| Book of Mormon |
Annotations |
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Chapter 11
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1 And now, Jacob spake many more things to my people at
that time; nevertheless only these things have I caused to be written, for
the things which I have written sufficeth me.
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2 And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for
my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people,
and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my
Redeemer, even as I have seen him.
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3 And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen
him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto
them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said,
I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he
proveth all his words.
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4 Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the
truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been
given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the
world, unto man, are the typifying of him.
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Nephi explains that evidence (proof) is delightful.
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5 And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord
which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and
in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of
deliverance from death.
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6 And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that
save Christ should come all men must perish.
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Nephi explains that evidence (proof) is delightful.
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7 For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if
there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation. But
there is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his own
time.
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Clearly trying to explain proof for the existence of God.
It doesn’t work though. He’s merely created a problem of infinite regress. If
we can’t exist without being created, then the same holds true for God. At
first glance this may seem to work in Mormon theology with the Mormon cycle
of Gods being created by Gods, except that there is no original God created,
so none of it can be according to the logic of this verse.
Also, this verse states that God is Christ. This seems very Trinitarian.
Some defend some seemingly Trinitarian Book of Mormon references as not
contradicting current Mormon godhead doctrine (see The Doctrine of God the Father in the Book of Mormon),
but in context of doctrine taught in the “Lectures on Faith” how sound is
this defense?
From the “Lectures on Faith” that used to be in the Doctrine and Covenants
until the 1921 edition:
“The Father being a personage of spirit, glory, and power,
possessing all perfection and fulness. The Son, who was in the bosom of the
Father, is a personage of tabernacle . . . He is called the Son because of
the flesh . . . He, possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is
the Holy Spirit that bears record of the Father and the Son.”
“Questions and Answers for Lecture 5
3. Q—How many personages are there in the Godhead?
A—Two: the Father and Son (Lecture 5: 1).
13. Q—Do the Father and the Son possess the same mind?
A—They do . . .
14. Q—What is this mind?
A—The Holy Spirit”
(Lecture 5).
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8 And now I write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso
of my people shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice for
all men. Now these are the words, and ye may liken them unto you and unto all
men.
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