"The most correct book"

"The most correct book"

The prophet Joseph Smith declared:" I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on earth and the keystone
of our religion, and that a man can get closer to God, keeping its precepts than any other book." (28 November 1841 history of the
church.)

This statement has caused a lot of outrage among followers of Christianity. Yet, I find it strange that people who declare their faith in
the Bible could be jealous of something which the Bible itself prophesies. These people express the same feelings that the followers of
Moses did when others were prophesying in place of Moses. “And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of
the spirit that [was] upon him, and gave [it] unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, [that], when the spirit rested upon them, they
prophesied, and did not cease. But there remained two [of the] men in the camp, the name of the one [was] Eldad, and the name of the
other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they [were] of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and
they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And
Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, [one] of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. And Moses
said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, [and] that the LORD would put his
spirit upon them!” (Numbers 11:25-29).

The same feelings of jealousy were expressed by the followers of John the Baptist concerning Jesus, but he humbly said “Then there
arose a question between [some] of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him,
Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all [men] come to him.
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I
am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which
standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I
[must] decrease.” (John 3:25-30).

The Bible prophesies in Isaiah 29:18 “ 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.”

In Ezekiel 12:15-16 there is a similar prophesy. “And they shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the
nations, and disperse them in the countries. But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the
pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I [am] the
LORD.”

In Ezekiel 14:22-23: “Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, [both] sons and daughters: behold, they
shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have
brought upon Jerusalem, [even] concerning all that I have brought upon it. And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and
their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.”

This states very clearly that those who will read this book “shall see their way and their doing.” More importantly, it says that “they
[the people in the book] shall comfort you [the readers of the book] when ye see their ways and their doings.” If this is not talking
about the Book of Mormon, then we must look for another book concerning “a remnant” of Israel which God has done, because such
a book is not found in the Bible.

We read in Isaiah 43:9,19,21-22 “Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can
declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, [It is]
truth… Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and]
rivers in the desert… But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought me
the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an
offering, nor wearied thee with incense.”

Moses received the Law for the Israelite people, but afterwards the gospel of Jesus Christ took its place, even though the Law of
Moses was defined as being "eternal". The Jews didn't accept the gospel for the same reason why Christians don't accept a new
revelation such as the Book of Mormon. The prophets prophesied not only for their times but also for future times. Even Christ
Himself declared that the prophesies had not been completed and were still yet to be fulfilled when He said concerning the law and the
prophets: “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no
wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18).

It is indisputable that in both the Old and New Testament this new book was clearly prophesied and that it would be like the voice of a
people speaking from the dust.

Isaiah 29:1-4 “WOE to Ariel, to Ariel, the city [where] David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. Yet I will distress Ariel,
and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege
against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. And thou shalt be brought down, [and] shalt speak out of the ground, and
thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech
shall whisper out of the dust.”

In these four verses it speaks of a city like Jerusalem, “the city where David dwelt!” This city will be besieged and destroyed, yet, in
time it will speak "low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech
shall whisper out of the dust.” How is it possible to speak from the dust if their words do not come from a buried book?

Isaiah 45:8 tells us: “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them
bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.” And Psalms 85:11 says, “Truth shall spring
out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.”

Both of these passages of holy scripture states that truth “shall spring out of the earth.” What other explanation could there be to these
two prophesies if it is not’t an ancient book which has been unearthed which “bring(s) forth salvation” which “I the Lord have created”?
Some people claim that these scriptures are irrelevant, but if the Lord included them in the scriptures then He meant for them to be
relevant. After all, don’t we, as Christians believe that all scripture is inspired by the Holy Ghost?

The Bible also prophesies regarding an angel bringing an eternal gospel in the last days and about a book which he carries in the last
days a book.

In Revelation 14:6-8 we read, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them
that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to
him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And
there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication.”

In Revelation 10:1-2 it says, “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow [was]
upon his head, and his face [was] as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set
his right foot upon the sea, and [his] left [foot] on the earth.”

