The day of which Nephi speaks is the day spoken of by Isaiah, when the Book of Mormon comes forth (2 Nephi 27; Isaiah 29). These verses describe the teachings of the various churches in Joseph Smith’s day. All claim to be the Lord’s church (v. 3) and contend with one another over which one is right (v. 4). Nephi’s description fits perfectly the situation in Joseph Smith’s teen years that led him to ask, “which of all the sects was right?” (JS—History 1:18).
5 Some time in the second year after our removal to Manchester, there was in the place where we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It commenced with the Methodists, but soon became general among all the sects in that region of country. Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, “Lo, here!” and others, “Lo, there!” Some were contending for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist. [JS—History 1:5]
Because of the religious fervor that spread throughout the country, historians refer to the time as the “burned over district,” one religious revival after another.
The mission of the Holy Ghost is to “teach you in all things and bring all things to your remembrance” (John 14:26). Without the Holy Ghost, which Nephi sees the priests are denying, they are left to their own reasoning and learning (v. 4). It was the same condition that Paul warned against: “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:7).
Denying revelation or the power of God by saying God does not work with men today, that his work was completed in Jesus’ day (v. 5) infers that God is unfair and a respecter of persons. As Nephi said earlier “all are alike unto God” (2 Nephi 26:33). Jesus reveals the answer to this false supposition in the following chapter (2 Nephi 29) so we will leave further response until then. Those who deny miracles, again saying God has done his work, that miracles ended with the apostles of old (v. 6), are without faith. In Mormon’s word; “if these things [miracles] have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made” (Moroni 7:38).
The churches teaching that all will be saved eventually, that this life is just to experience mortality (v. 7), is a slight variation of Satan’s alternate plan to the Father’s—the idea that was rejected in the beginning in which Satan said “I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor,” thus he “sought to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4: 1, 3). Agency is the gift of God that allows men “to act for themselves and not be acted upon” (2 Nephi 2:26) as was discussed in Chapter 2 of this work.
Those who say God “will justify in committing a little sin … there is no harm in this … and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God” (v. 8) are saying in the language of our day that God loves all his children unconditionally, no one is perfect, he doesn’t expect perfection. Jesus taught: “I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect” (3 Nephi 12:48; see also Matthew 5:48). God’s love is perfect (1 John 4:18), but there are conditions placed upon his blessing his children. As Nephi said, “the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God” (1 Nephi 17:35). In a modern revelation, the Lord said: “If you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness” (D&C 95:12). Nephi is warning us against this reasoning.