It is important to learn about the doctrine of Christ. It is even more important to experience it and to be one with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. To do that, we need to align our will with their will. Courtesy of Intellectual Reserve, Inc

Abstract: This paper compares the prophetic teaching of Nephi, son of Lehi, regarding the doctrine of Christ and the teaching of the resurrected Jesus in the Americas. This comparison shows the purposeful and experiential nature of Christ’s teaching, leading the Nephites to experience the doctrine of Christ rather than simply hear it. By drawing on scriptural texts in the Book of Mormon and the New Testament, this paper shows how each step of the doctrine of Christ was presented to and experienced by those who were witnesses to the Savior in the Americas. These insights directly relate to current seekers of Christ as we try to immerse ourselves in and experience the doctrine of Christ.

Keywords: living the gospel, doctrine, Jesus Christ, Book of Mormon, New Testament, teaching the gospel

As Nephi₁ approached the end of his ministry, he prepared to finish his record. Second Nephi 31 opens with Nephi recording that he has made “an end of [his] prophesying.”[1] Although he laments that he could not write everything that he desired, nevertheless, he felt compelled to “speak concerning the doctrine of Christ” (2 Nephi 31:1–2). Likewise, Elder Dale G. Renlund has recently reinforced Nephi’s emphasis on the importance of the doctrine of Christ for our day. He taught, “I testify that the doctrine of Christ is central to Heavenly Father’s plan; it is, after all, His doctrine.”[2] While I would like to start our discussion on the doctrine of Christ with Nephi’s definition, it will act as a foundation for my major purpose, which is to examine the encounter of those gathered at the temple as the Savior not only taught them the doctrine of Christ but helped them to experience it in 3 Nephi 19. The discussion that follows will be heavily based on the scriptural texts.

Nephi’s Teachings on the Doctrine of Christ

It seems that the catalyst for Nephi writing about the doctrine of Christ was his reflection on the angel-guided vision he received of his father’s dream of the tree of life (1 Nephi 8). For Nephi it was not enough to have heard his father teach about it—he wanted to experience it. He was “desirous also that [he] might see, and hear, and know of” the things which his father had seen (1 Nephi 10:17). After Nephi was shown the tree, the angel guided him to also “know the interpretation thereof” (1 Nephi 11:11). He learned that the tree represented “the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men[, and] it is the most desirable above all things” (1 Nephi 11:22). As evidence of God’s love, the angel then showed Nephi Christ’s mortal ministry that included, among many other wonderful things, “the Redeemer of the world, . . . and I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a dove” (1 Nephi 11:27).

In his introduction to the teaching the doctrine of Christ in 2 Nephi 31, Nephi reminds his people that he had “spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world” (verse 4). He then helped his people understand the significance of that event. Even though “the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfill all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water” (verse 5). But what does it mean to fulfill all righteousness? Wouldn’t Jesus, as God and as a being without sin, already be in a state of righteousness? The phrase “fulfill all righteousness” is mentioned in Matthew’s account of Jesus’s baptism (Matthew 3:15) but is never defined. Therefore, it is important that Nephi defines it for his readers: “Notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments” (verse 7). If anyone had a right to say, “This command of baptism doesn’t apply to me,” it was the Savior, but what was more important to him was that he wanted to show all of us that he “humbled himself before the Father” and he wanted to witness to the Father that he would be obedient. As Abinadi later teaches, Jesus humbles himself so that his will is “swallowed up in the will of the Father” (Mosiah 15:7). President Jeffrey R. Holland extends Jesus, obedience even further: “Always aligning His will and behavior with that of His Heavenly Father.”[3]

Having identified the Savior’s pattern of fulfilling all righteousness, Nephi reminds his readers of Jesus’s invitation “Follow thou me” by also “being willing to keep the commandments of the Father,” which includes repenting, being baptized, and receiving the Holy Ghost (2 Nephi 31:10–12). But for Nephi it is not just about going through the motions; the doctrine of Christ requires a commitment and diligence to “follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent” (verse 13). Nephi then teaches his people that the reason he was shown the Savior and his baptism was “that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost” (verse 17). The gate, however, is only the beginning. It escorts those who pass through it to a “strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life” (verse 18). Because Christ’s example of humility and obedience has pointed the people to this gate and his Atonement has made its entrance to the path possible, Nephi then implores his readers to “press forward [on that path] with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (verse 20).

