was) that if they turned from God, they too would be destroyed and carried away — but he also foresaw their eventual return.
— Isaiah 39 : 6–7
This prophecy came true about 100 years after Isaiah died.
The Babylonian Conquest and Exile
- Around 605 BC, Babylon (under Nebuchadnezzar) began conquering Judah.
- Jerusalem was finally destroyed in 586 BC.
- The temple of Solomon was burned, and most of the people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon (modern-day Iraq).
- This period is called the Babylonian Exile (or Captivity).
The Return and Rebuilding (The Persian Period)
- In 539 BC, Babylon itself was conquered by Cyrus the Great of Persia — the very event Isaiah had prophesied (Isaiah 44 : 28–45 : 1 calls Cyrus by name 150 years before he was born!).
- Cyrus issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (see Ezra 1 : 1–4).
- The first group returned around 538 BC under Zerubbabel; the temple was rebuilt by 515 BC.
- Later, Ezra (a priest) and Nehemiah (a governor) led additional groups to restore worship and rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.
Between the Return and Jesus’ Time
After returning, the Jews lived through several foreign rulers:
- Persian Empire (538–331 BC) — relative peace and rebuilding.
- Greek Empire (331–164 BC) — under Alexander and successors; Greek culture spread.
- Maccabean Revolt / Hasmonean Period (164–63 BC) — a brief time of Jewish independence.
- Roman Rule (63 BC onward) — this was the political world into which Jesus was born (~4 BC).
v. 14 ... behold, Jerusalem shall be destroyed again; for wo unto them that fight against God and the people of his church.
Bye Bye Jerusalem, again
AD 70: Jerusalem and the temple destroyed by Rome.
AD 135: A second revolt (Bar Kokhba) crushed; Emperor Hadrian rebuilt Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina, forbidding Jews to enter.
After AD 135: Jews dispersed across the world (the Diaspora).
Modern era: Centuries later (20th century), the Jewish people began returning, culminating in the State of Israel (1948).
Bye Bye Jerusalem, again
- In AD 66, Jewish rebels revolted against Roman rule.
- The Roman general Vespasian began the campaign, and his son Titusfinished it.
- By AD 70, Roman legions surrounded Jerusalem, laid siege for months, and finally breached the walls.
- The Temple of Herod — a magnificent structure that had taken decades to build — was burned to the ground.
- Over a million Jews were killed or enslaved (according to Josephus, The Jewish War).
- Survivors were scattered throughout the Roman Empire — fulfilling Jesus’s prophecy of dispersion.
AD 70: Jerusalem and the temple destroyed by Rome.
AD 135: A second revolt (Bar Kokhba) crushed; Emperor Hadrian rebuilt Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina, forbidding Jews to enter.
After AD 135: Jews dispersed across the world (the Diaspora).
Modern era: Centuries later (20th century), the Jewish people began returning, culminating in the State of Israel (1948).
v. 21 ... from generation to generation, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should never perish as long as the earth should stand.
Joseph's Covenant Promise
In 2 Nephi 3:23 Lehi quotes Joseph: “Wherefore, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book.”
That phrase — “thy seed shall not be destroyed” — the promise is noted here.
JST Genesis 50:24–25
Joseph Smith’s inspired restoration of the lost “prophecy of Joseph” records the same blessing:
“For out of the fruit of my loins the Lord God shall raise up a righteous branch; …
and the fruit of thy loins shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book.”
This expanded Genesis chapter, missing from our current Old Testament, parallels Lehi’s quotation in 2 Nephi 3 almost word-for-word.
That promise means the birthright tribe (Joseph through Ephraim and Manasseh) would always exist on earth to:
In modern revelation (Doctrine and Covenants 133:30–34), the Lord reaffirms that Ephraim will lead this latter-day work — a direct continuation of Joseph’s ancient blessing.
