The Book of Mormon is to bear witness to the truthfulness of the Bible.
The Bible can bear witness of itself, but most people will want a second or third witness from another source. This is the reason Jews and Muslims have not embraced the Bible. It contains the New Testament, and as of yet, there have not been any external sources to confirm the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But God does not leave Himself without witness (Acts 14:17), and the sooner Christians realize this, the sooner they can embrace The Holy Book of Mormon.
It is NOT a substitute for the Bible, it is the external source for confirming what the New Testament says – that Jesus rose from the dead. It’s what the world has been waiting for.
To show how this was planned out in advance by God, we will quote from The Holy Book of Mormon what it says about itself and the Bible.
Plain Removed
The following contains a vision by the prophet Nephi 600 years before Christ. In it, he is shown what will occur after the Bible goes forth from the Roman Church, to the Protestants, on the American continent:
34. And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the remnant of the house of Israel — and this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father — wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles (White man comes to America.), and after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly (Many denominations.), because of the most plain and precious parts (Method of Baptism and Communion) of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb — I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.
35. For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things (Book of Mormon) which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious (Contain instructions for baptism and communion.); and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.
36. And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation.
38. And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God (Bible), which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.
39. And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books (Book of Mormon), which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
40. And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records (Book of Mormon), which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first (Bible), which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things (Method of baptism and communion.) which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
41. And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth. (1Nephi 13)
Points to Consider:
- No Christian can deny that there has always been contention over Baptism and Communion.
- Without explicit instructions, there will always be a variety of interpretations.
- For something so pivotal to the gospel of Jesus Christ, surely Jesus left his disciples with explicit instructions how these were to be performed.
- Not only who could perform them, but who could receive them.
For example, how old must one be to receive baptism? An infant, adult, or child? Or does it matter? What about the mentally challenged, the insane, or the comatose?
In Communion, is Jesus really being re-crucified every time it is performed? What is the Communion Prayer? Who can receive it? Who can administer it? These are the plain and precious details that were kept out of the Bible. No one can dispute this, and that is why Book of Mormon prophets included those instructions in their writings – they had a foreknowledge they were going to be lost.
Confounding
The whole point of having a Second Witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is so there won’t be any contention. By following the Bible and The Book of Mormon, matters that currently divide the Christian community can be solved.
12. Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins (Tribe of Joseph) shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins (Book of Mormon), and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah (Bible), shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord. (2Nephi 3)
The Jews &
Christians should have a great love for the Jewish people. It is from them our Lord came, and it is to them our Lord will return.
God knew and prophets foretold that Jesus would not be accepted as the Messiah. For this reason, God purposely planned for a Second Witness to be provided. The Book of Mormon IS that Second Witness, and by it, the Jews may begin to believe Jesus’ words – that he is the Son of God, that he died for their sins, and rose again.
12. Now these things are written unto the remnant of the house of Jacob (Book of Mormon); and they are written after this manner, because it is known of God that wickedness will not bring them forth unto them; and they are to be hid up unto the Lord that they may come forth in his own due time.
13. And this is the commandment which I have received; and behold, they shall come forth according to the commandment of the Lord, when he shall see fit, in his wisdom.
14. And behold, they (Book of Mormon) shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go — that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose, in restoring the Jews, or all the house of Israel, to the land of their inheritance, which the Lord their God hath given them, unto the fulfilling of his covenant; (Mormon 5)
Jesus &
By reading Jesus’ own words, we can learn how he felt about those people in The Book of Mormon. The following excerpt is from his visit to the America’s, shortly after he left his disciples in Jerusalem, after his resurrection:
4. And I command you that ye shall write these sayings after I am gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they who have seen me and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, and also of the other tribes whom they know not of, that these sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles (Book of Mormon), that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed, who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer. (3 Nephi 16)
4. Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I have told you; and according to the time and the will of the Father they shall go forth unto the Gentiles (Book of Mormon).
5. And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved. Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things.
6. And now it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he said unto them again, after he had expounded all the scriptures unto them which they had received, he said unto them: Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye have not.
7. And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi: Bring forth the record which ye have kept.
8. And when Nephi had brought forth the records, and laid them before him, he cast his eyes upon them and said:
9. Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?
10. And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.
11.And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?
12. And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.
13. And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.
14. And now it came to pass that when Jesus had expounded all the scriptures in one, which they had written, he commanded them that they should teach the things which he had expounded unto them. (3 Nephi 23)
1. And it came to pass that he commanded them that they should write the words which the Father had given unto Malachi, which he should tell unto them. And it came to pass that after they were written he expounded them. And these are the words which he did tell unto them, saying: Thus said the Father unto Malachi — Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. (3 Nephi 24)
Greater Things of Jesus
The Book of Mormon does say that “Greater Things” will be forthcoming from Jesus IF the people will believe The Book of Mormon first. Those greater things will include all history from the beginning to the end, as Jesus taught it to the believers in America:
3 And he did expound all things, even from the beginning until the time that he should come in his glory—yea, even all things which should come upon the face of the earth, even until the elements should melt with fervent heat, and the earth should be wrapt together as a scroll, and the heavens and the earth should pass away;
4 And even unto the great and last day, when all people, and all kindreds, and all nations and tongues shall stand before God, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
5 If they be good, to the resurrection of everlasting life; and if they be evil, to the resurrection of damnation; being on a parallel, the one on the one hand and the other on the other hand, according to the mercy, and the justice, and the holiness which is in Christ, who was before the world began.
6 And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people;
7 But behold the plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the things which he taught the people.
8 And these things have I written, which are a lesser part of the things which he taught the people; and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people, from the Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus hath spoken.
9 And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.
10 And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation.
11 Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people. (3 Nephi 26:3-11)
Those “Greater Things” should not be confused with the “Sealed Portion” or the writings of the brother of Jared. The “Sealed Portion” will not come forth until AFTER the Greater Things of Jesus are revealed:
4 Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.
5 Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord.
6 For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.
7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are. (Ether 4:4-7)
The difference being, to receive the Greater Things of Jesus one must only believe in The Book of Mormon. To receive the Sealed Portion, one must have faith as the brother of Jared, which faith allowed him to meet the Savior.