The Bible confirms too the story of a great important vision in the last days, like the one Joseph Smith had.

Habakuk 2:2-3 we learn, “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make [it] plain upon tables, that he may run
that readeth it. For the vision [is] yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because
it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

Even a martyrdom in the last days was prophesied as necessary to purify a sanctuary with a blood. For more on this topic I
recommend you read my talk entitled “Daniel's prophesy.”

But this is not’t all the Bible has to say concerning the coming forth of another holy book. In the 37th chapter of Ezekiel we read, “ The
word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 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 Joseph, 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. 21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the
children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own
land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall
be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more
with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling
places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.” (Ezekiel 37:16-23).

For this the nations will be stupefied Isaiah 43:9,19, 21-22 “Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled:
who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let
them hear, and say, [It is] truth… Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way
in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert… This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. But thou hast not
called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.”

Jeremiah 16:19: “O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from
the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and [things] wherein [there is] no profit… 21 Then
shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to
and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where [had] they [been]?”

As we can see, there is ample evidence in the Bible that the Lord Himself would bring forth another book in the last day. Since we
believe that those prophesies refer to the Book of Mormon, let’s take a closer look at what Joseph Smith meant when he declared
“that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to
God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”

Many critics scoff at this statement, citing as proof, the many grammatical “errors” and “mistakes” found in the first printing of the
Book of Mormon. However, these same critics conveniently overlook the fact that the Bible contains grammatical translation mistakes
as well. Many of the new revised translations are done to correct these mistakes. However, that is not what Joseph Smith meant by his
comment. He didn't’t say that the Book of Mormon was the most grammatically correct book. He clarified his remark by saying that "a
man would get nearer to God by abiding by ITS PRECEPTS, than by any other book." In other words, he was referring to the precepts
found in the Book of Mormon as being the most correct.

In fact, the Book of Mormon itself admits to mistakes. Moroni, concludes his account by saying "And now, if there are faults they are
the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.” Nephi,
the person who started the record, stated, “And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither
am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost
carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men.” (2 Nephi 33:1). Mormon, who made the abridgment pleaded “Condemn me not
because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather
give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.”
(Mormon 9:31)

When Joseph Smith made his comment about the Book of Mormon being the most correct book, he was well aware of these passages
of scripture. That’s why he SPECIFIED what he meant. He was referring to the principles and precepts found in the Book of Mormon.
Furthermore, what he was also saying was that the teachings of the gospel are more clearly explained in the Book of Mormon than in
the Bible.

This should be easy to understand. If the Bible was perfect and the ultimate, complete word of God then there should be no need for
another book. Yet, as we have already seen, the Bible itself prophesies that the Lord will bring forth another book. If the word of God
is true, then how can we say that there cannot be any other book written by God except the Bible?

How it is possible to prove that the Book of Mormon is more correct of the Bible? Simple. All we have to do is compare their precepts
and principles and see which one explains them more clearly than the other. The true test of what makes something clear is to see how
simply and completely it explains it’s point.

Therefore, having set these parameters let's first analyze the basic principles or precepts of the gospel and see if the Book of explains
these principles in a clearer, simpler and more comprehensive way than the Bible. These principle are:
1.    Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
2.    Repentance
3.    Baptism for the remission of the sins
4.    The gift of the Holy Ghost

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

1 Nephi 3:7 “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I
know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may
accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”

2 Nephi 4:34 “O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that
cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.”

2 Nephi 27:23 “For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today,
and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith.”

Alma 32:17,21,26-7 “Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety;
then we shall believe. And now as I said concerning faith--faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith
ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true. Now, as I said concerning faith--that it was not a perfect knowledge--even so it is
with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.”

Alma 32:27 “27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle
of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give
place for a portion of my words.”



Mormon 9:20-21 “And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief,
and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust. Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in
Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all,
even unto the ends of the earth.”

