The Lord Jesus Christ’s Teachings (3 Nephi 11-30)

3 Nephi 11

In this chapter there is an example of a group of people who were so righteous they were permitted to see the Lord, Jesus Christ. At first, even these people who would be righteous enough to be permitted to see Jesus Christ could not understand the voice of the Father. It was not until they opened their ears to hear and listened intently that they were finally able to understand the voice of God. And of course next they were visited by Jesus Christ and met with him face to face.

Jesus Christ comes to the world and proves that he is God and Savior to the world.

The first thing the Lord does, before doing anything else, is to give the power to baptize. The Lord gives the power to baptize to Nephi and eleven others.

Those who repent of their sins and desire to be baptized in the Lord’s name will be baptized down in the water by immersion.

The words the Lord requires his children to use for baptism are: “Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen”.

The Lord says in this manner we are to baptize and there are to be no disputations.

No more disputations over the points of the Lord’s doctrine. No more contention. The Lord has put it very plainly how he would like baptism to be preformed. Those who would contend with how the Lord would have it are turning from the Lord in the very act of contention. The spirit of contention comes from the devil.

The Lord’s doctrine is the doctrine the Lord received from the father. His doctrine is simple. It only becomes complex because you try and make sense of it as a man would with temporal ideals. This always causes confusion because of the contradictions between what man wants and what the Lord wants. Ask the Lord to show you the eternal perspective. The Lord’s doctrine is: Repent, believe in him even have faith in Jesus Christ, become as a little child being humble and depending completely on the Lord and be baptized in the Lord’s name and receive the Holy Ghost. He repeats this three times. This is how to inherit the kingdom of God.

Build upon the Lord’s rock, faith in Jesus Christ. Build faith through prayer, always praying. Love others as he would. Depend on the Lord, and this with humility.

3 Nephi 12 (see also Matthew 5)

The Lord gives twelve men the power to baptize. These men baptized many. The Holy Ghost, the Lord said he would baptize upon those who are baptized in his name, baptism by fire.

Before you are baptized you need to repent. Repent of the ways that are not the Lord’s ways and become as the Lord would have you, even as he is.

Attributes of the Lord and how he would have you be:

-         poor in spirit – come unto Christ

-         mournful – will be comforted

-         meek – inherit the earth

-         hunger & thirst for righteousness – receive the Holy Ghost

-         merciful – receive mercy

-         pure in heart – see God

-         peace makers – children of God

What you are in your heart is what you receive. What you think is what you are. Think love. Have love in your heart for everyone, always.

Be a light for others to see. Don’t hide who you are. Share your light.

The old laws, lesser laws, are fulfilled. The Lord asks you to come unto him. This is the Lord’s commandment. You must become like him and this is mainly how you come unto him.

The fullness of the Lord’s law requires you to have a change of heart in all things that are not of God. Your heart needs to become like God’s heart. Be full of love for everyone and meek, humble and do all things godly. Remember it is what you think in your heart and mind that dictates who you are with, be it God or Satan. Yes, this goes for anytime, even when the worst of things are brought upon you. You must, “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you”.

“Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.”

3 Nephi 13 (see also Matthew 6)

Do your deeds in secret. No need for any credit or recognition, remember all things are made possible because of God. You are a tool in his hands, he decides where, when and how to use you.

Pray in secret. Always have a prayer in your heart listening for the Lord’s direction. Pray always. The majority of your prayer should be finding out what the Lord would have you do. Do not get caught up in your wants this only takes the focus off the Lord. Here is the Lord’s prayer, as an example of how and what to pray for: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen.”

Forgive everyone, even the worst of the worst, then forgiveness will be in your heart.

Put away your cares, worries and things you cherish that are not found in heaven. If they are not eternal then they will rust, rot and melt away with things of the world that are temporal/telestial.

What you cherish and treasure defines what is in your heart. Your heart must rest solely with the Lord and his way. If your heart desires more than what the Lord offers then your heart rests with darkness instead of light. Remember, you cannot serve two masters. If you try to serve, please or desire more than God, you will at that moment, choose Mammon over God. There is only one way, God’s way.

To follow the Lord’s way you need not worry about anything, even your life. What you eat, what you drink, where you sleep, what you’ll wear, how much money you’ll need, etc, etc…none of these you need to worry about if you have the Lord with you. Have faith in the Lord. Ask him to look after you and guide you even as if you were his small child having faith that he will guide and care for you. “Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all…things.”

