“The Wrath of God is Upon the Seed of Thy Brethren”

Joseph F. McConkie, Robert L. Millet
Nephi witnessed as the Lamanite nation dwindled in unbelief and thus opened themselves to the punishments and cursings associated with a wicked and wayward life. “The soul that sinneth,” Jehovah said through the Prophet Ezekiel, “it shall die.” Further: “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.” (Ezekiel 18:20, 24.)

“The Gospel”

The gospel is the good news, the “glad tidings.... that he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness” (D&C 76:40-41; cf. 3 Nephi 27:13-14). Christ came to preach the gospel, to declare his own position as Lord and Savior-the Way to the Father-and to put into effect the terms and conditions of the plan of the Father. In a broad sense, the gospel embraces all truth, comprehending the verities of science, philosophy, and the arts. In a saving sense or as used in the scriptures, however, the gospel is the proclamation of peace that salvation is in Christ, and the principles of the gospel are those articles of adoption to which one must subscribe to gain citizenship in the kingdom of God. (See Teachings, p. 328.)

Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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