The scripture block for this weeks #ComeFollowMe 3 Nephi 12–16 contains a sermon that the resurrected Christ delivered to the people in the land of Bountiful. This sermon is very similar to the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5–7, it is a model for following the Savior and attaining perfection in the life to come. President Harold B. Lee taught that in this sermon “the Master has given us somewhat of a revelation of his own character, which was perfect, … and in so doing has given us a blueprint for our own lives” (Decisions for Successful Living [1973], 56).
From these scriptures we specifically learn that we should live the gospel for the right reasons 3 Nephi 13:1–6, 16–18, and followers of Jesus Christ hear and do His sayings 3 Nephi 14.
History and Background
In the time of Moses the children of Israel were stiffnecked and hard of heart. As a result, they lost the privilege of living the fulness of the higher law. Instead, along with portions of the higher law that they were still allowed to live, the law of Moses (the lesser law) was added to help them come to Christ D&C 84:18–27. After His Resurrection, Jesus Christ taught the Nephites that the law of Moses was fulfilled in Him. He taught that “old things had passed away” and that He is “the law, and the light” to follow.
3 Nephi 12 Jesus Christ taught the Nephites how to receive the blessings of His gospel and instructed them to influence others for good. He declared that He had fulfilled the law of Moses, and He gave the people a higher law to prepare them to become like Him and our Father in Heaven.
3 Nephi 13 The Savior continued His sermon at the temple in the land of Bountiful. He warned the people against hypocrisy and taught them to do righteous works to please Heavenly Father. He also instructed the multitude to lay up treasures in heaven and directed His disciples to seek the kingdom of God before their own temporal concerns.
3 Nephi 14 As Jesus Christ continued His sermon at the temple in Bountiful, He cautioned the people about judging others and instructed them to seek blessings from Heavenly Father by praying and doing His will. The Savior also warned them about false prophets and emphasized the importance of doing the will of God.
3 Nephi 15–16 As Jesus Christ continued teaching the people at the temple in the land Bountiful, He declared that the law of Moses was fulfilled and that He was the light and the law that the people should look to. He then explained to the twelve disciples that the people in the Americas were the “other sheep” of whom He had spoken in Jerusalem John 10:14–16. He also promised that those who repent and return to Him will be numbered among His covenant people.
Part One: 3 Nephi 12–14 The Savior’s teachings show us how to be true disciples.
This week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families suggests summarizing passages in 3 Nephi 12–14 to complete the phrase “True disciples of Jesus Christ …” How could we do this with the following verses, what do you find in them that fits this description?
3 Nephi 12:3–16, 38–44; 13:1–8, 19–24; and 14:21–27
3 Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 And again, blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
President Spencer W. Kimball explained that meekness is not weakness:
“If the Lord was meek and lowly and humble, then to become humble one must do what he did in boldly denouncing evil, bravely advancing righteous works, courageously meeting every problem, becoming the master of himself and the situations about him and being near oblivious to personal credit.
“Humility is not pretentious, presumptuous, nor proud. It is not weak, vacillating, nor servile. …
“Humble and meek properly suggest virtues, not weaknesses. They suggest a consistent mildness of temper and an absence of wrath and passion. … It is not servile submissiveness. It is not cowed nor frightened. …
“How does one get humble? To me, one must constantly be reminded of his dependence. On whom dependent? On the Lord. How remind one’s self? By real, constant, worshipful, grateful prayer” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 232–33).
6 And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.
7 And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
8 And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
10 And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake;
12 For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.
13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
15 Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;
16 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Salt seasons food and is a preservative used to prevent meat from spoiling. Under the law of Moses, priests were commanded to offer salt with their sacrificial offerings Leviticus 2:13. Salt was a symbol of the covenant between the Lord and His people.
Whom did the Savior compare to salt? 3 Nephi 12:13 (see scripture reference above or click the link)
In what ways can we, as followers of Jesus Christ, be like salt? We are to help preserve or save people and to improve the world by influencing others for good.
What is another symbol to teach how covenant members of His Church can be disciples? 3 Nephi 12:14–16 (see scripture reference above or click the link) The Savior used light to teach about the role His covenant people in the world.
What do you think it means to let our light shine? To set a righteous example for others.
In what ways might some Church members cover their light?
According to 3 Nephi 12:16, why does the Savior want us to let our light shine? As we set a righteous example, we can help others glorify Heavenly Father.
Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles referred to personal experience in emphasizing the importance of being a light for others:
“Growing up on Long Island, in New York, I understood how vital light was to those traveling in the darkness on the open sea. How dangerous is a fallen lighthouse! How devastating is a lighthouse whose light has failed!
