One of the doctrinal topics that Jacob addresses in his sermons to his people is the redemption of the flesh. As will be shown, Jacob means various things when he uses the word flesh and its synonyms, but overall, he uses the term to emphasize the necessity of our bodies and mortal experience within the plan of our Heavenly Father. While some thinkers throughout history (for example, Neoplatonists, Gnostics, Christian ascetics, and Buddhists) have downplayed and even denigrated the body, Latter-day Saint theology celebrates it and emphasizes its eternal nature while also warning against the proclivities of the natural man.[1] Jacob’s bold statement in 2 Nephi 9:9 that without the resurrected flesh “our spirits must have become like unto [the devil], and we become devils, angels to a devil” highlights not only the physicality of the resurrection but also the fact that the body is a tool designed to help us overcome Satan and return to God’s presence. When examining Jacob’s teachings on this topic, it is noteworthy that Jacob learns from and relies on Isaiah’s teachings, the Lord’s voice, and the teachings of an angel to present this doctrine. Throughout his sermons, Jacob repeatedly teaches about the flesh both to guide his listeners on the proper respect of the body as they journey through mortality and to point them toward the body’s eternal potential.

The Meaning of Flesh in Jacob’s Sermons

Within Jacob’s two sermons (2 Nephi 6–10; Jacob 2–4), the word flesh appears twenty-two times, not to mention additional references to synonyms like body as well as body parts or verbs associated with the body. Before discussing specific teachings found in these passages, it would be helpful to give the general meanings that Jacob uses for flesh in his sermons, from the least used to the most.

Flesh = desires of fallen man. Flesh can refer to the carnal desires of fallen man. In 2 Nephi 10:24, Jacob encourages his brethren to reconcile themselves “to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh.”

Flesh = Jesus’s mortality. Several times Jacob prophesies that the Holy One of Israel will manifest himself in the flesh (see 2 Nephi 6:9; 9:5; Jacob 4:11). He seems to mention this aspect to emphasize the redemptive mission that the Savior would perform in the flesh because they would scourge and crucify him: “He suffereth himself to become subject unto man in the flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become subject unto him” (2 Nephi 9:5). Jacob also encourages his listeners to develop faith and hope in Christ before he manifests himself in the flesh, so that they may obtain reconciliation with God and be among the “first-fruits” of the resurrection (Jacob 4:11).

Flesh = human mortality. Flesh can be used simply to refer to humans in their mortal condition undergoing various experiences. In 2 Nephi 6:11, Jacob declares that many among scattered Israel will be “afflicted in the flesh.” Eventually “all flesh” will come to know the identity of their Savior and Redeemer (v. 18). Jacob explains how promises made to Lehi’s branch of the house of Israel would be fulfilled “according to the flesh,” also giving a warning that unbelief would cause many to “perish in the flesh” (2 Nephi 10:2). Later in 2 Nephi 10 we read three other such occurrences: based on belief in Christ, the righteous will be “restored in the flesh” (v. 7); the Lord will fulfill covenants “while they are in the flesh” (v. 15); and the Lord will fulfill “promises . . . while they are in the flesh” (v. 17).

Flesh = body. Most relevant to the topic of this paper, various passages use the term flesh to mean “body,” both in its initial mortal condition and as a resurrected body. Jacob emphasizes the death of the flesh, but he also bears testimony that “in our bodies we shall see God.” (2 Nephi 9:4). Jacob makes the significant theological point that if the flesh should not rise, “our spirits must become subject to” the devil, “to rise no more” (v. 8). Thus Christ’s atonement becomes essential to avoid this situation as well as the flesh laying “down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more” (v. 7).

Flesh as Fallen Man

The least used notion of flesh by Jacob is in relation to fallen man and the desires associated with the flesh. In Jacob’s exhortation in 2 Nephi 10:24, he encourages his listeners to reconcile themselves to the will of God and not to the will of the devil and the flesh. This dualistic tactic is common throughout the Book of Mormon, used to show readers that they must choose one of two opposite directions leading to divergent results. In this particular instance, flesh is connected with the will of the devil as contrary and opposing the will of God. This connection can also be seen in Lehi’s teachings to his son Jacob at the end of his life. Lehi taught about choosing eternal life according to the will of the Holy Spirit rather than the opposite—that is, “Eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom” (2 Nephi 2:29). Here the “will of the flesh” is highlighted first and treated as its own entity that is its own source of evil (“which is therein”) and that the devil can then monopolize to captivate and rule over the soul. Perhaps Jacob learned from this counsel and is reiterating this principle in his own teachings later in 2 Nephi 10.

