#8 We believe the Bible
to be the word of God
as far as it is translated correctly;
we also believe the
Book of Mormon to be
the word of God.
"The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews,
which contains the covenants of the Lord,
which he hath made unto the house of Israel;
and it also containeth many of the
prophecies of the holy prophets;
and it is a record like unto the engravings
which are upon the plates of brass,
save there are not so many; nevertheless,
they contain the covenants of the Lord,
which he hath made unto the house of Israel;
wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles. (1 Nephi 13:23)
This scripture is a description of the Bible. That it came out of the mouth of the jews, and that it contains the covenants and promises that the Lord gave to the jews.
How important are the words of God? Nephi describes His feelings of the importance when he said: "Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things. (1 Nephi 15:25)
But with the various versions we have of the Bible today in our world, the importance to our Heavenly Father that it is translated correctly is crucial so that we can live God's way with exact obedience. The Bible did start out pure and complete, but through the years of multiple translations, it didn't remain pure.
"And after they go forth by the
hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb,
from the Jews unto the Gentiles,
thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church,
which is most abominable above all other churches;
for behold, they have taken away from the
gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious;
and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.
And all this have they done that they
might pervert the right ways of the Lord,
that they might blind the eyes and
harden the hearts of the children of men."
(1Nephi 13:26-27)
This confusion that comes from the Bible with people in the past taking and adding to the bible, states that we need something that can bring another witness to the table and clarify that which we need to do. That the witness of two can bring the truth to light. So God provided a Book of Mormon.
"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. Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?
Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written."
(2 Nephi 3, 6-10)
The Book of Mormon comes as a second witness to help God's people more fully understand the doctrine of Christ. The way Christ's church is suppose to be.
and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins,
and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah,
shall grow together,
and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord. (2 Nephi 3:12)
