Read the Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 4 - Expedience and Ethics

Click here to listen to today's topic. I discuss 1 Nephi 4.

How can a man such as Nephi hold an unseen being accountable for telling him to kill a man? That is a tough, tough, tough call. Who can balance expedience with ethics? What is the definition of being a truly ethical human being?

Read the Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 3 - The Value of Scriptures and Records

Click here to listen to today's topic. I discuss 1 Nephi 3.

What were the scriptures composed of prior to John the Baptist? Click here for the references to the law and the prophets.

Read the Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 2 - Inspirations, Promptings and the Choice of Belief

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Read the Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 1 - Lehi Learns but the Jews Reject His Revelations

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Read the Book of Mormon - Kings of Judah, Pharaohs and Kings of Babylon and Assyria

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Read the Book of Mormon - He Prayed With All His Heart In Behalf of His People

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"Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people." *

Book of Mormon - Testimony of Jesus

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What is the testimony of Jesus?

Why does it matter now or in the hereafter?

Book of Mormon - Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation

Listen in to today's episode:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chipbrowne/2013/01/02/nephi1-2013-01-02

What makes a prophet a "prophet" or a prophetess a "prophetess"? I think it is for those who possess the spirit of prophecy and revelation.

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/search?lang=eng&query=spirit++prophecy+revelation&x=9&y=9

What is the spirit of prophecy and revelation? It is the testimony of Jesus.
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/rev/19.10?lang=eng#9

Is this concept related to how the Book of Mormon was written? Review the Title Page

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/bofm-title?lang=eng

Book of Mormon - Joseph's Blessing, Stick of Joseph, Wicked Kings

I discuss the Israelites in Egypt, Moses and the Law of Moses, how God allows wicked kings to attack his people.

I also discuss the prophecy of Ezekiel of the Stick of Judah and the Stick of Joseph:
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ezek/37.16-19?lang=eng#15

...and the blessing of Joseph, the youngest son of Jacob/Israel:
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/49.22?lang=eng#21

Listen in:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chipbrowne/2013/01/01/book-of-mormon--1-nephi-1

Book of Mormon - The Lost Book of Lehi, Jeremiah, Joseph

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chipbrowne/2012/12/31/book-of-mormon--1-nephi


We discuss further the lost 116 pages (Book of Lehi), Contemporary Prophet of Judah (Jeremiah), and the fulfillment of the blessing of Joseph (son of Jacob/Israel).

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne?lang=eng

Blessing of Joseph:
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/49.22,26?lang=eng#21

Book of Mormon - The 116-Page Manuscript

I discuss the 116-Page Manuscript of the Book of Mormon.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chipbrowne/2012/12/30/book-of-mormon--the-116-page-manuscript

Book of Mormon - Lehi and the First Book of Nephi

I discuss the Lehi and the First Book of Nephi in the Book of Mormon.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chipbrowne/2012/12/29/book-of-mormon--lehi-and-the-first-book-of-nephi-1

Book of Mormon - A Brief Explanation

I discuss the component parts of the Book of Mormon outlined in the Brief Explanation.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chipbrowne/2012/12/28/book-of-mormon--a-brief-explanation

Book of Mormon - The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith

I discuss the The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chipbrowne/2012/12/27/book-of-mormon--the-testimony-of-the-prophet-joseph-smith

Book of Mormon - Introduction

I discuss the Introduction to the Book of Mormon.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chipbrowne/2012/12/26/book-of-mormon-introduction

Merry Christmas to You - The Visit of Christ in America

I discuss the visit of Christ in America.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chipbrowne/2012/12/25/merry-christmas-to-you

Book of Mormon - Title Page

I review the Title Page of the Book of Mormon.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chipbrowne/2012/12/24/book-of-mormon-introduction

Repentance Means Being Real About Yourself

I am reading about the story of Nephi and his brothers and their differences in being contrite. I am also reading about Lehigh's wife and her feelings of sorrow as she thinks that she has lost her sons because of Lehigh's commandment to them to go back to Jerusalem. She murmured. After the return of their sons, the wife of Lehi repented of her murmurings. Being angry is not being humble. It is not being repentant.

