If I could ask them one question about
the Church’s Book of Mormon, Come Follow Me, Lesson 10
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For Mar. 2-8, 2020
2 Ne 31-33
For this Come Follow Me lesson, if I wanted to encourage thought and try to understand devout believers better, I might ask:
“Do all believers in Christ actually believe the Words of Nephi?”
or
“Could this one weird trick let you discern if someone is really a Christian?”
Things to consider:
- Richard Bushman (historian, Mormon apologist, and devout believer who’s been a stake president and stake patriarch) explained that, “The Book of Mormon is a puzzle for us, even for people who believe in it hardily . . . There is phrasing everywhere [in the Book of Mormon]–long phrases that if you Google them you will find them in 19th century writings. The theology of the Book of Mormon is very much 19th century theology, and it reads like a 19th century understanding of the Hebrew Bible as an Old Testament. That is, it has Christ in it the way Protestants saw Christ everywhere in the Old Testament. That’s why we now call it ‘Hebrew Bible’ because the Jews never saw it quite that way” (Starting at about 9:30 in Mormon Discussions Podcast, episode 182: “Perspectives – Richard Bushman”)
- If the book is half as puzzling to believers as Richard Bushman says, consider how it must appear to someone with no preconceived notion that the Book of Mormon is what it claims to be.
- But, according to 2 Ne 33:10,
“If ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words [Nephi’s writings].”
- So, according to Nephi, if someone claims to believe in Christ (to be a Christian) but not believe Nephi, then either they don’t really believe in Christ, or they actually believe Nephi. Either way, they are not being honest, at least with themselves.
- But, aren’t there millions of devout Christians who have heard of the Book of Mormon and many of those who have read the Book of Mormon who think this book is just a work of 19th century fiction or, worse yet, a work of the devil himself?
- Can you picture this exchange between Elder Rex Burg and his investigator?
- Investigator: I read what Nephi wrote like you asked, but I just can’t believe it.
- Elder Burg: But, you said you believed in Christ.
- Investigator: Yeah, I do. He’s my Lord and Savior.
- Elder Burg: Well then you really do believe Nephi, right?
- Investigator: Ahhhhh, nope.
- Elder Burg: Well then, you don’t actually believe in Christ.
- Investigator: Wow . . . I think we’re done here.
- Is anyone comfortable with the assertion that a person who claims to be Christian but says they do not believe Nephi’s words either isn’t Christian or isn’t being honest about believing in Nephi’s words?
If you could ask believers questions about the scriptures for this lesson, what would you ask?
Have fun studying!
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If I could ask them one question, Lesson 10
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