There can be no doubt that the Book of Mormon explains the precept of faith much more clearly than the Bible does.

And here is another basic principle connected with having faith.

Ether 12:6-7 “And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things
which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them
until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself not unto the world.
Another basic principle well explained.”

Moroni 10:23 “And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.”

According to the teachings of the Bible, it gives us the impression that we can do anything as long as God is with us. Here we see that
we can do anything as long as it is expedient with God. This statement makes much more sense and is in greater conformity to the
teachings of the Bible.

To compare these verses to what the Bible teaches, see 2 Corinthians 5:7, Hebrews 11:1-6, James 1:5-6, Matthew 8:5-10, Matthew
14:22-23, Matthew 17:14-20, Habakkuk 2:4, and James 2:14-26

In my opinion these verses of scripture from the Bible leave a lot of room for different interpretations, whereas, the Book of Mormon
leaves little doubt as to the real meaning of faith

What about the principle of repentance?

2 Nephi 9:21-27 “And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth
the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. And
he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day. And he
commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot
be saved in the kingdom of God. And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the
end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it. Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is
no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no
condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the
power of him.
For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from
that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to
that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel. But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the =
commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!”

Alma 12:20 “But there was one Antionah, who was a chief ruler among them, came forth and said unto him: What is this that thou hast
said, that man should rise from the dead and be changed from this mortal to an immortal state that the soul can never die? 21 What
does the scripture mean, which saith that God placed cherubim and a flaming sword on the east of the garden of Eden, lest our first
parents should enter and partake of the fruit of the tree of life, and live forever? And thus we see that there was no possible chance that
they should live forever. 22 Now Alma said unto him: This is the thing which I was about to explain. Now we see that Adam did fall by
the partaking of the forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see, that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and
fallen people. 23 And now behold, I say unto you that if it had been possible for Adam to have partaken of the fruit of the tree of life at
that time, there would have been no death, and the word would have been void, making God a liar, for he said: If thou eat thou shalt
surely die. 24 And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal
death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a
time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us,
which is after the resurrection of the dead…. “33 But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption
which was laid) saying: If ye will repent and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten
Son; 34 Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son,
unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.”

Here we see a clear explanation of why God gave mankind the principle of repentance.

Alma 32:13 “And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble,
seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the
same shall be saved. 14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not
suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?”

King Benjaming told his people in Mosiah 4:10,12,20,26 “And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and
humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that
ye do them… 12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always
retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that
which is just and true… 20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins.
And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should
be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your
joy… 26 And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you--that is, for the sake of RETAINING a remission of your
sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God--I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man
according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both
spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.”

Alma 42:1-25 “AND now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot
understand--which is concerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try to suppose that it is injustice that the
sinner should be consigned to a state of misery. 2 Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee. For behold, after the Lord
God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were taken--yea, he drew out the man,
and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden, cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the tree of life-- 3
Now, we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the tree
of
life, and eat and live forever, the Lord God placed cherubim and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the fruit-- 4 And thus
we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God. 5 For behold, if
Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God,
having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been
frustrated. 6 But behold, it was appointed unto man to die--therefore, as they were cut off from the tree of life they should be cut off
from the face of the earth--and man became lost forever, yea, they became fallen man. 7 And now, ye see by this that our first parents
were cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord; and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their
own will. 8 Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great
plan of happiness. 9 Therefore, as the soul could never die, and the fall had brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a
temporal, that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord, it was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual
death. 10 Therefore, as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to
prepare; it became a preparatory state.”

Alma 42:11 “And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of redemption, (laying it aside) as soon as they were dead their
souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord. 12 And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen
state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience; 13 Therefore, according to justice, the plan of
redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state;
for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of
justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God. 14 And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in
the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence. 15 And now, the plan of
mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to
bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.

