1 Nephi 14:4-5

Verse 4 finishes the thought that we looked at yesterday. Those that follow the devil and do not accept the gospel must be cast down to hell. This is according to the justice of God, and God does not lie.

Verse 5 states that if the Gentiles repent, it shall be well with them. I think that this is true for anyone, too. The angel also states that Nephi knows of the covenants of the Lord with the house of Israel. The angel says, too, that Nephi has also heard that whoso repenteth will not perish, which confirms my earlier thought.

So, my next thought is, what are the covenants of the Lord with the house of Israel? I did a search in the scriptures and found that there was one main reference, the Abrahamic Covenant. (This entry in the Bible Dictionary is truly amazing. It is not long, nor is it eloquent, but if you think about the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to us, it is truly amazing.) I had heard once that this is the secondary theme of the Book of Mormon, the first being to testify of Christ. The theme being that the Lord will fulfill the covenants He made with their fathers.

There were others, too. Like that the Lord would provide a way for the house of Israel in the last days to have the gospel preached unto them. Also, He covenanted with Joseph, a son of Jacob. These covenants are described in the Book of Mormon and were probably taken from the brass plates. Their description starts in 2 Nephi 3:4. The Nephites and Lamanites are mentioned and Joseph Smith is as well. Any covenant with the Lord is powerful. Baptism is a wonderful opportunity to make a covenant, or two-way promise, with someone who will not break it. We renew it every week at church with the sacrament.