How To Find the Doctrine of Christ in the Scriptures

In 1 Nephi 13:23, Nephi sees that the Bible originally contained the fulness of the gospel as well as the covenants that the Lord made with the house of Israel. He was also shown that when the great and abominable church got ahold of the Bible, they purposefully removed the most plain and precious parts including many of the covenants (vs. 26). They did this that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men, and cause a great many to stumble. They destroyed these truths to protect their own power and by so doing gave Satan control over the entire world. This is such a tragedy!

John chapter 11 recounts the story of Jesus calling forth Lazarus from the tomb. Some believed in Jesus after witnessing this mighty miracle and others went and told the chief priests and Pharisees. What did these religious leaders do? They already knew the Lord performed many miracles but instead of choosing to believe in Him, they were afraid. Afraid of what? They were afraid to lose their own power and position. “If we let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation” (John 11:48). Is it any wonder that other groups of conspiring men would be just as anxious to hide the truth that sets you free rather than giving up their control over you?

Nephi knew that the Gentiles in the last days would be in an awful state of blindness because of what the great and abominable church did to the Bible. He knew that the whole world in our day would “groan under darkness and the bondage of sin” (D&C 84:49). But Nephi also knew that the Lord would preserve the record of his people which would contain “much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious” (1 Nephi 13:34). In His great mercy, the Lord would deliver these words through the Nephite record as a beacon of light and hope for those precious few humble followers of the Lord who are seeking a way out of the darkness. “And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation” (1 Nephi 13:36).

What Covenants Were Lost?

1 Nephi 13:37 restores the most important covenant stripped from the bible by evil men. “Blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end… shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb.” The Lord promises those who seek for Zion that He will show them the way and give them the power to escape the chains of darkness choking this world to death. Joseph Smith restored this truth in his re-translation of the Bible.

How Do We Find Zion?

Nephi expounded on the everlasting covenant we make with the Lord all throughout his writings. As he concluded his work, in as plain language as he could possibly use, he summarized the Lord’s promise to save us in what Nephi called the “Doctrine of Christ” (2 Nephi 31:2). The Lord teaches the exact same path out of the darkness in 3 Nephi 11 which He refers to as “My Doctrine” eight times in that one chapter alone. The Doctrine of Christ should not be a new concept to us, but unfortunately it is. The same wicked powers that removed the true points of the Doctrine of Christ from the Bible are the same powers still working behind the scenes today to cover up, distort, and distract us from the Doctrine of Christ contained within the Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price.

Ask yourself, do you know what it means to be baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost? If not, you aren’t alone, which is shocking considering this ordinance from the Lord will be the most powerful spiritual experience you can have in your life up until the point you receive it. The baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, also known as the 1st Comforter, is an endowment of light and power from the Lord that will give you the strength and direction to endure on the path until you can pass all the tests required to receive eternal life. Literally, if you could see someone’s spirit at the moment they received the 1st Comforter, you would see their light and glory suddenly grow brighter by orders of magnitude!

There is also a 2nd Comforter. In D&C 88:3-5 we read that the 2nd Comforter is when you see Jesus Christ face-to-face in the fulness of His glory and He personally gives you the promise of eternal life. The 2nd Comforter is another major step up in light and glory which qualifies you to become a member of the church of the Firstborn. Both the 1st and 2nd Comforters are events that can be experienced in this life, but very few even know to seek for them. So many are kept from these truths only because they know not where to find them. The forces of darkness have successfully blocked these most plain and precious promises from our scriptural understanding. Fortunately, they cannot block the voice of the Spirit to all those who are willing to offer up unto the Lord a broken heart and contrite spirit.

The Doctrine of Christ is the Lord’s promise that if we come unto Him, He will bless us with the 1st and 2nd Comforters, even in this life. If you desire to obtain these two Comforters, then you must waste and wear out your life seeking for them. Straight is the gate that leads to the 1st Comforter and narrow is the way that leads to the 2nd Comforter. Partially, this means you must walk this path alone. There is no one else that can do this for you. You must do the work. The Lord employs no other keeper at the gate and He cannot be deceived (2 Nephi 9:41).

There are many single verses of scripture, such as 1 Nephi 13:37, that encapsulate the entirety of how we can each obtain the Lord’s great promise of eternal life. “Blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion… for they shall have the gift and power of the Holy Ghost (1st Comforter) and if they endure unto the end… they shall be save in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb (2nd Comforter).”

