1 Nephi 13

There are a number of things that Nephi now sees in his vision and all of them relate to our time in one way or another. I just want to comment on a couple of things. There has always been a debate about who or what the great and abominable church is. I think it is better to put it in more personal terms, to recognize that the Satan is at its heart, and to know its effect on us. If you look at the great and abominable church as anything or anyone who would seek to destroy your testimony, your righteousness and your faith, to me that is the great and abominable church. The great and abominable church loves riches and the praise of man. Those in the great in spacious building, when they weren't mocking those who had found the fruit of the tree, were undoubtedly praising each other. Those of the great and abominable church will seek to destroy the family, to lead individuals into committing sins that are personally designed to keep them captive in them. This church is who markets pornography and all immorality. So whatever would lead you from righteousness and truth, its roots are in that church.

Starting in verse twenty, the angel tells Nephi of a book from the Jews that goes forth among the gentiles. This is the Bible and of course in Nephi's time it doesn't exist yet. The angel explains that great confusion will be found in the Christianity because important parts of the Bible will be taken out. This will cause apostasy and religious blindness in the people including the remains of the Nephites and Lamanites. (It's interesting that he mentions the Nephites who have mixed their seed with the Lamanites.) This confusion is so evident today with more than a thousand different Christian denominations and the conflicting beliefs of them all. The angel promises Nephi that through the Lord's power, the pure and plain truths of his gospel that was lost will be brought forth to end the confusion and the Lord will also bring forth the scriptures created by the Nephites, as well as other books (D&C, Pearl of Great Price), and al of the scriptures that will come forth will not only settle the points of conflict, but will prove the truth of the Bible. Starting in verse 40, the angel tells us four purposes to latter-day scripture: (1) to establish truth and complete what was missing in the Bible, (2) to make known to all people that the Savior is the lamb of God (the one slain) and the Son of God, (3) to know that we must change our lives and come to Savior to be saved from sin and death, (4) that it is through the words of the apostles and prophets found in all scripture that we can know how to come to the Savior.