My Beloved Brethren

After Nephi finished his writings of the prophet Isaiah, he wrote some final words in the last 9 chapters of 2^nd Nephi addressed to both those of his day as well as later generations.  He said, “Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all those that shall receive hereafter these things which I write, that they may know the judgments of God” (2 Nephi 25:3).  So these words were for those of his time (“my people”) and for those who would later obtain his words in our day.  He clarified this further when he gave the reason for his words, saying, “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God” (2 Nephi 25:23).  His final testimony and prophecies about the last days were both for “his children” and “his brethren.”  By children he likely meant both his immediate children as well as his posterity through the generations.  The “brethren” he mentioned could mean his immediate associates among his people, the Lamanites who were the family of his brothers, and the descendants of those groups.  For example, he used the word to mean the Lamanites in a different verse: “After my seed and the seed of my brethren shall have dwindled in unbelief, and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles” (2 Nephi 26:15).  It is clear that he had in mind far more people than those who were simply around him as he wrote his final testimony and witness of the Savior.  I’m amazed at his ability to express concern and give heartfelt pleadings to those he didn’t know who would live hundreds of years after him. 

Nephi used the term “beloved brethren” repeatedly throughout these final chapters of 2^nd Nephi and showed great love for all of those who would come later and receive his words.  He was not just reaching out in concern to his contemporaries but to all of us who would “receive hereafter these things.”  His desire was for our salvation and his words are a loving call to repentance so that we will not perish.  “And now behold, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you; for I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are more righteous than the Gentiles shall be. For behold, except ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall all likewise perish” (2 Nephi 30:1).  He was focused most with our coming unto the Savior and following Him: “And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?” (2 Nephi 31:10).  The unknown recipients of his words were still “beloved” to him and he yearned for the salvation of all, no matter when they lived.  Calling us again his “beloved brethren” he invited us to “follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism” (2 Nephi 31:13).  Nephi sought to encourage us but also spoke very plainly about what the Lord requires: “And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved…. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 31:16, 21).  Again and again he referred to the recipients of his words as his “beloved brethren,” and his concern was for all to follow the path of the Savior to salvation.  Nephi’s outreach was universal: “And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ” (2 Nephi 33:10).  We can perhaps take comfort in our own discipleship in the fact that Nephi yearned for and prayed for our salvation: “And I pray the Father in the name of Christ that many of us, if not all, may be saved in his kingdom at that great and last day” (2 Nephi 33:12).