San Diego Ute Fan
02-26-2013, 09:51 AM
I'm winding my way through the Book of Mormon a very different way this time around. I'm reading "Living the Book of Mormon, Abiding by its precepts" from the 36th annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium (Deseret Book). It has a wide variety of authors.
While reading from the chapter, "All are Alike Unto God", it referenced 2nd Nephi 26:33. Here Nephi states that the Lord welcomes all:
...for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and heainviteth (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#) them ball (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#) to ccome (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#) unto him and partake of his goodness; and he ddenieth (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#) none that come unto him, black and white, ebond (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#) and free, male and female; and he remembereth thefheathen (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#); and all are alike unto God...
Elder Dallin H Oaks expanded on this verse to explain how all-encompassing it is:
"He invited them all." We understand "male and female." We also understand "black and white," which means all races. But what about "bond and free"? Bond--the opposite of free-- means more than slavery. It means being bound (in bondage) to anything from which it is difficult to escape. Bond includes those whose freedom is restricted by physical or emotional afflictions. Bond includes those who are addicted to some substance or practice. Bond surely refers to those who are imprisoned by sin-- "encircled about" by what another teaching of the Book of Mormon calls "the chains of hell" (Alma 5:7). Bond includes those who are held down by traditions or customs contrary to the commandments of God (Matthew 15:3-6). Finally, bond also includes those who are confined within the boundaries of other erroneous ideas... Our Savior "inviteth . . . all to come unto him . . . ; and all are alike unto God."
This gives me great peace and hope for a family member who has lost her way suffering from drug addiction. All are invited to come back to the Lord.
While reading from the chapter, "All are Alike Unto God", it referenced 2nd Nephi 26:33. Here Nephi states that the Lord welcomes all:
...for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and heainviteth (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#) them ball (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#) to ccome (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#) unto him and partake of his goodness; and he ddenieth (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#) none that come unto him, black and white, ebond (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#) and free, male and female; and he remembereth thefheathen (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng#); and all are alike unto God...
Elder Dallin H Oaks expanded on this verse to explain how all-encompassing it is:
"He invited them all." We understand "male and female." We also understand "black and white," which means all races. But what about "bond and free"? Bond--the opposite of free-- means more than slavery. It means being bound (in bondage) to anything from which it is difficult to escape. Bond includes those whose freedom is restricted by physical or emotional afflictions. Bond includes those who are addicted to some substance or practice. Bond surely refers to those who are imprisoned by sin-- "encircled about" by what another teaching of the Book of Mormon calls "the chains of hell" (Alma 5:7). Bond includes those who are held down by traditions or customs contrary to the commandments of God (Matthew 15:3-6). Finally, bond also includes those who are confined within the boundaries of other erroneous ideas... Our Savior "inviteth . . . all to come unto him . . . ; and all are alike unto God."
This gives me great peace and hope for a family member who has lost her way suffering from drug addiction. All are invited to come back to the Lord.