33 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.
Nephi is talking to everyone here, not just Laman and Lemuel, when he warns about dying in their sins. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23), and so we are all filthy. Nephi himself later laments that, “my heart groaneth because of my sins” (2 Nephi 4:19). So we all “come short of the glory of God, and so we are all filthy. And no filthy or unclean thing can dwell with God. Thank goodness for the second half of Nephi’s verse (2 Nephi 4:19), and the next verse in Romans (Romans 3:24). If it were not for the Savior, I wouldn’t be better off than Laman and Lemuel when I died. I would die in my wickedness as well, and be cast off, just like Nephi warns his brothers.
That being said, I think the reason no unclean thing can dwell with God could have more to do with another natural law that He can’t break than with a lack of desire to have His children all dwell with Him. I think our Heavenly Father would love to have all His children dwell with him, but, like the law of Justice, there must be some law that says you have to earn that right, and He can’t break that law for the same reasons He can’t break the law of justice. My task is to retain a remission of my sins through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Thank God for that Atonement; it is the only way back to Him.
- Psalm 24:3 (3–4)
- Ezekiel 18:26
- Romans 3:23–24
- 2 Nephi 9:16
- Mosiah 15:26
- Alma 11:37
- Alma 12:16
- Alma 20:17
- Alma 40:26
- Alma 41:3–8
- Moroni 10:26
- D&C 76:62 (50–70)
- Moses 6:57 (55–59)
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