INTRODUCTION TO BOOK OF MORMON 2024
MY MOTIVES FOR READING AND WRITING THROUGH THE BOOK OF MORMON
I am following the reading schedule of the LDS "Come Follow Me - 2024" Study Guide.
The 2024 Come Follow Me study of the Book of Mormon begins with a "prophetic promise" from the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Russell M. Nelson, who said: “I promise that as you ponder what you study [in the Book of Mormon], the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life." I have personally found, in the Bible, the answers to my own questions and direction for my life.
Perhaps my main motive in going through CFM-2024 is that I have good friends who love and follow the Book of Mormon and the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I sincerely want to better understand what they love and believe. Just as they are concerned about my eternal destiny, I am concerned for theirs and pray that God will open all our eyes and hearts to truly know Him and the LIFE that He can give us.
May God prompt us all to ask lots of sincere and honest questions as we read and evaluate what we believe.
~~~~~~~
"THE BOOK OF MORMON IS THE MOST CORRECT BOOK ON EARTH AND CONTAINS THE FULLNESS OF THE GOSPEL."
Joseph Smith said: "The Book of Mormon is the most correct book on earth and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts than any other book."
LDS Doctrine and Covenants 20:8,9 says: “And gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon; Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints claims that many "plain and precious things" were lost during the apostasy after Jesus resurrection. The claim is that these "plain and precious things" have been restored by the Book of Mormon and the later revelations of LDS prophets.
I will look for the following "plain and precious lost and restored full Gospel" as I read through the Book of Mormon.
- Things about The Plan of Salvation
- Things about the Church
- Things about the Temple
-Things about the Kingdoms of Glory
- Things about God
~~~~~~~
PURPOSE AND GOAL of the Book of Mormon?
The title page of the Book of Mormon says It seeks to be "Another Testament" to convince all “that Jesus is the Christ” This phrase prompts me to look for things in the Book of Mormon that are more convincing than the Bible alone? Are there things that the Bible misses but the Book of Mormon adds to make it more convincing that Jesus is the Christ.
~~~~~~~
IS THE BOOK OF MORMON TRUE OR NOT TRUE?
The Introduction to the Book of Mormon challenges readers to pray to know "if the book is true." It refers to Moroni1:4 which says to pray and ask if the book is "not true." It is certainly okay to ask the question both ways, but it does emphasize the challenge of finding out if the Book of Mormon is true or not true. This question, coupled with many LDS statements regarding the extraordinary truthfulness and accuracy of the BOM makes the question very important.
The truthfulness of any text cannot be determined primarily by who or how many people believe it. History, past and present, is full of many large groups of people who believe false things to be true. In fact the Bible says: "let God be true and every man a liar." If everyone in the world voted one way and God alone voted the other, God would be right.
Seeking God's help in determining truth and error is certainly important, but considering how easily our hearts are deceived, to rely primarily on spiritual impressions is not sufficient. Thus honest seekers should ask lots of questions, not only about the Book of Mormon but about anything or anyone that is seeking followers. Truth welcomes questions, un-truth seeks to avoid questions. Avoiding questions actually reveals uncertainty.
I am following the reading schedule of the LDS "Come Follow Me - 2024" Study Guide.
The 2024 Come Follow Me study of the Book of Mormon begins with a "prophetic promise" from the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Russell M. Nelson, who said: “I promise that as you ponder what you study [in the Book of Mormon], the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life." I have personally found, in the Bible, the answers to my own questions and direction for my life.
Perhaps my main motive in going through CFM-2024 is that I have good friends who love and follow the Book of Mormon and the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I sincerely want to better understand what they love and believe. Just as they are concerned about my eternal destiny, I am concerned for theirs and pray that God will open all our eyes and hearts to truly know Him and the LIFE that He can give us.
May God prompt us all to ask lots of sincere and honest questions as we read and evaluate what we believe.
~~~~~~~
"THE BOOK OF MORMON IS THE MOST CORRECT BOOK ON EARTH AND CONTAINS THE FULLNESS OF THE GOSPEL."
Joseph Smith said: "The Book of Mormon is the most correct book on earth and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts than any other book."
LDS Doctrine and Covenants 20:8,9 says: “And gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon; Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints claims that many "plain and precious things" were lost during the apostasy after Jesus resurrection. The claim is that these "plain and precious things" have been restored by the Book of Mormon and the later revelations of LDS prophets.
I will look for the following "plain and precious lost and restored full Gospel" as I read through the Book of Mormon.
- Things about The Plan of Salvation
- Things about the Church
- Things about the Temple
-Things about the Kingdoms of Glory
- Things about God
~~~~~~~
PURPOSE AND GOAL of the Book of Mormon?
The title page of the Book of Mormon says It seeks to be "Another Testament" to convince all “that Jesus is the Christ” This phrase prompts me to look for things in the Book of Mormon that are more convincing than the Bible alone? Are there things that the Bible misses but the Book of Mormon adds to make it more convincing that Jesus is the Christ.
~~~~~~~
IS THE BOOK OF MORMON TRUE OR NOT TRUE?
The Introduction to the Book of Mormon challenges readers to pray to know "if the book is true." It refers to Moroni1:4 which says to pray and ask if the book is "not true." It is certainly okay to ask the question both ways, but it does emphasize the challenge of finding out if the Book of Mormon is true or not true. This question, coupled with many LDS statements regarding the extraordinary truthfulness and accuracy of the BOM makes the question very important.
The truthfulness of any text cannot be determined primarily by who or how many people believe it. History, past and present, is full of many large groups of people who believe false things to be true. In fact the Bible says: "let God be true and every man a liar." If everyone in the world voted one way and God alone voted the other, God would be right.
Seeking God's help in determining truth and error is certainly important, but considering how easily our hearts are deceived, to rely primarily on spiritual impressions is not sufficient. Thus honest seekers should ask lots of questions, not only about the Book of Mormon but about anything or anyone that is seeking followers. Truth welcomes questions, un-truth seeks to avoid questions. Avoiding questions actually reveals uncertainty.