The Book of Mormon Capstone

 I’m impressed at how many fundamental principles of the gospel that are summarized and taught so powerfully in the last chapter of the Book of Mormon.  If this was the only chapter in the book it would still be an incredible text in its own right in explaining the most basic tenets of Christianity.  Here are the principles that I see:

Prayer: Moroni taught us not only the importance of prayer but also the way to pray and the purpose of prayer.  We learn that in prayer we should pray to “God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ” and that it must be with a “sincere heart.”  He also taught that one of the purposes of prayer is to receive revelation, for through prayer God “will manifest the truth” to us (v4). 

The Godhead: Though perhaps not directly, the teachings in this chapter teaches us of three distinct Beings.  We pray to “God, the Father”, we are perfected through Christ and His grace that we “may be perfect in Christ”, and then God communicates to us “by the power of the Holy Ghost” (v4, 32).

·         Prayr

Faith:  Moroni 10 teaches us that God works “according to the faith of the children of men” and that the gifts and power of God are done away “only according to the unbelief of the children of men.”  So, Moroni taught, “there must be faith” and that “Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me” (v7, 19, 20, 23).

Hope and Charity:  In conjunction with faith, like Paul Moroni emphasized the importance of the three great Christian virtues of faith, hope, and charity: “If there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity” (v20).

The Judgment:  Moroni promised that we would one day understand the truth of his words, saying that we would see him at the judgment: “The time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God.”  And in case we missed that reference, he said again in the very last verse, “I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead” (v27, 34).  We will one day stand before Christ, the Eternal Judge, and see Moroni there.  Moroni’s witness is that the judgment will be a reality. 

 

The Atonement: Most importantly, Moroni gave a powerful witness of the atonement and its ultimate effect on us.  The whole purpose of the gospel and the atonement is that “by his grace [we] may be perfect in Christ.”  And how does it happen?  Through “the shedding of the blood of Christ” which will bring about for us “the remission of [our] sins” that we can become holy before God (v. 32, 33).  How fitting that Moroni would end the Book of Mormon, Another Witness of Jesus Christ, with this final testimony of the power of the Savior’s atonement. 

There are even more principles that could be mentioned including the working of miracles; the gifts of the spirit; covenants of the Father; the fact that God is the same yesterday, today and forever; and even a subtle reference to the importance of the words of Isaiah.  This last chapter is surely a marvelous capstone to all of the teachings of the Book of Mormon.