The Doctrine of Christ

"We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost" (AF #4)


Are these principles FIRST in the sense of "okay, I've checked those off, what's next?" or are they FIRST in the sense of being the foundation, the basics, that to which we return over and over again?


These principles are not outlined this clearly in the Old or New Testaments, but they are three times in the Book of Mormon. (2 Nephi 31; 3 Nephi 11; and 3 Nephi 27).  It is worth carefully studying these three chapters.


Nephi refers to them as the "Doctrine of Christ".  In 2 Nephi 31, he refers back to his vision and adds some additional commentary that he received from the Father and the Son as explanation to the things he was seeing.  As an interesting aside, this is one of the few chapters that contains direct statements from the Father (vs. 11,15, 20).  It refutes a common myth among Latter-day Saints that the Father only speaks to men in introducing the Son.  It should also be a red flag to us as to their importance.


These principles and ordinances are the "path" that Nephi saw under the rod of iron.  This path leads to eternal life (vs. 18) and there is no other way (vs. 21). 


They are worth careful pondering and study.  I am teaching these principles in our teacher's quorum over the next few weeks and will devote the next posts to these topics.