“We who have the gift of the Holy Ghost must be true to its promptings so we can be a light to others.
“‘Let your light so shine before men,’ said the Lord, ‘that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven’ [Matthew 5:15–16].
“We never know who may be depending on us. And, as the Savior said, we ‘know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them’ [3 Nephi 18:32]” (Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 82; or Ensign, May 2002, 71).
Can you find similar examples in the following passages that can help us understand how to be true disciples of Jesus Christ?
38 And behold, it is written, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth;
39 But I say unto you, that ye shall not resist evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also;
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also;
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away.
43 And behold it is written also, that thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy;
44 But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you;
1 Verily, verily, I say that I would that ye should do alms unto the poor; but take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.
2 Therefore, when ye shall do your alms do not sound a trumpet before you, as will hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth;
4 That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest thou shalt not do as the hypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock—
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand—
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
In helping our quest, our desire to understand discipleship 3 Nephi 12:48 reads: Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect. It is important to remember the following in our understanding of this principle:
It is not possible to be perfect in this life. However, President James E. Faust explained that we must seek for perfection now so as to be able to attain it in the next life: “Perfection is an eternal goal. While we cannot be perfect in mortality, striving for it is a commandment which ultimately, through the Atonement, we can keep” (Conference Report, Apr. 1999, 22; or Ensign, May 1999, 19).
President Spencer W. Kimball also explained the need to strive for perfection: “‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Matthew 5:48.) Now, that is an attainable goal. We will not be exalted, we shall not reach our destination, unless we are perfect, and now is the best time in the world to start toward perfection. I have little patience with persons who say, ‘Oh, nobody is perfect,’ the implication being; ‘so why try?’ Of course no one is wholly perfect, but we find some who are a long way up the ladder” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 165).
To help understand the Savior’s words in 3 Nephi 12:48, I invite you to study Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s message “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 40–42)
Part Two: 3 Nephi 12:21–30 Our thoughts lead to actions.
3 Nephi 12:21–30 can help us see how controlling our thoughts can help us control our actions.
21 Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, and it is also written before you, that thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment of God;
22 But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore, if ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, and rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee—
24 Go thy way unto thy brother, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I will receive you.
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him, lest at any time he shall get thee, and thou shalt be cast into prison.
26 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost senine. And while ye are in prison can ye pay even one senine? Verily, verily, I say unto you, Nay.
27 Behold, it is written by them of old time, that thou shalt not commit adultery;
28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart.
29 Behold, I give unto you a commandment, that ye suffer none of these things to enter into your heart;
30 For it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your cross, than that ye should be cast into hell.
As we strive to be perfected, why is it so important to focus on our desires, thoughts, and motivations?
What actions do we want to avoid and thoughts or emotions that Lead to Them? 3 Nephi 12:21–22 and 27–30 (see scripture reference above or click the link)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the phrase “take up your cross”: “The daily taking up of the cross means daily denying ourselves the appetites of the flesh. By emulating the Master, who endured temptations but ‘gave no heed unto them,’ we, too, can live in a world filled with temptations ‘such as [are] common to man’ (1 Corinthians 10:13). Of course Jesus noticed the tremendous temptations that came to Him, but He did not process and reprocess them. Instead, He rejected them promptly. If we entertain temptations, soon they begin entertaining us! Turning these unwanted lodgers away at the doorstep of the mind is one way of giving ‘no heed.’ Besides, these would-be lodgers are actually barbarians who, if admitted, can be evicted only with great trauma” (Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 88; or Ensign, May 1987, 71).
What other actions and thoughts could we add to the lists? How can we “suffer none of these things to enter into” our hearts? 3 Nephi 12:29. (see scripture reference above or click the link)
How can we drive them out when they do enter?
President Ezra Taft Benson taught:
“The mind has been likened to a stage on which only one act at a time can be performed. From one side of the wings the Lord, who loves you, is trying to put on the stage of your mind that which will bless you. From the other side of the wings the devil, who hates you, is trying to put on the stage of your mind that which will curse you. You are the stage manager—you are the one who decides which thought will occupy the stage. … You will be what you think about—what you consistently allow to occupy the stage of your mind. …If thoughts make us what we are, and we are to be like Christ, we must think Christlike thoughts” (“Think on Christ,” Ensign, Apr. 1984, 10–11).
Part Three: 3 Nephi 13:1–8, 16–18 Our service and worship must be done for the right reasons.
Studying 3 Nephi 13 presents an opportunity for each of us as members to examine why we do good works.
