The People Cry Out for Mercy
When King Benjamin finished delivering the words the angel had given him, he looked out over the crowd. They had all collapsed to the ground, overcome by the presence of the Lord. They saw themselves as they really were—fallen, sinful, worth less than dust. Together they cried out: “Have mercy on us! Let the blood of Christ cleanse us so our sins can be forgiven and our hearts made pure. We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who made heaven and earth and everything in them—the One who will come down to walk among us.” After they spoke these words, the Spirit of the Lord came over them. Joy flooded their hearts. Their sins were washed away, and they felt deep peace because of their faith in Jesus Christ—the One King Benjamin had told them about.
The King Continues His Message
King Benjamin spoke again: “My friends, my brothers and sisters, my family, my people—I need your attention one more time. Listen carefully to what I’m about to say. If knowing how good God is has opened your eyes to how small you are, how broken and fallen— if you’ve come to see God’s goodness, his unmatched power, his wisdom, his patience, his incredible endurance with us all—and if you understand that the atonement has been prepared since the beginning of the world so that anyone who trusts in the Lord, who obeys his commands and holds on to faith until the end of this life— that person receives salvation through the atonement prepared for everyone from the very foundation of the world—for all people who ever lived since Adam fell, who are living now, and who will ever live until the end of the world. This is how salvation comes. There is no other way. No other conditions can save you except the ones I’ve just told you.
What You Must Believe and Do
Believe in God. Believe that he exists and made all things in heaven and on earth. Believe he has all wisdom and all power, in heaven and on earth. Believe that we can’t understand everything the Lord understands. And this too: Believe you must turn from your sins and leave them behind. Humble yourselves before God and honestly ask him to forgive you. If you believe all these things, live them out.
As I said before, you’ve come to know God’s glory. You’ve tasted his goodness, felt his love, and received forgiveness for your sins—and that brought incredible joy to your hearts. So I want you to remember, always remember, how great God is. Remember your own weakness. Remember his goodness and patience toward you, even though you don’t deserve it. Humble yourselves completely. Call on the Lord every day. Stand firm in the faith the angel told us about. If you do this, you’ll always be filled with joy and with God’s love. You’ll keep your forgiveness fresh. You’ll grow in your understanding of the One who created you—in your knowledge of what is right and true. You won’t want to hurt each other. You’ll live in peace and give everyone what they deserve.
Care for Your Children
You won’t let your children go hungry or naked. You won’t let them break God’s laws, fight with each other, or serve the devil—the master of sin, the evil spirit our ancestors warned us about, the enemy of everything good. Instead, you’ll teach them to live honestly and soberly. You’ll teach them to love one another and serve one another.
Help Those in Need
And you yourselves will help those in need. You’ll share what you have with anyone who’s struggling. Don’t turn away a beggar and leave him to suffer.
Maybe you’ll say, ‘This man brought his misery on himself. I won’t help him. I won’t share my food or my resources with him. He deserves what he’s getting.’ But listen: whoever thinks this way needs to repent—badly. If you don’t repent of this attitude, you’ll be lost forever. You’ll have no place in God’s kingdom.
We Are All Beggars
Aren’t we all beggars? Don’t we all depend on God for everything we have—our food, our clothes, our gold, our silver, all our wealth? Just now you were calling on his name, begging for forgiveness. Did he let you beg in vain? No. He poured out his Spirit on you. He filled your hearts with joy so overwhelming you couldn’t even speak. So if God—who made you, who you depend on for your very life and everything you have—gives you whatever you ask for in faith, shouldn’t you share what you have with each other? If you judge and condemn someone who asks you for help, how much harsher will your own condemnation be for withholding what doesn’t even belong to you but to God—just like your life belongs to him? Yet you don’t even ask forgiveness or repent for refusing to help.
I’m telling you: That person will lose everything. I’m saying this to those of you who are rich in this world’s goods. And to those of you who are poor, who have just enough to get by day to day, who turn away beggars because you don’t have extra—I want you to say in your hearts, ‘I’m not giving because I don’t have anything to give. But if I had it, I would.’ If you say this honestly, you’re innocent. Otherwise you’re condemned, and your judgment is fair—because you’re coveting what you don’t have.
Give Wisely and Remember
For the sake of everything I’ve said—so you can keep your forgiveness fresh day by day and walk without guilt before God—share what you have with the poor. Everyone should give according to what they have: feed the hungry, clothe those with nothing to wear, visit the sick, and help them in every way you can, both spiritually and physically, according to their needs. Make sure you do all this wisely and in good order. Don’t push yourself beyond your strength. But do be diligent, so you can win the prize. Everything must be done in order. And remember this: if you borrow something from your neighbor, return it just as you agreed. Otherwise you sin—and you might cause your neighbor to sin too.
I can’t list every way you might sin. There are too many to count. But I can tell you this: if you don’t watch your thoughts, your words, and your actions—if you don’t keep God’s commands and hold on to faith in our Lord’s coming until the end of your life—you’ll be lost. So remember what I’ve said, and don’t let yourself be lost.“