In our day, President Russell M. Nelson has identified this path as the “covenant path.” Like Nephi, he has also taught us the importance of this path and the blessings for those who are committed to staying on it: “To each member of the Church I say, keep on the covenant path. Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere.”[4]

Nephi’s final direction to his people about the doctrine of Christ is that if they do not understand it then it is because “ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark. For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things that ye should do. Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do” (2 Nephi 32:4–6). Notice how Nephi connects the doctrine of Christ with the need to ask and knock before a person can be “brought into the light” and prayer is the primary vehicle by which people ask and knock.[5] Therefore, Nephi teaches, “If ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray. . . . I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul” (verses 8–9). Understanding the doctrine of Christ is not available to the spiritually passive. Rather, it is something that must be actively sought after before the full blessings can be realized. It is therefore not surprising that he laments, “Now the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be” (verse 7). With that lament in mind, we will now turn to the experience of the people in 3 Nephi when Jesus not only teaches them about the doctrine of Christ but on day two enables them to experience it.

Jesus Comes to the Temple and Teaches the Doctrine of Christ

The second major place where the Book of Mormon teaches about the doctrine of Christ is included in Jesus’s teachings at the temple in 3 Nephi 11. It is an important part of the experience that the Savior wants to share with his people. On the first day, 2,500 people were gathered at the temple (3 Nephi 17:25). It took them three times hearing the heavenly voice before they did “open their ears” to hear the Father introduce his Son to them saying, “Behold my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him” (3 Nephi 11:7). When they saw Christ descending out of heaven, they still didn’t quite understand who he was because “they thought it was an angel that had appeared to them” (verse 8). It is only when the Savior introduced himself to them, that they began to understand. “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. . . . I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, . . . in the which I have suffered the will of the Father . . . from the beginning” (verses 10–11). Speaking of these verses, President Holland teaches, “Of the myriad ways He could have introduced Himself, Jesus did so by declaring His obedience to the will of the Father.”[6] The Savior then allowed each of those 2,500 people in attendance to come up and experience for themselves the marks of his Crucifixion that “ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world” (verse 14).

In what follows, I have bolded each time an element of the doctrine of Christ as outlined by Nephi₁, is taught or experienced by the multitude. Jesus gave Nephi₃ and others the power to baptize in his name (verses 21–22). Then he taught them his doctrine. Like Nephi₁, the Savior emphasized the need for repentance and baptism (verses 34, 37), but he specifically put them in the context of the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and their witness of each other: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost. And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one” (verses 35–36; emphasis added).

For the rest of the first day, the people “feasted upon the words of Christ”: he taught them the sermon at the temple, about the fulfilling of the law of Moses, and about the gathering of Israel. Because of their great faith, he healed their sick. Then he instituted the sacrament; he taught them about its symbolism as a remembrance of his atoning sacrifice and that it was the vehicle through which they could access the Spirit. He taught them about the importance of prayer and invited them to “pray always”: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him. And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you. . . . Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name” (3 Nephi 18:15–16, 18–19). The last thing that he did on that day was he touched the disciples one by one and “gave them power to give the Holy Ghost.” Thus, the day started with Jesus giving them power to baptize, and it concluded with him giving them power to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost, both of which are pivotal for the events on day two.

Now day one was a very long day. It has been estimated that if every person took just ten seconds to experience the marks of the crucifixion, then even though our current text covers these events in just four verses, in real time, it would have taken about seven hours.[7] And that doesn’t include all the time Jesus spent teaching, healing, and administering the sacrament. Even so, I find it hard to imagine that anyone in that congregation would have struggled to “endure to the end” on that day.

At the beginning of chapter 19 we learn that throughout the night, the news of Jesus’s visit spread among the people and that “an exceeding great number” spent the night journeying to Bountiful so that they could interact with him on day two. When they arrived, the disciples divided them into twelve groups and they again “feasted on the word” as the disciples taught the people “the same words which Jesus had spoken—nothing varying from the words which Jesus had spoken” and then, just as Jesus had commanded them to do, they prayed (verse 8). Then this important note: “And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given to them” (verse 9; emphasis added).

Nephi₃ then baptized the disciples whom Jesus had chosen and something amazing took place. Their prayers were answered in that moment and, in a Pentecostal-like fashion, “they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire” (19:13; emphasis added). We must not miss the significance of this event. Most people today after their baptism have hands laid upon their heads, and they are told to “receive the Holy Ghost.” Elder David A. Bednar has taught, “These four words—‘Receive the Holy Ghost’—are not a passive pronouncement; rather, they constitute a priesthood injunction—an authoritative admonition to act and not simply to be acted upon. . . . The Holy Ghost does not become operative in our lives merely because hands are placed on our heads and those four important words are spoken. As we receive this ordinance, each of us accepts a sacred and ongoing responsibility to desire, to seek, to work, and to so live that we indeed ‘receive the Holy Ghost’ and its attendant spiritual gifts.”[8] For these people in 3 Nephi 19, their baptism of fire was a literal experience that came immediately after their baptism of water. We are not told specifically why these events happened in such a powerful way, but the focus of their desires in their prayers was probably an important factor. It also seems that this baptism of fire was a preparatory experience for the even greater events that follow on that day: The heavens open, angels descend, and then Jesus returned and stood in the midst of them. Can you picture this scene in your mind? Something pretty remarkable is taking place here. The disciples had feasted on the words of Christ, they were baptized, and then they experienced this cleansing power of the Spirit consuming, if you will, the natural person and creating a new being, a spiritual being that is energized by the Holy Ghost. But there was still more to come.

