Scriptural Highlights

• King Benjamin's people see and receive a remission of their sins.
• King Benjamin teaches his people how to live Christlike lives.
• King Benjamin's people experience a "mighty change" and covenant to do God's will in all things.

Mosiah 4

1. References to DCBM in this lesson refer to the Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon by Joseph Fielding McConkie and  Robert L. Millett.
2. Summary of King Benjamin's address in Mosiah 2 & 3.
• Benjamin had gathered the Nephites together for a farewell address and to plead with them with all his heart.
• He taught them about their relationship with God, admonished them to obey and serve Him, and reminded them of His blessing to them.
• He prophesied of the Messiah's coming and atonement, and testified that "there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ" (3:17).
3. Mosiah 4:1-2:  "And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them.

    "And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men."
• Comments on Verse 1.
• It is important to understand what happened in its proper context.
• King Benjamin spoke eternal truth to his people.  The force of his words were carried into their hearts by the influence of the Holy Ghost.
• Fallen to the earth: In many cultures of the ancient world, prostration was a manifestation of reverence, respect, or overwhelming awe (DCBM, 2:156).
• Fear of the Lord: As used among Old Testament peoples, the word fear (Hebrew: Yirah) is also rendered as reverence or respect. The righteous long to attain the divine presence (DCBM, 2:156).
• We need to remember that this is a work of Semitic origins and its terminology must be considered in that light.
• As we consider these definitions we are provided with a different picture.  At first reading, we seem to see a people who are afraid of the eternal punishments of God.  As we understand what is transpiring, we see a people who are profoundly touched by the words of Benjamin and are deeply humbled by his words.
• Comments on Verse 2.
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN MORMON REPORTS THAT THESE PEOPLE HAD VIEWED THEMSELVES IN THEIR "CARNAL STATE" AND "EVEN LESS THAN THE DUST OF THE EARTH"?
• Elder Bruce R. McConkie: "Since the fall, all men have become carnal, sensual and devilish by nature.  (Moses 5:13; 6:49; Alma 42:10; Mosiah 16:1-4; D. & C. 20:20.)  In this fallen state they are subject to the lusts, passions, and appetites of the flesh.  They are spiritually dead, having been cast out of the presence of the Lord; and thus 'they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God.'  They are in a 'carnal state' (Alma 41:10-11); they are of the world.  Carnality connotes worldliness, sensuality, and inclination to gratify the flesh." (Mormon Doctrine, p113)
• Less than the dust of the earth:
• Helaman 12:7-8: "O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.  For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God."
• These references to "carnality" and the "dust of the earth" are a commentary on man's propensity toward disobedience.
• In this state of recognition and humility they cried out for mercy through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
4. Mosiah 4:3: "And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them."
• We might ask the question, "How can I tell when I have received a remission of my sins?"  This verse suggest three ways we might know (see DCBM 2:158):
• One is "filled with joy".  That is, one delights in fellowship with those of the household of faith; confidence once again begins to wax strong in the presence of the Lord; the word of the Lord becomes sweet to the taste; and the strength of the Lord enables one to bear life's burdens with perspective.
• One is filled with peace. The spirit of the adversary brings with it such feelings as confusion, uncertainty, disorder, misery, stupor, darkness, and unhappiness. In contrast, the Spirit of the Lord produces certitude, order, comfort, clarity of thought, light, and happiness.
• The favors and blessings of the Holy Ghost -- the gifts of the Spirit -- are manifest in one's life. We know that no unclean thing can dwell in the divine presence.  Companionship with the Holy Ghost is a sure sign that one's sins have been remitted (see Alma 7:21; 11:37; 40:26; 3 Nephi 27: 19-20).
• President Marion G. Romney:  "Somebody recently asked how one could know when he is converted. The answer is simple. He may be assured of it when by the power of the Holy Spirit his soul is healed. When this occurs, he will recognize it by the way he feels, for he will feel as the people of Benjamin felt when they received remission of sins. The record says, 'the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience' (Mosiah 4:3)."  (Conference Report, Oct 1963)
5. READ MOSIAH 4:4-10. Salvation comes through Christ to those who trust in the Lord.
• HOW DO WE OBTAIN SALVATION?  BY SIMPLY BELIEVING IN CHRIST?
1. Through the Atonement prepared from the foundation of the world (v7).
• Without the atonement, we are truly in a "worthless and fallen state" and would remain there forever.  Because of the atonement, we can rise from this state to Celestial heights.
• Verse 8: "And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you."
• "We do not barter where salvation is concerned. As there is one salvation and one Savior, so we obtain that blessed state on God's terms and his alone. The terms of salvation rest with him who has the power to call forth the body from its grave of dust and grant it the full glories of the celestial realm." (DCBM, 2:160)
2. We must be doers (v10).  WHAT MUST WE DO?
