Question
Hello
Maybe you can help me. I thought the Bible did as well contain the fullness of the gospel. I can’t find talk about this. Most talks I see say the Book of Mormon only and not the Bible contains the fullness. I have many many Evangelical friends. I’d like to understand this.
Laurie
Answer
Dear Laurie,
While the Bible does contain much of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we learn through the 8th Article of Faith that the Bible is the word of God only “as far as it is translated correctly”. This is further explained in 1 Nephi 13:
24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.
…
28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.
As you can see, originally, the words of the Bible, as it came from prophets and apostles, did contain the fullness of the gospel, but over time, many “plain and precious” truths were removed. This is one of the reasons the Book of Mormon was written and preserved for our day It is one of the reasons the Bible, Book of Mormon, and other latter-day scriptures are to be one in our hands. It is also one of the reasons why we have living prophets and apostles to help us understand and live by what is found in scripture.
All that said, please reassure your friends that we do indeed believe the Bible to contain the word of God, we love it, and we teach from it:
D&C 42:12 And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.
You might find these Gospel Topic subjects to be of interest:
Your Evangelical friends are unlikely to accept this view of the Bible, Laurie, but it is our view, nonetheless. If you are inclined to be bold, and perhaps even if not, please consider inviting your friends to join you in this challenge described by Elder Bruce R. McConkie in October 1983 General Conference:
May I be so bold as to propose a test and issue a challenge. It is hoped that all who take this test will have a knowledge of the Holy Bible, because the more people know about the Bible, the greater their appreciation will be of the Book of Mormon.
This test is for saint and sinner alike; it is for Jew and Gentile, for bond and free, for black and white, for all of our Father’s children. We have all been commanded to search the scriptures, to treasure up the Lord’s word, to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. (See D&C 84:44.) This, then, is the test:
Let every person make a list of from one hundred to two hundred doctrinal subjects, making a conscious effort to cover the whole field of gospel knowledge. The number of subjects chosen will depend on personal inclination and upon how broad the spectrum will be under each subject.
Then write each subject on a blank piece of paper. Divide the paper into two columns; at the top of one, write “Book of Mormon,” and at the top of the other, “Bible.”
Then start with the first verse and phrase of the Book of Mormon, and continuing verse by verse and thought by thought, put the substance of each verse under its proper heading. Find the same doctrine in the Old and New Testaments, and place it in the parallel columns.
Ponder the truths you learn, and it will not be long before you know that Lehi and Jacob excel Paul in teaching the Atonement; that Alma’s sermons on faith and on being born again surpass anything in the Bible; that Nephi makes a better exposition of the scattering and gathering of Israel than do Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel combined; that Mormon’s words about faith, hope, and charity have a clarity, a breadth, and a power of expression that even Paul did not attain; and so on and so on.
You never know where this may lead your friends – perhaps to great joy with you in the kingdom of God. I hope through your friendships you are able to maintain a respectful discourse with your Evangelical friends as you and they learn each others’ beliefs, and encourage one another to be true disciples of Jesus Christ.
Gramps