“16 Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should
be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul. 17 Now, how could a man repent except
he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment? 18 Now, there was a
punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man. 19 Now, if there was no law given--if a man
murdered he should die--would he be afraid he would die if he should murder? 20 And also, if there was no law given against sin men
would not be afraid to sin. 21 And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have
no claim upon the creature? 22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy
claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of
justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.

“23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement
bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus
they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice. 24 For behold, justice
exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved. 25 What, do
ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God.”

What more could we add to that? It couldn’t be said any more clearly.

Helaman 14:15-19 “For behold, he surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he
dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord. 16 Yea, behold, this
death bringeth to pass the resurrection, and redeemeth all mankind from the first death--that spiritual death; for all mankind, by the fall
of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual. 17 But
behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord. 18
Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; =
but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second
death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness. 19 Therefore repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things
and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death.”

3 Nephi 9:19-22 “19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall
be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings. 20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken
heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the
Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the
Holy Ghost, and they knew it not. 21 Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from
sin. 22 Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold,
for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved.”

What about the subject of baptism?

Mosiah 26:20 –23: “Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life; and thou shalt serve me and go
forth in my name, and shalt gather together my sheep. And he that will hear my voice shall be my sheep; and him shall ye receive into
the church, and him will I also receive. For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance. And
whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive. For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world; for
it is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand.”

Moroni 8:8-20 : “Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the
righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they
are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the
law of circumcision is done away in me. And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my
beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children. Behold I say unto you that this thing
shall ye teach--repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they
must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children.

“And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments
unto the remission of sins. But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God,
and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism! Wherefore, if little
children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell. Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth
that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity, for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity;
wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell. For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth
one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism.

“Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak
with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear. And I am filled with
charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they
are all alike and partakers of salvation. For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable
from all eternity to all eternity. Little children cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto
them, for they are all alive in him because of his mercy. And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the
mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption..”


2 Nephi 31:5-7: “And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfill all righteousness, O
then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water! And now, I would ask of you, my beloved
brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfill all righteousness in being baptized by water? Know ye not that he was holy? But
notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father,
and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.”

What attitude should someone have who wants to be baptized?

Mosiah 18:8-10 “And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and
now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that
they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to
stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of
God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life-- Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of
your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a
covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?”

What does teach the Book of Mormon regarding the Holy Ghost?

1 Nephi 10:11 “And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which
should be preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah,
who should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost,
unto the Gentiles.”

2 Nephi 26:13 “And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every
nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith.

1 Nephi 12:18 “And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men.
And a great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of the justice of the Eternal God, and the Messiah who is the Lamb of
God, of whom the Holy Ghost beareth record, from the beginning of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and
forever.”

Moroni 10:4-5 “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of
Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the
truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

Over and over again we see that the Book of Mormon clearly, specifically, and simply explains the principles of the gospel in terms
that cannot be misunderstood.

Now that we have looked at the foundation principles of the gospel, let’s move on to higher topics.

What is the meaning of the life?

The learned confucianist, Tu Wei-Ming, said:" The basic meaning of the life is in our daily existence" According to his way of thinking,
the whole reason for man’s existence is to be born, struggle to live, and then die. Such viewpoint doesn't offer much hope. But is it
true?

Elie Wiesel, one of the few people spared from the Nazis during the second world war, gave his opinion: " Why do we exist? This is
the key question to which a human being must give an answer....I believe that life does have a purpose even though I saw the craziness
of the death..” As we can see, he doesn’t know what the meaning of life although he does believe it has meaning.

Vermont Royster, a writer, said: "Seeing mankind.....his place in the universe, we have achieved little progress from the beginning of
time. We are just asking ourselves, who are we, why are we here? and where we are going ?"

The evolutionist Stephen Jay Gould affirmed: "We wish to have a higher answer, but there is no such thing" For the evolutionist, life is
a struggle and death is the end of life. Neither of these points of view offers much hope or reason for living.