• We must come to a knowledge of:
• The goodness of God (v6).
• His matchless power (v6).
• His wisdom (v6).
• His patience (v6).
• His long-suffering towards the children of men (v6).
• The atonement (v6).
• Trust in the Lord (v6).
• Be diligent in keeping His commandments (v6).
• Continue in faith unto the end mortal life (v6).
• Believe in God (v9).
• Believe that God created all things (v9).
• Believe that we do not comprehend all things (v9).
• A sign of humility and dependence on the Lord.
• Repent of our sins and forsake them (v10).
• Humble ourselves before God and ask in sincerity for His forgiveness (v10).
6. READ MOSIAH 4:13-15.
• "What follows is not a list of do's and don'ts on the part of King Benjamin but rather a characterization of individuals and families who have been born of the Spirit. To have the Lord's Spirit is to do the things that the Lord would do; conversely, those possessed of an evil spirit will be the perpetrators of evil deeds." (DCBM, 2:163)
• According to this statement, if we find contention within our families, it is a symptom of the lack of the Spirit within our homes.  If we consider this thought, our approach to eliminating the contention or quarreling may be much different.
• We need to once again consider President Romney’s words:  "I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein.  The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow.  The spirit of contention will depart.  Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom.  Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents.  Righteousness will increase.  Faith, hope, and charity--the pure love of Christ--will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness."  (Conference Report, Apr 1980)
7. READ MOSIAH 4:19-25.  We ought to impart of our substance, one to another.
• WHAT IS OUR PURPOSE FOR BEING HERE ON THIS EARTH?
• To prepare for eternity.  Our great destiny is to become like Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ.
• WHAT IS ONE OF THE GREAT ATTRIBUTES OF THE FATHER AND THE SON?
• They have given all for our eternal welfare.
• If we are striving to become as they are, do we not need to impart and serve within the capabilities that we have been blessed with, without judging?  Is this not part of our training?
• Did not Jesus die to pay for the sins of all who repent?  How, then, can we judge?
8. Mosiah 4:27:  "And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order."
• WHAT DOES THIS VERSE MEAN TO YOU?
• All to be done in wisdom and order.  It is not required that we run faster than we have strength.
• King Benjamin makes references here that I can relate to.  In past years, I have been more diligent in exercising and running.  During the years of my greatest enthusiasm I ran in five marathons.
• One should not show up at the starting line of a marathon without significant preparation.
• When I ran my first marathon, I spent 8 months in training and preparation.
• My first run consisted of a few laps around the track.  During the course of those 8 months I gradually built up the length of my runs.  One must build up day by day and week by week.  In the early weeks I pushed harder and further than my body was ready.  I ended up developing rather strong hip pain which required me to cut back for a period.
• A successful marathoner will have consistent and regular training.
• Proper diet and rest is required.
• After months of training, one is ready to stand at the starting line and begin the race.  The wisdom in verse 27 continues to apply.
• One must run the race in order, from start to finish.  A few years ago, an individual attempted a shortcut at the Boston Marathon.  They were caught and disqualified, thus never able to reach the finish line.
• A marathon must be run with wisdom.  You cannot start at breakneck speed and finish the race.  You cannot run faster than you have strength.  Patience is required, step-by-step, pacing oneself to finish.
• A marathon definitely requires enduring to the end.  When I ran my fourth marathon, the last six miles ran into a cool breeze coming off Elliott Bay in Seattle.  Having already run 20 miles, my body was drained and producing very little heat.  That cool breeze drained the remaining heat out of my body, leaving me with little energy.  I came to the point were all I could do is look down and the road and take one step at a time.  I endured to the end and finished the race, but it was definitely a race of endurance.
• The goal for most marathoners is to simply finish the race.  Our eternal goal is to finish our course and win eternal life.  Our life should be spent in diligent, progressive training.  There is a course we must follow.  We don't have to be the first one to the finish line.  We do not need to compare our progress with that of the prophet or anyone else.  Sometimes we need to move forward, one step at a time, but to keep moving forward and endure to the end.
• "The Lord's people are always commanded to search out and care for the poor. They are, however, to do so in wisdom and order -- to see to it that such efforts do not neglect the needs of their families. Nor can our obligation to extend temporal aid overshadow eternal covenants wherein we have been commissioned to carry the message of the gospel and its saving principles and ordinances to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. Christ is our example. Notwithstanding his abiding concern for the needy and the afflicted, his primary ministry was to declare everlasting truths and administer the ordinances of salvation." (DCBM, 2:168)
9. Mosiah 4:29-30: "And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.

