Some years ago I posted on social media about the Book of Mormon, and a cousin of mine asked why we need it when we have the Bible? That’s what this post is about. I hope it is helpful, and will provide a way for the reader to understand what it is, how necessary it is, and that it contains the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament there was only one true religion. In Ephesians we are taught there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” so why isn’t there just one Christian church, like in the Bible? It’s because different churches interpret the Bible differently. I think folks these days think it perfectly fine that there are multiple Christian faiths that believe contradictory doctrine, but the Lord never intended that. For example, our Lord did not teach that baptism both is and is not necessary! I’ve written an article on why baptism is necessary, though some denominations question it. This is a major reason why both the Bible and Book of Mormon are needed. The need for the other does not diminish either one of them. As a previous prophet once taught, “When used together, the Bible and Book of Mormon confound false doctrines.”
So why is it important for the world to have both the Bible and the Book of Mormon? The most succinct answer is found in one verse: “And the angel spake unto me saying: these last records which thou hast seen among the Gentiles [The Book of Mormon], shall establish the truth of the first [the Bible], which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved” (1 Ne 13:40).
What kinds of ‘plain and precious things’ are referred to? While the Bible gives an accurate account of the mortal ministry of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon is more explicit about the His Atonement. This is something prophets explained in detail prior to His death. It affirms the individual identity of Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, as well as the necessity of the Fall of Adam and the wisdom of Eve, that men might have joy.
For example, the heading to one chapter in the Book of Mormon reads: “Mortality is a probationary time to enable man to repent and serve God–The Fall brought temporal and spiritual death upon all mankind–God Himself atones for the sins of the world–Mercy is for those who repent–All others are subject to God’s justice–Mercy comes because of the Atonement–Only the truly penitent are saved.” Check out the full chapter here.
The Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus Christ and confirms the truths found in the Holy Bible. In fact nearly 4,000 of the total 6,000+ verses refer to Jesus Christ. Far from undermining the Bible, the Book of Mormon supports its testimony of Jesus Christ. The central purpose of the Book of Mormon is to testify of Jesus Christ.
What exactly is the Book of Mormon? After the Savior’s Crucifixion and Resurrection He came to the people of ancient America, where He taught His gospel. He organized His Church and asked His disciples to keep a record of His ministry among them. That record is what we know as the Book of Mormon. It is another testament of Jesus Christ. Its major writers–Nephi, Jacob, Mormon, Moroni–and its translator, Joseph Smith, were all eyewitnesses of the Lord. It is the instrument through which scattered Israel will be gathered (Isa 11:11-12; 28:2,7; 54:7; 1 Ne 15:18; 3 Ne 21:1; D&C 110:11-12). It is also true, as attested by the Lord Himself. In other words, we believe it is scripture.
What is in the Book of Mormon? On one level it’s a record of God’s dealings with his people on the American continents, as the Bible is a record of God’s dealings with his people in the Eastern Hemisphere. Three major civilizations, the Nephites, Lamanites and Jaredites are included in its pages. More than that, it contains inspired teachings of prophets and is the Word of God. From the Book of Mormon we learn about the gathering of scattered Israel. We know why we are here on earth.
An important point: the Book of Mormon was written for our day. Neither the Nephites, Lamanites nor Jaredites had the book. It was meant for us. Each of the major writers of the Book of Mormon testified he wrote for future generations. It is not primarily a historical record that looks to the past. This volume of scripture looks to the future and contains important principles, warnings and lessons intended for the circumstances and challenges of our day. It is a book about our future and the times in which we do now and will yet live.
The Book of Mormon fulfills biblical prophecies including: that “other sheep” shall hear His voice (John 10:16); that God will do “a marvelous work and a wonder” speaking “out of the dust” (Isa 29:4, 14); and the stick of Judah–the Bible–and the stick of Joseph–the Book of Mormon–will become one (Ezek 37:15-19). The entire 29th chapter of Isaiah is about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon both illuminates the teachings of the Master and exposes the tactics of the adversary. It teaches true doctrine to dispel false religious traditions–such as the erroneous practice of performing infant baptisms. The Book of Mormon shatters the false beliefs that happiness can be found in wickedness and that individual goodness is all that is required to return to the presence of God–ordinances and covenants (such as baptism) are needed. It abolishes forever the false concepts that revelation ended with the Bible and that the heavens are sealed today.
Some have an objection to any other book of scriptures, citing verses such as Revelations 22:18: “… If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” There is consensus among biblical scholars that this verse applies only to the book of Revelations, not the Bible. They further acknowledge several New Testament books that were written after John’s Revelation, such as the book of Jude, the three Epistles of John, and probably the gospel of John itself. Virtually the same warning is given in Deuteronomy 4:2, but no one asserts that this applies to the entire Bible, as most of it hadn’t been written yet!
A simpler answer is that the whole Bible as we know it–one collection of texts bound in a single volume–did not exist when that verse was written. It was not until the 5th century that all the different Christian churches came to a basic agreement on Biblical canon. In reality there are no verses anywhere in the Bible that say it is the only Word of God, and there never will be more given.
Most of us do not know exactly how the Bible came about, how the individual writings were collected, collated and translated over the centuries. We do have an account of how the Book of Mormon came forth. This will be the topic of my next post. Nowadays you can read it yourself for free via the Book of Mormon app.
I’ll end with the words of the Lord Himself: “Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews? Know ye know that there are more nations than one? … 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… And because I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.” (2 Ne 29:7-10)
I am indebted to elder L Tom Perry and president Russel M Nelson for the bulk of the information in this post.