Could we have a better example of steadfastness in the Book
of Mormon than Jacob, the brother of Nephi? His valiant defeat of the
anti-Christ Sherem is the prime example of his unshakeable faith.
Immediately at the beginning of his narration, Jacob made
it clear that Sherem pursued an empty goal to ‘shake him from the faith,
notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which he had seen such
as angels who had ministered to him and hearing the voice of the Lord…..therefore
he could not be shaken’ (Jacob 7:5). And herein begins the formula for guarding
against deceit. Imagine being so spiritually healthy and in tune that you see
angels and hear the voice of the Lord! Which one of us would not want that???
In today’s world of social media, anti-Mormon literature
abounds. Those who are convinced of the propaganda they generate are ever
zealous to prove us wrong in believing our doctrine. It can be stressful and unnerving.
Knowing the scriptures and the teachings of the living prophets goes a long way
to ensuring we are impervious to attempts of deceit but Jacob goes further to
show us an impenetrable shield of faith to withstand falsehoods. He states that
‘the Lord poured his Spirit into his soul’ to enable him to confound Sherem in
his words (Jacob 7:8) and then the very sure, ultimate way, of knowing the
truth: “it has been made manifest unto me by the power of the Holy Ghost”
(Jacob 7:12).
Knowing the scriptures and the teaching of the prophets is a start but the ultimate way to conviction is the power of the Holy Ghost. Once you know by this power, you know…. and nobody can convince you otherwise. This is the power by which Jacob knew if Christ would not come and “there should be no atonement made all mankind must be lost” (v12)…….and because he knew, he could not be shaken. The Holy Ghost is the witness, the testator of truth, the illuminator of our path. We should crave his presence constantly in the caverns of our hearts.
Whereas Jacob
defeated the anti-Christ, he did something even more noble……he influenced his
son Enos to believe the truth which he himself was convinced of. This was his
greatest legacy…passing on his testimony to his posterity. Enos hungered for a
remission of his sins. This hunger came from remembering the words which his
father often spoke about eternal life (Enos 1:3,4). So Enos prayed and received
a remission of his sins, hoping that one day he will hear :"Come unto me,
ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my
Father" (Enos 1:27). This hope he owed to his father Jacob, the brother of
Nephi, the defender of the faith, the foe to the anti-Christ, Jacob the
believer.
(Art: Jacob the Teacher by Elspeth C. Young)
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