“The stick or record of Judah—the Old Testament and the New Testament—and the stick or record of Ephraim—the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ—are now woven together in such a way that as you pore over one you are drawn to the other; as you learn from one you are enlightened by the other. They are indeed one in our hands. Ezekiel’s prophecy now stands fulfilled” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1982, 75; or Ensign, Nov. 1982, 53). Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave further explanation: “[The Lord] has offered us one last covenant, given us one last testament, as part of his final outreach to fallen man. He has offered us one last written witness of his love and his mercy extended for the final time. … That testament and culminating witness, that ‘new covenant’ offered to the children of men but once more, is the message of the Book of Mormon. “No record teaches more of God’s promise to those in the last days. Those promises focus on his Only Begotten Son, on ‘the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah … [who] shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved’ [2 Nephi 2:8–9]. “The task of the children of God in these concluding days of the world’s history is to proceed with ‘unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save,’ to ‘press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men[,] … feasting upon the word of Christ, and endur[ing] to the end. This is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God’ [2 Nephi 31:19–21]. “No other book helps us do this so well. No other book was ever divinely produced and protected solely for that purpose. No other book has ever been written with such a full view of the future dispensation to which that record would eventually come. … “… In its message of faith in Christ, hope in Christ, and charity in Christ, the Book of Mormon is God’s ‘new covenant’ to his children—for the last time” (Christ and the New Covenant, 8–10).
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:30:29 +0000
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