Your top priority and number one goal, always, is to “seek ye first the kingdom of God”.

3 Nephi 14 (see also Matthew 7)

Judge not. How you judge is how you will be judged. You never know when someone might turn from things of the world and start walking the Lord’s path. Be humble and understanding when sharing your testimony of things the Lord has shared with you. Don’t worry about how it is received…let the Lord speak his truths thru his spirit in his own due time. Only the Lord can confirm the truthfulness of his gospel. It is up to you to knock and search to find his truths and knowledge, this thru faith and confirmation from his spirit.

In your prayers, don’t ask for vain things like money, good health, good sleep, to be protected from robbers, etc…without acknowledging that it is up to the Lord and according to his will and not yours. Your prayers should be about finding more knowledge and things that are good and eternal and from heaven.

“All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even to them.”

Make sure you are on the path to the Lord by always praying and listening to his spirit thru faith. Beware of false prophets. False prophets will have you find comforts in things other than the Lord, this will lead you down a path other than the Lord’s. Your comforts need to be in the Lord, all things eternal. You will need to know the Lord to get into his kingdom. Thru prayer, faith and much searching you will come to know the Lord. Continue and at some point meet him face to face.

3 Nephi 15

The Law of Moses has an end, making it a lesser and temporal law. The Lord now gives you a means to reach the fullness. You need to “Look unto me, and endure to the end”, as the Lord says.

The Lord explains that he has more than one flock and this goes for now, even today. He knows who his true followers are and you do not. Do not judge others no matter there religion, beliefs or status. You don’t know them, the Lord does.

The Lord makes his manifestations thru the Holy Spirit.

3 Nephi 16

Thru the Holy Ghost the Lord testifies of other tribes, not of the same church you belong but of a different group of true followers in Christ.

The remnant of the Gentiles have received a knowledge of the Lord and there are those of them that are still receiving knowledge of the Lord now, today.

The house of Israel here in the Americas, largely descendents of Lehi who is a descendent of Joseph son of Jacob, have been scattered and cast out from among the Gentiles because of judgments from Heavenly Father.

The day has come, “when the Gentiles shall sin against the Lord’s gospel”. The Gentiles have put many things ahead of the Lord including: pride, lyings, deceits, mischiefs, hypocrisy, murders, priestcrafts, whoredoms and secret abominations. In doing these things the Gentiles have rejected and do still reject the fullness of the Lord’s gospel. No one stands apart from this unless you are standing with God. No church can protect you. Only God can protect you. Come unto the Lord.

The Lord will bring his gospel to the House of Israel, even the fullness. He is the one that brings it to the House of Israel, no one else, its him. This is happening today and will continue to happen as the day of our Lord and Savior arrives, the Holy Spirit testifies of this.

If you repent by returning to the Lord in humility, with much prayer and listening for the Lord’s will, you will be numbered among the House of Israel.

The Gentiles will be “tread down” unless they turn to the Lord. Accept the fullness by giving yourself to the Lord. Do only what the Lord would have you do. Worry about nothing else. He will provide.

“Then the Lord shall bring again Zion”, all there in shall see eye to eye because all there in have accepted the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

3 Nephi 17

Jesus does not hesitate to tell his children when they cannot understand any more without pondering and prayer. By him doing this he confirms that just hearing truths is not enough. Knowledge of Jesus Christ and things eternal takes much pondering and prayer.

Jesus has much compassion for his children. He healed his children of their temporal anguishes because of the sufficient faith they had in him. Here you see that faith was great and sufficient yet knowledge is still required. You must continue to seek the Lord and learn thru faith what he knows and is.

Be humble and grateful to have the Lord in your presence, even his Holy Spirit.

Jesus prayed and “the eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, so great and marvelous things”. These things cannot be written down they are so great. The Lord reveals more to those who come to him and seek him directly, even more than can be written down or explained to the temporal, for what is taught are things eternal.

The Lord visited his children and so did angels, they descended down unto the Lord’s people. This did not happen by happenstance. It happened because the Lord’s people had faith sufficient and they truly were a righteous people. There were around 2,500 of them in total.