In the book of Jacob, when teaching about chastity Jacob never uses the term flesh, but he does admonish against the sins and tendencies that fallen man might embrace. He is also anxious about teaching this topic in front of an audience that includes wives and children who are “chaste and delicate before God” (Jacob 2:7) and “pure in heart” (v. 10). The related term to “flesh” that Jacob uses in his sermon is whoredom. This word is found four times in Jacob 2 and 3, all within the context of sexual sin. He calls these sins “grosser crimes” (Jacob 2:23) than the sin of pride, the topic that he began his sermon with. Jacob also earlier used the word whoredom in 2 Nephi 9:36, warning that those who commit whoredoms will be thrust down to hell. Using the authority of God’s direct words, Jacob exhorts, “There shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me” (Jacob 2:27–28). Jacob stresses the effects of immoral actions on the victims, primarily the women and children, even more than the personal toll these actions could take on the perpetrator (although he does share some of those consequences as well). He also holds up the Lamanites as better examples in this area than the Nephites. Among his last warnings against “fornication” and “lasciviousness,” Jacob exhorts the people to awake and change to avoid becoming “angels to the devil” (Jacob 3:11). This concept is also mentioned in another context of flesh—resurrection—in Jacob’s sermon in 2 Nephi 9, which will be discussed below.

Jesus’s Mortality

Several times Jacob prophesies that the Holy One of Israel will manifest himself in the flesh. His purpose in repeating this point seems to be threefold: to provide a witness of this essential future event, to connect Jesus’s incarnation with his future atoning mission, and to encourage faith in Jesus among Jacob’s contemporaries even before Jesus had come in the flesh. As part of his first sermon, and amidst his quoting Isaiah, Jacob sees that despite Jerusalem’s imminent demise under the Babylonians (the reason Lehi left Jerusalem), Jesus would still “manifest himself . . . in the flesh” (2 Nephi 6:9) among a remnant and/or among postexile returnees. (This gathering seems to be implied, but it is not explicitly stated by Jacob.) After manifesting himself among this remnant, Jesus would be scourged and crucified by them—not a pleasant welcome, but part of his atoning mission nonetheless. Obviously scourging and crucifying could not happen without Jesus being “in the flesh.”

Similarly, Jacob teaches that after Jesus shows himself “in the body” to those in Jerusalem, he will die, “for it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth himself to become subject unto man in the flesh” (2 Nephi 9:5). This later passage gives more doctrinal explanation about how his physical suffering and death fit within the plan of redemption. Jacob’s use of the verb behooveth[2] indicates the obligation that Jesus had: to become “subject unto man in the flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become subject unto him” (v. 5). Because he allowed the subjugation of his flesh, Jesus not only drew closer to mortals but also gained the right that all mortals would become subject unto him.[3] Jacob uses behoove, along with expedient, in a similar context to describe Christ’s mortal ministry among the Jews in 2 Nephi 10:3.[4] These verbs of necessity emphasize the core function of Jesus’s visit within the plan of salvation: a God coming among his own covenant people but then being crucified by them. This covenant people’s rejection of their God will lead to many tribulations and further scattering (see 2 Nephi 10:6), but as part of God’s long-term plan for the house of Israel, a remnant will “be restored in the flesh” (v. 7). This notion of flesh will be discussed in detail in a later section.

The third use of flesh in relation to Jesus’s coming into mortality is found in Jacob 4:11. As Jacob exhorts his listeners to be reconciled to the Lord through the Atonement of Christ so that they may obtain many blessings, he emphasizes the possibility of developing faith and hope even before Jesus “manifesteth himself in the flesh.” In God’s timetable, it does not matter whether one develops faith in Jesus unto salvation before or after Jesus’s completed mortal mission. What matters is that one has faith in the reality of that atoning mission. Truth is truth, and the Spirit speaks “of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be” (Jacob 4:13). Unfortunately, despite many prophets speaking about the future Atonement of Christ, some will look beyond the mark and reject the stone upon whom they could have built a safe, sure foundation. Jacob then shares Zenos’s lengthy allegory of the olive tree (see Jacob 5) to show how those who once rejected Christ can change course and build on the sure foundation.

