The Value Of The Book Of Mormon

[Rivers]

Ever since the Ezra Taft Benson, general authorities have constantly been emphasizing the importance of studying the Book of Mormon more than any of the other standard works.

What is in the Book of Mormon that is so valuable that we can't find in the Bible? What are specific unique teachings of the Book of Mormon that give it its worth?

[Hamba Tuhan]

I can only speak from personal experience, but I'd read the entire Old and New Testaments through before I ever read the Book of Mormon. I overwhelmingly accepted what I'd read and considered myself a follower of Christ, but my life didn't really change much. Then I read the Book of Mormon, and everything changed. For the first time, I really came to know the Saviour, and He completely altered me.

I can believe that it doesn't work that way for everyone, but there is incredible power in the Book of Mormon to bring people to Christ.

[Sevenbak]

Ever since the Ezra Taft Benson, general authorities have constantly been emphasizing the importance of studying the Book of Mormon more than any of the other standard works.

What is in the Book of Mormon that is so valuable that we can't find in the Bible? What are specific unique teachings of the Book of Mormon that give it its worth?

Ezra Taft Benson?

I believe it was Joseph Smith who called it the "keystone of our religion".

[Hayds]

Ever since the Ezra Taft Benson, general authorities have constantly been emphasizing the importance of studying the Book of Mormon more than any of the other standard works.

What is in the Book of Mormon that is so valuable that we can't find in the Bible? What are specific unique teachings of the Book of Mormon that give it its worth?

I have often wondered the same thing myself. The BOM has some great stories and testifies of Christ for sure, but I don't really see anything inherently unique doctrine-esque that isn't already in the NT except maybe the sacrament prayer and some instructions on the babtismal ceremony.

I have always thought the unique LDS doctrine is found in the D&C and PoGP. Temples, Three Degrees of Glory, HF and JC being flesh and bone and not spirits, WoW, Premortal Existance, and so on. None of this stuff is in the BOM or is remotely hinted at or is extremely vague except a few generic mentions of temples.

People constantly say that if the BOM is true then JS is a true prophet. So is the BOM simply a tool to help people come to realize he is a prophet so they accept his further writings and teachings? Or, is it a book to help people discover JC and become Christian? What if someone already believes in JC? They won't get the fulness of the gospel from the BOM. The complete fulness seems to come from D&C and PoGP. If the fulness of the Gospel is contained in the BOM, then why the need for the D&C, PoGP, or modern Prophets?

From personal experience, I served my mission in the South and 99% of everyone already had a strong belief and testimony of JC. We seemed to spend more time using the BOM to convince them of JS instead of JC who they already believed in.

[Kingsson]

I can only speak from personal experience, but I'd read the entire Old and New Testaments through before I ever read the Book of Mormon. I overwhelmingly accepted what I'd read and considered myself a follower of Christ, but my life didn't really change much. Then I read the Book of Mormon, and everything changed. For the first time, I really came to know the Saviour, and He completely altered me.

I can believe that it doesn't work that way for everyone, but there is incredible power in the Book of Mormon to bring people to Christ.

As the Bible says you can't add to the word of God [As recorded in the Bible] or take away from God's word, And as the Bible warns of the dangers of adding to and taking away from God's word, Don't you think you could be deceived.

[TAO]

I can only speak from personal experience, but I'd read the entire Old and New Testaments through before I ever read the Book of Mormon. I overwhelmingly accepted what I'd read and considered myself a follower of Christ, but my life didn't really change much. Then I read the Book of Mormon, and everything changed. For the first time, I really came to know the Saviour, and He completely altered me.

I can believe that it doesn't work that way for everyone, but there is incredible power in the Book of Mormon to bring people to Christ.

A big plus for this post. It's the same with me... the Bible is special... but the Book of Mormon is outta this world special to me.

The Book of Mormon is really about faith... really... faith, hope, and charity... that's it. It truly teaches, what to be Christlike is... what the Savior truly is... it teaches it.

Without the Book of Moron, I don't know where I'd be. Alma, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Nephi, Ether, and Moroni have all played big parts in bringing me to Christ and keeping me in the Church. I would be lost without it, without them. They are my truth, and have shown me my Savior, by leading me to him.

What's funny, with Ether 12... it says...

23 And I said unto him: Lord, the Gentiles will ^amock at these things, because of our ^bweakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us ^cmighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing; for thou hast made all this people that they could speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given them;

24 And thou hast made us that we could write but little, because of the ^aawkwardness of our hands. Behold, thou hast not made us mighty in ^bwriting like unto the brother of Jared, for thou madest him that the things which he ^cwrote were mighty even as thou art, unto the overpowering of man to read them.

and... it is answered in, in my opinion, the strongest verse in the Book of Mormon... the strongest verse in all scripture I have read... the strongest verse in testimony to my soul... that exists...

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them.

28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that ^afaith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all ^brighteousness.

What's funny is, Moroni's question, his hope, his prayer, his true desire is answered three verses below his question. There verses... and it's there... the strongest verse... might in writing unto the overcoming of man. And Moroni realizes it...

29 And I, Moroni, having heard these words, was ^acomforted, and said: O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith;

I am comforted by these words in Ether 12:27, and 28.... yes, and even all the words in Ether 12. For the Lord's righteous will be done... it has worked a miracle in me, according, to the faith I put in it. Just a small bit at first. But then it grew to consume me... overpowering me unto the burning of the spirit. I know the Lord's work is true, and that his work is the Book of Mormon, and that Ether 12 is a true and a correct work. I know it. I will never give it up, it will be with me till my death!

Humble Wishes,

TAO

[TAO]

As the Bible says you can't add to the word of God [As recorded in the Bible] or take away from God's word, And as the Bible warns of the dangers of adding to and taking away from God's word, Don't you think you could be deceived.

There's a similar verse in Leviticus I believe, which would be bad news for the New Testament.

The verse refers to the Book itself, in this case, the Book of Revelation. Don't add to the Book of Revelation, it is saying.

Best Wishes,

TAO

EDIT: Actually, it's Deuteronomy, see Deuteronomy 4:2 here: http://lds.org/scrip....2.2?lang=eng#1

So yah... it doesn't quite apply to the BoM =P.

[Hamba Tuhan]

Don't you think you could be deceived.

The Jews in Jesus's day were similarly worried that the Saviour was deceiving people:

'And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.'

In the words of the Master Himself, Satan doesn't lead people to Christ.

[Calm]

The value of the book is here: "And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations"

I think the BoM focuses more on the fundamentals of the Gospel, the essentials upon which the other scriptures then build.

For example,

Over one-half of all the verses in the Book of Mormon refer to our Lord. Some form of Christ's name is mentioned more frequently per verse in the Book of Mormon than even in the New Testament.

He is given over one hundred different names in the Book of Mormon. Those names have a particular significance in describing His divine nature.

http://www.lightplan...nto_christ.html

I think the 'concentrated' message can take us into a deeper experience of what Christ is and our relationship to him, much like meditation on a single phrase or even sound can clear our minds of clutter and focus our thoughts on that which is most important.

[storminmormonrockwell]

Ever since the Ezra Taft Benson, general authorities have constantly been emphasizing the importance of studying the Book of Mormon more than any of the other standard works.

What is in the Book of Mormon that is so valuable that we can't find in the Bible? What are specific unique teachings of the Book of Mormon that give it its worth?

Anyone who has ever read the Book of Mormon would know the answer to this question. Are you an atheist or an apostate, or are you just trying to troll and take the spirit away from the believing members? I ask this not to be rude but to know where your hangups in life lie so that I may best know how to help the Lord to succor you.

I will pray for you brother. Remember that God is NOT mocked, and that asking questions like this one only serves to anger God.

[Calm]

I ask this not to be rude but to know where your hangups in life lie so that I may best know how to help the Lord to succor you.

I would suggest reading the board rules as the best place to start......

[Mordecai]

The Book of Mormon has the clearest and most overt teachings of how to receive salvation, resulting in peace in this life and the power to resist temptation.

[Kingsson]

There's a similar verse in Leviticus I believe, which would be bad news for the New Testament.

The verse refers to the Book itself, in this case, the Book of Revelation. Don't add to the Book of Revelation, it is saying.

