THEOLOGY

LECTURE TWELVE

On the doctrine of Christ

Of Charity

Charity and the Gentiles

Prophetic Warnings

1. In this, our final lecture, we will examine the warnings that rest upon the Gentiles, which warnings, in large part, are given due to the Gentiles lack of charity.
2. First, we must ask ourselves a question: “Who are the Gentiles?”
3. This is an interesting question. How can we know to whom the warnings are given without knowing who the Gentiles are?.
4. In short, the term “Gentile” means those who are not of the house of Israel. The root word, goyim, is translated into other terms which lend understanding of this distinction. Goyim is also translated as foreigner, stranger, heathen, or nation.
5. Therefore, from the time of Jacob and his twelve sons, who became the house of Israel, (Jacob’s own name being changed to Israel by God) anyone who was not of this house, Jacob’s family, or the house of Israel, was considered to be a Gentile. It was so for thousands of years.
6. Then, after the reigns of King David and his son, King Solomon, there was a split in the house of Israel. The northern ten tribes, led by the tribe of Ephraim, rebelled against the southern leadership of Judah.
7. No longer was there a unified “house of Israel”. Now there was the northern kingdom, often called Israel, Ephraim, or Samaria (the capital city for the north) and there was a southern kingdom, called Judah or Jerusalem (the capital city for the south). Anyone not part of these two kingdoms was considered a Gentile, or part of a Gentile nation.
8. The northern kingdom was overrun by the Assyrians from 725 BC to 722 BC when their capital city, Samaria, was taken. Northern Israelite tribes were carried captive into Assyria. Later, when Assyria fell, these ten tribes became lost to the world. We refer to them as such—the “lost ten tribes of Israel”. Many of these mixed with the Gentile nations and lost their identity. Thus, the blood of Israel became scattered through the nations of the world.
9. The southern kingdom was also taken captive by Babylon. Beginning in 597 BC, with the instillation of Zedekiah as a puppet king, until Jerusalem was completely destroyed in 586 BC by Babylon. However, after 70 years they were freed by King Cyrus (of Persia) and returned to their homeland, Judea and its capital, Jerusalem. They remained Judah, or as we also know them, the Jews.
10. It was to this people, in the meridian of time, that Christ was born, and amongst whom he performed his ministry. By this time Judah (or Judea) was a province of the Roman empire. King Herod ruled Judea under Rome’s direction.
11. Since the time the ten tribes were taken and scattered, there remained only two classifications of people in the eyes of the kingdom of Judah—Jew and Gentile. If you were not of Judah, then you were Gentile. It did not matter if you were a descendent of one of the lost ten tribes and had the blood of Israel in your veins, because Israel (or Ephraim or the ten tribes) was no longer identified as a people and were scattered amongst the nations.
12. This is how the prophets of the Old Testament (from 722 BC and forward) and the prophets of the Book of Mormon (who left Jerusalem in the first year of the reign of Zedekiah) viewed the world. Therefore, this is the paradigm through which we must read the prophecies of the Book of Mormon and even modern scripture for it is the basis for the use of the terms Jew and Gentile throughout this holy writ.
13. This concept is touched upon in the prayer for the Kirtland Temple dedication. “Now these words, O Lord, we have spoken before thee, concerning the revelations and commandments which thou hast given unto us, who are identified with the Gentiles.” D&C 109:60
14. Therefore, we see that even though we might be told by a Patriarch, a man of God holding the keys of knowledge of the house of Israel, that we are of one of the tribes of Israel, in the “revelations and commandments” given “unto us” we are “identified with the “Gentiles”.
15. Joseph Smith, for example, was most certainly of the house of Joseph, of the tribe of Ephraim. However, he too, was “identified with the Gentiles” in prophecy.
16. “And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed— And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel.” 1 Nephi 15:13, 17
17. Even the title page of the Book of Mormon makes this clear: “Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed-To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof-Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile-The interpretation thereof by the gift of God.”
