3 Nephi 27

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 7/20 orange 7/21 brown 2022 -23) 

CHAPTER 27

Jesus commands them to call the Church in His name—His mission and atoning sacrifice constitute His gospel—Men are commanded to repent and be baptized that they may be sanctified by the Holy Ghost—They are to be even as Jesus is. About A.D. 34–35.

  1 And it came to pass that as the disciples of Jesus were journeying and were preaching the things which they had both heard and seen, I forget that not everyone who was left alive saw and heard Jesus. I would be so disappointed to know that Jesus had been among the people and done and said all the amazing things he did and not have been there! and were baptizing in the name of Jesus, it came to pass that the disciples were gathered together and were united in  ^bmighty prayer and ^cfasting. What were they praying for? what makes a prayer "mighty"? 
  2 And Jesus again ^ashowed himself unto them, for they were praying unto the Father in his name; and Jesus came and stood in the midst of them, and said unto them: What will ye that I shall give unto you? Ok, wow! They are praying and Jesus himself comes in person to answer them! Is this what their mighty prayer and fasting was for? The chapter starts out with "and it came to pass" and the chapter summary suggests this was sometime within the year or next year after Jesus appeared. I think I visualize Christ's visit to the America's as one visit about 3 days in a row and that's it. But it seems like he visited them a few times in the first little while. How awesome!
  3 And they said unto him: Lord, we will that thou wouldst tell us the name  whereby we shall call this church; for there are disputations among the people concerning this matter. It sounds like it was the disputations that were causing them the great concern. Why was Jesus so willing to come in person to give them the answer instead of just through revelation? Was it so they would not so soon veer off track? What had the name of the church been all those years before Christ came? Also, they were not immune from "disputations" even after all they had experienced.
  4 And the Lord said unto them: Verily, verily, I say unto you, why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of this thing?
  5 Have they not read the scriptures, The words of Christ will tell you ALL things which ye should do...This is Jesus Christ's own endorsement of the scriptures as our "iron rod". Even before asking Him, we should go to the scriptures and see if it has already been revealed. Think how frustrating it would be to leave a map for your child to get where they need to go and they keep coming to you and asking you which way to turn and where to stop. Wouldn't you say, "um...why are you asking me? Didn't I leave the instructions with you? Why aren't you looking at those?" It's not that you don't want to be bothered, but that you already took great care and thought to give them what they'd need to not need your help every step of the way. which say ye must take upon you the ^aname of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day;
  6 And whoso taketh upon him my name, and ^aendureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day. There is something about what happens "at the last day" that requires we "endure to the end"....and have His name
  7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; Is this literal? Everything we do, we should do "in His name" and "for His sake" therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake. How is the church blessed for Jesus' sake? (which sounds like "for His benefit"...)
  8 And how be it ^amy ^bchurch save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel. It's not just the name...you have to be "built upon His gospel too", which requires authority and revelation, I would think.
  9 Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; because He just gave it to them...therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you;
 10 And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it. Even though it is the church of Jesus Christ, it is the Father that shows forth His works through it. and only if it is built upon His gospel. So if the Father is not showing forth His own works in the church, then can we conclude that we have strayed from His gospel? What are the Father's "works"?
 11 But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil, is there a difference? verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, counterfeit joy, that is...and by and by the end cometh, and they are ^ahewn down and cast into the ^bfire, from whence there is no return. Is there happiness in wickedness? Only for a season. Nothing eternal. This makes the "by their fruits ye shall know them" a little tricky, since they can seem to have success for a time. So again, the scriptures become our iron rod to see through these "seasons" where they seem to have "joy" which may look like a "good fruit", but if it is not in harmony with God's revealed word (meaning it's according to the "works of men or the devil") we can still know it is not true. 
 12 For their works do ^afollow them, for it is because of their works that they are hewn down; therefore remember the things that I have told you. In our current pandemic, it "looks" like there is "joy for a season" as it "looks" like all those who have followed the pressure to get a "protection provided by man" have allowed things to "get back to normal". But...their works WILL and DO follow them. Now numbers are going back up (they say it's the fault of those who don't follow them, but in reality, their "works" are following them and it's their own solution that is causing men to be "hewn down". We are told to "remember the things" He is telling us. 2023 - the truth is coming out about the lies that were told during the pandemic and the number of those harmed continues to rise and blamed on their solution. But the church is still not moving away from their support of it, in spite of all that has come to light about it. sigh.
 13 Behold I have given unto you my ^agospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that Pay attention! What follows is His gospel...do you understand what His gospel is?  1. I came into the world 2. to do the ^bwill of my Father, 3. because my Father sent me. Did you come into the world to do the will of your Father, because He sent you? 
 14 And my Father sent me 4. that I might be ^alifted up upon the ^bcross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the ^ccross, 5.that I might ^ddraw all men unto me, 6. that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, 7. to be ^ejudged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
 15 And for this cause have I been ^alifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father 8. I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their ^bworks. Notice ALL will be drawn unto Christ to be judged of Him, maybe because He paid the price for ALL, they have to stand before Him whether they accept His offering or not...I believe that because Christ suffered with us for the sins of others towards us, (taking our place as the victim with the right to pass judgment or forgive) that all have to stand before Christ as the sinner            (perpetrator) so that He (the victim) can pass judgement. He gets to "bring charges" and have us convicted, or grant mercy and forgiveness if we have repented sufficiently. If we have not, then we "suffer even as He did", which may not be some kind of physical torture or lashing or isolation, but we get to experience the pain and suffering we caused others, which suffering caused Him to bleed at every pore. I don't know that is how others look at it, but it's where I'm being led...
 16 And it shall come to pass, that

