2 Nephi 9 & 10

2 Nephi 9

This is one of the most beautiful, rich, and valuable chapters of the Book of Mormon. It provides answers to many of life’s “Big Questions” and strongly teaches why we need a Savior. I have listed below many of the important principles/doctrines taught in this chapter, along with the verses that teach them. I hope you will take time to read this chapter and think about it, and to pray to ask God your questions. I am grateful to know the principles taught in this chapter—they give peace and purpose in life.

Principle #1: Every person will die, but every person will live again. We will all be resurrected someday—meaning our spirits or souls will be reunited with perfect, immortal bodies, never to die again. This is a free gift given to EVERYONE through the Atonement (or sacrifice) of Jesus Christ.

6 For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection…

11 And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave.

22 And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day.

Principle #2: All men/women also experience “spiritual death”—which is separation from God, due to our sins and the fallen nature of mankind. Jesus Christ’s atonement has made it possible for all men/women to be rescued from this spiritual death as well, but this part depends on us. We must choose Christ and follow Him in order for Him to be able to save us from this spiritual death. He has already paid the price—but each person chooses whether or not to accept the gift.

21 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.

23 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.

24 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.

Principle #3: When we die, our spirits go to a waiting place that is either a hell or a paradise until the time of the resurrection. Eventually, all spirits are delivered up to be resurrected and to stand before Jesus Christ to be judged. The judgment will be fair—we will know very clearly what we deserve. 

12 ... wherefore... hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.

13 O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.

14 Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.

15 And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God.

Principle #5: God does not hold anyone accountable for things they did not know; the Atonement of Jesus Christ pays the price for sins that were committed ignorantly. I am amazed and so grateful at this mercy. It brings me peace to know there is mercy available to people who don’t know about Jesus Christ or don’t understand why we need Him as our Savior (there are a lot of people in that boat). 

25 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; 

26 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 they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel.

27 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!

Principle #6: Being smart or educated or “learned” is good IF, and only if, you still seek and follow the counsel of God (because no mortal will ever come close to the wisdom and understanding of God). Your "wisdom" becomes foolishness if it causes you to think you know better than God.

28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

29 But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.

Principle #7: God’s truth is loved and embraced by people who are living it (or willing to live it), and it offends people who are not willing to live it.

40 O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words... Do not say that I have spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker. I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken.

2 Nephi 10

This chapter has interesting commentary on the Jews, regarding the intensity of their wickedness at the time that Christ will live ('lived' from our time perspective) among them, and regarding the punishments or consequences that would come—but also the mercy the Lord has promised to extend to them in the future if they repent (vs. 3-8). It also has interesting commentary about the “Gentiles”—specifically the American nation (vs. 10-14).