Flesh as Human Mortality

Jacob repeatedly uses the word flesh in reference to human mortality, often speaking specifically about the house of Israel and their experiences over time (for example, see 2 Nephi 6:11; 2 Nephi 10:2, 7, 15, 17). Many of these references fit into God’s salvation history for his covenant people, in which he provides them with experiences during mortality with the aim to refine them for eternal blessings. Some of Jacob’s references portray positive blessings that arise from the covenant relationship with God, while others are tribulations and warnings to keep on the covenant path. These actions must be done while God’s children are in mortality because of the promises made through covenants, as seen in Jacob’s quotation of the Lord’s words: “For I will fulfil my promises which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh” (2 Nephi 10:17).[5] Additionally, since the Lord is creator of all flesh, each child is as precious in his sight as any other, so “for the selfsame end hath he created them, that they should keep his commandments and glorify him forever” (Jacob 2:21).

As part of his discussion on Isaiah passages, and in reference to members of the house of Israel who have hardened their hearts, Jacob parenthetically quotes from the words of an angel:[6] “Many shall be afflicted in the flesh, and shall not be suffered to perish, because of the prayers of the faithful” (2 Nephi 6:11). Despite being scattered and smitten, the people of Israel will not all be destroyed but will eventually be gathered again to the lands of their inheritance because of the prayers of the faithful. This promise shows an important principle: sometimes earthly tribulations are consequences of covenant breaking, but because of God’s plan and the “prayers of the faithful,” God will continue to work with his children while they are still in the flesh. Yet in other parts of Jacob’s teachings, some do suffer death as a result of their unfaithfulness. In a good summary statement of these principles, Jacob teaches, “The promises which we have obtained are promises unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown unto me that many of our children shall perish in the flesh because of unbelief, nevertheless, God will be merciful unto many; and our children shall be restored, that they may come to that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer” (2 Nephi 10:2). This knowledge of the Redeemer is probably related to the quotation from Isaiah that Jacob gave earlier: “All flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and the Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob” (2 Nephi 6:18).

Flesh as Body

Rather than talking about mortality in general, sometimes Jacob used the word flesh to describe the body, especially the possibility of a body’s resurrection after death. The first uses of the word resurrection in the Book of Mormon include the words of Lehi to Jacob as part of his counsel before his death (see 2 Nephi 2:8)[7] and from Jacob to the Nephites in his first sermon (see 2 Nephi 9:6, 12, 22; 10:25). 2 Nephi 9 is a pivotal doctrinal chapter that helps readers comprehend more about the destiny of the body for both the righteous and the wicked. To better understand how Jacob weaves the concept of flesh/body within his sermon, we will proceed through the sermon and its references to flesh sequentially.

Jacob first sets up the fate of the flesh by declaring his audience’s efforts to know of things to come. Because of these efforts, Jacob writes, “ye know that our flesh must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God” (2 Nephi 9:4). Jacob distinguishes this experience of seeing God from the experience of those who will see Jesus in his body during his mortal ministry (see v. 5). Here Jacob is teaching the transformation of dead flesh to revived, witnessing bodies. But how can bodies deteriorate and die yet still see God? The straightforward answer is, through “the merciful plan of the great Creator” (v. 6) and the “infinite atonement” (v. 7).

Using some progressive logic in verses 6–7, Jacob teaches that since death happens because of the Fall, the Resurrection needs to occur to fulfil the merciful Creator’s plan.[8] The Fall came because of transgression, which cut off mortals from the presence of the Lord. The resulting first judgment that came upon mankind would have remained “to an endless duration” had an infinite Atonement not been performed. Without an infinite Atonement, “this corruption could not put on incorruption” and “this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more” (v. 7). To underscore the necessity of the Atonement and of overcoming these drastic consequences of the Fall, Jacob uses the phrase must needs four times and the phrase must have one time within just these two verses. He also applies the adjective infinite two times to the Atonement, emphasizing the Atonement’s ability to eternally overcome these negative consequences and bring forth never-ending positive results.[9]

Along with causing the revival of our bodies (thanks to the infinite Atonement), the Resurrection also causes us to avoid becoming eternally subject to Satan: “If the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more” (2 Nephi 9:8). Not only will the Resurrection cause us to avoid being subject to Satan, it will also let us escape having our spirits become like him (see v. 9). Without the infinite Atonement, we would remain with the devil, like him, and shut out from the presence of God.

