I hope you enjoy some insights from my Come, Follow Me 3 Nephi 17–19 (If you missed last week’s insights for Come, Follow Me 3 Nephi 12-16 click here). Save this pin to read later.
The Kneeling Christ.
“And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.”
3 Nephi 17:15
When I was a missionary my mission president counseled me to study kneeling prayer. Kneeling prayer is a sign of humility and it is part of the true order of prayer where we give the Father the highest levels of respect. We kneel (or someone kneels for us) during the highest ordinances in the Church.
Jesus Christ even kneels in prayer, I love 3rd Nephi as it details multiple times Christ himself kneeling before the Father and praying, He prays for us when he kneels before the Father, He is our Mediator. Every time the Sacrament is blessed I am reminded of this, that Christ has been upon His knees pleading for me. I read these words and know they are true.
“At the throne I intercede;
Hymn #185 Reverently and Meekly Now
For thee ever do I plead.
I have loved thee as thy friend,
With a love that cannot end.
Be obedient, I implore,
Prayerful, watchful evermore,
And be constant unto me,
That thy Savior I may be.”
Christ truly pleads for us, even upon His knees, let us follow His example and kneel before the Father but then get up and be obedient.
How excommunication is an act of love.
“Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will 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.” 3 Nephi 18:32
The verse right before this one deals who when to excommunicate someone, and this verse deals with how Christ has commanded we treat excommunicated members. In many Christian churches excommunication is an act of brutal justice, an act of punishment from a vengeful God. In the our Church we have detailed instructions from Christ Himself that is not how it is to be done.
Excommunication is an act of love because it is designed to help with the repentance process. When one’s daily actions are violating their temple covenants that hold severe eternal punishments, it is more merciful and loving to absolve them from those covenants than to continually allow them to break them. Once said actions have been corrected with true repentance all covenants are restored and full membership and blessings are experienced.
Excommunication is an act of love designed to help prevent further pain that a repentant soul will experience. There is nothing that we can do that we remove us from the potential to repent and receive His Grace if we are but willing to return and repent.
For a deep dive on the topic of excommunication see the following article, “How Excommunication is an act of love.” or watch the video below.
“One” with God.
“And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one.”
3 Nephi 19:23
“Be One” Jesus Christ and the Prophets often use this phrase in the New Testament and in the Book of Mormon. Often referring to how Christ and the Father are “One” and how Christ wants us to be “one” with Him. Some erroneously believe it is evidence for the trinity, for which there is no evidence as it is a manmade false doctrine that Jesus Christ Himself called an “Abomination.”
This verse lends us an insight into the meaning and usage of the phrase that has been translated into “be one.” Christ is asking the Father to allow the people to believe in Him that they may be “in Him” as the Father is in Christ, that they “may be one.” One might be confused, does believing in Christ make us “one” with Him? The answer to that is context.
In the verses prior Christ said “Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me” and “I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words” (verses 22, 21).
Thus we learn that Christ is praying for more than just the Nephites, Christ is praying that all those who read the Book of Mormon will believe in Him, repent be Baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. For if we follow Him the Holy Ghost will reside with us, and eventually in us and we will be one with God
“The Spirit only dwells with those who choose the Lord over the world. “Be ye clean” (3 Ne. 20:41; D&C 38:42) and love God with all your “heart, … might, mind, and strength” (D&C 59:5) are not suggestions but commandments. And they are necessary to the companionship of the Spirit, without which we cannot be one.” ~Henry B. Eyring