18. And “And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign—for verily I say unto you that when these things which I declare unto you, and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, and by the power of the Holy Ghost which shall be given unto you of the Father, shall be made known unto the Gentiles that they may know concerning this people who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who shall be scattered by them; Verily, verily, I say unto you, when these things shall be made known unto them of the Father, and shall come forth of the Father, from them unto you; For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel;” 3 Nephi 21:2-3, 6
19. Therefore, we must read the scriptures and revelations and realize that when the term Gentile is used, it is a direct reference to those who receive the “fulness of the gospel” even the “words which [Christ] declare[d] unto” those after his resurrection in the Americas. This fulness and Christ’s words come by way of the Book of Mormon. It is the responsibility of the Gentiles to deliver these to the remnant of the House of Israel–even Lehi’s decedents.
20. While many (if not most) of the members of the restored church, are, by blood, members of the house of Israel. We must read the scriptures and prophecies as understood by those doing the writing. And as we view prophecy through this paradigm we can see that it is us, members of the restored Church, to whom the scriptures and revelations regarding the Gentiles are being addressed!
21. We should also consider that all prophetic warnings given to us are to be received with love and thankfulness, for they are another sign of the love of our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Without such warnings we might drift into complacency, thinking that “All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well…” 2 Nephi 28:21
22. When the Lord visited the Americas following his resurrection he spoke powerfully of the latter-days and events which would occur. He commanded the people to write his words and told them that they would come forth by way of the Gentiles. (Note that Christ is delivering the words which His Father commanded him to deliver as you read the warnings in 3 Nephi 16, 20, and 21.) “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, 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
23. Here we see that the Lord planned to bring forth the writings of that people, the Nephites, through the Gentiles. He also alludes to an interesting phrase here, “fulness of the Gentiles”, which appears to be an instrumental time in gathering in the scattered, or remnant, seed.
24. The Lord continues, “And then will I gather them in from the four quarters of the earth; and then will I fulfil the covenant which the Father hath made unto all the people of the house of Israel. And blessed are the Gentiles, because of their belief in me, in and of the Holy Ghost, which witnesses unto them of me and of the Father. Behold, because of their belief in me, saith the Father, and because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the latter day shall the truth come unto the Gentiles, that the fulness of these things shall be made known unto them.” 3 Nephi 16:5-7
25. Again, we see that the truth comes first to the Gentiles in the latter-days, in the days when the writings are manifested. We see that belief in Christ, “in and of the Holy Ghost”, is a key to receiving this truth and the fulness which “shall be made known unto them.” It is important to note the Lord’s use of the word, “shall”. This is an unconditional statement–something that will happen.
26. Then the Lord clarifies that there are both believing and unbelieving Gentiles, “But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles—for notwithstanding they have come forth upon the face of this land, and have scattered my people who are of the house of Israel; and my people who are of the house of Israel have been cast out from among them, and have been trodden under feet by them; And because of the mercies of the Father unto the Gentiles, and also the judgments of the Father upon my people who are of the house of Israel, verily, verily, I say unto you, that after all this, and I have caused my people who are of the house of Israel to be smitten, and to be afflicted, and to be slain, and to be cast out from among them, and to become hated by them, and to become a hiss and a byword among them—” 3 Nephi 16:8-9
27. We see that the unbelieving Gentiles actually wreak havoc amongst the scattered house of Israel. They mistreat them, cast them out, and do all sorts of despicable things to them. They are allowed to do this for a period, due to the mercies of the Father toward the Gentiles and the judgments which still rest upon the scattered house of Israel.
28. “And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.” 3 Nephi 16:10
29. Therefore, we see that despite the truth coming first to the Gentiles, the writings being manifested to them, and the Holy Ghost coming to those who are believing, in the end the Gentiles will reject the fulness of the Gospel. They sin against it with all manner of pride, lyings, murders, whoredoms, priestcrafts, etc. It is a terrible state the Gentiles are in, for they had the fulness extended to them and they rejected it.
30. The fulness of the Gospel is plain and precious. It is what we obtain upon receiving the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. It is the love of God, the pure love of Christ, it is hope and charity.