There are also many additional scriptures that expound further on the individual components of the Doctrine of Christ. Once you understand these components well enough to locate them for yourself, the scriptures will come alive with His Doctrine. It is everywhere. All of the prophets refer to it constantly as they describe their own journeys on the straight and narrow path and plead with us to enter the same gate they did. This promise has been there all along, staring us in the face, but we didn’t have the spiritual eyes to see it. Nevertheless, the most important thing you can do now is learn how to get on the path of receiving your baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, or 1st Comforter, as quickly as possible.

I’ve chosen five verses from Nephi’s sermon in 2 Nephi 31 to illustrate how to discover in the scriptures
for yourself the covenants and commandments contained within the Doctrine of Christ.

The Doctrine of Christ is the word of God and it is delivered to us in four different voices:

1. The voice of the Father
2. The voice of the Son
3. The voice of the Spirit
4. The voice of the Servants 

When prophets in the scriptures speak about the Doctrine of Christ, they usually explain to us where they received it whether it be from the Father, the Son, the Spirit, or the Lord’s true Servants. For example, in Mosiah 3:2 King Benjamin recounts these words were delivered to him by an angel, or servant of the Lord. In 2 Nephi 31:11, Nephi makes it clear that he heard these words straight from the Father. He actually heard Father’s voice and those things Father spoke to him couldn’t have been a more beautiful, simple, clear explanation of the Doctrine of Christ. “Repent” and “Be Baptized” in the name of my Beloved Son. These are the two first major components of the Doctrine of Christ.

Repent  ➡️  Be Baptized

Here, the Doctrine of Christ was delivered to Nephi by the voice of the Son. In this verse, the Lord explains that if we are baptized in His name, that the Father will give us the “Holy Ghost”. He further commands us to “follow Him” and do the things we’ve seen Him do. These are both additional components we can add to our understanding of His doctrine.

Nephi clarifies in verse 13 that we must be willing to take upon us the name of Christ by baptism, which baptism is the “baptism of water.” He also explains that when we receive the Holy Ghost, we do so by receiving the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. It is the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost that is also referred to as the “comforter” in Moroni 8:26, John 14:26, and D&C 39:6 as well as numerous other scriptures. 

Follow Him  ➡️  Repent  ➡️  Baptism of Water  ➡️  1^st Comforter

This verse was spoken to us by the voice of the Lord’s Servant and I so appreciate how much time and effort it must have taken for Nephi to deliver these words to us. I find it hard to imagine that anyone who hasn’t yet put in the work to experience these things for themselves could describe the Doctrine of Christ as beautifully as Nephi. Not to mention what it must have cost him to find the ore, forge it into plates, engrave each character, and then spend his life preserving his record so that it might come unto future generations. I’m so humbled and grateful to have Nephi’s account of the promise the Lord has made that we can come unto Him.

One last detail that Nephi adds to verse 13 is that after we receive the 1^st Comforter, which is when we are baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost, then we can speak with the tongue of angels and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. In addition to speaking with the tongue of angels, the scriptures mention many other blessings that come as a result of seeking for and receiving the 1^st Comforter. There were so many additional “Blessings” that I felt like I had to create an entire new category so I could keep track of them. 

Follow Him  ➡️  Repent  ➡️  Baptism of Water  ➡️  1^st Comforter  ➡️  Blessings

I love verse 14 because it is another recap of everything covered so far all in one verse. When I initially began my own scriptural search for mentions of the Doctrine of Christ, my expectation was that I would find all of the steps necessary to obtain the 1^st and 2^nd Comforters along with all of the blessings that came with that pursuit. I had no idea that along with these great blessings that the Lord would also lay out the consequences of not entering into this covenant with Him.

I created a new category called “Cursings” so I could keep track of what happens to those who refuse to follow this path. This is not a pleasant category. I much prefer to find inspiration and hope in the Doctrine of Christ. But I cannot deny that sometimes the negative consequences can be just as much of a motivator. These consequences are spoken of in the scriptures for a reason and they are very much real. In verse 14, we come to understand that once we have received the 1^st Comforter, if we then deny the Lord, it would be better that we had never known Him.  

