“If These Things Have Ceased Wo Be Unto the Children of Men for It is Because of Unbelief”

Bryan Richards

Hugh Nibley

“When Mormon says that ’a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift’ (Moroni 7:6, 8, 10), he really means it. True, ‘awful is the state of man’ only if ‘faith has ceased’—but faith has ceased! If men insist that there is no redemption, then, sure enough, ‘they are as though there had been no redemption made’ (Moroni 7:38-39). ’If these things have ceased,’ says [Mormon] speaking of gifts of the Spirit (Moroni 7:37), ’wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.’ This is no mere figure of speech; if faith fulfills its own prophecies so does unbelief, and those who insist that all is vain are quite right; if men reject the gospel they will find everywhere powerful confirmation for their unbelief, and undeniable evidence to support their contention that the human predicament is hopeless. Does God cease to do miracles? Indeed he does, ‘and the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief’ (Mormon 9:20). Anyone who says there are no miracles, therefore, can quote Mormon to prove that he is right.” (Since Cumorah, p. 401)

Spencer W. Kimball

"If the Bible were ’the end of the prophets,’ it would be through lack of faith, and that is the reason the heavens at times were closed and locked and became as iron and the earth as brass.
“The Lord will not force himself upon people; and if they do not believe, they will receive no visitation. If they are content to depend upon their own limited calculations and interpretations then, of course, the Lord will leave them to their chosen fate.” (Conference Report, Oct. 1966, p. 22)

GospelDoctrine.Com

References