31. As a result of this rejection, the Lord then extends the fulness of the Gospel to the house of Israel. “And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them. And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel.” 3 Nephi 16:11-12
32. But all is not lost for the Gentiles, for the arm of mercy is always extended, “But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.” 3 Nephi 16:13
33. Then the Lord makes a very sobering statement regarding how the believing Gentiles are saved. “And I will not suffer my people, who are of the house of Israel, to go through among them, and tread them down, saith the Father.” 3 Nephi 16:14
34. Therefore, we see that the Lord will no longer allow the Gentiles to exercise any power over the house of Israel whatsoever. In fact, the tables are turned as the fulness of the Gospel is extended to the scattered house of Israel. They actually are given power over the Gentile nations! Power to “go through…and tread them down”. This will literally happen to all Gentiles who do not repent and return to Christ, becoming numbered amongst the house of Israel.
35. The Lord continues with even stronger language for the unbelieving Gentiles. “But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them [the Gentiles], and shall tread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel.” 3 Nephi 16:15
36. There is a very important phrase buried in this verse, that is “they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor.” We would do well to take heed, for a people can only be called “salt” if they have made covenant with the Lord God. Therefore, these are not just Gentiles who never believed, these are Gentiles who had, at some time, made covenant with the Lord. Then they rejected that covenant, the fulness of the Gospel, and were then good only to be “cast out” and “trodden under”.
37. “When men are called unto mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men; They are called to be the savor of men; therefore, if that salt of the earth lose its savor, behold, it is thenceforth good for nothing only to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.” D&C 101:39-40
38. This destruction rests upon the Gentiles. It shall happen; for as Christ said, “And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel…”
39. We see that this will happen to the Gentiles because they “shall sin” and “shall reject”.
40. However, we, individually, prophetically identified as Gentiles, can repent. We can accept the fullness of the Gospel. We can turn fully unto Christ. We can partake of the fruit of the tree of life. If we do this, then we can be counted amongst the house of Israel. This warning was extended in additional detail in both 3 Nephi chapters 20 and 21. It is highly recommended that these chapters are also studied.
41. Christ’s arm is extended to all. He is no respecter of persons. All who repent and come unto him can be His. “For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel;” 3 Nephi 21:6
42. It is a sign of Christ’s charity that these warnings in scripture are recorded. They are designed to cause us to realize who we are, to assess ourselves, to cause us to hope for something better, to begin to exercise faith, and to turn to him with full purpose of heart, that we might avoid the terrible fate prophesied for those who are unbelieving.
43. We also see in the above the significance of the scriptural phrase, “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.” (Found in many scriptures such as Matthew 20:16, Jacob 5:63) For truly the house of Israel first received the gospel. In ancient times to them were sent prophets, revelations, and even the Son of God. When the house of Israel rejected the prophets and the Messiah, the gospel was taken to the Gentiles (see Acts 10).
44. Amongst the Gentiles the gospel flourished for a period before many of the plain and precious teachings were lost and apostasy set in.
45. Covenants were broken, ordinances changed, and priesthood lost.
46. Now in the last days the Lord has extended his arm again, first to the Gentiles. It is amongst the Gentiles that the Book of Mormon came forth, that prophets were sent, that revelations came forth containing the fulness of the gospel. We see in the above prophecies that the ancient pattern will repeat; however, this time it will be the Gentiles that reject the fulness of the gospel and it is the house of Israel to whom it will be taken and accepted.
47. It is also the Gentiles who will first receive the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon. A careful reading of Moroni’s words show that when the Gentiles exercise sufficient faith the Lord will send it forth amongst them. “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. 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. 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. 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
48. Lest we misunderstand that this prophecy refers to what we have as the Book of Mormon in our day, the prophecy continues, “Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief. Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief. Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel. And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed.” Ether 4:13-16
49. Clearly, the Lord holds in store much, much more than we have received thus far. If we repent, sanctify ourselves, and come with a broken heart and a contrite spirit then we can and will receive “…the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief…”—regardless of whether we are Gentile or house of Israel.
50. However, it does appear clear that this sealed, or greater knowledge, first comes to at least a small number of those identified as the Gentiles “…when they repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.”
51. At some point, though, we see that this hidden knowledge and revelations shall be rejected and sinned against by the majority of the Gentiles. Only a few will receive what the majority have rejected and, quite possibly, it will be these repentant Gentiles who are allowed to introduce the fulness of the gospel to the remnants of the house of Israel, including Lehi’s decedents, and the Jews.
