Lesson 48: Come unto Christ

Purpose:
To teach class members how to judge between good and evil and how to receive a testimony of the gospel and the Book of Mormon.

Reading:

Moroni 7-10

The Most Important Three Things in the World - Brett G. Scharffs

"Always Have His Spirit" - Elder Dallin H. Oaks


Overview:

1. Mormon explains how to judge between good and evil.

Discuss Moroni 7:1–19. Invite class members to read selected verses aloud. Point out that Moroni 7 contains the words of Mormon, as recorded by his son Moroni.

• Mormon referred to the members of the Church as "peaceable followers of Christ" (Moroni 7:3). On what basis did Mormon make this judgment about the Church members? (See Moroni 7:4–5.) How do we become "peaceable followers of Christ"?
   
• What did Mormon teach about the importance of our motives for doing good works? (See Moroni 7:6–9.) What does it mean to give a gift or pray "with real intent"? How can we purify our motives for doing good?
   
• What did Mormon teach about how we can discern good from evil? (See Moroni 7:12–19.)
   
• Mormon cautioned the people to "take heed … that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good … to be of the devil" (Moroni 7:14; see also 2 Nephi 15:20). What are some ways in which you see this happening today?
   
• What influence have we been given to help us judge good from evil? (See Moroni 7:16, 18–19.)
   
• In what ways has the light of Christ helped you discern good from evil? How can we become more receptive to the guidance of the light of Christ?
   

2. Mormon explains the importance of faith, hope, and charity.

• Mormon asked, "How is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing?" (Moroni 7:20). How did he answer this question? (See Moroni 7:21–26)
   
• What is the relationship between faith and miracles? (See Moroni 7:28–30, 35–38.) Why is it necessary for faith to precede miracles? (See Moroni 7:37; see also Ether 12:12, 18 and the quotation below.) Why don't miracles alone provide a firm foundation for faith? President Brigham Young said, "Miracles, or these extraordinary manifestations of the power of God, are not for the unbeliever; they are to console the Saints, and to strengthen and confirm the faith of those who love, fear, and serve God" (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1941], 341).
  
• What is hope? What relationship exists between faith and hope? (See Moroni 7:40–42.) Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: "As used in the revelations, hope is the desire of faithful people to gain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God hereafter. … Faith and hope are inseparable. Hope enables [us] to have faith in the first instance and then because of faith that hope increases until salvation is gained" (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 365–66).
  
• What quality must precede faith and hope? (See Moroni 7:43.) Why must a person be "meek, and lowly of heart" to have true faith and hope?
   
• Mormon taught that in addition to faith and hope, we must have charity. What is charity? (See Moroni 7:46–47.) What are the characteristics of charity? (See Moroni 7:45.) How have experiences in your life confirmed that "charity never faileth"?
   
• How can we increase our faith and hope? How can we become filled with the pure love of Christ? Why must we strive to possess faith, hope, and charity? (See Moroni 10:20–21.)

3. Mormon teaches that little children are saved through Christ's Atonement.

• Why do little children not need baptism? (See Moroni 8:8–9, 11, 19–20) Why is the baptism of little children "mockery before God"? (See Moroni 8:20, 22–23.)
   
• How can those of us who have sinned gain salvation through the Atonement of Christ? (See Moroni 8:10, 24–26.)
   

4. The Holy Ghost testifies of all truth. Spiritual gifts follow those who come unto Christ.

• As the final chapter in the Book of Mormon, Moroni 10 contains Moroni's closing words. To whom is this chapter addressed? (See Moroni 10:1.) Moroni closes with "a few words by way of exhortation" (Moroni 10:2).
   
• Moroni exhorted us to "deny not the power of God" (Moroni 10:7). In what ways might we sometimes deny God's power?
  Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught:
  "The Savior said, 'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid' (John 14:27).
  "I submit to you, that may be one of the Savior's commandments that is, even in the hearts of otherwise faithful Latter-day Saints, almost universally disobeyed; and yet I wonder whether our resistance to this invitation could be any more grievous to the Lord's merciful heart. I can tell you this as a parent: as concerned as I would be if somewhere in their lives one of my children were seriously troubled or unhappy or disobedient, nevertheless I would be infinitely more devastated if I felt that at such a time that child could not trust me to help or thought his or her interest was unimportant to me or unsafe in my care. In that same spirit, I am convinced that none of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the loving heart of the Savior of the world when he finds that his people do not feel confident in his care or secure in his hands or trust in his commandments" ("Come unto Me," Ensign, Apr. 1998, 19).
  
  
• What did Moroni teach about spiritual gifts? (See Moroni 10:8–19.) Why do we each receive different gifts from God? (See D&C 46:11–12.)
   
• What have you learned and felt as you have pondered the messages of the Book of Mormon?
   
• How does Moroni's exhortation to "come unto Christ" reflect the entire message of the Book of Mormon? (Moroni 10:30, 32). In what specific ways has this year's study of the Book of Mormon helped you come unto Christ?