DOCTRINES AND PRINCIPLES IN THIS LESSON:•In the last days, many people will be deceived by false doctrines (see 2 Nephi 28).

•The Book of Mormon joins the Bible in bearing witness that the Lord is God (see 2 Nephi 29).

•Obedience, repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ qualify us to become the Lord’s covenant people (see 2 Nephi 30:1–8).

Chapter 13 2 Nephi 28-30

A B

Which is longer, A or B?

Where does the middle prong attach?

How are these pictures deceptive?

What are some illusions Satan uses to deceive us?

What can we do to see, or understand, the truth?

2 Nephi 2820 For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.

21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well--and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none--and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.

What do these verses suggest about Satan’s methods?

In the last days, many people will be deceived by false doctrines. 2 Nephi 28

Nephi prophesied that false doctrines would be prevalent in the last days.

ACTIVITY

GROUP 1: 2 Ne 28:1-8GROUP 2: 2 Ne 28:9-16GROUP 3: 2 Ne 28:17-24GROUP 4: 2 Ne 28 25-32

List on the board the false teachings identified in their scripture block.

What is wrong with each of these teachings?

What do you think makes these teachings enticing to so many people? What can we do to withstand the temptations in such teachings?

Why is pride such a dangerous sin?

Beware of PrideEZRA TAFT BENSON

(video)

How can we be “humble followers of Christ”?

Nephi is referring to the humble followers of Christ among the many churches of the last days. In another scripture, he refers to those outside the Mormon Church as saints, Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God...for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity (1 Ne 13:5,9). In this latter example, Nephi is speaking of the saints among the Gentile nations prior to the life and mission of Columbus. Therefore, in these two separate instances, Nephi refers to those outside the church as being acknowledged by the Lord. This should not surprise us. For the Lord to save an unrighteous Mormon and damn a righteous Methodist is an unacceptable doctrine that denies the justice of God.

Many have wondered, "what will happen to those of the other churches who followed Christ their entire lives, but never joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"? Nephi makes it clear that the Lord recognizes those humble followers of Christ even if they are few in number and err because they are taught by the precepts of men. Like everyone else, they will be judged according to their works and according to that portion of light which they had received in mortality.

However, in order for these to receive all the blessings that the Lord has promised for the righteous, they must receive the ordinances of salvation. Whether in this life or the next, they must receive baptism and temple ordinances in order to enter the celestial kingdom-for baptism, performed by one with priesthood authority, is the key to entering the gate of the celestial kingdom:

'Therefore in the ordinances [of the kingdom], the power of godliness is manifest.

And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;

For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.' (DC 84:20-22)

The Book of Mormon joins the Bible in bearing witness that the Lord is God. 2 Nephi 29

2 Nephi 29:3 And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible.

How would you respond if someone you are sharing the Book of Mormon with says something like this?

What the coming forth of the Book of Mormon shows the world:

1. God remembers His children in all nations and sends His word to all people (see verse 7).

2. People should not murmur when they receive more of the word of the Lord (see verse 8).

3. The Lord speaks the same words to all nations (see verse 8).

4. The Lord is always the same, and He speaks according to His pleasure (see verse 9).

5. People should not assume that the Bible contains all of the Lord’s words or that the Lord has not caused more words to be written (see verse 10; see also Bible Dictionary, “Lost Books”).

6. The Lord commands all people in all nations to record His words (see verse 11).

7. The Lord will judge the nations out of the books He has caused to be written (see verses 11–12).

8. Three scriptural witnesses in the last days will be the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the record of the lost tribes of Israel (see verse 13; note that other witnesses include the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of

Great Price, and the teachings of latter-day prophets).

9. The scriptures from all nations will combine to show that the Lord is God (see verse 14).

Obedience , repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ qualify us to become the Lord’s covenant people. 2 Nephi 30:1-8

2 Nephi 301 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you; for I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are more righteous than the Gentiles shall be. For behold, except ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall all likewise perish; and because of the words which have been spoken ye need not suppose that the Gentiles are utterly destroyed.

2 For behold, I say unto you that as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel.

According to Nephi, what must a person do to become part of the Lord’s covenant people?

Why do you think repentance is necessary as we make covenants with the Lord? Why do you think it is necessary to believe in Jesus Christ?

During the Millennium, Satan Will Not Have Power over the Hearts of the People

Nephi prophesied that prior to the millennial reign of the Savior on the earth, there will be a great division among the people.

2 Nephi 309 And with righteousness shall the Lord God judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

10 For the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a great division among the people, and the wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire.

What current evidence do you see of this increasing division between wickedness and righteousness?

2 Nephi 3012 And then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb; and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling, together; and a little child shall lead them.

