Mosiah 12:31

[pam]

Mosiah 12:31 

31 And it shall come to pass that ye shall be smitten for your iniquities, for ye have said that ye teach the law of Moses. And what know ye concerning the law of Moses? Doth salvation come by the law of Moses? What say ye?

Quote for Discussion

Having quoted this verse, Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: "After teaching them some of the great truths of salvation, Abinadi answered his own question: 'Salvation doth not come by the law alone,' he said; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.' (Mosiah 13:28.) Salvation is not in works-not even in those revealed of God-but in Christ and his atonement.

"Now let us suppose a modern-day case. Suppose we have the scriptures, the gospel, the priesthood, the Church, the ordinances, the organization, even the keys of the kingdom-everything that now is down to the last jot and tittle-and yet there is no atonement of Christ. What then? Can we be saved? Will all our good works save us? Will we be rewarded for all our righteousness?

"Most assuredly we will not. We are not saved by works alone, no matter how good; we are saved because God sent his Son to shed his blood in Gethsemane and on Calvary that all through him might ransomed be. We are saved by the blood of Christ.

"To paraphrase Abinadi: 'Salvation cloth not come by the Church alone; and were it not for the atonement given by the grace of God as a free gift, all men must unavoidably perish, and this notwithstanding the Church and all that appertains to it." ("What Think Ye of Salvation by Grace?" p. 48.)

(Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 4 vols. [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1987-1992],