Joseph's Covenant Promise
In 2 Nephi 3:23 Lehi quotes Joseph: “Wherefore, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book.”
That phrase — “thy seed shall not be destroyed” — the promise is noted here.
JST Genesis 50:24–25
Joseph Smith’s inspired restoration of the lost “prophecy of Joseph” records the same blessing:
“For out of the fruit of my loins the Lord God shall raise up a righteous branch; …
and the fruit of thy loins shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book.”
This expanded Genesis chapter, missing from our current Old Testament, parallels Lehi’s quotation in 2 Nephi 3 almost word-for-word.
That promise means the birthright tribe (Joseph through Ephraim and Manasseh) would always exist on earth to:
- carry the gospel to all nations,
- gather scattered Israel, and
- prepare the way for Christ’s return.
In modern revelation (Doctrine and Covenants 133:30–34), the Lord reaffirms that Ephraim will lead this latter-day work — a direct continuation of Joseph’s ancient blessing.
v. 23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
Grace
Grace is “divine … help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.” Through grace, all people will be resurrected and receive immortality. In addition, “grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.” We do not earn grace through our efforts; rather, it is grace that gives us “strength and assistance to do good works that [we] otherwise would not be able to maintain”
Follow Him podcast:
I think the very first thing to notice about it is that it states very bluntly that it is by grace that we are saved, and it’s amazing to me that people have taken a passage that explicitly states that it is by grace that we are saved, and sometimes turned it into something that says the opposite. That’s very strange. The second thing to say about it, I think, is when Nephi says, “after all we can do”, and people will say, “well, that’s very plain. Then I’m saved by grace. Sure, fine, but only after I’ve done everything I can,” but notice that that changes the wording if we think it that way.
It doesn’t say after we do all we can, but after all we can do.
Those are very different ideas. This verse doesn’t actually refer to anything I have done. It refers to what I could do, and that is a very different idea. To say that we’re saved by grace after all we can do is to say like, “Even if I did everything right, stil grace, still grace”. That feels to me like King Benjamin saying, “If you were to give all the thanks and praise with your whole soul, everything you’ve got power to possess, and if you were to serve God with everything you’ve got, you’d still be unprofitable servants”. It’s the same message. (Mosiah 2:21) (I am the true vine ... for without me ye can do nothing John 15:5) (2 Nephi 31:19 – rely wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save).
Dieter F. Uchtdorf: I wonder if sometimes we misinterpret the phrase after all we can do. We must understand that “after” does not equal “because”. We are not saved “because” of all that we can do. Have any of us done all that we can do? Does God wait until we’ve expended every effort before He will intervene in our lives with His saving grace? I am certain Nephi knew that the Savior’s grace allows and enables us to overcome sin (Alma 34:31). This is why Nephi labored so diligently to persuade his children and brethren “to belive in Christ, and to reconciled to God” (2 Nephi 25:23) – The Gift of Grace, Ensign May 2015
In other words, at every step of the way, Christ’s grace is strengthening us
Hank Smith: I remember once I was in a class with Stephen Robinson and he said, “I think most Latter-day Saints feel like their works are going to save them.” So, he said, “They feel like they deserve heaven. Let’s go look up ‘deserve’. So, he took us to the Topical Guide and he said, “Let’s look up ‘deserve’. And it wasn’t there. There is no ‘deserve’ in the Topical Guide. And he said, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I meant ‘earn’. So, let’s go to earn in the Topical Guide, and we went there and it wasn’t there again. And he said “Oh, ‘deserve’ and ‘earn’ those probably aren’t scriptural words. Let’s go to ‘merit’. That sounds like a scriptural word. So, we went to ‘merit’ and it is there. And then, he had us read the four references – all merits of Christ. (2 Nephi 2:8, Alma 22:14, Alma 24:10, Moroni 6:4). The message of the Book of Mormon is: Grace saves.
