The last time we saw the Order of the Nehors was in the story of Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah. Although this story occurs almost fourteen years before the events in Ammonihah, they nevertheless deal with the same type of Nephite religious apostasy. The Amalekites and Amulonites “were after the Order of the Nehors,” even though there is no way that the priests of Noah would have known anything about Nehor. While Mormon may have assigned Nehor’s name to the set of religious beliefs, it is pretty clear that this particular form of Nephite apostasy had existed prior to Nehor, and was represented by the priests in the court of Noah, even if not originally among the Amalikites. The general teachings of the Order of the Nehors represents the most common way that Nephites apostatized from their religion.
One of the common expressions of the apostasy was the idea that Jehovah would save all men. That contrasts with the Nephite teaching that an atoning Messiah would be required. That is the last part of the statement that we see in verse 6. The rest of this introduction simply has the people denying that there was a need for Aaron to teach them anything.
When King Lamoni had asked how Ammon knew what he was thinking, Lamoni had reason to believe that Ammon had already discerned his thoughts. The people in the city of Jerusalem had no such sincere question. Their question was one of disbelief. How did he know what they thought? How did Aaron know that they should repent? Hadn’t the people in this Jerusalem built sanctuaries, and worshipped God?