Many religious leaders say that the purpose of life is to live good so at death the soul can go to heaven where it will live forever. They
also teach that for those who don’t live good lives, they will spend eternity suffering in hell. According to this view, our existence does
seem to have a purpose but it is not very clearly defined.

Even some theologians have difficulty accepting this point of view. Doctor W. R. Inge, Bishop of the Cathedral of S. Paul in London
said once:" All my life I have struggled to discover the meaning of life. I sought to solve three problems that always seemed to me to be
basic: the problem of eternity, the problem of the human race, and the problem with evil. I was unable to solve them - none of them!"

Fortunately, through the revelations of God as found in the Book of Mormon, we have been given a clearer understanding of the
purpose and value of life.

2 Nephi 2:25: “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”

Alma 34:32: “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to
perform their labors.”

Alma 42:4: “And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve
God.”

Alma 12:24 “And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal
death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a
time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of
the dead.”

The primary purpose of life is to have joy and prepare ourselves to meet God. We do this through repentance. Since we are the
offspring of God such a conclusion is only natural.. What better purpose to life can there be than to have joy and the opportunity to
live with our heavenly Father again? Yet, without the Book of Mormon, all people have to guide them is the Bible. What do Christians
say the Bible teaches about the purpose of life?

From a book written by Pat Robertson, president of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) there is a chapter entitled “What is the
purpose of God for mankind?” In it he states, "If you go back to Genesis, you find God telling men to `Be fruitful and multiply; fill the
earth and subdue it:’ God wants man to be fruitful. That can mean reproduction in terms of having children, but it also means spiritual
reproduction. It means bearing fruit for the Lord, producing love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control. God also wants men to have dominion over Satan. He wants us, as His representatives, to subjugate Satan. Jesus
Christ gave us that authority. He wants us to do away with the works of Satan, to take away poverty, to lift the yoke of oppression, and
to take away ignorance and lack of faith. Then when we have taken dominion over the things that will hurt our fellow man, He wants to
take dominion over the earth. We are supposed to be intelligent stewards under God of all these things. Our main purpose for being on
earth is to be stewards of God's creation, to grow in God, and to function as God's sons and daughters.”

In the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the Presbyterians say that man's main reason for existence is to glorify God and enjoy Him
forever. To them, the mandate given in Genesis to have dominion over the earth has no meaning apart from giving glory to God. They
state that the reason for being alive is to be subject to God, to love Him, and to walk with Him.

According to the Jehovah's Witnesses, the purpose of life, (and explained on their official web site) as stated in the Bible, shows that
God prepared the earth especially for human beings. They quote Isaiah 45:18 “For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God
himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I [am] the
LORD; and [there is] none else.” Furthermore, God also placed on earth everything mankind needed, not only to live but to enjoy life.
(see Genesis chapters 1 and 2.) When God created Adam and Eve, the Bible states "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over
every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:26)

According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, this scripture shows that the purpose of man is to take care of the "whole earth" including all
that was created on it. As proof, they point to the fact that God prepared a garden east of Eden and then placed man in this garden to
cultivate it and take care of it. More than that, they say that the first humans were created with a perfect body, free of sickness and
meant to live forever. In addition to that, they were also empowered with other qualities, such as free agency. The way in which they
were created is explained in Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and
female created he them.” Since we are all created in His imagine, we have received not only physical and mental attributes, but even
moral and spiritual traits which, if properly used and developed, will make us happy.

Then, while the first couple was in the garden, God gave them a wonderful task to perform when He said, "be fruitful and multiply and
fill the earth" (Genesis 1:28.) By the means of reproduction, Adam and Eve would have generate perfect offspring, and in this way the
earth’s population would increased. In this way mankind would have expanded the borders of paradise, so that eventually the whole
earth would have been paradise, filled with perfect people, living happily together forever. The Bible informs us that after this: "God
saw.... all He had done was good , very good" (Genesis 1:31)

None of these ideas are “wrong” but the answer to our question is still not perfectly clear. The fact that there are differing opinions
among Christian churches on this point is proof that this issue is not clearly stated in the Bible.