But I think a far better way, and I think this is what Section 137 of the Doctrine and Covenants points to, would be to say, “It’s grace that save us. What our works show God, what it means for him to judge our works is that our works show God what our relationshoip to grace looks like.” Our works reveal the desires of our hearts. Our very works show what our desires look like
D. Todd Christofferson – Free forever, to Act for Themselves – We do not need to achieve some minimum level of capacity or goodness before God will help – divine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience. … My plea is simply to take responsibility and go to work so that there is something for God to help us with.
Bruce C. Hafen – The Broken Heart: Applying the Atonement to Life’s Experiences – The Savior’s gift of grace to us is not necessarily limited to “after” all we can do. We may receive His grace before, during, and after the time when we expend our own efforts.
Elder Bruce C. Hafen has written “The Savior’s gift of grace to us is not necessarily limited in time to ‘after’ all we can do. We may receive his grace before, during, and after the time when we expend our own efforts. So grace is not a booster engine that kicks in once our fuel supply is exhausted. Rather, it is our constant energy source. It is not the light at the end of the tunnel but the light that moves us through the tunnel. Grace is not achieved somewhere down the road. It is received right here and right now. It is not a finishing touch; but the Finisher’s touch (See Hebrews 12:2)
Jesus Christ has experienced all the pains, temptations, infirmities, and weaknesses of mortal life, so He knows how to help us: Hebrews 2:18, 4:15, Alma 11-12, D&C 62:1….Hebrews 4:16 – Because Jesus Christ is both a willing and capable Savior, we can come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Grace
Grace is “divine … help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.” Through grace, all people will be resurrected and receive immortality. In addition, “grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.” We do not earn grace through our efforts; rather, it is grace that gives us “strength and assistance to do good works that [we] otherwise would not be able to maintain”
Follow Him podcast:
I think the very first thing to notice about it is that it states very bluntly that it is by grace that we are saved, and it’s amazing to me that people have taken a passage that explicitly states that it is by grace that we are saved, and sometimes turned it into something that says the opposite. That’s very strange. The second thing to say about it, I think, is when Nephi says, “after all we can do”, and people will say, “well, that’s very plain. Then I’m saved by grace. Sure, fine, but only after I’ve done everything I can,” but notice that that changes the wording if we think it that way.
It doesn’t say after we do all we can, but after all we can do.
Those are very different ideas. This verse doesn’t actually refer to anything I have done. It refers to what I could do, and that is a very different idea. To say that we’re saved by grace after all we can do is to say like, “Even if I did everything right, stil grace, still grace”. That feels to me like King Benjamin saying, “If you were to give all the thanks and praise with your whole soul, everything you’ve got power to possess, and if you were to serve God with everything you’ve got, you’d still be unprofitable servants”. It’s the same message. (Mosiah 2:21) (I am the true vine ... for without me ye can do nothing John 15:5) (2 Nephi 31:19 – rely wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save).
Dieter F. Uchtdorf: I wonder if sometimes we misinterpret the phrase after all we can do. We must understand that “after” does not equal “because”. We are not saved “because” of all that we can do. Have any of us done all that we can do? Does God wait until we’ve expended every effort before He will intervene in our lives with His saving grace? I am certain Nephi knew that the Savior’s grace allows and enables us to overcome sin (Alma 34:31). This is why Nephi labored so diligently to persuade his children and brethren “to belive in Christ, and to reconciled to God” (2 Nephi 25:23) – The Gift of Grace, Ensign May 2015
In other words, at every step of the way, Christ’s grace is strengthening us
Hank Smith: I remember once I was in a class with Stephen Robinson and he said, “I think most Latter-day Saints feel like their works are going to save them.” So, he said, “They feel like they deserve heaven. Let’s go look up ‘deserve’. So, he took us to the Topical Guide and he said, “Let’s look up ‘deserve’. And it wasn’t there. There is no ‘deserve’ in the Topical Guide. And he said, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I meant ‘earn’. So, let’s go to earn in the Topical Guide, and we went there and it wasn’t there again. And he said “Oh, ‘deserve’ and ‘earn’ those probably aren’t scriptural words. Let’s go to ‘merit’. That sounds like a scriptural word. So, we went to ‘merit’ and it is there. And then, he had us read the four references – all merits of Christ. (2 Nephi 2:8, Alma 22:14, Alma 24:10, Moroni 6:4). The message of the Book of Mormon is: Grace saves.