The scene that follows reminds readers of Jesus’s Intercessory Prayer in the Gospel of John where he prayed for unity between the disciples and “them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. . . . And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. . . . Father, I will that they also, who thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me” (John 17:20–24). It also reminds readers of the events in Gethsemane, as recounted by Mark and Matthew, when Jesus invited Peter, James, and John to “watch” while he withdrew from them and “went a little further” and prayed (Matthew 26:39). Three times he returned and found that Peter, James, and John were sleeping. The first two times he woke them and gently chided them, “Couldst not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit is truly ready, but the flesh is weak.” On the third time, he simply said, “Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners” (Mark 14:33–41).

Keep those biblical events at the forefront of your minds, as we return to the experience in 3 Nephi 19. As we read together look for both the similarities and differences between the Markan account and what is happening here. We’ll start in verse 16, and at times I will interject into the account some things to think about.

And it came to pass that [Jesus] spake unto the multitude, and commanded them that they should kneel down again upon the earth, and also that his disciples should kneel down upon the earth.

And it came to pass that when they had all knelt down upon the earth, he commanded his disciples that they should pray.

And behold, they began to pray; and they did pray unto Jesus, calling him their Lord and their God.

And it came to pass that Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth [remember the similarities here to the events in Gethsemane], and he said:

Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me that I have chosen them out of the world.

Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words.

Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me; and thou seest that they believe in me because thou hearest them, and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me because I am with them.

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 19:16–23; emphasis added)

Note the similarity in language to Jesus’s Intercessory Prayer—praying that the disciples will have the same unity with Jesus, as he has with the Father (see John 17:11, 21–23) and to what Jesus had taught them about the doctrine of Christ and the unity of the Godhead (see 3 Nephi 11:35–36):

And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire. [Is this the same desire for the Holy Ghost that they had in verse 9?]

And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof. (3 Nephi 19:24–25)

What just happened there? The disciples seem to be transfigured. But why? It can’t be because they were in the presence of the glorified Savior, because they had been in his presence all of day one without the need to be transfigured. Something else seems to be happening here; something really important! Is this another manifestation of them being “filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire”? It seems remarkably similar to what Jesus prayed about in the Intercessory Prayer that they have received some of Christ’s glory: “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one even as we are one” (John 17:22).

And Jesus said unto them: Pray on; nevertheless they did not cease to pray. (3 Nephi 19:26)

Jesus then leaves the disciples for the second time and continues his prayer, with language again reminiscent of the Intercessory Prayer. Because of the faith of those whom the Father has given Jesus out of the world, he prays “that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them” (3 Nephi 19:29; compare John 17:22). Jesus returns to the disciples for a second time:

And behold they did pray steadfastly, without ceasing, unto him; and he did smile upon them again; and behold they were white, even as Jesus. . . .

[For the third time, Jesus departs to continue his prayer with the Father. Notice the supernal description.]

And tongue cannot speak the words which he prayed, neither can be written by man the words which he prayed.

And the multitude did hear and do bear record; and their hearts were open and they did understand in their hearts the words which he prayed. Nevertheless, so great and marvelous were the words which he prayed that they cannot be written, neither can they be uttered by man.

And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying he came again [for the third time] to the disciples, and said unto them: So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief.

Verily I say unto you, there are none of them that have seen so great things as ye have seen; neither have they heard so great things as ye have heard. (3 Nephi 19:30, 32–36)

We have noted the similarities between what happened in 3 Nephi 19 and with Jesus’s Intercessory Prayer and his experience in Gethsemane. But there are also some significant differences between the two accounts. Each time Jesus returned to Peter, James, and John in Gethsemane he found them asleep. So he woke them, chided them, and pled with them to watch and pray lest they enter into temptation (Mark 14:37–41; Matthew 26:40–45). Was the temptation there, at least in part, to let the physical body distract them from watching? But why did Peter, James, and John fall asleep? You need to know that I love Peter, James, and John! Even so, were there things that the Savior wanted to share with them but wasn’t able to because they were asleep? I don’t know the answer to that. Perhaps a more important question to consider is why didn’t the Nephite disciples fall asleep? They must also have also been tired after a very long first day and with all the events of day two, including some who traveled all night to gather those who had missed the events of the previous day. As I read these two accounts, the major difference that I see between the two groups is the presence of the Holy Ghost. The Nephite disciples prayed for and received “that which they most desired”—and, as a result, they were “filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” As Nephi₁ had directed, these disciples in 3 Nephi had “follow[ed] the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of [their] sins, witnessing unto the Father that they were willing to take upon [them] the name of Christ, by baptism” and then they “received the Holy Ghost” and “the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 31:13). As a result, they were transformed and enabled to receive what Jesus wanted to share with them.

