2 Nephi 9 - Potpourri of Spiritual Content

This chapter is full of precious gems to digest and it’s difficult to know what I want to focus on.  If I could have an investigator read just one chapter, this might be it.  It speaks of the cunningness of the devil, but of the saving graces of our Savior.  We can find joy even after we have slipped up having known the commandments from our youth or – even if we were not born into a home where gospel principles were taught to us.  There is a way for us to enjoy all the blessings our Heavenly Father has in store for us, if we will but keep His commandments.  It is a beautiful plan – so much so that numerous times Jacob said so in the following ways:

• V8        O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace!
• V10      O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster;
• V13      O how great the plan of our God!
• V17      O the greatness and the justice of our God!
• V19      O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel!
• V20      O how great the holiness of our God!

But there is another list – the list of worldly behavior that keeps us from partaking of the goodness of our Savior’s atonement:

• V27 –   Does not keep the commandments
• V28 –   Learned in the ways of the world and think they know it all
• V30 –   Rich and give not to the poor
•             Persecute meek
•             Hearts are upon treasures; their treasure is their God
• V31 -   Deaf and will not hear the truth
• V32 -   Blind and will not see
• V33 -   Uncircumcised of heart, aka impure heart
• V34 -   Liar
• V35 -   Murderer
• V36 -   Commit whoredoms (The dictionary describes whoredoms as promiscuous sexual activity and prostitution.)
• V37 -   Idol worship
• V38 -   Non-repentant, and those who die without repenting

I love this acronym that is in verse 39:  SMILE – to be Spiritually Minded is Life Eternal.  In other words, keep your mind on those things that are of eternal worth, AKA being spiritually minded!

V41 -   We will all be judged by our Savior.  “He employeth no servant there . . . and He cannot be deceived. . .”  

Jacob pleads with the people to

• v50 –   “Come, my brethren , . . come buy wine and milk without money and without price.” 
• V51 –   “. . . feast upon that which perisheth not. . . delight in fatness.”  This is the gospel we are invited to partake of.  It is there for all at no price at all.  We can partake as much as we want and we will delight in the “fatness” it brings, which is a desire to do the will of the Lord and be judged righteously at the last day.