Yet, if life is meant to be filled with joy, as both the Bible and Book of Mormon teaches, then why is there so much suffering in
the world? The Bible doesn’t answer this question, but the book of Mormon does covers all of this.

2 Nephi 2:11-12 “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness
could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs
be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption
nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of
naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom
of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.”

Every element of life has meaning and every element also has it’s necessary opposite, such as good and evil, happiness and misery,
etc. The fascinating thing about this rule of opposites is that the one can't exist without the other one. It is only in the Book of Mormon
that we have explained the importance of these two elements in God’s plan for us. If good and evil were independent and existed by
themselves, men could do no good, nor could he truly do evil. Therefore, man cannot truly know joy without having known what
suffering is.

2 Nephi 2:15-27 “And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the
field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the
forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that
he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other. And
I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had
fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God. And because he had fallen from
heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old
serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall
be as God, knowing good and evil.

“And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth. And they
have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth. And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the
will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened,
according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must
repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents. And now, behold, if Adam had
not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must
have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no
misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who =
knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. And the Messiah cometh in the fullness of
time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free
forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great
and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are
given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men,
or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like
unto himself.”

Alma 12:22-34 “Now Alma said unto him: This is the thing which I was about to explain. Now we see that Adam did fall by the
partaking of the forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see, that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen
people. And now behold, I say unto you that if it had been possible for Adam to have partaken of the fruit of the tree of life at that
time, there would have been no death, and the word would have been void, making God a liar, for he said: If thou eat thou shalt surely
die. And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death;
nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to
prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the
dead.

“Now, if it had not been for the plan of redemption, which was laid from the foundation of the world, there could have been no
resurrection of the dead; but there was a plan of redemption laid, which shall bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, of which has
been spoken. And now behold, if it were possible that our first parents could have gone forth and partaken of the tree of life they
would have been forever miserable, having no preparatory state; and thus the plan of redemption would have been frustrated, and the
word of God would have been void, taking none effect. But behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto men that they must die;
and after death, they must come to judgment, even that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end. And after God had
appointed that these things should come unto man, behold, then he saw that it was expedient that man should know concerning the
things whereof he had appointed unto them; Therefore he sent angels to converse with them, who caused men to behold of his glory.

“And they began from that time forth to call on his name; therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of
redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their faith
and repentance and their holy works. Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men, they having first transgressed the first
commandments as to things which were temporal, and becoming as Gods, knowing good from evil, placing themselves in a state to
act, or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good-- Therefore God gave unto
them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do evil, the penalty thereof
being a second death, which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for on such the plan of redemption
could have no power, for the works of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of God.

“But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent and
harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son; Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and
hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall
enter into my rest.”

Again, the Book of Mormon easily clarifies something that has stumped Biblical scholars for centuries. In fact, many believers in the
Bible have come to just the opposite conclusion. For example, the Jehovah's Witnesses maintain that Adam is a son of perdition.
Many other Christians hold a similar view. Yet the Bible itself clearly states that Adam and Eve were innocent in the beginning, not
knowing the difference between good and evil until they partook of the fruit. If that is true, then they partook of the fruit in innocence,
after being deceived by the arch-deceiver, Satan. Yet, despite these facts, those who rely solely on the Bible for their guidance
remained divided and confused as to the correct understanding of why Adam fell. On the other hand, the Book of Mormon gives us a
clear explanation.

What about the subject of prayer?

2 Nephi 32:8-9 “And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak
concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the
evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always,
and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of
Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.

Alma 2:28 “Nevertheless, the Nephites being strengthened by the hand of the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would
deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and
the Amlicites did fall before them. Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

Alma 34:19-28 “Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him. Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your
flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening. Yea, cry unto him against the
power of your enemies. Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness. Cry unto him over the crops of your
fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. But this is not all; ye must pour out your
souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be
full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

“And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn
away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in
need--I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites
who do deny the faith.