Best Wishes,

TAO

EDIT: Actually, it's Deuteronomy, see Deuteronomy 4:2 here: http://lds.org/scrip....2.2?lang=eng#1

So yah... it doesn't quite apply to the BoM =P.

There is no verse in the old testsament that would be bad news for the new testament.

Revelation isn't the only book that warns of the of adding to or taking away from God's word [The Bible], There is one in Deuteronomy.

There is one in Proverbs that says you are a liar if you add to God's word.

So I think it does apply to the BoM.. If you weren't dishonest, You would agree.

[Kingsson]

The Jews in Jesus's day were similarly worried that the Saviour was deceiving people:

'And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.'

In the words of the Master Himself, Satan doesn't lead people to Christ.

The devil leads people to false cults and false religions.

As long as a person believes what the Bible says, They'll be OK, And as long as people believe the Bible's new testaments gospel of salvation and receive Jesus as Lord and saviour, There is no need for any other book, In fact Galatians 1: 6--8, Says there IS NO OTHER GOSPEL, And anyone who says there is, will be accursed and destroyed.

[Hamba Tuhan]

There is no verse in the old testsament that would be bad news for the new testament.

Revelation isn't the only book that warns of the of adding to or taking away from God's word [The Bible], There is one in Deuteronomy.

Er, dude, that means that everything in the Bible after Deuteronomy was an addition to God's word, right? If not, then what exactly does it mean to add to God's word. If, after being told not to do any adding or taking away, prophets can and do still receive and record revelations, then where's the problem?

[Hamba Tuhan]

The devil leads people to false cults and false religions.

He does, indeed, but he doesn't lead people to Christ.

[Kevin Christensen]

Ever since the Ezra Taft Benson, general authorities have constantly been emphasizing the importance of studying the Book of Mormon more than any of the other standard works.

What is in the Book of Mormon that is so valuable that we can't find in the Bible? What are specific unique teachings of the Book of Mormon that give it its worth?

The Book of Mormon observes that "plain and precious things" have been removed from the Bible, notably "covenants." (1 Nephi 13:26).

The Book of Mormon contains the words for the Baptismal and Sacrament prayers. It contains several temple discourses (1 Jacob 9, Mosiah 1-5, Alma 11-13, 3 Nephi 8-29). It contains far more detail about the afterlife than does the Bible, which contains surprisingly little. It contains a detailed post-resurrection temple discourse by Jesus. It makes clear the plain and precious things which had been lost. It prophecies the restoration of plain and precious things not only within its own pages, but also from other ancient writings that have appeared since the publication of the Book of Mormon. It contains the powerful discourse on opposition in all things, the discourse on faith (Alma 32) that I have compared with Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions. It contains powerful discourses explaining the purpose and meaning of the atonement in greater clarity than does the Bible.

It provides descriptions of Jerusalem from before the time of the Deuteronomist reformers, a look at First Temple theology, which can be compared with the work of Margaret Barker. It describes additional prophetic witness of the divinity and resurrection of Christ. It contains information about the Melchizedek priesthood, lost from the Bible. It contains additional prophecies. It provides many puzzles which can be explored and tested, regarding it's own description the journeys and teachings of its prophets and people. It contains Moroni's promise.

And more.

Kevin Christensen

Pittsburgh, PA

[Nemesis]

There is no verse in the old testsament that would be bad news for the new testament.

Revelation isn't the only book that warns of the of adding to or taking away from God's word [The Bible], There is one in Deuteronomy.

There is one in Proverbs that says you are a liar if you add to God's word.

So I think it does apply to the BoM.. If you weren't dishonest, You would agree.

I don't think you have been a poster here long enough to call anyone a liar, which we don't allow on this board.

Nemesis

[Jeff K.]

The devil leads people to false cults and false religions.

As long as a person believes what the Bible says, They'll be OK, And as long as people believe the Bible's new testaments gospel of salvation and receive Jesus as Lord and saviour, There is no need for any other book, In fact Galatians 1: 6--8, Says there IS NO OTHER GOSPEL, And anyone who says there is, will be accursed and destroyed.

You are correct, there is no other Gospel, than the Lord's. Are you sure you are following it? The Book of Mormon surely does.

