Mosiah Chapter 4: On Rest, Charity, Virtue, and Confidence

It was a highlighted verse in the chapter that first caught my eye during today’s personal morning scripture study of Mosiah Chapter 4⎯King Benjamin addressing his people:

Mosiah Chapter 4, Verse 27

“And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.”

So many of us love this verse, don’t we? We, perhaps, are quick to remind ourselves and others how often Jesus rested, and of our personal need for rest.

All this is perfectly true and valid, but I wonder…

I wonder if we’ve forgotten about the other powerful verses found in Mosiah Chapter 4? This question was prompted by the Holy Spirit this morning, as my intent had been to read only one or two verses and spend time reflecting on them. Instead, I found myself reading the entirety of Mosiah Chapter 4.

Posts may contain affiliate links, including Amazon links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. See disclosure policy for details.

Mosiah Chapter 4

Four Themes

Upon reading the chapter, four themes immediately stood out:

First, the profound humility and willing discipleship of King Benjamin’s people

Second, the sheer number of specific things we as disciples of Jesus Christ are asked to do.

Third, the consequences that will take place when we choose to be obedient verses when we choose not to be obedient.

Fourth, how to know where we stand before God in every moment of our lives

Below is a summary of these four themes:

1). The Humility and Discipleship of the People

• “…they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them” (vs 1)

• “…they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth…” (vs 2)

• “…they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified” (vs 2)

• “…for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men” (vs 2)

• The people were awakened to their own nothingness: “…the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state” (vs 5)

• The people understood that they were beggars: “For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

“And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.” (vs 19-20)

2) What We as Disciples of Jesus Christ are Asked to Do

Part One

• “… because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them” (vs 3) the people were blessed with the Spirit, joy, a remission of their sins, and peace of conscience. We, too, are called upon to have faith and believe the words of God’s chosen prophets.

• We are called upon to become familiar with the character of Jesus Christ, and of of His atonement, which understanding will bring about a desire to trust in the Lord, keep His commandments, and continue faithful throughout our lives:

“…if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his lives” (vs 6)

• We are invited to accept the conditions of the Atonement of Jesus Christ: “…is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you” (vs 8; see the conditions in verse 6)

Part Two

• “Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.” (vs 9)

• “…ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them” (vs 10)

• “…always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come” (vs 11)

• Do “not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due” (vs 13)

• Do “not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin” (vs 14)

• “…teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another” (vs 15)

• “…ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

Part Three

“Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—

“But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God” (vs 16-18)

• “And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another” (vs 21)

• “for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants” (vs 26)

• “…whosoever among you borroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he borroweth” (vs 28)

3) The Consequences of our Actions

• For their humility shown in verses one and two, “…the Spirit of the Lord came upon [the people], and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience” (vs 3)

• “…if ye do this [see conditions in verse 11] ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true” (vs 12)

• “And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.

“I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world.” (vs 22-23)

• “… if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish…” (vs 30)

4) How to Know Where We Stand Before God in Every Moment of our Lives

• “And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.

“And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just...” (vs 24-25)

Charity, Virtue, and Confidence

Found within the verses of Mosiah Chapter 4 is a guide for developing charity, virtue, and confidence before God. Why does this matter? Consider President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to the world during April 2025 General Conference:

Conclusion

As I reflect again on verse 27 of Mosiah Chapter 4…

“And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength”…

…I am more determined than ever to strive to rest at appropriate times physically, mentally, and emotionally, but to never rest spiritually, for the cost for doing so is too high.

“And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.

“But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.” (vs 29-30)

Consider:

What thoughts do you have regarding verse 27 in Mosiah Chapter 4?

What insights have you had from your personal morning scripture study?

Resources

Read Mosiah Chapter 4

Study Confidence in the Presence of God by President Nelson

Study Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence by Elder Jorg Klebingat

Image Credit: Head of Christ by Emmanuel Tzanès, Greek, Public Domain

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• YouTube