3 Nephi 27 – The Gospel of Jesus Christ

This chapter holds many sermons. Without rambling too much, I had to focus on just one. The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

If Jesus was sent for the purpose of being “lifted up upon the cross…” (3 Nephi 27:14), is that predestination? Who placed it in the hearts of those who crucified Him that He should hang on a cross?

Satan is the master of all evil and was present when the plan was presented, —so why would he play right into the Lord’s plan? That very act—the crucifixion—made it possible for all mankind to be drawn to Jesus and lifted up.

Drawn to the Savior

How does knowing that Jesus was crucified and then lifted out of the grave draw me to Him?

Let’s be real—I could never have done what He did for me. Jesus came when I asked. He blessed me in ways I didn’t even know to ask for. I just wanted out of the mess I was in.

This is the Atonement in action. Jesus wants us to have everything He has—eternal salvation, life with Him and our Eternal Father, Elohim. That will always be an amazing thing to me, and I’m grateful for it every single day.

Becoming Like Jesus

So how do I become more like Him? Verse 19 says, “no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom,” and I was definitely not clean. How does His willingness—and His fulfillment of the task to be crucified—make me clean?

Verse 19 connects beautifully to the Fourth Article of Faith:

1. Faith. Somehow, I still had a glimmer of faith to know that if there was a way out, it would be through Jesus.
2. Repentance. I had a lot to change. Only by focusing on Jesus and trying to be like Him could I let go of the things keeping me away from Him.
3. Baptism. But how is this cleansing actually accomplished? By “washing my garments in His blood because of my faith and repentance.” I was already baptized, so how could I fulfill this again? I didn't need to. That’s the purpose of taking the sacrament each week—to return to that state of being newly baptized.
4. Gift of the Holy Ghost

The Power of the Sacrament

Each week I’m given the opportunity to repent of whatever isn’t Christlike in me—which is plenty and always will be. Taking the sacrament is a covenant with Jesus:

• I promise to remember Him.
• I promise to be willing to take His name upon me.
• I promise to witness of Him and keep His commandments.

In return, He promises that I will “always have His Spirit to be with [me].”

And it really works. The more focused I am on Jesus, the more I feel the Holy Ghost’s presence. Does it get any better than that?

Standing Spotless Before Him

Why does all of this matter? So I can “stand spotless before [Him] at the last day”—the day of judgment.

Spotless! That means I don’t have to dig up past mistakes or sins. I can truly forget the sins of my youth. What a blessing that is in my life every single day.

This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a nutshell. We’re told in many places that anything more or less than this is not His gospel.

Living as He Lived

Letting go of bad habits or addictions can be rough—but not if we replace them with something good. Verse 22 tells us how: do what Jesus did. Live as He lived—love and serve others.

Verse 27 says, “What manner of men (and women) ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.”

A Personal Connection

There’s so much good in this chapter. In fact, it inspired the first song I ever wrote, He Answers Prayer, based on the verse, “Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

I can’t read that scripture without being taken back to that first miracle with music—and remembering once again that He truly does answer prayer.