The Book of Mormon's Message of Forgiveness

There are relatively few verses in the Book of Mormon that speak about forgiveness, but we still get a clear message of the importance of forgiving others.  One of the most direct invitations to forgive comes from the Lord’s words to Alma: “And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor’s trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation” (Mosiah 26:31).  When the Savior was among the Nephites He also emphasized the importance of forgiving others in order to receive forgiveness: “For, if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (3 Nephi 13:14-15).  Here in these words there wasn’t even a requirement that the person needed to repent—we simply are commanded to forgive others their trespasses all the time. 

               There are also several stories which show the importance and power of forgiveness in the Book of Mormon.  One of my favorites is that of Shule.  Shule was the brother of Corihor, and they were the sons of Kib who was the king.  Corihor took over the kingdom by force and put his father in captivity.  Shule, who was “mighty in judgment,” took back the kingdom by giving battle unto his brother, and then he restored the kingdom to his father.  His father subsequently passed the kingdom to him, and Shule “did execute judgment in righteousness.”  Then we have this astounding verse: “And Corihor repented of the many evils which he had done; wherefore Shule gave him power in his kingdom” (Ether 7:7-13).  Corihor had taken by violence the kingdom from his father, forced his father and others to dwell in captivity for at least decades, and then fought against his brother.  And yet despite all that, Shule was able to forgive his brother and give him a position of power.  That showed an incredible goodness and willingness to forgive.  Moroni was also one who, despite the terrible violence of the war, was quick to forgive and pardon those who would commit to peace.  He often showed his willingness to spare the lives of his enemies when he could have felt completely justified in killing them.  For example, near the end of the war when they captured many Lamanites, four thousand of them did “enter into a covenant that they would no more take up their weapons of war against the Nephites” and he “sent them to dwell with the people of Ammon” (Alma 62:16-17).  Not only did he spare their lives, he invited these former enemies to come and live among his people.  That’s real forgiveness. 

               Nephi, though, has to be the greatest example of forgiveness in the Book of Mormon.  His ability to forgive his brothers over and over again was almost superhuman.  For example, on one occasion he wrote, “They were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.”  Through his faith he burst his bands and then they were angry with him again before being calmed down by the others.  They eventually had some remorse, asked forgiveness, and he said, “I did frankly forgive them all that they had done” (1 Nephi 7:16,21).  To be able to forgive so completely and so quickly his brothers—who previously had beaten him with a rod and now had just literally left him for dead—was simply incredible.  He would forgive them numerous times over the course of the story as they continued to abuse him; his capacity to forgive them over and over and over was unbelievable.  Clearly he was an example of the Savior who was able to forgive even as he was being put to death.  Shule, Moroni, Nephi, and the Savior Himself in the Book of Mormon all show us the power and importance of forgiveness.