What Christ's Visit to the Nephites Taught me About Church Governance.

Over the last few years I have seen more and more groups attempting change church policy by signing petitions, marching on temple square, and by voicing discontent through blogs, Facebook and other social Media. Although I know that any observation I add to this conversation will not change anyone’s opinion on the matter, still I would like to share something I have been thinking about a lot lately.

I remember attending a lesson once where the teacher stressed that whenever something is repeated in the scriptures you should stop to take note at what the Lord is trying to teach you. When that repetition occurs in the same chapter the message is even more significant. Recently I have been thinking a lot about what I feel is a pattern that the Lord is trying to teach during his visit to the Nephites.  It occurs in the 18th chapter of 3 Nephi. At first glance this chapter may leave the reader to believe that the purpose of this chapter is simply to introduce the sacrament to Nephites. I feel, however, that there is another lesson being taught in these verses. If we read carefully we will see a pattern emerge about the way in which the Lord intends to manage his Kingdom here on earth.

Let me highlight a few verses to illustrate my point.

“And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him…  And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the disciples and commanded that they should eat. And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude.” (3 Nephi 18:1-5)

Notice what happened here, when Christ took bread and blessed who did he give it to?  He fed the disciples, or the newly formed leadership of the church, and once they were filled commanded that THEY, not Him should minister the sacrament to the multitude or the church. Why would Christ do this? He was there with the people, obviously he had the ability to minister the sacrament to the people Himself but He did not. Why?  I feel He was trying to teach a valuable lesson to the Nephites, which was that the people were to receive the gospel through his chosen leaders and not from the Savior directly. The reason this lesson was so important to the Nephite people can be seen by reading in the 16th Chapter of Helaman shortly before the birth of the Savior.

“And they began to reason and to contend among themselves, saying: That it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come; if so, and He be the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself unto us as well as unto them who shall be at Jerusalem? Yea, why will He not show himself in this land as well as in the land of Jerusalem? But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant, a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true.

 And they will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the evil one, work some great mystery which we cannot understand, which will keep us down to be servants to their words, and also servants unto them, for we depend upon them to teach us the word; and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves unto them, all the days of our lives.” (Helaman 16:15-21)

Shortly before the coming of the Savior, the Nephites showed that they were unwilling to follow the leadership of the church because they felt they needed to have firsthand experience, or proof, that what was being said was true.  The people felt that they knew better than their leaders and that if the church leaders would only listen to reason they would see the shortcomings of their doctrine.  As a result, when the Savior visited the Nephites it was an important part of his visit to establish the way in which the Lord would lead his church.  This was shown even more clearly as we read further:

 “ He said unto the disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name. And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.” (3 Nephi 18:5-6)

In essence, He was teaching the disciples and those present that the administration of the church was to come through one who He had called and given power to. As in Palestine his church in this hemisphere was to be built upon revelation but that revelation was to come through one who was appointed, as was Peter. In Mathew we read:

“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18)

In a more modern day example the Lord told the Joseph Smith that those alive in his time should receive word of the Lord through Him (Joseph Smith, see D&C 5:5-10).

This is not to say that we do not have direct access to the Saviour on a more personal level. We are shown amply in the scriptures how Christ takes time to succor the needs of the one but when it comes to the official ordinances, doctrines and governance of the church that there will be order. He teaches Himself

“for mine house is a house of order” (D&C 132:8).

Again the pattern was repeated during the presentation of the wine

 “And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it. And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled. ” (3 Nephi 18:5-11).

Finally  before Christ ascended to heaven He took a third opportunity to reinforce this principle: 

“And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of these sayings, he touched with his hand the disciples whom he had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all, and spake unto them as he touched them. And the multitude heard not the words which he spake, therefore they did not bear record; but the disciples bare record that he gave them power to give the Holy Ghost. And I will show unto you hereafter that this record is true. And it came to pass that when Jesus had touched them all, there came a cloud and overshadowed the multitude that they could not see Jesus. And while they were overshadowed he departed from them, and ascended into heaven. And the disciples saw and did bear record that he ascended again into heaven. (3 Nephi 18:36-39)

Christ could have ascended into heaven in the view of all but took one final opportunity to stress that he has given power to the disciples and through them He would govern his church through them he would bear is record. The Lord himself pleaded with the Nephites “Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you and to be your servants and unto them I have given power… and more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. “ (3 Nephi 12:1-2). What more pertinent message could the Saviour give then and now to the members of the church? This does not mean we follow blindly nor are we are required to take them at their word. We are asked to test the promise of the Book of Mormon and ask God to show us the truth of all things (Moroni 10:3-5). If we do we can gain answers to our questions, strengthen our testimony and find peace in the knowledge that the church is being led by Christ today through those He has called and given power.