Moro 10:1-34

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Summary

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Relationship to Moroni. The relationship of Chapter 1o to the rest of Moroni is addressed at Moroni.

Story. Chapter 10 consists of ____ major sections:

Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Chapter 10 include:

Discussion

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Moro 10

a. exhortation to obtain testimony of the record (1-7a)

• exhortation to remember God's mercifulness (3)

• exhortation to ask God for a witness through the Holy Ghost (4)

• teaching that the Holy Ghost bears witness of truth (5-7a)

b. exhortation to not deny gifts of the Spirit and remember that they are always available (7b-19)

• exhortation to not deny power or gifts of God that are always present in all ages (7b-8a)

• gifts are various and come from God to profit men (8b)

• list of gifts of the Spirit of God (9-16)

• gifts are several and come from Christ (17-18)

• exhortation to remember that these gifts are only done away in any age by unbelief (19)

c. faith, hope and charity are all necessary to be saved (20-23)

• faith, hope and charity are all required (20-21)

• hope is lost through unrighteousness (22)

• faith can work miracles (23)

b. teaching that gifts are only done away by iniquity (24-26)

• gifts are only done away by iniquity (24-26)

a. Moroni's testimony of the record and exhortation to righteousness (27-34)

• exhortation to remember that you will face these words at the judgment bar of God (27-29)

• exhortation to come unto Christ and not touch uncleanness to fulfill the covenant with Israel (30-31)

• exhortation to come unto Christ and deny selves ungodliness to obtain grace and fulfill the covenant of remission of individual sins (32-33)

• farewell until we meet at the judgment bar of God (34)

Moro 10:1-7a

• Moro 10:1: I write unto my brethren. Interestingly, Mormon's last words (cf. Morm 7:1) also seem to be directed toward the future Lamanites ("the remnant of this people" in Mormon's words).

• Moro 10:3-5: Promise extended to everyone. Moroni's promise, originally given to the Lamanites, is frequently extended by today's prophets and apostles to all. See for example Elder Eyring's talk in General Conference May 2004 "In the Strength of the Lord."

• Moro 10:3-5: It. Moroni could be referring to either "these things" (the Book of Mormon), why it is "wisdom in God" that we are reading "these things" (the Book of Mormon), or the merciful dealings of God with men from Adam to the time of our reading. Any or all of the three provide an opportunity to "see with [our] eyes, and hear with [our] ears, and understand with [our] heart[s]." (Isa 6:10, Matt 13:15, Acts 28:27, 2 Ne 16:10)

• Moro 10:3-5: Sign-seeking. In response to the question on sign-seeking in relation to Moroni's promise, see commentary by BenRasmussen, including quotes from Elder Oaks and George Q. Cannon.

Moro 10:27-34

• Moro 10:30-33. Moroni's final words and the closing instruction of the Book of Mormon expound a message that constitutes the very essence of the gospel; perfection and sanctification by the grace of God through Christ.

The introduction uses phrases from Isaiah 52:1-2, 11-12 and 54:2, 4, where, in the poetic language of Isaiah, the themes of deliverance from bondage and redemption were directed toward Israel as a nation. There the message, on the surface, was about the Babylonian captivity and national liberation. Here Moroni uses the passages to call the reader into the spiritual liberation and redemption offered to those who "come unto Christ." Here, to rise from the dust and put on the beautiful garments, is a call to come unto Christ and be delivered from bondage to sin and "be no more confounded." To "strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders" uses nomadic imagery of the forsaken wife and points to the reception of the eternal covenant blessings of Abraham.

The repeated phrase "in Christ" comes from Pauline theology and essentially means "through Christ" or "by means of Christ," but also describes the spiritual relationship and mystical union of the believer with the Savior.

An examination of the wealth of passages in scripture that encourage one to "come unto Christ" reveals a unified message that the believer, in return, partakes of some gift; the goodness of God, salvation, redemption, rest, living bread/water, resurrection, etc. It's not that the Savior has merely shown us the way or given us an example as the Master Teacher. There is more. He has something transforming to give to all who will come unto him. It follows then, that the perfection and sanctification that is "in Christ" is given by the grace of God to believers, that they may "become holy, without spot."

The phrase "be perfected in him" (Moro 10:32) recalls the charge in the Sermon on the Mount, delivered by Christ to the Nephites, "that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect." (3 Ne 12:48).

The phrase "deny yourselves of all ungodliness" seems to imply the "after all we can do" (2 Ne 25:23) aspect of salvation by grace, but to focus on a sinless existence as the formula for perfection misses the more transcending truth wherein we are made new creatures through the reception of the Spirit by coming unto Christ in the covenant of the Father.

Unanswered questions

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Prompts for life application

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Prompts for further study

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• Moro 10:3-5: Why directed to Lamanites? "Moroni's Promise" in verses 3-5 was originally given by Moroni to the Lamanites (see verse 1). Latter-day prophets and apostles have since extended this promise to all who read the Book of Mormon (see external links). Why did Moroni specifically direct this promise to the Lamanites?

• Moro 10:3-5: Ponder What? What is the "it" that Moroni is exhorting his brethren (and everyone) to ponder?

• Moro 10:3-5: Sign-seeking? Moroni's promise involves us reading and praying and then waiting for a manifestation of an answer. Looking at it this way, gaining a testimony could be considered sign seeking. How is seeking a manifestation of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon different from seeking a sign?

• Moro 10:3-5: Receive these things? What does it mean to receive these things? What are these things? The plates? The Book of Mormon as we have it today? Does receiving it necessarily involve following the exhortation given in verse 3? In other words, what must be done, if anything, prior to asking God if "these things are not true" for the promise to take effect (apart from the three conditions listed in the promise itself, although they deserve special attention as well)?

• * Moro 10:3-5: Not true? Why not true? Following the letter of the promise, few would qualify as actually having tried it out, I imagine, most people ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. Is the "not" not significant?

• * Moro 10:26. What does it mean to "do these things away"?

• Moro 10:31. It says for Jerusalem to "put on thy beautiful garments". What is meant by beautiful garments? Is it to be taken in the literal sense or is there a figurative meaning?

• Moro 10:33. What does it mean to be perfect in Christ? What do we need to do to be perfect in Christ?

Resources

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• Moro 10: A close reading. Faulconer, James E. "Sealings and Mercies: Moroni’s Final Exhortations in Moroni 10." In Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture, 22/1 (2013): p. 4-19. Provo, Utah: BYU University: Neil A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. This article is a close reading of Moroni's eight exhortations in chapter 10. The article also demonstrates one way to study scriptures and perhaps to think about them afresh.

• Moro 10:6: Good, just, and true. See here for a discussion of the relationship between the good, the just and the true.

• Moro 10:7b-19: Spiritual gifts. See "Spiritual Gifts" by Elder Dallin H. Oaks - Ensign September 1986.

Notes

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