But I think a far better way, and I think this is what Section 137 of the Doctrine and Covenants points to, would be to say, “It’s grace that save us. What our works show God, what it means for him to judge our works is that our works show God what our relationshoip to grace looks like.” Our works reveal the desires of our hearts. Our very works show what our desires look like
D. Todd Christofferson – Free forever, to Act for Themselves – We do not need to achieve some minimum level of capacity or goodness before God will help – divine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience. … My plea is simply to take responsibility and go to work so that there is something for God to help us with.
Bruce C. Hafen – The Broken Heart: Applying the Atonement to Life’s Experiences – The Savior’s gift of grace to us is not necessarily limited to “after” all we can do. We may receive His grace before, during, and after the time when we expend our own efforts.
Elder Bruce C. Hafen has written “The Savior’s gift of grace to us is not necessarily limited in time to ‘after’ all we can do. We may receive his grace before, during, and after the time when we expend our own efforts. So grace is not a booster engine that kicks in once our fuel supply is exhausted. Rather, it is our constant energy source. It is not the light at the end of the tunnel but the light that moves us through the tunnel. Grace is not achieved somewhere down the road. It is received right here and right now. It is not a finishing touch; but the Finisher’s touch (See Hebrews 12:2)
Jesus Christ has experienced all the pains, temptations, infirmities, and weaknesses of mortal life, so He knows how to help us: Hebrews 2:18, 4:15, Alma 11-12, D&C 62:1….Hebrews 4:16 – Because Jesus Christ is both a willing and capable Savior, we can come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
v. 23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
After all we can do
I have seen too many people crushed by “all you can do”. I’ve seen people give up and leave the church. That phrase used incorrectly CRUSHES THE LIFE OUT OF SOME PEOPLE. That’s why I’d like to see that footnote to Alma 24:11…Grace means “a gift from God”. Sometimes we forget. It doesn’t sound fair that all I have to do is come unto Jesus and he’s going to do all that. IT ISN’T FAIR. That’s the glory of the gospel. The glory is unfairness that he could be punished for what you’ve done and you can be exalted and he doesn’t mind. And if that doesn’t make you love him, there’s something wrong with you.
I’ve been sloppy in my language from time to time and given that impression. But going back to the book. Going back to the parable of the bicycle. There were two transactions. My daughter gave me all she had. I PAID KMART. I PAID THE WHOLE $101.99. There are two transactions. One is that we come unto Christ. That’s the horizontal one. That’s our job. We can do that. His job is to take this new creation, this thing that is no longer just him and just me, and take this to the kingdom of God. And he does 100% of it. That’s not synergism
Stephen Robinson
Alma 24:11All that we could do” was essentially nothing. All they could do was simply repent and ask God to take their sins away. Author tangent: you might be thinking right now, “well there probably was a long repentance period, where Alma and the sons of Mosiah spent a lot of time working, doing ‘their part’, doing ‘all they could do’, in order to attain repentance”. This is a current Mormon perspective, but it not a Book of Mormon perspective. Alma, Ammon, et al, immediately went from being the vilest sinners into official roles as missionaries. In another episode, Corianton, after slipping up with the harlot Isabel, wasn’t shamed and sent home early from his mission, but was told to repent and stay on his mission.
The glory is unfairness that he could be punished for what you’ve done and you can be exalted and he doesn’t mind. And if that doesn’t make you love him, there’s something wrong with you.
