Deuteronomy 8:3 in the Old Testament declares that “man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.” When Christ was tempted by the devil in the wilderness at the beginning of His ministry, He echoed this scripture, “saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:4).
By Study
The eighth Article of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints declares: “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.” (The Pearl of Great Price, The Articles of Faith 1:8.)
Assignment
Study the following chapter from the Church manual Gospel Principles, which is available free online in electronic form or in hard copy for members at the Church’s online store and for anyone else here (the chapters listed below all have links to the online version):
Also study the following Gospel Topics essay:
By Faith
Just as we must eat daily in order to keep our physical body in proper order, so too we must “feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 32:3) regularly if we are to gain and maintain spiritual health. To understand the scriptures also requires following the principles and ordinances of the gospel.
An entire generation after King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon lacked faith and refused baptism. “And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened” (Mosiah 26:3).
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, however, exercised faith and were baptized. As a result, Joseph recounted, “Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the scriptures laid open to our understandings, and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before had thought of” (Joseph Smith—History 1:74).
Assignment
Establish a regular time each day to study the scriptures. Then ask what one thing in your life you could change to become more worthy and prepared to understand the scriptures. Do that thing.
Credit for the image at top of the page: Stock photo from depositphotos.com.
