Puffed Up in the Pride of Their Hearts

One of the messages of Nephi to us in his words about the last days found in 2 Nephi 26-29 is that our world is under condemnation because of its pride. He described our society this way: “And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor” (2 Nephi 26:20). We are indeed more and more lifted up in the pride of our eyes, and it was because of that pride that the Book of Mormon has largely been rejected. This was the case with those professors of ancient language who first rejected the manuscript showed them by Martin Harris as prophesied by Nephi and Isaiah: “Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may show them unto the learned, saying: Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say: Bring hither the book, and I will read them. And now, because of the glory of the world and to get gain will they say this, and not for the glory of God. (2 Nephi 27:15-16). The Lord also prophesied that as Nephi’s words would go forth the pride of people would cause them to reject it: “And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible” (2 Nephi 29:3). But if we are to receive what the Lord has ready to offer us we must remember that He gives “unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.” To those in the pride of their hearts who say, “We have enough” and who “putteth [their] trust in man” they shall lose even that which they have (2 Nephi 28:30-31).   

                Not only is the pride of the last days manifest in the rejection of His words, but Nephi prophesied that our obsession with riches and power and the things of this world is the result of our pride. He prophesied, “Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their churches are lifted up; because of pride they are puffed up. They rob the poor because of their fine sanctuaries; they rob the poor because of their fine clothing; and they persecute the meek and the poor in heart, because in their pride they are puffed up. They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray save it be a few” (2 Nephi 28:12-14). That is certainly an accurate depiction of our day with many organizations puffed up in their knowledge and learning and whoredoms. Because of pride and the quest for power people will “[build] up churches, and not unto the Lord” and “contend one with another” (2 Nephi 28:3-4). I don’t believe that is referring only to actual places of worship but surely these “churches” mentioned here represent all organizations who teach the philosophies of men and contend for their messages to dominate. Nephi’s warning for all these who reject the word of the Lord for the ways of the world and the teachings of the devil is clear: “O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell!” (2 Nephi 28:15) Surely there are few verses in the Book of Mormon so needed for our time now. The only remedy is for us to turn from our sins and humbly come unto Him that we may find true happiness in righteousness: “And the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel” (2 Nephi 27:30).