Governed by the Book of Mormon
In a
conference talk President Benson quoted this from Bruce R. McConkie: “Few men
on earth either in or out of the Church, have caught the vision of what the
Book of Mormon is all about. Few are they among men who know the part it has
played and will yet play in preparing the way for the coming of Him of whom it
is a new witness.… The Book of Mormon shall so affect men that the whole earth
and all its peoples will have been influenced and governed by it” (Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon,
October 1988). I’m intrigued by the last
part of that statement; in what ways will the earth and its peoples be “governed”
by the Book of Mormon?
Perhaps part of what Elder McConkie was referring to was the fact that we will literally be judged by the words of the Book of Mormon and other scriptures. Speaking specifically of the Book of Mormon as well as the “holy scriptures” in general, the Lord declared, “Therefore, having so great witnesses, by them shall the world be judged” (D&C 20:13). Speaking about the record he was writing, Nephi said, “These things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth shall stand… and the nations who shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words which are written” (2 Nephi 25:22). I’m not sure I grasp the full extent of what that means, but apparently because we have the Book of Mormon we will in some measure be judged by the things that are written in it. This wasn’t the only reference by Nephi about being judged by the scriptures. After speaking about the writings of the Book of Mormon and the Bible, Nephi recorded these words of the Lord: “For out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world” (2 Nephi 29:11). Then in his final testimony he said, “These words shall condemn you at the last day. For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar” (2 Nephi 33:14-15). Mormon seconded the words of Nephi when he found the small plates upon which they were written. Speaking of what we now know as the books of 1 Nephi through Omni, Mormon said, “There are great things written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of God which is written” (Words of Mormon 1:11). His son Moroni then left a similar warning about judgment day in the final words in the Book of Mormon. Moroni testified that we will see him “at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man?” (Moroni 10:27). Because we have the words of the scriptures we are held accountable for them, and the Lord will recognize that at our time of judgment. Surely at that time we will want to be able to say that we both searched the words of the scriptures and conformed our lives around their teachings. When the Savior was among the Nephites, He confirmed all of these witnesses of the Nephite prophets, “For behold, out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged…. Out of the books which shall be written shall the world be judged” (3 Nephi 27:25-26). In the New Testament He said it this way, “The word which I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). With all of these witnesses from Nephi, Mormon, Moroni, and the Savior himself, it seems clear that the words of the scriptures, and in particular those of the Book of Mormon, will indeed “govern” us as Elder McConkie testified.
Perhaps part of what Elder McConkie was referring to was the fact that we will literally be judged by the words of the Book of Mormon and other scriptures. Speaking specifically of the Book of Mormon as well as the “holy scriptures” in general, the Lord declared, “Therefore, having so great witnesses, by them shall the world be judged” (D&C 20:13). Speaking about the record he was writing, Nephi said, “These things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth shall stand… and the nations who shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words which are written” (2 Nephi 25:22). I’m not sure I grasp the full extent of what that means, but apparently because we have the Book of Mormon we will in some measure be judged by the things that are written in it. This wasn’t the only reference by Nephi about being judged by the scriptures. After speaking about the writings of the Book of Mormon and the Bible, Nephi recorded these words of the Lord: “For out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world” (2 Nephi 29:11). Then in his final testimony he said, “These words shall condemn you at the last day. For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar” (2 Nephi 33:14-15). Mormon seconded the words of Nephi when he found the small plates upon which they were written. Speaking of what we now know as the books of 1 Nephi through Omni, Mormon said, “There are great things written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of God which is written” (Words of Mormon 1:11). His son Moroni then left a similar warning about judgment day in the final words in the Book of Mormon. Moroni testified that we will see him “at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man?” (Moroni 10:27). Because we have the words of the scriptures we are held accountable for them, and the Lord will recognize that at our time of judgment. Surely at that time we will want to be able to say that we both searched the words of the scriptures and conformed our lives around their teachings. When the Savior was among the Nephites, He confirmed all of these witnesses of the Nephite prophets, “For behold, out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged…. Out of the books which shall be written shall the world be judged” (3 Nephi 27:25-26). In the New Testament He said it this way, “The word which I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). With all of these witnesses from Nephi, Mormon, Moroni, and the Savior himself, it seems clear that the words of the scriptures, and in particular those of the Book of Mormon, will indeed “govern” us as Elder McConkie testified.
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