Nephi concludes his record with stirring and profound pleadings to his readers to follow the necessary steps to obtain eternal life. Nephi teaches in 2 Nephi 31–33 about baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, prayer, repentance, and enduring to the end. However, some scholars have pointed out that Nephi may be using these principles of the gospel to underscore sacred principles and teachings of the...

Have you been born again? This question is pretty common in the Christian world today. And yet there is quite a bit of confusion about what it actually means. A number of New Testament scriptures teach about being born again, but it is most famously discussed in John 3:3 . Speaking to a Jewish Pharisee named Nicodemus, Jesus declared, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again,...

The baptism of Jesus Christ is full of rich symbolism and meaning. It’s a significant event in the New Testament because His baptism marks the beginning of his ministry and is a sign that He is the Father’s “beloved son” (Matthew 3:17). However, many readers have asked why Jesus had to be baptized at all, and why it was in the River Jordan. While the New Testament provides some clues about the...

The baptism of Jesus Christ in the New Testament is an immensely important part of Jesus Christ’s life. His baptism marks the beginning of his ministry and is a sign to many of Jesus’s followers that He is the Father’s “beloved son” ( Matthew 3:17 ). But the purpose of baptism, both Jesus’s and his followers’, is left a little vague in the New Testament. What is the purpose of baptism? What is...

The lesson from Come Follow Me for this week centers on John 1 and the topic of recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. The prologue to the Gospel of John ( John 1:1–18 ) introduces us to the pre-existent Christ: “In the beginning … the Word was with God.” Our Savior’s mission began long before He was born in Bethlehem. Holy prophets throughout history foresaw His coming and shared their divine...