Yet God prepared a way to escape from the grasp of what Jacob calls the “awful monster”—that is, “death and hell, . . . the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit” (2 Nephi 9:10). The deliverance that results, Jacob teaches, forces the grave to deliver up its dead (in other words, its captive bodies), while hell delivers up its captive spirits (see v. 12). This compulsory deliverance (Jacob uses the phrase must deliver) makes possible the Resurrection, when “the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other,” and it results from “the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel” (v. 12). Similarly, the righteous spirits will be delivered from the paradise of God and “the grave [will] deliver up the body of the righteous” so that “the spirit and the body is restored to itself again” (v. 13).[10]

Figure 1. Diagram of Jacob’s Doctrinal Content in 2 Nephi 9

Jacob then gives important descriptions of some conditions of a resurrected body. Resurrected bodies are incorruptible and immortal. The concept of incorruption has been used earlier in the sermon, in the discussion about overcoming death (see 2 Nephi 9:7). In fact, the dual phrase corruption/incorruption is usually found in the Book of Mormon in parallel with mortality/immortality to denote resurrection (see Mosiah 16:10; Alma 5:15; 40:2; 41:4). Jacob also teaches that resurrected beings are “living souls, having a perfect knowledge” (2 Nephi 9:13). This is the only place in the Book of Mormon where the phrase “living souls” is used, and “perfect knowledge” seems to describe living souls rather than the mortals mentioned in the next phrase. Thus it may make more sense to adjust the punctation to the following: “They are living souls having a perfect knowledge, like unto us in the flesh save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.” This reading emphasizes the fact that we do not have perfect knowledge in our mortal flesh. It also makes it clear that having a body is similar between mortal and immortal states, but the knowledge abilities change, which the last phrase tries to emphasize with its “save it be” disclaimer (“save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect”). The word soul can be used in different ways in different contexts in the Book of Mormon; sometimes it is synonymous with “spirit,” but in this context, it is likely another descriptor for a resurrected being. Thus in the first condition of resurrection, the spirit and the body become “restored to itself” again, becoming a living soul.

The next step for a resurrected being is to appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel after one passes from “this first death unto life” and becomes immortal (2 Nephi 9:15). At the judgment, “they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are filthy are the devil and his angels” (v. 16). The phrase devil’s angels here seems to refer to those who have followed and become captured or “obtained” by Satan in mortality (v. 46), but according to broader Latter-day Saint theology, it could also include the spirits who chose to follow him in the premortal existence. The devil and his angels, in essence, either lack bodies altogether or have fallen bodies, and “they shall go away into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end” (v. 16). Meanwhile Jacob, in parallelistic fashion, gives the fate of the righteous: they “shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever” (v. 18). This is how the Lord fulfills his plan to deliver “his saints from that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment” (v. 19). Rather than letting humankind suffer endless torment, Christ came into the world and suffered “the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day” (vv. 21–22). Yet, Jacob teaches, one must be obedient to the Lord’s commands (such as repentance and baptism) or “they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God” (v. 23).[11]

While the next section of Jacob’s sermon may not seem to directly pertain to the topic of flesh, the idea is implicit in Jacob’s warning to those who may waste away the days of their probation, which is mortal life (see 2 Nephi 9:27). Jacob gives nine “woes” related to the mortal condition, such as being rich (and prideful), learned, a liar, a murderer, etc., to emphasize the importance of not remaining in our sins and of not yielding ourselves to “that cunning one” (v. 39). Jacob then exhorts, “Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal” (v. 39), a twist on the relationship between temporal/physical and spiritual. If one is carnally minded (that is, too focused on the things of the flesh or this mortal world), then they will suffer spiritual death, while those who are spiritually minded will receive eternal life, or a resurrected body with all its eternal blessings. Repeatedly Jacob encourages his listeners to choose God and his offered blessings so they can avoid the eternal consequences of suffering and separation from God.

The end of Jacob’s discourse in 2 Nephi 10 includes one last plea to choose correctly between the “way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life” (v. 23). He exhorts the people to reconcile themselves “to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh,” and to remember that even after they are reconciled to God, “that it is only in and through the grace of God that [they] are saved” (v. 24).[12] To further emphasize the necessity of Christ’s role in redeeming all flesh and delivering it to the eternal kingdom of God, Jacob offers his benediction: “May God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdom of God” (v. 25).

Conclusion

The topic of flesh is woven throughout Jacob’s teachings to his people. While initially not likely seen as a major theme, the flesh’s connection to the blessings of the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ increases its doctrinal importance. As has been demonstrated above, Jacob uses flesh in various contexts to refer to different aspects of the plan of redemption: the state of fallen man; Jesus’s mortality; human mortality, especially that of the house of Israel; and the body itself, both in its death and in its resurrection. By discussing these different aspects of the flesh, Jacob acknowledges the challenges of mortal bodies—repeatedly exhorting his listeners to overcome fallen man—but also stresses the eternal potential and destiny of the body if listeners follow the covenants God has made with them. Jacob teaches that Christ came down in a mortal body in order to be resurrected in a perfected, glorified one, thereby bringing similar blessings to us. Jacob continually uses phrases of necessity (for example, must have, must needs be, behooves, and is expedient) to stress how vital Christ’s mission is. The flesh is a great blessing, but it comes with tremendous responsibility. Covenants must be made and kept while in the body. Jacob promises his audience that eternal rewards will come as they choose Christ, most importantly the gift of eternal life with a resurrected body in the kingdom of God. As long as flesh is part of the mortal experience, Jacob’s teachings about the flesh—and about the Resurrection that Jesus Christ offers—will be important for all to learn.