1 Verily, verily, I say that I would that ye should do alms unto the poor; but take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.
2 Therefore, when ye shall do your alms do not sound a trumpet before you, as will hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth;
4 That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest thou shalt not do as the hypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him.
16 Moreover, when ye fast be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
In verses 1–2 and 16 above the definition of hypocrites means: “Pretenders; the Greek word [used in the New Testament] means ‘a play actor,’ or ‘one who … exaggerates a part’” (Matthew 6:2, footnote a).
Why is pretending or acting a good metaphor for hypocrisy?
How can we make sure our service, prayer, and fasting are sincere and free from hypocrisy?
Take a moment now and review the self-assessment below and note on it your thoughts to each question. What are your motives, or reasons for the questions?
Self-Assessment
I do alms (acts of religious devotion or service for others) because:
I am supposed to.
I love the Lord and enjoy helping other people.
I want others to think well of me.
I pray because:
I want to be able to say “yes” when asked if I pray.
It is just part of my daily routine.
I want to communicate with my Heavenly Father.
I fast because:
Fasting helps me draw closer to the Lord.
Other people will think I’m weak if I don’t.
My parents tell me I should.
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The possible responses listed under doing alms, praying, and fasting reflect different motives or reasons we might have for doing these or other gospel-related activities (we might do them, for instance, out of duty or obligation, to impress other people, or to please Heavenly Father).
Does it matter why we do righteous works? Why or why not?
What would we say to someone who asks us why we do good things?
3 Nephi 13 recounts how Jesus Christ continued to instruct the Nephite multitude at the temple and taught them about the importance of a person’s motives.
What blessing will come to those who do righteous works to please Heavenly Father? If we do righteous works to please Heavenly Father, He will reward us openly.
As we ponder our personal motivations for doing good works like these taught to us in these passages, how can we purify our motives?
Part Four: 3 Nephi 14:7–11 If we seek “good things” from Heavenly Father, we will receive.
To understand the Lord’s invitation to ask, seek, and knock, it might help to explore what these words mean in this passage.
7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
What does each word imply about what the Lord invites us to do?
President James E. Faust bore testimony of the gift and privilege we each have of access to our Heavenly Father through prayer: “Access to our Creator through our Savior is surely one of the great privileges and blessings of our lives. … No earthly authority can separate us from direct access to our Creator. There can never be a mechanical or electronic failure when we pray. There is no limit on the number of times or how long we can pray each day. There is no quota of how many needs we wish to pray for in each prayer. We do not need to go through secretaries or make an appointment to reach the throne of grace. He is reachable at any time and any place” (Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 67; or Ensign, May 2002, 59).
How do we ask, seek, and knock?
How have the promises in 3 Nephi 14:7–8 been fulfilled in our lives? (see above scripture reference or click the link)
President Russell M. Nelson said: “What will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.
“Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. …
“Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! … I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation. …
“Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 95).
In the above passage from President Nelson what some things he asks and invitations he gives?
As you ponder your answers to his questions how will you plan to act on his invitations?
Some of us might be uncertain about what the Savior meant when He said, “Every one that asketh, receiveth” 3 Nephi 14:8. Why do some prayers seem to go unanswered, and why do we sometimes get answers we don’t want?
Reviewing some of the following scriptures could help answer these questions:
8 ¶ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.
20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.
Doctrine and Covenants 9:7–9; 88:64.
7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.
64 Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;
How might the insights from these scripture passages affect how we pray?
What principles can we learn from 3 Nephi 14:7–11? Heavenly Father blesses us when we pray for His help.
Conclusion
In His mortal ministry Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount to encourage His disciples to strive toward perfection with full purpose of heart. Following His Resurrection, Jesus appeared to the Book of Mormon people in the Western Hemisphere and again delivered this sermon.
The gospel standards contained in this sermon have been reaffirmed in our time through modern revelation. President James E Faust of the First Presidency observed: “The Savior’s transcendent message in the Sermon on the Mount is of burning-bush importance to all of us: ‘But seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness’ [Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 6:38; see also Matthew 6:33]. This message needs to penetrate into our hearts and souls. As we accept this message, we are taking our personal stand in this life” (Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 68; or Ensign, May 2004, 67).
Through your study of these sacred principles in the Book of Mormon, you will gain insights that will help you stay faithful and remain on the road to perfection.
Resources
Book of Mormon Student Manual
Doctrine and Covenants
King James Version Holy Bible
Ensign
Conference Reports
Teachings of Spencer W Kimball
Seminary Manual
Come Follow Me 