3 Nephi 18

Jesus breaks bread and blesses it then gives it unto his twelve and they eat until they are full. He then commands the twelve to give unto the multitude. He then gives the power unto the twelve in order for them to bless the sacrament. The sacrament is for all those that believe in Jesus Christ and come unto him and are baptized in his name. This is to be done “even as I have done”, Christ says.

The sacrament is for God’s children. The Lord wants his children to observe to do it to help each one of them to always remember him, always. If you always remember the Lord you will have him, his spirit, with you.

Wine is administered next and it is done in the same manner as the bread.

The Lord teaches this and gives it as a commandment. He asks you to always do these things. You will be built upon his rock. He warns his children that how he has performed the sacrament is not to be changed by saying, “whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock”.

The Lord says to all his children “watch and pray always” to avoid temptation and this is so important that he repeats it. His gospel of “come unto me” he repeats time and time again explaining in one fashion or another to help you hear and understand its importance. When you pray, pray believing you will receive. Always pray in the Lord’s name.

The Lord asks for his true followers and members of his church to “meet together oft”. His true followers, if they truly are his followers, will not turn anyone away. They will do as the Lord does and invite all to come unto the Lord.

Another commandment is that anyone who has not come to the Lord and been baptized in his name shall not partake of the sacrament.

The Lord’s followers and members of his church are not to turn anyone away even if they do not repent and are not baptized. He says that “ye know not but what they return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them”.

The Lord says he gives commandments because of “disputations that have been among you”.

Jesus touches the twelve disciples and gives them the power to give the Holy Ghost.

3 Nephi 19

The power to give the Holy Ghost was given to the twelve disciples.

Before the power to give the Holy Ghost is used the multitude split into twelve groups, each having its own disciple who had the power.

In giving the Holy Ghost: First, they prayed to have the Holy Ghost given unto them. Next, Nephi went down into the water and was baptized and then he baptized the other disciples, who Jesus had chosen. Then the Holy Ghost fell upon the twelve and they were filled even with fire.

After being baptized and receiving the Holy Ghost the Lord asked the disciples to pray. The Lord also prays and asks the Father to purify those that believe in him through faith. The Lord also, specifically, prays for those who come unto him and are not of the world.

Jesus states that the Jews could not be shown so great miracles because of their unbelief. The same goes for all his children. Unbelief is a barrier that keeps his truths hidden from you. If you have faith in Jesus Christ you will be able to break down this barrier of unbelief.

3 Nephi 20

The Lord would have his children pray in their hearts at every moment in the day and night. If your heart is with the Lord then you will be with him at the last day.

The Lord asks his children to search the words of Isaiah and look to the day when they will be fulfilled.

When the words of Isaiah are fulfilled the remnants will be gathered. They will be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God. You need to receive knowledge from the Lord Jesus Christ through faith and believing in his words. The gathering is a spiritual gathering at first and then the time comes when there will be a physical gathering to the land of Zion.

The Gentiles need to recognize what is happening from the words of Isaiah and repent. You must repent or be scattered and beat into pieces when that day comes.

The sword of justice hangs over everyone that does not have the Lord with them, even every moment throughout the day, each and every day. This sword is already up and hanging, today, waiting. So, there is a small amount of time left for you to repent of your unbelief and come unto Jesus. Repent of not having the Lord with you at all times. Become one with the Lord and his ways.

The Lord will establish for his people, the true followers of Christ, a New Jerusalem and it will be upon the Americas.

The Lord is gathering his covenant people. This has commenced. It is a spiritual gathering, right now. In his own due time, the Lord will gather his people physically to his New Jerusalem and all who live there will see eye to eye.

The Lord, Jesus Christ, will come to this New Jerusalem and be in the midst of the people of Zion. Zion will be upon the mountains and the people will say, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings unto them, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings unto them of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!”

A cry and message from the Lord will go forth saying, “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch not that which is unclean”, leave the world behind, spiritually then physically. You need to put yourself away from the world and worldly temporal things. Put yourself with the Lord in all things.

Kings will begin to see and hear the message from the Lord. They will shut their mouths because of what they used to believe and what they now believe, considering the Lord’s message.

3 Nephi 21

The Lord gives you a sign that you might be able to know the time when he comes. He gives a sign for his true followers, those who seek to know him, that they will know when he is about to come. The power of the Holy Ghost, given from the Father to you, reveals to your understanding this sign.

