Nephi tells why Christ was baptized—Men must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to be saved—Repentance and baptism are the gate to the strait and narrow path—Eternal life comes to those who keep the commandments after baptism. About 559-545 B.C.
1 And now I, Nephi,
make an end of my prophesying unto you, my beloved brethren. And I cannot write
but a few things, which I know must surely come to pass; neither can I write
but a few of the words of my brother Jacob.
2 Wherefore, the things
which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak
concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly,
according to the plainness of my prophesying.
3 For my soul
delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the
children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he
speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.
4 Wherefore, I would
that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you remember that I have spoken
unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should
baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world.
5 And now, if the Lamb
of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all
righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be
baptized, yea, even by water!
6 And now, I would ask
of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all
righteousness in being baptized by water?
7 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.
8 Wherefore, after he
was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a
dove.
9 And again, it showeth
unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the
gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.
10 And he said unto the
children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow
Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandment of the Father?
11 And the Father said:
Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.
12 And also, the voice
of the Son came unto me, saying; He that is baptized in my name, to him will
the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the
things which ye have seen me do.
13 Wherefore, my beloved
brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart,
acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent,
repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take
upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea,
by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his
word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the
baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of
angels and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.
14 But, behold, my
beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have
repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to
keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of
fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the
tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for
you that ye had not known me.
15 And I heard a voice
from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He
that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
16 And now, my beloved
brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in
following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be save.
17 Wherefore, do the
things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer
should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know
the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is
repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by
fire and by the Holy Ghost.
18 And then are ye in
this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered
in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and
the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and
the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hat made, that if ye
entered in by the way ye should receive.
19 And now, my beloved
brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if
all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it
were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the
merits of him who is mighty to save.
20 Wherefore, ye must
press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of
hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore if ye shall press forward,
feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the
Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
21 And now, behold, my
beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given
under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold,
this is the doctrine of the Father, and of he Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which
is one God, without end. Amen.
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