3 Nephi 14

Teachings of Christ continued

If you do not judge, you will not be judged

I think this is more at mercy. If you are merciful to people, you will obtain mercy. If you are merciless to people, you will not obtain mercy.

Elder Oaks gave an excellent talk on judgment. He identified two kinds of judgment: final judgment and intermediate judgment.

Of final judgment he said, " I believe that the scriptural command to “judge not” refers most clearly to this final judgment, as in the Book of Mormon declaration that “man shall not … judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord” (Morm. 8:20).

"The effect of one mortal’s attempting to pass final judgment on another mortal is analogous to the effect on an athlete and observers if we could proclaim the outcome of an athletic contest with certainty while it was still under way. A similar reason forbids our presuming to make final judgments on the outcome of any person’s lifelong mortal contest.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “While one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard; … He holds the reins of judgment in His hands; He is a wise Lawgiver, and will judge all men, … ‘not according to what they have not, but according to what they have,’ those who have lived without law, will be judged without law, and those who have a law, will be judged by that law” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 218)." (Dallin H. Oaks, “‘Judge Not’ and Judging,” Ensign, Aug 1999, 7)

Regarding this quote by Joseph Smith … in the business world, this appears to be the standard too when it comes to audits. In the IT industry and in our company, there isn't necessarily a rule book for everyone to follow. Rather, committees are formed and pass a set of regulations. When audit comes along, they will not judge whether we are following good practices or not, instead they will look at what rules we've applied to ourselves and then judge us according to those rules.

To bring this back to the Gospel … it matters not how many commandments have ever been given. What is important is what commandments we have been given in our dispensation and if we have been taught them and if we have kept them.

Ask and it shall be given

This references prayer. If we lack knowledge, then we should ask and God will grant it to us. As the saying goes, it never hurts to ask.

This counsel is perhaps the most often repeated declaration in the scriptures. If the Lord repeats it so much, then there must be something to it.

Do unto others as you would have them do to you – the Golden Rule

If I want to be loved, then I should love.

Enter the straight gate

If you want to enter the kingdom of God, you must enter at the entrance. You will not obtain the kingdom of God if you do not follow the given rules.

The cliché goes "all roads lead to Rome." But with regards to the Kingdom of Heaven … only one road leads there.

Beware of false prophets

Always listen to the authorized servants of God. Never put your trust in people who seem to have the spirit of God with them. Follow those who are authorized to teach the gospel.

Produce good fruit (works)

In order to produce good fruit (works), then one must be good himself. You cannot be evil and produce good fruit and vice versa.

All can hear the words and teachings of Christ, but who will heed them?

Only those who heed his teachings will benefit from them. Those who do not do the teachings of Christ will perish.