The Book of Mormon and the fulness of the gospel

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Criticism

The Lord declared that he had given Joseph Smith "power from on high...to translate the Book of Mormon; which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also" (DC 20꞉8-9).

Critics claim that the Book of Mormon cannot contain "the fulness of the gospel" because it doesn't teach certain unique LDS doctrines, such as baptism for the dead, the Word of Wisdom, the three degrees of glory, celestial marriage, vicarious work for the dead, and the corporeal nature of God the Father.

Source(s) of the Criticism

• John Ankerberg and John Weldon, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Mormonism (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1992), 292–294.
• Mark J. Cares, Speaking the Truth In Love to Mormons, (Milwaukee, Wisconsin : Northwestern Pub. House, 1993), 96, 212, 243–244.
• Contender Ministries, Questions All Mormons Should Ask Themselves. Answers
• Walter Martin, The Maze of Mormonism (Santa Ana, California: Vision House, 1979).
• Grant H. Palmer, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2002) 124. ( Index of claims )
• Latayne Colvett Scott, The Mormon Mirage : a former Mormon tells why she left the church (Grand Rapids : Zondervan Pub. House, 1979), 91.
• Jerald and Sandra Tanner, The Changing World of Mormonism (Moody Press, 1979), 508, 510, 518.( Index of claims )
• Tower to Truth Ministries, "50 Questions to Ask Mormons," towertotruth.net (accessed 15 November 2007). 50 Answers

Response

What does the Book of Mormon contain?

The Book of Mormon is correct in the doctrines and principles it teaches, but it does not claim to contain all truth. Its own self-described purpose is to "the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations" (title page), and that these teachings are "plain and precious" (1 Nephi 13꞉35,40; 1 Nephi 19꞉3). For the most part, the Book of Mormon does not concern itself with the deeper mysteries of God.

The book itself admits that it does not contain all the doctrines the Lord wants us to know. The prophet Mormon explained that he only recorded "the lesser part of the things which [Jesus] taught the people," for the intent that "when [the Book of Mormon reader] shall have received this...if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them" (3 Nephi 26꞉8-9; compare Alma 26꞉22).

What does the Book of Mormon not contain?

The Book of Mormon does not discuss the ordinance of baptism for the dead. For more information on the reason for this, please see "Why is baptism for the dead not taught in the Book of Mormon?"

What is the gospel?

In the Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ gave a specific definition of "the gospel":

Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—

And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.

And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.

And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the Father.

And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men. And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words.

And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.

(3 Nephi 27꞉13-19, italics added.)

In this passage, Jesus defines "the gospel" as:

1. Christ came into the world to do the Father's will.
2. The Father sent Christ to be crucified.
3. Because of Christ's atonement, all men will be judged by him according to their works (as opposed to not receiving a judgment at all and being cast out of God's presence by default; 2 Nephi 9꞉8-9).
4. Those who repent and are baptized shall be filled (with the Holy Ghost, see 3 Nephi 12꞉6), and
5. if they continue in faith by enduring to the end they will be justified (declared "not guilty") by Christ before the Father, but
6. if they don't endure they will be subject to the justice of God and cast out of his presence.
7. The Father's words will all be fulfilled.
8. Because no unclean thing can enter the Father's heavenly kingdom, only those who rely in faith on the atonement of Christ, repent, and are faithful to the end can be saved.

This is "the gospel." The Book of Mormon teaches these concepts with a plainness and clarity unequaled by any other book. It has therefore been declared by the Lord to contain "the fulness of the gospel."

One last point that critics fail to acknowledge is that Latter-day Saints also believe that the Bible contains a fulness of the gospel.^[1] This gives further credence to the fact that the gospel—while used in this context—does not refer to every teaching of the LDS Church, but its message that the atonement comes through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

The primary message of the gospel, the "good news" of Jesus Christ, is that he has atoned for our sins and prepared a way for us to come back into the presence of the Father. This is the message of the Book of Mormon, and it contains it in its fulness.

Endnotes

1. [note]  Book of Mormon Introduction page

Further reading

FAIR web site

• FairMormon Topical Guide: Fulness of the Gospel FairMormon link
  
• Michael Parker, "The Book of Mormon and the Fulness of the Gospel" FAIR link

External links

• Noel B. Reynolds, "Does the scriptural term gospel have the same meaning for us today as it did for the early saints?," Ensign (January 1975): 22.off-site
• Noel B. Reynolds, "The Gospel of Jesus Christ as Taught by the Nephite Prophets," Brigham Young University Studies 31 no. 3 (Summer 1991), 31–50.off-site
• Noel B. Reynolds, "How to 'Come unto Christ'," Ensign (September 1992): 7.off-site
• Monte S. Nyman, "Why is the Book of Mormon the 'most correct book,' and how does it contain the fulness of the gospel?," Ensign (September 1976): 87. off-site

Printed material

• Noel B. Reynolds, "Gospel of Jesus Christ," in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow, (New York, Macmillan Publishing, 1992), 2:556–60.
• Noel B. Reynolds, "The Gospel As Taught by the Nephites" (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1994).