The sign is given to the house of Israel and to the Gentiles that repent and do not harden their hearts. The sign began when the Gentiles brought forth the Book of Mormon, containing the Lord’s true points of the gospel, to the remnant of the house of Jacob who have lived in the Americas many generations in unbelief.

Next, kings will shut their mouths because they will know not what to say. They will be awed by what they see from which they are told.

Then the Lord will work a marvelous work among them. Some will not believe though it will be declared unto them.

There will be a servant of the Lord who will do the Lord’s work. He will be killed by those who do not believe. But the Lord will show his power unto them by healing him and restoring his life. This, to show that the Lord’s wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.

At this point those that will not toss away their belief and come unto Jesus Christ will be “cut off”.

Those who repent and come to Christ will have his wisdom and power. Those who do not believe and come to Christ will have all their things, the same things they care for, want and worry about, stripped away. Everything will be taken away: money, homes, vehicles, cities, armies, etc. Then if you are found with lyings, deceivings, envyings, strifes, priestcrafts and whoredoms you will be done away with.

But, if you repent and come unto Jesus Christ with faith, the Lord will establish his church among you. You will be numbered with the covenant people, the house of Jacob.

You must repent, that is the Lord’s objective by bringing you this sign and Book of Mormon. Learn the gospel of Jesus Christ. Come unto him. Be as he would be. Do as he would do. Pray always with faith to find out for yourself and know all his truths.

If you repent, you will assist the remnant of Jacob and house of Israel in building Zion, the New Jerusalem. The power of heaven will come down along with the Lord, Jesus Christ.

The Lord’s work has commenced and it is underway, today. He is preparing the way for his people to come unto him. Next, he will lead the way to meet the father. None of this will be in haste because the Lord will be your guide and this thru much faith and prayer.

3 Nephi 22

The servants of the Lord will rest from the evils of the world. They will be in Zion, the New Jerusalem, while those who remain of the world will be made low and scarce. Fear will not be found in Zion. Zion will be established in righteousness and no one can destroy it.

3 Nephi 23

Whether you are from the house of Israel or from the Gentiles the Lord commands you to search and study the words of Isaiah.

God would have you write the things he speaks to you and share those things with your family, friends and neighbors.

Have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of your worldly ways and be baptized in the name of the Lord. Search the prophets of all ages, many of which touch on the words of Isaiah, for they truly testify of the Lord and the absolute necessity of coming to him.

The Lord, Jesus Christ, commands you to follow him and to teach what he has expounded upon. He does not change, therefore his teachings do not change.

3 Nephi 24 (see also Malachi 3)

The Father will send his messenger, Jesus Christ. Who will be able to withstand his coming? Those who come to him, fear him and are humbled by him to the point where they ask him always thru prayer what to do. Those that are one with the Lord will abide the day of his coming.

“For I am the Lord, I change not.”

The Lord calls everyone to repentance, even every single person, because of wickedness, selfishness and neglect of the needy. The Lord asks you to return to him and he will return to you. Do his ordinances in the way he has expounded them. No more or no less for he changes not and neither do his ordinances.

The Lord would have you give all your excess as tithing, even all that you have that someone else does not have. You are to be equal in what you have, no poor among you. In doing this the Lord promises not to destroy your crops but preserve them to be harvested.

The Lord asks you to stop building upon false happiness. Humble yourself before the Lord by having faith in him doing what he asks you. Repent of setting yourself up false happiness and stop praying for vain temporal things. Make your prayers be communication with the Lord, listening for what he would have you do.

After you come to the Lord proving you will do all he asks, you will be able to recognize and discern the righteous from the wicked. And the Lord will spare you because you serve him and are with him.

3 Nephi 25 (see also Malachi 4)

Before the Lord comes in all his glory, a glory so profound it will burn all things that are proud and wicked, Elijah the prophet will be sent by him. Thru Elijah, the Lord is turning the heart of the children to the fathers and the heart of the fathers to the children. This brings to the true followers of Christ an opening of their hearts of genuine concern and love for one another.

So long as there is love in your heart you will have the Lord with you. He is love and all that he does is love.

3 Nephi 26

The Lord has had scripture written for his children in all times including now and future generations. He has had scripture written for his children, for them to recognize his ways and to come to him leaving the ways of man behind.