The prophet Nephi made an important contribution to our understanding of God’s grace when he declared, “We labor diligently … to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”31
However, I wonder if sometimes we misinterpret the phrase “after all we can do.” We must understand that “after” does not equal “because.”
We are not saved “because” of all that we can do. Have any of us done all that we can do? Does God wait until we’ve expended every effort before He will intervene in our lives with His saving grace?
Many people feel discouraged because they constantly fall short. They know firsthand that “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”32 They raise their voices with Nephi in proclaiming, “My soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.”33
I am certain Nephi knew that the Savior’s grace allows and enables us to overcome sin.34 This is why Nephi labored so diligently to persuade his children and brethren “to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God.”35
After all, that is what we can do! And that is our task in mortality!
The gift of grace …. Uchdorf
After all we can do
I have seen too many people crushed by “all you can do”. I’ve seen people give up and leave the church. That phrase used incorrectly CRUSHES THE LIFE OUT OF SOME PEOPLE. That’s why I’d like to see that footnote to Alma 24:11…Grace means “a gift from God”. Sometimes we forget. It doesn’t sound fair that all I have to do is come unto Jesus and he’s going to do all that. IT ISN’T FAIR. That’s the glory of the gospel. The glory is unfairness that he could be punished for what you’ve done and you can be exalted and he doesn’t mind. And if that doesn’t make you love him, there’s something wrong with you.
I’ve been sloppy in my language from time to time and given that impression. But going back to the book. Going back to the parable of the bicycle. There were two transactions. My daughter gave me all she had. I PAID KMART. I PAID THE WHOLE $101.99. There are two transactions. One is that we come unto Christ. That’s the horizontal one. That’s our job. We can do that. His job is to take this new creation, this thing that is no longer just him and just me, and take this to the kingdom of God. And he does 100% of it. That’s not synergism
Stephen Robinson
Alma 24:11All that we could do” was essentially nothing. All they could do was simply repent and ask God to take their sins away. Author tangent: you might be thinking right now, “well there probably was a long repentance period, where Alma and the sons of Mosiah spent a lot of time working, doing ‘their part’, doing ‘all they could do’, in order to attain repentance”. This is a current Mormon perspective, but it not a Book of Mormon perspective. Alma, Ammon, et al, immediately went from being the vilest sinners into official roles as missionaries. In another episode, Corianton, after slipping up with the harlot Isabel, wasn’t shamed and sent home early from his mission, but was told to repent and stay on his mission.
The glory is unfairness that he could be punished for what you’ve done and you can be exalted and he doesn’t mind. And if that doesn’t make you love him, there’s something wrong with you.
The prophet Nephi made an important contribution to our understanding of God’s grace when he declared, “We labor diligently … to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”31
However, I wonder if sometimes we misinterpret the phrase “after all we can do.” We must understand that “after” does not equal “because.”
We are not saved “because” of all that we can do. Have any of us done all that we can do? Does God wait until we’ve expended every effort before He will intervene in our lives with His saving grace?
Many people feel discouraged because they constantly fall short. They know firsthand that “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”32 They raise their voices with Nephi in proclaiming, “My soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.”33
I am certain Nephi knew that the Savior’s grace allows and enables us to overcome sin.34 This is why Nephi labored so diligently to persuade his children and brethren “to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God.”35
After all, that is what we can do! And that is our task in mortality!
The gift of grace …. Uchdorf
v. 24 And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled.
Law of Moses
Moral Law: Right vs. wrong — universal ethics
Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)
Ceremonial Law: How to worship God
Sacrifices, offerings, priesthood, feasts, clean/unclean laws
Civil Law: How to govern society
Property, justice, punishment, family law
Law of Moses
Moral Law: Right vs. wrong — universal ethics
Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)
Ceremonial Law: How to worship God
Sacrifices, offerings, priesthood, feasts, clean/unclean laws
Civil Law: How to govern society
Property, justice, punishment, family law