52. Thus, again we see that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.
53. All through scripture we see the warnings to the Gentiles. All the warnings center around the Gentiles not being “reconciled to Christ”, being weak, trusting in the arm of flesh, lacking charity, and being full of pride.
54. Thus, we see, some Gentles will repent and become clean, while others will not turn to Christ and accept all the great blessings and knowledge he holds out for those willing to receive.
55. “I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat. I have charity for the Jew—I say Jew, because I mean them from whence I came. I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.” 2 Nephi 33:7-9
56.  “Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all righteousness. And I, Moroni, having heard these words, was comforted, and said: O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith;” Ether 12:28-29
57.  “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. And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood.” Ether 12:35-38
58. “Hearken, O ye Gentiles, and hear the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, which he hath commanded me that I should speak concerning you, for, behold he commandeth me that I should write, saying: Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel.” 3 Nephi 30:1-2
59. Moroni also taught us in Ether 8 that secret combinations would attempt to overthrow the freedoms we enjoy. Similar secret combinations were the downfall of the Jaredite nation, the Nephite nation, and, we are warned, that they will be the downfall of the Gentile nations—or any nation that upholds such abominations.
60. “And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination, even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God; For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he will that man should shed blood, but in all things hath forbidden it, from the beginning of man. And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites. And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi. And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.” Ether 8:18-22
61. Moroni then warns us—those in receipt of the Book of Mormon—specifically about our imminent danger. “Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be. Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up. For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning. Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.” Ether 8:23-26
62. We should note the specific warning that there would be a secret combination come among us, which would seek to overthrow “the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries.” And when we see such an entity we should “awake to a sense” of our “awful situation.”
63. What, might we ask, is so “awful” about the situation?
64. Quite simply, destruction of freedom, and introduction of corrupt laws, creates a corrupt people.
65. “For all flesh is corrupted before me; and the powers of darkness prevail upon the earth, among the children of men, in the presence of all the hosts of heaven— Which causeth silence to reign, and all eternity is pained, and the angels are waiting the great command to reap down the earth, to gather the tares that they may be burned; and, behold, the enemy is combined.” D&C 38:11-12
66. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face. Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord. And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord; First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord.” D&C 112:23-26
67. Would unbelievers “profess to know” Christ? Would unbelievers be in “the midst of my house”? The Lord is warning those who have ears to hear!
68. “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Genesis 6:11-13
69. “But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:37
70. We can easily contrast this condition of corruption with what the Lord promises.
71. “And I hold forth and deign to give unto you greater riches, even a land of promise, a land flowing with milk and honey, upon which there shall be no curse when the Lord cometh; And I will give it unto you for the land of your inheritance, if you seek it with all your hearts. And this shall be my covenant with you, ye shall have it for the land of your inheritance, and for the inheritance of your children forever, while the earth shall stand, and ye shall possess it again in eternity, no more to pass away. But, verily I say unto you that in time ye shall have no king nor ruler, for I will be your king and watch over you. Wherefore, hear my voice and follow me, and you shall be a free people, and ye shall have no laws but my laws when I come, for I am your lawgiver, and what can stay my hand?” D&C 38:18-22
72. Shall we not awaken to our awful situation?
73. Shall we not turn to Christ?
74. Shall we not hope for the Lord’s promises?
75. He holds out “riches”, “a land of promise”, that we will “have no king nor ruler” but Him, and that we shall be a “free people”.
76. To receive these blessings we must hear his voice and follow him.
77. “And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way. But, behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts? Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost? Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark. For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do. Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do.” 2 Nephi 32:1-6
78. The way is clear for us. We must receive the Holy Ghost. We must partake of the tree of life. We must obtain hope in Christ. We must be filled with his perfect love, charity. We must do all things the the Holy Ghost directs. Then when we come to Christ “in the flesh” we must do all things that He directs.
79. Only then can we be the free people, the pure in heart, the Zion, the Sons and Daughters of God, that we were designed and created to become.
80. And once we have become a Son or Daughter of God we are no longer numbered amongst the Gentiles. We have claim and privilege of all the promises and covenants which God has made with the fathers.