The Book Of Mormon

What is the Book of Mormon?

The Book of Mormon is a record of a group of righteous people who were led away from Jerusalem to the Americas during the reign of Zedekiah.  These people were descendents of Joseph, had prophets, and kept records.  The Book of Mormon is a book of Holy Scripture comparable to the Bible.  It contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The coming forth of the Book of Mormon was prophesied by Ezekiel in the Old Testament.  We believe that the Bible is the stick of Judah and the Book of Mormon is the stick of Joseph.

Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.   And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Jospeh, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. (Ezekiel 37:16-20)

We also believe that the other sheep that John spoke of refer to these ancient inhabitants of America and other righteous groups that were led away from Jerusalem in times of wickedness. 

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16)

Jesus defines his sheep as those that hear his voice, know him, and follow him (John 10:27).  We believe that Jesus indeed did visit His other sheep; those who heard His voice, knew Him, and followed Him!  The Book or Mormon records the visitation of Jesus to this people.  He worked miracles and taught them his gospel.  The Book of Mormon stands as another witness of Christ and helps restore plain and precious truths of the Bible that have been lost. 

Isn’t the Bible enough?

We believe in the Bible and love the truths contained therein.  There is a wealth of information and truths in both the Old and New Testament: the creation, the Ten Commandments, prophecies of the last days, the birth, life, death, & example of Christ, and much more!  We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.   

“For the first millennium and a half of its life, before the invention of printing, the New Testament (and the Old Testament for nearly two millenia) was being painstakingly copied and re-copied, each time with variations and mistakes. Sometimes copyists made matters worse by correcting what they considered to be mistakes. Jerome, in the fourth century, already complained of the variety of texts, pointing out that there were as many variations as there were copies.[i]” (Wansbrough)

There are many interpretations of the Bible and because of this many Christian denominations.  I believe this is due for many reasons: conflicting scriptures, lost scripture, and personal interpretation.  Here is one example of each from the King James Version.

Conflicting scripture:

Man Can See God:

And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. (Genesis 32:30)

Man Cannot See God:

No man hath seen God at any time; (John 1:18)

There are many scriptures that testify of prophets seeing God.  Because of this scripture in John, some believe that God has never appeared to man.  

Lost scripture:

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.  (Acts 26:22-23)

While many believe that Deuteronomy 18:15-19 is Moses prophesying of Christ, we have lost Moses’ his more specific prophecies about Christ’s suffering, death, or mission to the Gentiles.  

Personal Interpretation:

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:19 -21) 

The scriptures were given by the Holy Ghost and are to be interpreted by the Holy Ghost.  We must have the Spirit with us in order to understand the scriptures.  Many interpret by what seems right to them.  The problem with this is that we have our own personal experiences and traditions that bias our interpretations.  Being open to and worthy of the Holy Ghost is necessary to understand scriptures.  The Apostles had a more sure word of prophecy and could interpret the scriptures because they had a first-hand witness of the Savior.  If there really is only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, then there is only one interpretation.  With the loss of the apostles through persecution and death, this sure word of prophecy was also lost and men were left to interpret on their own.  Isaiah prophesied of a book that would come forth and clear up doctrinal misunderstandings after a deep sleep with no prophets or seers.

For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.  And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:  And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.  Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:  Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid…  And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness… They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.  (Isaiah 29:10-14, 18, 24) (Read complete chapter for more details.)

While the Bible is interpreted in many different ways, with the Book of Mormon as its companion, the interpretations become plain and distinct.   The Book of Mormon clears up conflicting scripture, restores lost principles, and provides one interpretation of the Bible.  

 

many interpretations vs one interpretation

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[i] Wansbrough, Henry. The Story of the Bible: How it came to us. Darton Longman & Todd, 2006. Print.