From Faith to Knowledge and Covenants

After saying these things to his people, King Benjamin sent messengers among them to ask if they believed his words. All of the people looked up at King Benjamin and shouted with one voice, “Yes, we believe everything you have told us. We know it is the truth because the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent has brought about a mighty change in our hearts. We no longer have any desire to do evil, but only to do good continually. We have seen what is coming through the infinite goodness of God and the manifestations of His Spirit. If it were necessary, we could prophesy of all things. Because we first had faith in what you, our king, told us, we are now overjoyed to have a great knowledge of it ourselves! We are willing to make a covenant with our God to do His will, and to be obedient to His commandments in all things for the rest of our lives. We do not want to bring a never ending torment upon ourselves, and experience God’s wrath, as the angel described.”

King Benjamin responded to the multitude, “This is what I wanted to hear. The covenant you have made is a righteous covenant. Because of the change made in your hearts through faith in His name, and because of the covenant you have made, you will be called the Children of Christ, for today you have been spiritually born of Him, and have become His sons and daughters. Only as Children of Christ can you be made free, for no other name could free you and save your souls from hell. Remember that all who have entered into this covenant with God should be obedient to Him for the rest of their lives. Those who do this will be found at the right hand of God, where Christ is. Those who are righteous will know their name, for they will be called ‘The Children of Christ.’

“Those who do not take the name of Christ upon themselves must be called by another name, and will find themselves on the left hand of God. Children of Christ is the name that I said I would give to you—a name that will never be forgotten in your hearts unless you sin. Remember always to keep this name written in your hearts so that you will not be found on the left hand of God, and so that you will recognize His voice and know the name by which He will call you. For how can you know someone that you have not served, who is a stranger to you, far from the thoughts and intentions of your heart? Does a shepherd keep his neighbor’s goat? No. He will not even allow it to feed among his sheep. He will drive it out, away from his flock. Your fate will be like the goat’s if you do not recognize your Shepherd’s voice and are not one of His sheep.

“Be strong and immovable, always doing good works. If you do this, then Christ the Lord God Omnipotent will seal you His. Then you will be brought to heaven—to everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, power, justice, and mercy of Him who created all things in heaven and earth, who is God above all. Amen.”