[bookofmormontruth]

Ever since the Ezra Taft Benson, general authorities have constantly been emphasizing the importance of studying the Book of Mormon more than any of the other standard works.

What is in the Book of Mormon that is so valuable that we can't find in the Bible? What are specific unique teachings of the Book of Mormon that give it its worth?

Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”

The Book of Mormon leads to baptism in the Lord's Church. Baptism leads to the priesthood. The priesthood leads to the Temple. The Temple leads to Eternal life.

Therefore, the Book of Mormon is worth Eternal Life.

[inquiringmind]

He is given over one hundred different names in the Book of Mormon. Those names have a particular significance in describing His divine nature

I know He's called "only begotten," "Beloved," "Savior," and "Christ" (or Messiah), but what are some of the other names?

Are any names or tittles unique to the BOM?

[Lightbearer]

Ever since the Ezra Taft Benson, general authorities have constantly been emphasizing the importance of studying the Book of Mormon more than any of the other standard works.

What is in the Book of Mormon that is so valuable that we can't find in the Bible? What are specific unique teachings of the Book of Mormon that give it its worth?

It's worth is greater than the Gold upon which it was written. It is the witness that God has sent forth in the last days to gather scattered Israel to the true Messiah, the Holy One of Israel, Jesus Christ, the Eternal God and thereby showing that He is able to do His own work. The teachings on baptism alone and it's being an essential ordinance far surpasses anything in the Bible. It's explaination of the atonement and how we access the atonement also surpasses any of Paul's writings. In fact it clarifies the concepts of grace and works and salvation. It gives the key to understanding the spirit of revelation and emphasizes the importance of continuous revelation and it's connection to salvation itself. It testifies that God is alive and that He speaks to all who will listen and give heed to His council. It also tells the fate of all nations who reject His words and testimony, and also reveals how we can have faith, hope and charity in a world of darkness and evil, how one can keep the spirit of the Lord during times of war and destruction. One small quote is the epitomy of it's mission:

(Moroni 10:27-33)"And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me 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, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust? I declare these things unto the fulfilling of the prophecies. And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the everlasting God; and his word shall hiss forth from generation to generation. And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true. And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing. And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled. Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot."

[Questing Beast]

Ever since the Ezra Taft Benson, general authorities have constantly been emphasizing the importance of studying the Book of Mormon more than any of the other standard works.

What is in the Book of Mormon that is so valuable that we can't find in the Bible? What are specific unique teachings of the Book of Mormon that give it its worth?

Nothing unique about its doctrines or teachings. All that typifies Mormonism as "non Christian" came long after the BoM. Virtually everything in the BoM can be found in the Bible; including, of course, a huge fraction being quoted directly from the Bible. There is nothing taught in the BoM about the later doctrines of the afterlife (degrees of glory, for instance); temple ordinances for the dead; God the Father and the Son being separate, corporeal beings; or two distinct priesthoods; and the BoM teaches that polygamy is strictly forbidden as "abominable"....

[Walden]

Anyone who has ever read the Book of Mormon would know the answer to this question. Are you an atheist or an apostate, or are you just trying to troll and take the spirit away from the believing members? I ask this not to be rude but to know where your hangups in life lie so that I may best know how to help the Lord to succor you.

I will pray for you brother. Remember that God is NOT mocked, and that asking questions like this one only serves to anger God.

Please, I read the BoM three times between the ages of 12 and 20. I prayed fervently and fasted to know of it's truth and get a confirmation from the spirit. It never happened, so I began looking elsewhere for "truth."

Your mocking and devisive tone do little to add to the discussion. Your response actually does more to detract from the "spirit" than the original posters inquiry. The OP came with an honest and, what I considered, a though-provoking question.

[Rivers]

Anyone who has ever read the Book of Mormon would know the answer to this question. Are you an atheist or an apostate, or are you just trying to troll and take the spirit away from the believing members? I ask this not to be rude but to know where your hangups in life lie so that I may best know how to help the Lord to succor you.

I will pray for you brother. Remember that God is NOT mocked, and that asking questions like this one only serves to anger God.

Oh no. I'm not trying to do any of that. I just wanted to hear people's thoughts on specific teachings of the Book of Mormon that are of most value to them.

I'm not an atheist or an apostate. I promise.