Nephi’s writings can place him is an interesting parallel to Paul, both in the possibility of the context of a gentile integration, but also in the theological necessity of understanding the relationship of the law to Jesus’ gospel. Both Paul and Nephi struggled to come up with a solution, and both found one. They appear, however, to be different solutions.
Paul’s solution was to create a gospel of inclusiveness that embraced the gentile without the need for the specific laws of Judaism. Nephi, on the other hand, also comes to the gospel of love and inclusion, but differs on the necessity of maintaining the law. The difference may be reflective of the timing of their different solutions. Paul preaches his gospel of inclusion after Jesus has fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17-18). Nephi is prior to that time, and looks forward to it. Thus Nephi understands that the law will be fulfilled (2 Nephi 25:24) he understands the law as instructive and beneficial until that time.
A further evidence of Nephi’s concern over integration comes from a closer analysis of the part of verse 33 that parallels Galatians: