3 Nephi 16-17

(November 30, 2009)

As I read through today’s scriptures I had two thoughts come into my mind.  The first is in reference to 3 Nephi 16:4 about the obligations of the covenant people to pray to know of the other tribes.  I can understand that obligation, as that would help them to be aware of the fullness of the gospel as revealed in the Book of Mormon.  My question is whether that obligation persists to this day.  Should we, as Latter-Day Saints, continue to “ask the Father in [Christ’s] name, that [we] may receive of knowledge” of the other tribes?  The language is unclear, and as I read it I cannot tell if that is an obligation or not.  If so, it is one we should take very seriously – it is an obligation established by the Savior himself.

The second thought relates to 3 Nephi 17:14.  At this point, the Savior had already suffered for our sins, and yet He “groaned within himself” because of the sins of the people.  It leads to the inevitable question of the nature of the Atonement, but more than that it raises the question to me of why sins are sins?  It is clear that sin leads to suffering, but why is that?  The short answer and wrong answer is that it is that way because the Lord set it up that way.  The short and right answer is that it is that way because a law exists that establishes it that way.  Neither addresses the why of the law, however.  I have some theories tickling around in my head as to the answer to this question, but I don’t believe that I could coherently put any of them to paper.