So what does all this have to do with the doctrine of Christ? I would suggest that the supernal events that take place in chapter 19 are a culmination of the Nephites living the doctrine of Christ. They had done what Nephi₁ had directed: they had feasted on the words of Christ, tapped into the power that comes from faith, repentance, baptism, and received the Holy Ghost. With their ongoing and repeated prayers they had asked and knocked to know more deeply the doctrine of Christ. As a result they were transformed. I don’t think that we should underestimate the importance of the Nephite disciples praying “for that which they most desired.” I love what Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote: “As starving men crave a crust of bread, as choking men thirst for water, so do the righteous yearn for the Holy Ghost.”[9]

While I do not know the details of their spiritual experience, it seems clear to me that it was part of Jesus’s desire to have his disciples share in the unity that exists between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost and to share in the Savior’s glory. It is also clear, that Jesus wanted others to have a similar experience. Is that perhaps one reason why he chided Peter, James, and John for not staying awake? Elder Neal A. Maxwell has taught, “To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is clear that the Father and the Son are giving away the secrets of the universe!”[10]

I want to have that kind of experience. I want to not just read about the doctrine of Christ. I want to experience it. I want to be one with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I also want to share in the Savior’s glory. I want to align my will with their will. I am working on it, but I know that I still have much to learn and experience. Even so, I hope that one day the Father and the Son will also be able to trust me with the things of eternity. I hope that I won’t get frustrated with myself when I fall short, but that I’ll keep trying, day by day, one step at a time, working to develop my faith, repent for my sins, feast on the words of Christ, try to live my baptismal and temple covenants, and learn to recognize and respond to the promptings of the Spirit in my life. As I seek to do these things, every now and then I receive glimpses of what is possible—of eternal things. I wonder if the experience recorded in 3 Nephi 19 may have been at least part of Nephi₁’s plea for his readers to endure to the end (2 Nephi 31:20). I’ve usually thought of enduring to the end as referring to keep going throughout all mortality, not just part of it. Now I wonder if it could be profitable to think about the “end” as referring to the goal that Heavenly Father, the Savior, and the Holy Ghost wants for each of us: to be glorified with Christ in a total unity with the members of the Godhead. This “end” is God’s promise and salvation and exaltation that he also wants me to experience with them.

Thus, President Nelson invites all of us to understand more deeply and live the doctrine of Christ: “The pure doctrine of Christ is powerful. It changes the life of everyone who understands it and seeks to implement it in his or her life. The doctrine of Christ helps us find and stay on the covenant path. Staying on that narrow but well-defined path will ultimately qualify us to receive all that God has. Nothing could be worth more than all our Father has!”[11]

Notes

[1] Since we will be referring to two individuals named Nephi in this article, I will distinguish them where context is not clear as Nephi₁ and Nephi₃.

[2] Dale G. Renlund, “The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ,” Liahona, May 2024, 83.

[3] Jeffrey R. Holland, “I Am He,” general conference talk, October 2024, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[4] Russell M. Nelson, “As We Go Forward Together,” Liahona, April 2018, 7; emphasis added.

[5] Here I agree with Larry E. Dahl in seeing Nephi₁’s directive to “ask” in 2 Nephi 32:4 as a reference to prayer. Larry E. Dahl, “The Doctrine of Christ: 2 Nephi 31–32,” in The Book of Mormon: Second Nephi, The Doctrinal Structure, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr. (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1989), 355–76.

[6] Holland, “I Am He”; emphasis in original.

[7] S. Kent Brown, Voices From the Dust: Book of Mormon Insights (Covenant Communications, 2004), 133.

[8] David A. Bednar, “Receive the Holy Ghost,” Ensign, November 2010, 95.

[9] Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary (Deseret Book, 1980), 2:122.

[10] Neal A. Maxwell, “Meek and Lowly,” Brigham Young University devotional, October 21, 1986, https://speeches.byu.edu.

[11] Russell M. Nelson, “Pure Truth, Pure Doctrine, and Pure Revelation,” Liahona, November 2021, 6.