    "But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."
• We must be constantly vigilant in all that we do, say, and think.  Do we slip occasionally in these areas?
• I think this might be a definition of enduring to the end.

Mosiah 5

1. Mosiah 5:1-2:  "And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had thus spoken to his people, he sent among them, desiring to know of his people if they believed the words which he had spoken unto them.

    "And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."
• WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THIS MIGHTY CHANGE OF HEART?
• The Spirit of the Lord.
• These people were members of the church and had probably received baptism.  And yet they were not truly changed until the Spirit “wrought” this “might change.”
• Bruce R. McConkie: "Sins are remitted not in the waters of baptism, as we say in speaking figuratively, but when we receive the Holy Ghost. It is the Holy Spirit of God that erases carnality and brings us into a state of righteousness. We become clean when we actually receive the fellowship and companionship of the Holy Ghost." (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p290)
• Joseph Smith: "You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half -- that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost." (TPJS, p314)
• HOW CAN WE COME TO THIS POINT OF RECEIVING THIS CHANGE OF HEART?
• In this instance, the people had been taught pure truth.  Studying the scriptures and hearing the word of God through his servants will lead us to the next step.
• They then humbled themselves before God.
• They cried for mercy and asked the Father to apply the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.
• What a marvelous change to "have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually".
2. READ MOSIAH 5:3-7.
• Notice in verse four the importance of faith in obtaining knowledge of the things of God.
• Brigham Young said that the Holy Spirit reveals heaven's treasures to its disciples. "It shows them things past, present, and to come. It opens the vision of the mind, unlocks the treasures of wisdom, and they begin to understand the things of God .... They comprehend themselves and the great object of their existence." (JD, 1:241.)
• Consider the powerful covenant made by these people in verse 5.  These were people truly quickened by the Spirit.  And they kept their covenant.
• Consider the power results of their covenant in verse 7.
• Because of the choices we made in our pre-existent life, we were born into a human family, so that we might obtain a physical body as part of the process of eternal progression.
• Because of the change which came into the lives of these people and the covenant which they made, they went through a process as significant as our physical birth.
• They were born into Christ's spiritual family, to become his sons and daughters.
• Like the process of physical birth, the process of spiritual birth can also be painful.  Consider the story of Alma.
• This process may be a dramatic one, as in this instance or the instance of Alma, but for most of us it occurs "line upon line".
• Elder Bruce R. McConkie: "A person may get converted in a moment, miraculously. That is what happened to Alma the younger. He had been baptized in his youth, he had been promised the Holy Ghost, but he had never received it. He was too worldly-wise; he went off with the sons of Mosiah to destroy the church .... Alma was in this state, and then this occasion occurred when a new light came into his soul, when he was changed from his fallen and carnal state to a state of righteousness. In his instance the conversion was miraculous, in the snap of a finger, almost .... But that is not the way it happens with most people. With most people conversion is a process; and it goes step by step, degree by degree, level by level, from a lower state to a higher, from grace to grace, until the time that the individual is wholly turned to the cause of righteousness. Now this means that an individual overcomes one sin today and another sin tomorrow. He perfects his life in one field now, and in another field later on. And the conversion process goes on, until it is completed, until we become, literally, as the Book of Mormon says, saints of God instead of natural men." (From an address at BYU First Stake Conference, 11 February 1968, quoted in DCBM, 2:174-175)
3. Mosiah 5:9,12:  "And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.           
       "I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you."
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO RETAIN THE NAME OF CHRIST WRITTEN ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS?
• WHAT CAN WE DO EACH DAY TO KEEP HIS NAME WRITTEN UPON OUR HEARTS?
• Among other things we demonstrate that his name is written upon our hearts by being "steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works" (v15).

Mosiah 6

1. Following his father's great address, Mosiah began his reign as king over the Nephites.
• We read in verse 5 that King Benjamin lived three more years and died.
2. Mosiah 6:7: "And king Mosiah did cause his people that they should till the earth. And he also, himself, did till the earth, that thereby he might not become burdensome to his people that he might do according to that which his father had done in all things."
• Mosiah encouraged his people, even by his own example, to be active and industrious.
• President Kimball: "Work brings happiness ....  It is the means of all accomplishment; it is the opposite of idleness. We are commanded to work. (See Gen. 3:19.) Attempts to obtain our temporal, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being by means of a dole violate the divine mandate that we should work for what we receive. Work should be the ruling principle in the lives of our Church membership." (Conference Report, Oct 1977)

Next Week

Lesson 17: Mosiah 7-11