whoso ^arepenteth 
and is baptized in my ^bname shall be filled; with the Holy Ghost
and if he ^cendureth to the end, behold,
him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world. 
Think of that...standing "guiltless" before the Father, after a life filled with "sin" and mistakes!
 17 And
he that endureth not unto the end, after having received the Holy Ghost
the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the ^ajustice of the Father.
 18 And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men. And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath given,and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words. I was just thinking about this...There are some pretty concerning prophecies from Isaiah about the Gentiles of the Church in these last days. There is a paradox before us of knowing that God "raises up prophets" and through succession and life and death. He knows who will be at the head of the Church at any given time. So in our present situation did He "raise up" the prophet to save us from prophecy or to fulfill it? Everyone has agency, so it's not forced upon anyone to be the fulfillment of negative prophecy, but God knows each and what they will do. The paradox is that God would allow a prophet to live to lead, knowing they would be blinded and not warn? But then, why does God allow any evil, knowing it is going to happen....I guess it goes back to the beginning of this chapter. Instead of asking God why this is happening, He would say, "haven't I written these things down beforehand? Do you not have the prophecies of all the holy prophets concerning these last days? Do you believe them? They are there to guide you through this current "mist of darkness". Search them. 
 19 And 
^ano unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore
nothing entereth into his ^brest save it be those who have 
^cwashed their garments in my blood,
because of their faith, and the
repentance of all their sins, and their
faithfulness unto the end. The washing comes before the "faithfulness unto the end" So how do we become clean and enter his "rest"? (presence). Wash our garments in the blood of Christ. How do we do that? Through faith and repentance of ALL our sins AND living faithful to the end. In other words - REPENT DAILY. Believe in Christ and Do his will and Keep His commandments. I think we are washed when we receive a remission of our sins through the baptism by Fire.
 20 Now this is the commandment: 

