pgs. 436 and 437...Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live.

13 Enter ye in at the ^astrait gate; for wide is the gate, and ^bbroad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat;

  14 Because strait is the ^agate, and ^bnarrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and ^cfew there be that find it.

  15 Beware of ^afalse prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

  16 Ye shall know them by their ^afruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

  17 Even so every ^agood tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

  18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

  19 Every tree that ^abringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

  20 Wherefore, by their ^afruits ye shall know them.

  21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall ^aenter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.

  22 Many will ^asay to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?

  23 And then will ^aI profess unto them: I never ^bknew you; ^cdepart from me, ye that work iniquity.

  24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a ^arock—

  25 And the ^arain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it ^bfell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

  26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a ^afoolish man, who built his house upon the ^bsand—

  27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

THIRD NEPHI
THE BOOK OF NEPHI
THE SON OF NEPHI, WHO WAS THE SON OF HELAMAN

CHAPTER 15

Jesus announces that the law of Moses is fulfilled in him—The Nephites are the other sheep of whom he spake in Jerusalem—Because of iniquity the Lord’s people in Jerusalem do not know of the scattered sheep of Israel. [A.D. 34]

  1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and said unto them: Behold, ye have heard the things which I ^ataught before I ascended to my Father; therefore, whoso remembereth these sayings of mine and ^bdoeth them, him will I ^craise up at the last day.

  2 And it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses; for they understood not the saying that ^aold things had passed away, and that all things had become new.

  3 And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that old things had passed away, and that all things had become ^anew.

  4 Behold, I say unto you that the ^alaw is fulfilled that was given unto Moses.

  5 Behold, ^aI am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to ^bfulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.

  6 Behold, I do ^anot destroy the prophets, for as many as have not been fulfilled in me, verily I say unto you, shall all be fulfilled.

  7 And because I said unto you that old things have passed away, I do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning things which are to come.

  8 For behold, the ^acovenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me.

  9 Behold, I am the ^alaw, and the ^blight. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall ^clive; for unto him that ^dendureth to the end will I give eternal life.

  10 Behold, I have given unto you the ^acommandments; therefore keep my commandments. And this is the law and the prophets, for they truly ^btestified of me.

  11 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he ^asaid unto those twelve whom he had chosen:

  12 Ye are my ^adisciples; and ye are a ^blight unto this people, who are a remnant of the house of ^cJoseph.

  13 And behold, this is the ^aland of your inheritance; and the Father hath given it unto you.

  14 And not at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should ^atell it unto your brethren at Jerusalem.

  15 Neither at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell unto them concerning the ^aother tribes of the house of Israel, whom the Father hath led away out of the land.

  16 This much did the Father ^acommand me, that I should tell unto them:

  17 That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one ^ashepherd.

  18 And now, because of ^astiffneckedness and ^bunbelief they ^cunderstood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the ^dFather concerning this thing unto them.

  19 But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded me, and I tell it unto you, that ye were ^aseparated from among them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their iniquity that they know not of you.

I wonder what it was like for these people of Nephi to change from living the law of Moses to living the new law that Christ was giving them.  They must have expressed some concern or surprise because he spoke so reassuringly in chapter 15 that the new law would lead to eternal life.  The only thing I can think to compare it to is the white handbook rules that missionaries are asked to live.  These rules are so much more restrictive than the commandments given to the general church but they lead to a wonderful outpouring of the Spirit to those who carry the mantle of the missionary calling.  I'm sure as time went on the Nephites were pleasantly surprised at the blessings which came from understanding and living this new and higher law.  They went from living in the light of the law of Moses to living in the even warmer and brighter light of Christ's law.