Gospel basics — Jesus Christ, Savior and Mediator of Mankind — The Book of Mormon
Gospel basics – The Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus and draws all men closer to God
INTRODUCTION
The Holy Bible is the Lord’s holy scriptures to the Eastern Hemisphere. The Book of Mormon is the Lord’s Holy Scriptures to the Western Hemisphere. Jesus Christ lived with and taught the people in the Eastern Hemisphere. Christ spoke of His other sheep. In Jerusalem, He said, “Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also must I bring and they shall hear my voice…” (John 10:16) Thus, Jesus Christ visited and taught the people in the Western Hemisphere. He actually appeared in the new world. After His resurrection, the Savior appeared to ancient Americans saying: “Ye are they of whom I said, Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” (3 Nephi 15:21)
THE BIBLE FORETOLD THE COMING FORTH OF THE BOOK OF MORMON
The Apostle John received a revelation from the Lord and recorded the following: “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…” (Revelations 14:6) The prophet Mormon, one of the Lord’s prophets in the Western Hemisphere, was commanded by the Lord to gather the sacred records of ancient Americans and abridge them on thin sheets of gold. He collected into one volume these inspired writings containing several thousand years of religious history, telling of the first colonizers in the Americas and how God led them here from the Holy Land. The prophet Moroni deposited the gold plates in the Hill Cumorah. The great warrior and prophet Moroni obtained the gold plates from his father Mormon, and under direction from the Lord, he deposited them in a stone box and buried them in the Hill Cumorah, until such time the Lord should bring them forth, in the latter days.
AN ANGEL DELIVERED THE GOLDEN PLATES TO JOSEPH SMITH
Moroni, who buried the gold plates while a mortal, appeared as a resurrected personage, delivering up the record to Joseph Smith in 1827. He then commanded Joseph to translate these ancient writings which he said contained the ‘fulness of the everlasting gospel’.
JOSEPH SMITH TRANSLATED THE BOOK OF MORMON
After the Angel Moroni delivered to Joseph Smith the sacred record of the Americas, through the gift and power of God he was able to translate the ancient metal plates into the Book of Mormon.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE EIGHT WITNESSES
“Be it know unto all nations — that Joseph Smith has shown unto us the plates and as many of the leaves as the said Smith translated we did handle with our own hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon.”
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK OF MORMON?
- Convincing of Jew and Gentile — The Book of Mormon is to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ.
- A second witness that Jesus Christ lives today — The Book of Mormon stands as a second witness of the divine mission of Jesus Christ. It affirms the resurrection of the Savior and his appearance to the inhabitants in the Western Hemisphere.
- Witness of the Restoration — The Book of Mormon is a witness that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in these the latter-days.
THE DIVINE PROMISE OF THE BOOK OF MORMON
Would you like to know if the Book of Mormon is from God? Would you like to have the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon manifest to you by the power of the Holy Ghost? The Prophet Mormon said, “I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things – and ponder it in your heart 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.” Moroni 10:3-4
YOU CAN KNOW
You can know the Book of Mormon is from God by following 7 important steps in the Divine Promise:
1. Read the Book of Mormon.
2. Ponder in your heart what you have read in the Book of Mormon.
3. Ask God the Eternal Father if the Book of Mormon is true.
4. Ask in the name of Jesus Christ.
5. Ask with a sincere heart.
6. Ask with real intent.
7. Ask having faith in Christ.
God then promises that He will manifest the truth of the Book of Mormon unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
THE BOOK OF MORMON — SACRED SCRIPTURES FROM AMERICA
The Book of Mormon and the Holy Bible go hand in hand; for both testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world. The Bible prophet Ezekiel foresaw that in the latter days the writings of the Jews (the Bible) and the writings of the remnant of Ephraim (the Book of Mormon) would be joined together — “…and they shall become one in thine hand.” (Ezekiel 37:17). Isaiah also prophesied of this second sacred book, saying that the Lord would bring it forth in the last days to do “…a marvelous work and a wonder.” (Isaiah chapter 29)
The Book of Mormon, written by ancient American prophets, telling of God’s dealing with the earliest American nations and shedding light on who these people were and where they went, has now been published in millions of copies and translated into 34 different languages, thus fulfilling the Bible prophecy that in the last days an angel would return to earth “…having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” Revelation 14:6
THE DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRSIT
The Book of Mormon and the Bible testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world, the Messiah and Redeemer for all mankind, and the only mediator between God and Mortal man. Jesus proved his godliness by walking on water, stopping winds and storms, healing the sick and the blind, multiplying the loaves and fishes, turning water into wine, raising the dead, rising from his tomb after 3 days, and ascending into heaven after his resurrection.
Click here to return to the LDS Information page
Click here to return to the Gospel basics index page
Click here to return to the Main Menu page