Helaman 3:35 “Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the
faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts,
which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.”

What about the subject of service?

Mosiah 2:17 “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your
fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

Mosiah 18:8-10 “And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and
now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that
they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to
stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of
God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life-- Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of
your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a
covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people
who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance.

Alma 17:2-3 “Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice
exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed
strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that
they might know the word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the
spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.

What about the subject of hope?

Ether 12:32-37 “And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of
thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place
which thou hast prepared. And again, I remember that thou hast said that thou hast loved the world, even unto the laying down of thy
life for the world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a place for the children of men. And now I know that this love which thou
hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast
prepared in the mansions of thy Father. Wherefore, I know by this thing which thou hast said, that if the Gentiles have not charity,
because of our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and take away their talent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto
them who shall have more abundantly.

“And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity. And it came
to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments
shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place
which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.

What about the subject of charity?

Moroni 7:35-48 “And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God
will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?
Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so
long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved? Behold I say unto you,
Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things
have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain. For no man can be saved, according to the
words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is
the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made.

“But behold, my beloved brethren, I judge better things of you, for I judge that ye have faith in Christ because of your meekness; for if
ye have not faith in him then ye are not fit to be numbered among the people of his church. And again, my beloved brethren, I would
speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? And what is it that ye shall hope for?
Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life
eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise. Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for
without faith there cannot be any hope. And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek,
and lowly of heart. If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man
be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if
he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

“And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no
evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity,
which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail-- But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and =
whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all
the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus
Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may
have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.”

What about the definition "Born again,” a term which Protestants are fond of using?

Alma 5:14-31 “And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his
image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him
who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised
in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body? I say unto you,
can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for =
behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth? Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie
unto the Lord in that day, and say--Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth--and that he will save you?
Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse, having a =
remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set at defiance the
commandments of God?

“I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the
image of God engraven upon your countenances? I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to
become subjects to the devil? I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be saved; for there can no man be saved except
his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of
whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins. And now I ask of you, my brethren,
how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness?
Behold, what will these things testify against you? Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and also that ye are guilty of
all manner of wickedness?

“Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that such an one can have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac,
and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white? I say unto you, Nay;
except ye make our Creator a liar from the beginning, or suppose that he is a liar from the beginning, ye cannot suppose that such can
have place in the kingdom of heaven; but they shall be cast out for they are the children of the kingdom of the devil. And now behold,
I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would
ask, can ye feel so now? Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time,
within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood
of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins? Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye
are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not
eternal life. Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I
would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is
not found guiltless. And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him
persecutions? Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved! “

The role of fathers.

The book of Mormon is a text which has been transmitted and handed down through generations from fathers to sons. The
relationship of fathers to their children is evident throughout the entire book, and shows how they taught the gospel of Jesus Christ by
both precept and by example. As we have already seen, Alma explained to his sons the real understanding of what it means to be born
again. Helaman likewise talked to his sons concerning the "Atonement" (see Helaman 5:9-10) and Mormon clearly explained the
principle of baptism to his son. The Book of Mormon makes clear how and why fathers should pray for their children, especially those
who are rebellious. These fathers taught their sons from their youth with great love and tenderness but always strictly teaching
obedience to the commandments of the Lord to receive eternal rewards.

There are many other things which could be use to prove that the Book of Mormon is indeed the most correct book on earth, about
religious principles. This is a simple book which speaks with such unusual clarity that no one can misunderstand its precepts and
principles. Unfortunately there are many people who won't read it and avail themselves of this great wisdom mainly because of their
prejudices. Yet if they would read it with an open mind as they do the Bible they would find that the two compliment one another and
testify of each other. And as they read it they will come to better understand the teachings of Christ.