Why We Study the New Testament?
Both ancient and modern prophets have stressed the value of
the scriptures in helping us come to know God. Jesus taught,
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).
The Apostle Paul taught Timothy about the value of holy writings:
• They are able to make one “wise unto salvation”
(2 Timothy 3:15).
• They are “given by inspiration of God” (v. 16).
• They are “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction
for instruction in righteousness” (v. 16).
• They help the righteous become perfect and “throughly
furnished unto all good works” (v. 17).
The prophet Mormon wrote:
“Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—
“And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right
hand of God in the kingdom of heaven” (Helaman 3:29–30).
The scriptures help us “divide asunder” (overcome) the lies
and temptations of the devil and follow a course that will “land us in” (bring us to) the celestial kingdom.
Elder Boyd K. Packer taught:
“In the New Testament course, you learn of the birth and
ministry of Jesus the Christ and His divine Sonship. You learn
about ordinances, about baptism by immersion for the
remission of sins.
“You read of the call of the Twelve and follow their ministry.
You learn of the fatherhood of God. You learn of the Holy
Ghost, the Comforter, and personal revelation.
“You relive the days of the Betrayal and the Crucifixion, and
learn transcendent truths of the Atonement and the
Resurrection. You learn of love and law and why a Redeemer.
“From the four Gospels to the book of Revelation, the
teachings of the Master and of His Apostles—the Lord Jesus
Christ’s gospel—are opened to you” (in Conference Report,
Mar.–Apr. 1990, 49; or Ensign, May 1990, 38).
The following doctrines, all taught in the New Testament,
show why a careful study of the New Testament is not only
meaningful but crucial:
• God is literally our Father in Heaven.
• Heavenly Father created the heavens and the arth through
His Son Jesus Christ.
• Heavenly Father sent His Son into the world that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17).
• Heavenly Father has given all judgment to the Son.
• God can and does intervene directly in the lives of men.
• Heaven is divided into different kingdoms of glory.
• We receive blessings from God by making and keeping
sacred covenants.
• Idolatry in any form is spiritually destructive.
• Jesus Christ’s Second Coming is prophesied, including events of the last days.
Being far removed in time and culture from the New
Testament period brings special challenges to those who
study the Bible. In addition, the record we now have is not
complete. Many parts “which are plain and most precious”
were taken away (1 Nephi 13:26). Much that was lost has
been restored by the Book of Mormon, the Joseph Smith
Translation of the Bible, and other modern revelations (see
1 Nephi 13:33–41). Further, some portions of the Bible are
cloaked or hidden in symbolic language.
Such prophetic cloaking has been useful because those who sought to remove the “plain and precious” parts have left many of the more obscure passages relatively intact. Thus, many great truths have been preserved to be read and understood by the power of the Holy Ghost and the “spirit of prophecy” (2 Nephi 25:4) that God has made available to the Saints of the latter days.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was”. In other words, not only was Abraham chosen for certain assignments before birth, but so were you (see D&C 138:53–56).
“For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days . . . some of his strongest children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly . . . There has never been more expected of the faithful in such a short period of time as there is of us . . . Each day we personally make many decisions that show where our support will go. The final outcome is certain—the forces of righteousness will finally win. What remains to be seen is where each of us personally, now and in the future, will stand in this fight—and how tall we will stand (Elder Marvin J. Ashton in the November 1989 issue of the Ensign).
Even though Abraham was chosen for certain purposes (see Abraham 3:23), he still had to “prove” himself through obedience (see v. 25). In the April 1988 General Conference, President Ezra Taft Benson affirmed these truths when he stated that, “The great test of life is obedience to God”.
Studying the Scriptures
Do activity A and then do two of the other three activities (B–D) as you study Abraham 3:22–28.
A) Scripture Mastery—Abraham 3:22–23:
1. Write what Abraham learned about pre-mortal life.
2. Read Doctrine and Covenants 138:53–56, which is part of a vision President Joseph F. Smith had of the spirit world. What information does the revelation in Doctrine and Covenants add to the revelation in Abraham 3:22–23? You may want to cross reference these two scriptures to each other by highlighting the references in your footnotes or by writing the reference of one in the margin of the other.
3. In addition to what you read in Abraham 3 and Doctrine and Covenants 138, consider the statement from the Prophet Joseph Smith in the “Understanding the Scriptures” section, and describe how these doctrines of the pre-mortal life affect you and how you feel knowing these things.
B) Look for Important Words:
1. Identify the words in Abraham 3:22–23 that tell who God would choose to be leaders on earth and when they were chosen. Write the words in your notebook; you may also want to circle them in your scriptures.
2. Find the phrase that most likely describes Jesus Christ in Abraham 3:24. Write it in your notebook and tell why that phrase describes Him well.
C) Write a Question:
Write an important question people may ask that you think can be answered by Abraham 3:24–26.
D) Apply the Doctrine
Choose one of the truths taught to Abraham in verses 22–28 and write about how it should, could, or will encourage you to live more righteously.
Scripture Mastery Focus
Moses 1:39
39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
Moses 7:18
18 And the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.
Abraham 3:22–23
22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
Genesis 1:26–27
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
