The Higher Law
Book of Mormon Notes - Wednesday, January 5, 2024, 3 Nephi 12
It should come as no surprise that our Lord’s teachings in the new world were essentially the same as His teachings in the old world. After calling and commissioning the twelve disciples, Jesus Christ delivered to the Nephites a discourse similar to the Sermon on the Mount. He spoke the Beatitudes again, and His teachings transcend and take precedence over the law of Moses. This is the higher law of the Gospel that Jesus Christ revealed to the Nephites.
The Lord’s higher law focuses more specifically on the condition of the hearts of His followers, and not merely on their outward behavior. The Lord invites us to repent and come unto Him as a little child so that He can baptize us, first by water, and then by fire and the Holy Ghost. Those who believe in Christ, repent, and are baptized by water will receive the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, and receive a remission of sins. The remission of sins and baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost prepares us to live the Lord’s higher laws.
In one of his epistles to his son Moroni, Mormon explained:
And the first fruits of arepentance is bbaptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth cremission of sins;
And the remission of sins bringeth ameekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the bHoly Ghost, which cComforter dfilleth with hope and perfect elove, which love endureth by fdiligence unto gprayer, until the end shall come, when all the hsaints shall dwell with God. (Moroni 8:25-26)
It seems to me that it would be impossible for mortals to live the higher laws of Jesus Christ without the help of the Holy Ghost. This is one reason why daily repentance and the sacrament are so crucial. We need that constant renewal and the assistance of the Holy Ghost that we receive as we repent and as our hearts are purified by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. As Mormon teaches his son Moroni, these things - faith in Christ unto repentance and baptism and the remission of sins - bring meekness, and lowliness of heart. Meekness and lowliness of heart are necessary for the visitation of the bHoly Ghost. And the visitation of the Holy Ghost is necessary for us to enable us to live the Lord’s higher laws, such as coming unto Christ with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, or being apoor in spirit, being comforted in mourning, being meek, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, being merciful, becoming pure in heart, becoming a peacemaker, and enduring persecution.
In fact, it seems to me that it is the Holy Ghost that makes us salt with savor, a light to the people, a city on a hill, and a candle on a candlestick. It is the Holy Ghost that enables us to keep the commandments, to let go of anger, to reconcile with our brothers and sisters, to agree with our adversaries quickly, to reject temptations of lust, and to take up our cross and follow Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Ghost that gives us strength to turn the other cheek, to give both coat and cloak, to go the extra mile, to give to him that asks, and to love both friend and foe. It is the Holy Ghost that enables us to become aperfect even as Jesus Christ, or our Father who is in heaven is perfect.
It all starts with belief in Christ, or even a desire to believe in Christ and the words of His servants:
Yea, blessed are they who shall bbelieve in your cwords, and dcome down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited ewith fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins. (3 Nephi 12:2)
It all starts with a desire to come unto Christ. He will help us to have the desire to come unto Him, and He will help us to come unto Him. He will also come unto us:
¶ If ye alove me, bkeep my ccommandments.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another aComforter, that he may babide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I will not leave you acomfortless: I will bcome to you. (John 14:15-18)
Can we really be perfect, that is, whole and complete? Only through Jesus Christ. (See also here)