All that the Lord has put into scripture is there for a reason. You need to accept what is in scripture and follow the Lord in faith. After the trial of your faith the Lord will reveal more to you. This will be done directly from the Lord by prayer, his spirit and at some point from him, face to face.

When you have received further light and knowledge from the Lord, you will understand what is meant when it is written, “saw and heard unspeakable things”. You will not be able to explain these things to someone who has not yet received this further light and knowledge. It will remain inexplicable until this someone has accepted the spirit to bring him more understanding, even further light and knowledge.

Each person must come to Christ on their own, in their own due time. No one else can do it for them.

To live as Christ would have you live, you will need to “minister one to another” and “have all things common among you” and “deal justly, one with another”. Do all things that Jesus commands his children to do. Be baptized in the name of Jesus and be called the church of Christ.

3 Nephi 27

The Lord’s church is to be in his name and no other. If the name includes anything “more or less” than Jesus Christ it will not be Christ’s church. It will be the church of whatever it is named and represented by. If Moses is included in the name then it will be Moses’ church. When a church, being named properly, is built upon the Lord’s gospel it will be Jesus Christ’s church.

The Lord allows churches that are built up by the precepts of men and works of the devil to have joy in their works for a season. It is your works that define you. If your works are based on the temporal and are of this world then there will be an end to them and it speedily cometh. Have your works be what the Lord would have them be, works of eternal measure with love at the core and this thru faith in Jesus Christ.

You need to follow the Lord’s gospel. His gospel requires you to come unto him and do as he would do, so he can lift you up at the last day. All those that have proven their faith and have repented and been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ having endured to the end will be found guiltless before the Father.

Those who do not endure to the end will be cast down and will not be able to advance from things temporal and worldly.

Again, the Lord commands all his children to repent, be baptized and sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost. Do so and stand spotless before the Lord at the last day.

The Lord’s gospel is to do that what you have seen the Lord do. If you do this then you will be blessed. To be blessed is to be lifted up at the last day.

Write what “ye have seen and heard”, as long as it is permitted, of the Lord.

Out of the books of God, men will be judged.

“What manner of men ought ye to be? Even as I am.”

Pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ to learn more about how to become like the Lord. “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for he that asketh, receiveth.”

Take heed that you do not put your time, efforts, cares, worries and your heart into things that rot, that rust away and that moth doth corrupt and thieves break through and steal.

Put your heart into the Lord and take the straight and narrow path that leadeth you to all things eternal and of God. Recognize what ways are not of the Lord and are popular to men and the world, then turn from them and come to the Lord.

3 Nephi 28

The Lord’s disciples were given a choice of how they could serve the Lord. Nine chose to serve until death, which would be at age 72. Three chose to serve as angels in a terrestrial state until the second coming. The Lord touched all the disciples except the three, meaning he had already changed all the disciples to his terrestrial state in order for them to behold him and communicate with him face to face. He did not touch the three because they would continue in this state.

The three disciples were not bound by the laws of this temporal world. There were several examples of how they were beyond this world, fires did not burn them, prisons could not hold them and they played with hungry beasts. They baptized many and the Holy Ghost came to all that they baptized.

They have ministered and will minister to the Gentiles and the Jews. They are also sent by the Lord to minister to the lost ten tribes of Israel, the scattered tribes of Israel and all of the Lord’s children.

Wo unto you, if you do not receive Jesus. Be careful that you do not mistakenly turn away from a true prophet of Jesus and shun his words. In doing so, you turn from Jesus because it is his message and the prophet is only the messenger. Come to Jesus, do so by searching for him. Search for him in scripture. Pray to hear his spirit.

3 Nephi 29

The sayings that are written in this very chapter and the Book of Mormon have been brought to many people of the world from the Gentiles. They have been brought to the house of Israel as well.

You are warned not to deny revelations of the Lord. Do not allow yourself to lose faith or put it away by believing the Lord no longer works by prophecy, gifts, tongues, healings or by the power of the Holy Ghost. Do not put away the Lord and faith in the Lord in order to get money and things, because in this rests damnation.

3 Nephi 30

You need to turn from all your wicked ways. Turn from any thing that you do that the Lord would not do. Come to Jesus, he knows the way. Listen to him thru prayer and with faith follow his instructions. After turning from your evils, be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost and be numbered among the Lord’s people.