Chapter 15

How Christ is both the Father and the Son—He will make intercession and bear the transgressions of His people—They and all the holy prophets are His seed—He brings to pass the Resurrection—Little children have eternal life. About 148 B.C.

1. And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that

God himself shall

come down among the children of men, and shall

redeem his people.

2. And because he

dwelleth in

flesh he shall be called the

Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the

will of the

Father, being the Father and the Son—

3. The Father,

because he was

conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—

4. And they are

one God, yea, the very

Eternal

Father of heaven and of earth.

5. And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God,

suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and

scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his

people.

6. And after all this, after working many mighty miracles among the children of men, he shall be led, yea, even

as Isaiah said, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he

opened not his mouth.

7. Yea, even so he shall be led,

crucified, and slain, the

flesh becoming subject even unto death, the

will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.

8. And thus God breaketh the

bands of death, having gained the

victory over death; giving the Son power to make

intercession for the children of men—

9. Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon

himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and

satisfied the demands of justice.

10. And now I say unto you, who shall declare his

generation? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for

sin he shall see his

seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?

11. Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the

prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the

kingdom of God.

12. For these are they whose sins

he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?

13. Yea, and are not the

prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are his seed.

14. And these are

they who have published peace, who have brought good

tidings of good, who have

published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!

15. And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!

16. And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!

17. And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!

18. And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the

feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of

peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people;

19. For were it not for the redemption which he hath made for his people, which was prepared from the

foundation of the world, I say unto you, were it not for this, all mankind must have

perished.

20. But behold, the bands of death shall be broken, and the Son reigneth, and hath power over the dead; therefore, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead.

21. And there cometh a resurrection, even a

first resurrection; yea, even a resurrection of those that have been, and who are, and who shall be, even until the resurrection of Christ—for so shall he be called.

22. And now, the resurrection of all the prophets, and all those that have believed in their words, or all those that have kept the commandments of God, shall come forth in the first resurrection; therefore, they are the first resurrection.

23. They are raised to

dwell with God who has redeemed them; thus they have eternal life through Christ, who has

broken the bands of death.

24. And these are those who have part in the first resurrection; and these are they that have died before Christ came, in their ignorance, not having

salvation declared unto them. And thus the Lord bringeth about the restoration of these; and they have a part in the first resurrection, or have eternal life, being redeemed by the Lord.

25. And little

children also have eternal life.

26. But behold, and

fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that

rebel against him and

die in their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever since the world began, that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the commandments of God, and would not keep them;

these are they that have

no part in the first

resurrection.

27. Therefore ought ye not to tremble? For salvation cometh to none such; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither can the Lord redeem such; for he cannot deny himself; for he cannot deny

justice when it has its claim.

28. And now I say unto you that the time shall come that the

salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.

29. Yea, Lord,

thy

watchmen shall lift up their voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.

30. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

31. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the

salvation of our God.

1a. Isa. 54:5.

b. TG God, Manifestations of.