Follow Him  ➡️  Repent  ➡️  Baptism of Water  ➡️  1^st Comforter  ➡️  Blessings ➡️ Cursings

In the last of the verses from 2 Nephi 31 that I’ve chosen to illustrate how to locate the Doctrine of Christ in the scriptures, Nephi explains what we must do after we have received the 1^st Comforter. Certainly, you will have arrived at that point by exercising great faith in Christ. Not only great faith, but also with a brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men which is charity, all three of which I will track going forward in the “Follow Him” category. Furthermore, in these final two verses, Nephi explains that if we “Endure to the End”, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have “Eternal Life”.

Follow Him  ➡️  Repent  ➡️  Baptism of Water  ➡️  1^st Comforter  ➡️  Endure to the End  ➡️  Eternal Life  ➡️  Blessings  ➡️  Cursings

What is eternal life as spoken of in this verse, which blessing is promised by the voice of Father? To better understand that we must turn to D&C 88:3-5 which talks about another Comforter, or 2^nd Comforter, which the Lord sends upon His friends. He calls this 2^nd Comforter the Holy Spirit of Promise and it is this comforter which is the promise He gives us of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom. Therefore, when Nephi exhorts us to endure to the end and the voice of Father says ye shall have eternal life, this is what it means to receive the “2^nd Comforter”.

Follow Him  ➡️  Repent  ➡️  Baptism of Water  ➡️  1^st Comforter  ➡️  Endure to the End  ➡️  2^nd Comforter  ➡️  Blessings  ➡️  Cursings

These are the 8 categories I have personally come up with to search for the Doctrine of Christ in the scriptures. They are by no means all-inclusive and they are not meant to be taken as anything other than my own mind’s creation. Having said that, I did not haphazardly come up with them. I have read the main sermons in the scriptures pertaining to the Doctrine of Christ so many times from all of the different prophets that I couldn’t help but see these patterns emerge. Perhaps the greatest sermon of all given on the Doctrine of Christ was spoken by the Lord Himself at His return to those worthy enough to bear His presence which account was recorded in 3 Nephi 11. Now that we have a basic understanding of these categories, we can begin to study what He taught us in that chapter, but His sermon really began in chapter 9.

Approximately 1 year before Jesus Christ appeared to the 2,500 people gathered around the temple in Bountiful, His voice could be heard throughout all the land just after the 3 days of darkness and massive destructions proceeding His death. “Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent,” said the voice (3 Nephi 9:2). Then the voice recounts the destruction of each city burned, sunk, or buried because of their awful wickedness which culminated in them casting out and even murdering the true prophets and followers of Christ among them. Those who were spared, did not necessarily have a testimony of Christ, but they had enough sense not to kill those who did. But now it was time for them to step up and covenant with the Lord to follow Him.

Can you hear the Doctrine of Christ in these verses? 

• “return unto Me” = Follow Him
• “repent of your sins” = Repent
• “be converted” = Follow Him & Repent
• “that I may heal you” = 1^st Comforter
• “eternal life” = 2^nd Comforter

After proclaiming His Doctrine in verses 13 & 14, the Lord proclaims it all again in verses 15-17.

• “my own received me not” = Follow Him
• “receive me” = Follow Him
• “given to become the sons of God” = 1^st Comforter & Blessings
• “believe on my name” = Follow Him
• “redemption” = 1^st Comforter

My entire life, I had no idea that these verses contained the map to get us out of darkness. That map is the Doctrine of Christ. He came unto us to bring us redemption and to save us from sin. If we come unto Him, He promises us the 1^st and 2^nd Comforters. But it gets even better. In verses 19 & 20 the Lord goes on to explain how we can come unto Him. He doesn’t want our sacrifices of blood anymore. He doesn’t want our burnt offerings. He will accept none of those things anymore. What we must offer up instead is a broken heart and contrite spirit.

The Lamanites had faith (Follow Him) at the time of their conversion (Follow Him & Repent) and this is why they were able to receive their 1^st Comforter, which is being baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost. But everything before receiving the 1^st Comforter in this verse could be encapsulated in the commandment to offer up your broken heart and contrite spirit. I love this verse!

You cannot follow Him, or repent, or be converted, or be baptized by water for the remission of sins or receive either Comforter without offering up a broken heart and a contrite spirit. None of it works and none of it is acceptable to the Lord if we aren’t willing to choose His will above our own. He explains this in a different way in verse 22 which is to “come unto Him as a little child”. This is another one of those amazing verses in the Book of Mormon that contains the entirety of the Doctrine of Christ.

