As we discuss Nephi 28, I would like you to refer to the two-page table below, which comes from my book, Charting the Book of Mormon (See Figure 1).
To help his readers recognize Satan’s many tools and false teachings, Nephi used phrases to describe false doctrine and wrong attitudes that were applicable in his day but will also arise in most times and places. The accompanying chart (Figure 1) identifies 48 expressions found in 2 Nephi 28 and then uses or coins an "-ism" that puts a convenient label on these 48 tactics that Satan uses to try to lead people away from God. Let’s look at the first few of these statements in some detail and elaborate on how they can be understood. Knowing how the Devil works and seeing his tactics in operation in the ideologies of the world helps us avoid being taken captive by him, who leads people "carefully" under his influence and powers (28:21).
Figure 1 Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. The Ways of the Devil. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 79.
Nephi warns people to be sure that what they build up is built up onto the Lord (28:3). In the modern world, people build organizations, businesses, and even churches, and most often what is "built up," is "not unto the Lord." In particular, Nephi warned people against misappropriating things for their own use that have been given to them for other purposes and are, therefore, violating a stewardship. The dangers of misappropriation are a general concern in the operations of a church as an entity, but may also be done by individuals who happen to belong to that church. They may be misappropriating talents or assets they have and are building up for purposes other than bringing people to God. The Devil is behind acts of self-aggrandizement for political, military, or other purposes, rather than building for the Lord.
Second, his strategy of what may be called "exclusivism" occurs when people claim, "I am the Lord’s" (28:3). What is wrong with a person claiming, "I am the Lord’s?" This statement is a problem when it manifests a sense of pride and selfish privilege to the exclusion of others. Actually, nobody can rightly say "I am the Lord’s," for we are all the Lord’s. As discussed in 2 Nephi 26:33, "all are alike unto God."
Third on the list, Nephi saw that people would "contend one with another" (28:4). Nephi was acutely aware of the problems of living in a contentious society from his days in Jerusalem. When the boy Joseph entered the grove to pray, one of his primary concerns was what to personally make of the many dissensions between the churches of his time. He wanted to know "which of all the sects was right." The Father and the Son addressed Joseph’s concern by recognizing that the various churches built up creeds and then contended one with another.
We most certainly live in a time of contention. Manifestations of contention are all around us. All you have to do is listen to major news outlets to observe arguing, disputation and dissension. We deceive ourselves that this is a good way of getting to the truth, especially when such discourse deteriorates into a contest to see who can shout the loudest. That is really not a good political or democratic solution. People contend and argue and it doesn’t really change much, nor does it seem to ever stop. Nephi gives us a warning: Contention is not of the Lord. It drives out the Spirit. It drives out love. And the devil knows that.
Fourth, Nephi stated that organizations and churches would "teach with their learning" (28:4). One might call this sophism. One should be on guard when those who teach are not teaching with the scriptures, inspiration, and the Holy Ghost.
Fifth, Nephi’s discussion of the manner of teaching was then followed by his observation that such will cynically "deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance" (28:4). As one reads the scriptures or is taught gospel truths, the Holy Ghost can "give utterance" to what is being communicated—through the power of the Holy Ghost, one can know the truth of all things.
In addition, sixth, people will "deny the power of God" (28:5). We can see plenty of this in the modern or post-modern ways of thinking. Arguments are made that feelings from the Spirit cannot be proven by science. People may say that there is no scientific way of proving the existence or intervention of God, or that the Holy Ghost won’t or can’t reveal truth to the mind. This is secularism—a belief that God is not active in the world today and that he doesn’t have the will or the power to affect things.
What does it mean to "deny?" The root word "denego" means to say "no" ("de-negate"). To deny means to refuse or to be negative. People will deny themselves, they will deny other people, and they will even deny that they belong to Christ. There are lots of ways to deny. You can deny something, even when you refuse to acknowledge that you are denying it. One may say, "I do not deny that there is a living prophet on the earth today." But, if we listen to General Conference and do not do what we are instructed to do by modern-day prophets of the Lord, we are effectively denying what we have been told to do by one who has received revelation for the Church. You may not deny that the power of God exists. But you deny the power of God when you do not allow it to work in you, when you do not give it room in your life, when you push it away. The devil wins when people deny the power of God.
Seventh, what about Nephi’s observation that people of our day will say, "the Redeemer hath done his work" (28:5)? Isaiah used the word "Redeemer" in Isaiah 49 to refer to Jehovah—the God of the Old Testament who redeemed Israel from Egypt, who had entered into a covenant with Israel, and who had given Israel the commandments and the Law. Isaiah was speaking to the people living in Jerusalem during his lifetime. They believed that God had done his work, had forsaken them, and was now irrelevant in their lives. Isaiah spoke of the Messiah’s redemptive work that was yet to come: "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands."
Nephi prophesied of a similar attitude in our day: "[B]ehold, there is no God today, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men. … [I]f they shall say there is a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work" (28:6). These statements are forms of skepticism and naturalism.
Nephi was a person who was open to new revelations and new developments. He had seen that the Lord was, and always would be involved in the affairs of man. He knew that the Lord was a God of miracles and always would be. People today speak and behave like the Lord is a thing of the past—he did his work and now "he hath given his power unto men." It is true that God gives his priesthood power to men. But it is still God’s power, and men holding the priesthood act in God’s name. What the prophecy is revealing is that people will say God doesn’t have power anymore. Morality is now just a matter of democracy—the majority rules. People believe that individuals, not God, decide what is right and wrong.