This chapter is the second part of the original Mormon Chapter IV, which consisted of our current chapters 8 and 9. These are Moroni’s closing words on his father’s record. At the end of our Chapter 8, Moroni was describing the conditions of the wicked at the last days.
In this part, he turns to a specific set of people, “those who do not believe in Christ.” His hope, of course, is to get them to open their minds and hearts to believe in Him. Therefore, he asks those who do not believe in Christ if they do not think that they might change their minds when the last days come, “in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God [Jesus Christ].”
When they are in that situation, they will no longer be able to deny the Christ. The important question is “do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws?” This concept that our own hearts and souls will determine our final judgment (seen in verses 3–5) is more strongly stated in Doctrine and Covenants 88: 22-24:
“For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.”