^aRepent, all ye ends of the earth, and 
come unto me and 
be ^bbaptized in my name, that ye may 
be ^csanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may 
stand ^dspotless before me at the last day. Learn to "receive the Holy Ghost" - which I think means to "hear" His words and do them. Respond when you are prompted. Don't minimize or rationalize not doing it. Following the guidance of the Holy Ghost is how we become sancitifed. I think it's more than that. I think we have to have a "born again" remission of sins by the fire of the Holy Spirit. How, how, how do we get that?
 21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, 
this is my ^agospel; and ye know 
the things that ye must ^bdo in my church; for 
the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; 
for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; And what "works" have they seen Jesus do? Heal; pray; teach; minister; sacrifice; 
 22 Therefore, 
if ye do these things blessed are ye, for 
ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
 23 ^aWrite the things which ye have seen and heard, 
save it be those which are ^bforbidden.
 24 Write 
the works of this people, which shall be, even as hath been written, of that which hath been.
 25 For behold,
out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, 
shall this people be ^ajudged, 
for by them 
shall their ^bworks be known unto men.
Another really important reason to study the scriptures. We are going to be judged by them. We are expected to know what is in them and the doctrines and commandments and warnings they teach. 
 26 And behold, 
all things are ^awritten by the Father; 
therefore out of the books which shall be written 
shall the world be judged. Even if they are not translated correctly?
Even if we don't write it, God is writing it. Or it could be saying that all that is written by man as scriptures is really from the Father...
 27 And know ye that ^aye shall be ^bjudges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what
^cmanner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even ^das I am.
 28 And now I ^ago unto the Father. And verily I say unto you, whatsoever things ye shall ask the Father in my name shall be given unto you. This seems to be something they qualified for and not a general blanket statement for everyone...
 29 Therefore, ^aask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
 30 And now, behold, my joy is great, even unto fulness, because of you, and also this generation; yea, and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels, because of you and this generation; for ^anone of them are lost. Wow! A whole generation not lost? None? Sounds like a "calling and election" This is another reason I think Zion is only established by the teaching and presence of Jesus Himself. Look what effect it has on people? It truly changed them! How does one not cry, "not fair"! Wouldn't I also surely not be lost if I had been born then? 
 31 Behold, I would that ye should understand; for I mean them who are now alive of ^bthis generation; and none of them are lost; and in them I have fulness of ^cjoy. Jesus joy is full in those not lost.
 32 But behold, it ^asorroweth me because of the ^bfourth generation from this generation, for they are led away captive by him even as was the ^cson of perdition; for they will sell me for silver and for gold, and for that which ^dmoth doth corrupt and which thieves can break through and steal. And in that day will I visit them, even in turning their works upon their own heads. Maybe this is why the brethren are not fighting the Gadiantons openly. The Gadiantons are close to having their works turn upon their own heads.. On the other hand, if he's talking about those who had a knowledge of Christ and His teachings and then are led away (from Christ and His teachings) and sell Christ for the things of the world...this is probably a type for our day and the members of the church in our time. Are we being "led away captive" by the devil? Are we "selling" out to man and the praise of the world or the fear of man? Are we about to see God "turn their works upon their own heads"?
 33 And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he said unto his disciples: 
Enter ye in at the ^astrait gate; 
for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and 
few there be that find it; but 
wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and 
many there be that travel therein, 
until the night cometh, 
wherein no man can work. Elder McConkie said once, "You don't have to live a life that's truer than true. You don't have to have an excessive zeal that becomes fanatical and becomes unbalancing. What you have to do is stay in the mainstream of the Church and live as upright and decent people live in the Church--keeping the commandments, paying your tithing, serving in the organizations of the Church, loving the Lord, staying on the straight and narrow path. If you're on that path when death comes--because this is the time and the day appointed, this the probationary estate--you'll never fall off from it, and, for all practical purposes, your calling and election is made sure." I think some people take this to mean as long as you are doing what "most" of the members are doing you are in the "mainstream" and can know you are doing right. But...I think he's just warning to not go off and make your own church. The mainstream is keeping the commandments, serving, paying tithing, and staying true to the scriptures. If the "mainstream" of the church isn't doing those things, then following them into the "broad paths" is not what you want to do. In our current situation the definition of "mainstream" is not correct, for that definition is: It includes all popular culture and media culture, typically disseminated by mass media" If the "mainstream" of the church are following the "mainstream" of the world, and are no longer a "peculiar people" or the "salt of the earth", then we do NOT want to be in the mainstream of the church. Look at the fourth generation that Jesus warns about. They are the "mainstream of the church" and they all lose their way. Elder Packer says that we all live "IN" the "great and spacious building". We have to "come out of her". If we don't, then we will take the "all is well in Zion" view of things and "mock" those who leave the "building" and label them "extremists".