• “repenteth” = Repent
• “cometh unto me as a little child” = Broken Heart & Contrite Spirit
• “him will I receive” = 1^st Comforter
• “for of such is the kingdom of God” = 2^nd Comforter
• “repent” = Repent
• “come unto me ye ends of the earth” = Follow Him
• “be saved” = 1^st Comforter

At this point you might be beginning to see how I have taken certain liberties to place phrases that aren’t abundantly clear into one of my eight pre-set categories. I must admit to you, the categories don’t matter. Not at all. They are my own way of searching for and understanding these things. If you came up with your own completely different set of categories, I wouldn’t mind at all. What is important is the process. How you look for the doctrine of Christ doesn’t matter as much as that you start looking for it. Multiple times daily, as I’ve undertaken this study, I’ve had to consult with Lord through prayer what certain phrases meant and how they fit into His doctrine. I do not want to get this wrong and I even less want to lead someone else astray. I do feel very confident in what I’ve written, but I am open to being wrong. I don’t care if I’m proven wrong, in fact I would rejoice in that. I only want to know what is right so I can follow it. I believe approaching the Doctrine of Christ with this attitude is a part of what it means to offer up a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Whatever the Lord says goes. Not my will, but the Lord’s. 

If you have a better way of interpreting any of this, I am all ears. Please, let us compare notes. I love studying the Doctrine of Christ with others. Having said that, I’ll now share below some of the phrases in each category of the Doctrine of Christ I found from the Lord’s teachings in 3 Nephi 9-28.

Each new word or phrase within these categories has expanded my understanding of the Doctrine of Christ. When I read through them individually or all together, I can feel the power behind them. I can feel the truth within them. If you string them together in any order, you are hearing the testimony of the Doctrine of Christ. Try it yourself if you don’t believe me.

Here’s an example:

“Return unto Me and do the works you have seen me do. Come unto me as a little child. Repent of your sins and be converted. Be baptized in My name that I may heal you. And then, if you endure faithfully unto the end, ye shall have eternal life.”

The next time you bare your testimony, try using only the words and phrases from the Doctrine of Christ. Speak only His words, adding nothing and taking nothing away. You will feel their power. This is His Doctrine.

It also helps to feel the spirit when you read single verses that contain all or most of the components of the Doctrine of Christ. Here are a few for your reference from the Lord’s teachings in 3 Nephi 11:

I absolutely love reading these verses. They fill my soul with such joy. I’ve searched for the Doctrine of Christ in all the scriptures. Once you are familiar with how to look for it, you can even find it in the Bible, or at least the remnants of it. Each prophet talks about it a little bit differently. Each adds their own new layers of understanding being careful not to “declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine (because) the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them” (3 Nephi 11:40). I highly recommend searching for the Doctrine of Christ in the scriptures in this way.

Summary

The path begins with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Actually, it begins by hearing the voice which will in some way invite you to come unto Christ. But you will neither hear the voice nor understand the voice, much less be willing to follow the voice, if you are not willing to come unto Christ as a little child. 

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from, or what religion you follow.  Most likely, your current traditions and beliefs are not fully in accordance with the doctrine of Christ. That means at some point on the path you will have to repent. Inevitably, you will have to change quite a few things in your life, big things, major things, things that will shake you up so much that those around you will take notice. Change at that level is not bearable or sustainable without a deep and abiding desire to find the Lord and see His face.

Thankfully, there is a way out of the darkness and gross sins of the world and that is Jesus Christ. We must come unto Him. Seek the Lord. Follow His commandments. Repent and return unto Him. Seek His voice through personal revelation. He will tell you exactly what you must do to repent and be converted unto Him. And when you are converted, you must be baptized in water as a witness that you will take His name upon you, always remember Him, and keep all of His commandments to you. Then He will plead for you before the Father to be able to baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost. This is the 1^st Comforter. With this gift, you become His sons or daughters and can speak with the tongue of angels. This is the gate. If you stay on the straight and narrow path and endure to the end, then you can see His face again and be in His presence in the fullness of His glory. Then He will promise you eternal life. 

All ye seekers of Zion! Blessed are you for the Lord will baptize you with fire and the Holy Ghost.

– Justin