“Repent ... and Cleave Unto God”

George Reynolds, Janne M. Sjodahl

In the Bible we read, "O Israel, return unto the Lord, thy God, for thou hast stumbled in thine iniquity." Likewise, Jacob implores his brethren to forsake their evil ways and hold fast to God's commandments, "as he cleaveth unto you." This was a call to repentance, and if they would repent with full purpose of heart, that includes going before the Lord in humility, he would be merciful unto them, and would hold them close to his bosom. He warned them that in the light they had received of God's mercy and his kindness, "Harden not your hearts." In other words, be ready, at all times, to receive, also, of his grace and his glory.

Bring forth good fruit and not be cast into the fire. One of the first fruits of repentance is forgiveness; upon reading further the quotation from the Bible, above referred to, the Lord says, "I will heal thy backsliding, I will love thee freely." A higher Judge than you or I has said that a tree is known by the fruit it brings forth. A good tree bringeth forth good fruit and an evil tree, evil fruit. He also says, "A man does not gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles." Therefore, Jacob's comment in verse seven.

Jacob asks of his brethren, why will ye refuse to believe all that has been spoken by the holy prophets concerning Christ and deny his Atoning Sacrifice? Why will ye reject the gift of the Holy Ghost and make a mockery of the plan of salvation and redemption? If you do these things, he said that you will be brought before the bar of God, in that day which is the day of Judgment, "and will stand with shame and awful guilt" before that Great Tribunal. And then in justice, you, having heard all these things, must go and partake of an "endless torment."

Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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