Notes

[1] See David L. Paulsen, “The Doctrine of Divine Embodiment: Restoration, Judeo-Christian, and Philosophical Perspectives,” BYU Studies Quarterly 35, no. 4 (1995): 7–94; and Daniel B. McKinlay, “Joseph Smith on the Body as a Fallen or Blessed Vessel,” in Joseph Smith and the Doctrinal Restoration: The 34th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, ed. W. Jeffrey Marsh (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2005), 287–304.

[2] The 1828 Noah Webster’s dictionary defines behoove as meaning “to be necessary for; to be fit for; to be meet for, with respect to necessity, duty, or convenience.” Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language, s.v. “behoove,” https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/behoove.In one of his post-Resurrection appearances, Jesus taught his disciples that based on scripture- “it behoved Christ to suffer” (Luke 24:46).

[3] Jesus elaborated on this principle when he was with the Nephites and gave his definition of “gospel.” He stated, “that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works” (3 Nephi 27:14). Through his atoning sacrifice at the hands of mortals, Jesus had the authority to judge others of their works. Thankfully, as he discusses his gospel in the next few passages, Jesus explains the provided way to overcome sin and arrive at judgment clean and spotless (see 3 Nephi 27:16, 19–20). Abinadi also taught this principle to the priests of Noah: “Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men” (Mosiah 15:7–8). What is not explicit in Jacob’s teachings (but is found in these other examples) is the role of the Father in passing along the power or authority to make intercession for and judge the children of men.

[4] 2 Nephi 10:3 is also the first use of the name Christ in the Book of Mormon. According to Jacob, this name or title was revealed to him by an angel the night before.

[5] In discussing a more specific action the Lord must take—destroying the secret works of darkness—Jacob similarly quotes the Lord’s words: “Wherefore, for this cause, that my covenants may be fulfilled which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh, I must needs destroy the secret works of darkness, and of murders, and of abominations” (2 Nephi 10:15).

[6] This act of quoting from “the angel” comes suddenly both here and two verses earlier. Who this angel is and why he spoke to Jacob is not explained, but in 2 Nephi 10:3, Jacob states that the angel came to him the night before and revealed the name of Christ along with the other information directly attributed to him in 2 Nephi 6:9, 11. Presumably other teachings in Jacob’s sermon could have been received from this angelic instructor.

[7] Nephi₁ summarizes one of his father Lehi’s teachings, saying that after the Messiah is slain “he should rise from the dead” (1 Nephi 10:11), but he does not use the word resurrection.

[8] Jacob seems to refer to this plan three times in this chapter, calling it “the merciful plan of the great Creator” (2 Nephi 9:6), “the way of deliverance of our God” (v. 11), and the “great . . . plan of our God” (v. 13). On the other hand, the work of the devil is “that cunning plan of the evil one” (v. 28).

[9] The only other usage of the phrase “infinite atonement” in the Book of Mormon is found among Amulek’s teachings in Alma 34:12: “There can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.” The word infinite is also applied to the Atonement in 2 Nephi 25:16 (“infinite for all mankind”) and to the great and last sacrifice in Alma 34:10, 14 (“infinite and eternal”).

[10] While Jacob sets in parallel structure the deliverance of the wicked spirits and the righteous spirits, the wording for the coming together of the body and the spirit is slightly different. For the wicked, “the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other,” while for the righteous “the spirit and the body is restored to itself again” (2 Nephi 9:12–13). This difference may simply be a variation in wording, or perhaps the difference points to how the body and the spirit of the wicked may have been more in rebellion against each other (flesh vs. spirit), while for the righteous they may have been more in harmony. Hence, for the wicked they will be restored one to the other and for the righteous, the combination of body and spirit is restored to itself again.

[11] Jacob also gives the disclaimer that those who have not been given a law are delivered by Christ’s power through the atonement. “For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel” (2 Nephi 9:26).

[12] Joseph M. Spencer makes a convincing argument that Nephi was influenced by Jacob’s teachings here when he made his well-known statement in 2 Nephi 25:23: “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” See Spencer, “What Can We Do? Reflections on 2 Nephi 25:23,” Religious Educator 15, no. 2 (2014): 25–39.