I believe that God has commanded us to repent. He wants us to be awake. He wants us to be conscious of our being. When he commands us to repent I believe that he is commanding us to be aware of our Celts. I believe that he desires that we own ourselves completely. We own both the choices we make of righteousness and the choices we make of sin. Having a broken heart and contrite spirit is, I believe, the epitome of what God desires of us when he commands us to repent.

When God pointed out the Pharisees in his time he was quick to distinguish the righteousness the Pharisees from the righteousness of heaven. He pointed out that the reward of the Pharisee was the feeling of being perceived as a good or righteous. Truly being righteous was not a priority of the Pharisees. Being perceived as righteous was the priority. A person who prefers being seen as righteous does not know God, fears man or flesh, and is not perfect.

God tires of worship that is not real. In the Old Testament he mentions about the fact that he was filled with the offerings of sin and the burnt offerings that were being given by the people of Israel. The spirit of the people of Israel is what God was feeling. God perceived that the spirit of the people was not in the right place. They were going to the actions of performing the sacrifice their hearts were not in it.

I wonder to what extent these issues apply to us today. How many of us are mean like the people of Israel performing sacrifices instead of bringing a broken heart and contrite spirit with us in our life. I wonder how many of us are Pharisees who seek out the honors of men. I have gone to leave that these people are here with us now. And I have got to believe that I am guilty of similar ways and being. So if I live in denial that I truly am not repentant and I really do not bring a broken heart and contrite spirit. And if I care to be thought well of Barb to be perceived as righteous by others, my intent his vein, and I do not belong to God.

Praying in behalf of his People

I am inspired by the love that Lehi feels for his people. What love does one have for another when he or she prays in behalf of them? Being concerned for their welfare. Caring for their spiritual being and their conduct.

I feel this for my family, and I feel this for my neighbors in general. I really love seeing the love that is exhibited in one person for another group of people. I imagine someone kneeling there and earnestly praying. Having charity is what is being manifested I believe. The pure love of Christ.

I am reminded of references in the Scriptures that indicate that teachers and representatives of God who are to teach the principles of the gospel carry the responsibility of and accountability of the sins of their people. There is a balance of knowledge and ignorance of sin. But sin is knowing to do well and doing it not. So the people who sin are live in sin know to do well. So what is the reason for the accountability of the teacher?

If the people already know that they are sending the narrowly know what is right and wrong. So what is the role of the accountable teacher? Him that the acknowledgment of one individual of the sin in another has some value. In this case it is the acknowledgment of one individual the prophet of the sin of another individual or individuals. I am reminded of the references to ridding oneself of the blood of the sins of people.this accountability is met with declaring the sins of the people acknowledging them and then declaring repentance which is alignment with what is right.

This alignment is offered by Jesus through his atonement. The imbalance in the universe that is caused by our sin is compensated for by his atonement.

I wonder who I am the teacher of. I wonder if I am the teacher of anyone whose blood of their sins are on my garments. I know that the blood of my sins are on my garments but is there blood on my garments of the sins of others?

Do I "choose in" to this accountability for the spiritual welfare of others? Or is this accountability given to me by God? In any case I know that I must be prepared now for either of these choices to be made either mine or God's.

Was Laban the High Priest?

I have often thought that Laban whom Nephi killed was a political figure, but I have recently wondered if he was actually a church figure - possibly the High Priest.

Some of the reasons I suspect this is. He was responsible for the church records (Brass Plates). There is a reference to the "brethren of the Church" and the "elders of the Jews" with whom he met.

I wonder if he knew Lehi, and I wonder if he was one of those who had sought to kill Lehi when Lehi prophesied of the destruction of Jerusalem.

If he was the High Priest, then he would have been similar to those who sought to kill Jesus some 600 years later.