13 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Nephi repeats one of Isaiah’s prophecies about the Millennium

Hugh Nibley

"In Paradise, as everybody knows, all creatures lived together in peace. So too, in Zion when it is restored to the earth, the lion shall lie down with the lamb. God's other creatures are an important part of the picture of heaven. A marvelous statement by Joseph Smith on this subject gives us a flash of insight into an amazing future: 'John learned that God glorified Himself by saving all that His hands had made, whether beasts, fowls, fishes or men; and He will glorify Himself with them.' Brigham Young said: 'The millennium consists in this, every heart in the Church and kingdom of God being united in one. . . . All things else will be as they are now, we shall eat, drink, and wear clothing. Let the people be holy . . . and filled with the Spirit of God, and every animal and creeping thing will be filled with peace; the soil of the earth will bring forth in its strength, and the fruits thereof will be meat for man.'" (Approaching Zion, p. 13)

14 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.

This verse uses some unfamiliar terms. The words, "asp" and "cockatrice", mean a poisonous snake. Nothing could be more terrifying for a parent than to find their child playing around the den of poisonous serpents. In the Millennium, it won't matter for the sting of the serpent is gone. When Satan is bound for 1000 years, his earthly symbol, the serpent, will no longer strike. For they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain (v. 9).

15 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

http://gospeldoctrine.com/

Joseph Fielding Smith:

"The gospel will be taught far more intensely and with greater power during the millennium until all the inhabitants of the earth shall embrace it. Satan shall be bound so that he cannot tempt any man. Should any man refuse to repent and accept the gospel under those conditions then he would be accursed. Through the revelations given to the prophets we learn that during the reign of Jesus Christ for a thousand years, eventually all people will embrace the truth. (Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 1)

16 Wherefore, the things of all nations shall be made known; yea, all things shall be made known unto the children of men.

17 There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed; there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth save it shall be loosed.

Then he goes beyond Isaiah’s prophecy and includes more details.

There are many indiscretions, small and large, which our friends, family, and ward members never know about. Unless we repent of these little secrets, they will become common knowledge in the Millenium, for there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in the light. The implications of this doctrine are frightening, but other scriptures confirm the principle.

'And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.' (DC 1:3)

'can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set at defiance the commandments of God?' (Alma 5:18) http://gospeldoctrine.com/

Spencer W. Kimball:

"My young folks, since the Lord said, 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect' (Matthew 5:48), it would be well if all of us would take frequent inventory to see if hidden away under the rugs and in the corners of our lives there might be some vestige of hypocrisy and ugliness or error. Or could there be hidden under the blankets of personal excuse and rationalization some small eccentricities and dishonesties? Are there any cobwebs in ceilings and corners which we think will not be noticed? Are we trying to cover up the small pettinesses and the small gratifications we secretly allow ourselves-rationalizing the while that they are insignificant and inconsequential? Are there areas in our thoughts and actions and attitudes which we would like to hide from those we respect most? Are we certain that all of our innermost secrets are kept confidential? The Lord revealed in 1831, 'The rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.' (D&C 1:3.)

"Would a frequent house cleaning be in order for all of us?" (BYU Speeches, February 25, 1964, p. 21)

Spencer W. Kimball:

"If men's secret acts shall be revealed it is likely that their secret thoughts will also be revealed, for the iniquities of the rebellious shall be spoken from the housetops.

"The one who harbors evil thoughts sometimes feels safe in the conviction that these thoughts are unknown to others and that they, like acts in the dark, are not discernible. The Revelator, John, seemed to clear this matter when he wrote:

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Rev. 20:12.)

"And in the last days an angel will 'sound his trump, and reveal the secret acts of men, and the thoughts and intents of their hearts.' (D&C 88:109.)

"Accordingly, men's deeds and thoughts must be recorded in heaven, and recording angels will not fail to make complete recordings of our thoughts and actions. We pay our tithing and the bishop records it in his book and gives us a receipt. But even if the entry fails to get in the ward record, we shall have full credit for the tithes we paid. There will be no omissions in the heavenly records, and they will all be available at the day of judgment. President John Taylor emphasized this:

'Man sleeps the sleep of death, but the spirit lives where the record of his deeds is kept. Man sleeps for a time in the grave, and by and by he rises again from the dead and goes to judgment; and then the secret thoughts of all men are revealed before him with whom we have to do; we cannot hide them; it would be in vain then for a man to say, 'I did not do so and so'; the command would be, unravel and read the record which he has made of himself and let it testify in relation to these things, and all could gaze upon it.'" (Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 108-9)

18 Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time. And now, my beloved brethren, I make an end of my sayings.

This is the good news about the new openness of the Millennium. Even though all wickedness will be revealed, all righteousness will also be revealed. This includes all the prophecies given to men since the days of Adam: the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon, the interpretation of the facsimiles of Abraham, revelations concerning the other worlds that Moses, Abraham, and Enoch saw, the scriptures of the 10 tribes, the things revealed to the prophet Joseph Smith that were too sacred for a wicked world, etc. We may learn more of the history of this earth than we ever imagined, and we may even learn who actually killed John F. Kennedy.

'Yea, verily I say unto you, in that day when the Lord shall come, he shall reveal all things-

Things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof-

Things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven' (DC 101:32-34). http://gospeldoctrine.com/

President Spencer W. Kimball: “When Satan is bound in a single home—when Satan is bound in a single life—the Millennium has already begun in that home, in that life” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 172).

Read 1 Nephi 22:26. Give the excerpt below a thought: