The Goodman Letters

Several years ago, after the pattern of The Screwtape Letters written by C.S. Lewis, I wrote the Goodman Letters. For those who don't know, The Screwtape Letters are letters from a supervisory devil to a devil assigned to certain people. In the Goodman Letters, Boggs is the devil assigned to Goodman, and Nehor is his supervisor. The "enemy" is God. The 'Master' is Satan. The name Boggs comes from Governor Boggs who ordered the Mormons to leave Missouri. The name Nehor is from the Book of Mormon. His religion was the most popular in the Book of Mormon.

Dear Boggs,

Goodman is now under your watch, but I don't feel like you need to do anything other than to observe at this point. He is quite content that he is a good man who performs well, and is a good example to his friends and family. He has a very good image of himself, which others share as well. His family, his coworkers and ward members reinforce his image and flatter him that he is nice and well respected. He views his recent calling as a High Councilor as a reward for his goodness, and he now has an additional group of men who will also reinforce his image. For the moment, he uses the enemy's scriptures as part of his image, and considers himself one of the good guys.

Nehor

Dear Boggs,

You missed something last week concerning Goodman that you need to watch. He was asked in a gospel doctrine class if he compared himself to the older or younger brother in the parable of the prodigal son. The question had never occurred to him before that, as he had always compared himself with the older brother who had remained faithful. But Samuel planted a seed and he left the classroom thinking about it. Fortunately he didn't have time to ponder the question because he was stopped in the hallway by the bishop who thanked him for the wonderful talk he gave in meeting last week, and flattered him sufficiently that the parable did not come back into his mind. Watch him this week and hopefully he will stay so busy with work, family and church that he won't get beyond his duty to read the scriptures and actually hear the parable.

Nehor

Dear Boggs,

Good work keeping Goodman out of that gospel doctrine class last week. There are a few in that class who are actually listening to Samuel and likening the scriptures unto themselves. Once they do, and continue to do so, our work is much more difficult. So far Goodman hasn't considered it, as you have been successful in keeping him focused on doing his duty and keeping the commandments. That was ingenious of our Master to emphasize the outward performances. Use this with Goodman. Keep him active and self-sufficient in his talents and abilities, taking strength unto himself. Make sure others praise him and keep telling him what a good man he is. So far he believes it and as long as he does, our work will go smoothly.

Nehor

Dear Boggs,

I have been concerned about Samuel. For some reason he has taken it upon himself to go out of his way to befriend Goodman. Last week in the hallway at church, Samuel gave Goodman an article on the prodigal son. Your job this week is to make sure that Goodman does not read it. Samuel is a problem for you. Your predecessor lost his job because of Samuel. So far Goodman only sees Samuel as someone he is glad he is not--unsuccessful in most areas of his life, whose wife complains to others that he can't keep a decent job. She said he spends all his time reading and studying the enemy's words and doesn't live in the real world. (Another stroke of genius of our Master--the real world!) But Samuel has a gift from the enemy, and the enemy can get to Goodman through Samuel. You must see to it that Goodman continues to see himself as better than Samuel, but more importantly tempt him that his works are good and that he is good. He cannot be allowed to see the evil in himself. If he does you will lose him.

Nehor

Dear Boggs,

I see that Samuel was released last week, and no one with the gift of knowledge was called to replace him. Isn't it good that our Master has caused them to ignore the gifts of the enemy? It certainly makes our work easier. I don't think you are aware, however, that Goodman's wife found the article on the prodigal son, and read it last week. Unfortunately it touched her that the enemy can love both sons equally and that the enemy and his angels actually rejoiced over the prodigal son coming home. And worse, she wanted Goodman to read it, and because she asked he did. Fortunately he still saw himself as the elder brother who had been faithful, and you need to reinforce his faithfulness this week, which should not be too difficult. But watch Mrs. Goodman closely. She actually thanked Samuel for giving them the article. So guess what? Samuel gave her an article on the lost sheep, and asked her to think about why the enemy would describe the ninety and nine as those 'who need no repentance?' Your work is cut out for you, even though Goodman is still caught up in his goodness. In fact the stake president told his entire high council that they were righteous men. Good for us.

Nehor

Dear Boggs,

You fool! What good are you if you can't see what is happening? You were content to think that Goodman was already ours. No one ever is ours until the enemy no longer allows them to turn to him. I told you to watch Samuel. You didn't and Mrs. Goodman is asking for more articles and has started to really read the enemy's scriptures. I fear that your influence over Goodman is weakening, even though he still hasn't got a clue. I warned you that the enemy would use Samuel to get to Goodman. But you say it is only Mrs. Goodman. You are a stupid devil! Once the enemy's spirit gets to her, you can bet your job on the fact that she will turn her efforts to Goodman. Our only hope is that Goodman continues to love his place on the stand. Make sure that he does! And make sure that the enemy's scriptures stay on Goodman's table!

Nehor

Dear Boggs,

I feel very good about the majority of the people under your watch. They continue to teach their own doctrines mingled with the enemy's scriptures. Their discussions are low and vulgar as their founder Smith said. And they worship their false gods at the same time they give lip service to the enemy. Samuel does, however, have several of your people moving from pride to humility. This kind of cancer can spread to your whole community. Just the other day Mrs. Goodman told her husband that what she used to believe and what the enemy's scriptures tell her are not even close to the same. She has discovered that it is not about her own goodness but the enemy's. Goodman was upset with Samuel for feeding this stuff to his wife, but did acknowledge that his wife seemed much more humble. But the good news for us is that Goodman was given a promotion and will make twice as much money. The Goodmans are moving to a much nicer neighborhood! Your work with them is done. They will now be under the watchful eye of Trump.

Nehor,

Dear Trump,

As you are aware the Goodmans are moving to your neighborhood. I know you have talked with Boggs and have some background on both Goodman and Mrs. Goodman. Even with this move, I am still worried about Mrs. Goodman, even though these new circumstances will make it more difficult for her. But as long as Goodman can provide her with security, there is hope that her new found dependence on the enemy, will either replace or at least compete with the financial security she so desires. Either way will work for us. I understand that their new house is large and beautiful, but not the largest in their neighborhood, and that will also work in our favor. They, or at least Goodman, now has the trappings to go with his desired self image. He will spend much of his time comparing himself among his neighbors. (You have always had the easiest job!) You should't have much trouble with them as long as they build their portfolio and gain the security they desire. See that they do, and make sure that they thank the enemy daily for all that they receive (deserve), and remain active in their congregation.

Nehor

The Gospel is About Our Unworthiness

Alma teaches his son Shiblon that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is about our unworthiness and not our goodness, righteousness or obedience.

"Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethern; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethern in mercy--yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times" (Alma 38:14).



Our attempts to establish our own righteousness, come as a result of having a zeal but not according to knowledge. Paul said: 

"Brethern, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 

For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. 

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (Romans 10:1-4 emphasis added).

The Lord teaches us that man cannot be righteous because righteousness requires both omniscience and omnipotence to know what should be done and to have the power to do it. So righteousness is of God, never of man. The gospel of Jesus Christ is about how to obtain the righteousness of God, and to either choose the righteousness of God (Good) or everything else (Evil), which is the definition of Good and Evil in the scriptures, and why I use a capital "G" and a capital "E" in describing Good and Evil. Human goodness (with a small "g") is flawed goodness and we can never be good enough to live our way back to His presence. That is why Christ reminds us that "there is none good but one, that is God;..." (Matt 19:17; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19), and why we "look to God and live" (Alma 37:47).

So the Gospel of Jesus Christ is about our nothingness and His goodness, and until we come to recognize this, and experience it, we will put our trust in men and make flesh our arm, and confuse righteousness with performing ecclesiastical duties, and go about to establish our own righteousness.

The formula of His goodness and our nothingness is the basis for both faith and repentance, which is what both Paul and Mormon describe as godly sorrow. (2 Cor. 7:17; Mormon 2:13) This is the subject matter of King Benjamin's discourse, which was not his actually, but the words of God delivered to him by an angel.

Let me illustrate further. The parable of the Pharisee and the Publican is about self righteousness and unworthiness, and after the Publican went back to his house justified, what would you, as his bishop, require of him following that experience? Would you be tempted to make him into a Pharisee by measuring his worth based on his worthiness, or would you trust the Lord to do the same the next week and the next, as long as the Publican was humble and recognizing his unworthiness? Remember that this parable was given to the Pharisees who "trusted in themselves that they were righteousness" (Luke 18:9-14).

And said another way by C.S. Lewis: "How is it that people who are quite obviously eaten up with Pride can say they believe in God and appear to themselves very religious? I am afraid it means they are worshiping an imaginary God. 

They theoretically admit themselves to to be nothing in the presence of this phantom God, but are really all the time imagining how He approves of them, and thinks them far better than ordinary people: that is, they pay a pennyworth of imaginary humility to Him and get out of it a pound's worth of Pride towards their fellow-men. ...  

Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good--above all, that we are better than someone else--I think we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil" (Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis p. 96).

And the two major concerns of both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young when it came to members of the Church? Self-righteousness and covetousness.

"...yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times" (Alma 38:14).

The Cart Before The Horse

As most already know, the expression the cart before the horse is an idiom or proverb used to suggest that something is done contrary to a conventional or culturally accepted order or relationship. A cart is a vehicle which is pulled by a horse, so to put the cart before the horse is an analogy for doing things in the wrong order.

For purposes of this article I will change this definition to read that the expression the cart before the horse is an idiom I use to suggest that more often than not our approach to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is contrary to the revealed word of God. I use this idiom to describe our tendency as Ephramite Gentiles to put ourselves (the cart) before our Savior (the horse). 

And how do we do that? Simply by making the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation, the power of us unto salvation.

To illustrate, I was attempting to explain to our home teacher how we make the Gospel about our works and our activities. He responded with the statement, "but we have to do something! We have so much to do in the church." And indeed we do, but not the kind of work he was referring to. So the questions are--

1) What work are we to be doing? 

2) Why are we to be doing this work? 

3) When are we to be doing this work? 

Q. What work are we to be doing? 

A. Works of righteousness, His works, the fruits of our repentance, done by the power and gifts of God.

This is important so as not to put the cart before the horse.

Christ defines His Gospel in 3 Nephi 27. But before He defines His Gospel, He reminds us that in order for it to be His Church, regardless of its name, the people must be built upon His Gospel or the works of God and not built upon the works of men or upon the works of the devil. If built upon our works, He explains, we can have joy in our works for a season, but "by and by the end cometh, and they (who have joy in their works) are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return. For their works do follow them, for it is because of their works that they are hewn down..." (3 Nephi 27:11-12 emphasis added).

He then gives us His Gospel. 

"And this is the gospel
which I have given unto you---
that I came into the world
to do the will of my Father,
because my Father sent me" (3 Nephi 27:13 emphasis added). 

Hence He is the Gospel, the good news. 

He is to be lifted up upon the cross so that He might draw all men (you and me and everyone else) unto Him, 

"that as I have been lifted up
by the Father, even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they (their works) be good or whether they be evil" (3 Nephi 27:14). 

He explains that for this cause--all men lifted up--He was lifted up so that He will draw all men unto Him, that they may be judged according to their works.

So by default we all face the prospect of standing before God to be judged of our works. Christ then gives us the good news--His Gospel--which is the result of His works and His righteousness and not our own. 

"And it shall come to pass,
that whoso repenteth 
and is  baptized in my name
shall be filled (Holy Ghost),
and if he endureth to the end,
behold, him will I hold guiltless 
before my Father at that day,
when I shall stand to judge the
world" (3 Nephi 27:16 emphasis added).  

He then tells us that if we do not repent and endure to the end, we will be hewn down and cast into the fire because of the justice of God (3 Nephi 27:17). 

He then makes clear that: 

"this is the word (His Father's word) which he has given unto the children of men" (3 Nephi 27:18). 

God has spoken this, it has been recorded, we have His word and we are therefore left without excuse. 

"No unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness (in Him), unto the end" (3 Nephi 27:19 emphasis added).

He then again tells us what we are to do: 

"Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may be found spotless before me at the last day" (3 Nephi 27:20 emphasis added) 

He then concludes by saying 

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel..." (3 Nephi 27:21 emphasis added).

It is clear from His definition of His gospel that our role is to be prepared to stand before Him and be either judged of our works, or be found guiltless.

If we are repenting, have been baptized, have been filled with the Holy Ghost, and have validated our repentance by enduring with faith in Him, to the end, we will then be found guiltless. It is one or the other--His Justice (judged of our works) or His Mercy!

But more specifically, what do we do? Paul tells us that like the Jews we have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge, 

"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth" (Romans 10:2-4 emphasis added). 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is about His righteousness, not ours! 

And so why do we spend most of our time going about to establish our own righteousness, by doing our works?

The opposite is best illustrated by Lehi's statement to his son Jacob where he says: 

"I know that thou art redeemed because of the righteousness of thy redeemer" (2 Nephi 2:3 emphasis added). 

When we put the cart before the horse we make the gospel about our righteousness, our obedience and our goodness instead of His goodness and His righteousness.

Other illustrations include the following:

"And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him" (2 Nephi 2:10 emphasis added), and not according to the truth and holiness which is in them.

"...there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God save it be through the merits, and mercy and grace of the Holy Messiah... (2 Nephi 2:8 emphasis added).

"And if ye believe on his name ye will repent of all your sins, that thereby ye may have a remission of them through his merits" (Helaman 14:13 emphasis added).

The scriptures make clear that our being saved is not based on our merits, "and since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself" (Alma 22:14 emphasis added). 

Contrast this with the truth that we are to rely wholly and alone upon His merits (2 Nephi 31:19; Moroni 6:4), and it should be clear that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation.

But what do we teach and hear so often in our local church meetings and classes? We hear that it is about us, about our obedience, about our worthiness, our goodness and our righteousness, about our good works, about 'living' the gospel, about staying on the covenant path, and about the fruits of our labors. 

Instead of attaining to the righteousness of Christ by faith in Christ, we attempt to attain to righteousness of God through our works, calling them good. Paul reminds us that this is, and has always been the stumbling stone of Israel. (Romans 9:30-33).

Alma describes the works of righteousness as the fruits of our repentance, and we are reminded many times that we cannot of ourselves bring forth any good fruit. He is the vine and we are the branches and the branches cannot bring forth fruit of themselves. He explains that He is the true vine, but that His Father is the husbandman. "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. ...As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:1-8 emphasis added).

In fact whenever we rely upon our own strength we corrupt the vineyard (Jacob 5:48), and are ready to be hewn down and cast into the fire because the fruits we bring forth are corrupt. They are corrupt because they come from us, who are corrupt. It is only through His goodness and His righteousness that we can be saved from being hewn down and cast into the fire. Putting ourselves before the cart is the same as taking strength unto ourselves and believing that through our strivings, our hard work, our discipline, our successes, our righteousness, and our good and charitable works that we can have eternal life.

Korihor was Anti-Christ because he taught the words of Satan, which are Anti-Christ. What was it he taught that was Anti-Christ and so objectionable to Alma? He taught that "every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius and that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did (his own good works) was no crime" Alma 30:17). 

Simply he taught humanism which is the popular teaching of our day. Rely on ourselves, on our own good works and on our merits and talents. This is Anti-Christ because it teaches us to rely on our own strengths and not His. 

And how did Alma respond? By teaching the word of God. It is Anti-Christ to put the cart before the horse.

There are many fruits which come from Him such as: 

1) taking away our disposition to do evil,

2) curing our tendency to turn away from Him,

3) tasting of His goodness,

4) hearing His voice in His words,

5) rejoicing in His goodness and mercy,

6) wanting others to taste of His love and mercy,

7) being filled with His love,

8) being harrowed up by our sins,

9) singing the song of redeeming love,

10) receiving a remission of our sins,

11) believing that we must repent,

12) growing in the knowledge of the glory of God and in the knowledge of that which is just and true,

13) not having a mind to injure one another, but

14) having a desire to live peaceably,

15) and a desire to teach others especially our family of His goodness and mercy, and 

16) willingly succor those that stand in need of our succor and

17) willingly administer of our substance to them that need it.

"We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ and we write according to our prophecies (why?) that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. 

We speak concerning the law (why?) that our children may know the deadness of the law, that they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto life which is in Christ" (2 Nephi 25:26-27).

Joseph Smith described other fruits as we give heed and diligence to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect. He tells us (and it should be our experience) that the nearer we approach perfection, the clearer are our views and the greater our enjoyments, until we have overcome the evils of our lives and lost every desire for sin. (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith; 51).

So what are we to do then?  We are to repent (turn to Him) and rely wholly upon His merits.  Once we do so, then He begins to do His work. Alma describes this process. He says "I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God" (Mosiah 27:24-26 emphasis added).

Q. When are we to do His work?

A. After having been born of God and having tasted of His love and mercy, Alma (and this should be our work as well which includes the why) then desired that all be born of God and that all taste as he had tasted. "Alma began from this time forward to teach the people...preaching the word of God..." (Mosiah 27:32). 

After having been born of God, Alma "labored without ceasing, that (he) might bring souls unto repentance; that (he) might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which (he) did taste; (why?) that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost" (Alma 36:24). And the Lord gave Alma exceedingly great joy in the fruit of his labors, His labors being teaching the word of God. 

"For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God" (Alma 36:26).

We certainly go through the motions in our church callings, but do we really understand the 'work' that we should be doing? My home teacher did not. Do we fall short by performing our ecclesiastical duties and callings, believing that we are somehow good people as a result? 

In fact we call each other 'good' and forget that even Christ would not call Himself good, but only His Father. Unless we have also been born of God and tasted of His goodness, we will never perform the labors to which we have been called--"teaching the word of God with all diligence; ...by laboring with our might" and answering the "sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God" (Jacob 1:19). 

Every priesthood office, every calling, every program in the organizational Church should be a means to this end. Why? So that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon all! But we don't need a priesthood office, a program, or a calling or even a buildimg to do this work! 

We just arm ourselves with the sword of truth (the word of God), experience what Alma experienced and then labor with all our might to teach others the word of God.

One of the best examples of His works versus our own is found in Moroni 10 where Moroni's last words exhort us to deny not the gifts and power of God. He tells us that when we put our works before His, that is "if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief. And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God" (Moroni 10:24-25 emphasis added). This is very clear that not only will our works not save us, they will not even be counted as good works. This is because we rely on our own strength and not on His gifts and power.

Q. Why are we to do His work?

A. So that others will repent and receive the Lord's mercy.

Alma said to his son Corianton, after teaching Him the word of God and the choice between justice and mercy: "And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word unto this people. And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness, (why?) that thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, (why?) that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon them" (Alma 42:31 emphasis added).

Teaching the word of God (those words revealed by God to us) to all, is the labor we should perform. Everything in our lives should be a means to this end. We should not give talks or lessons unless we teach the word of God and His Gospel. The emphasis should be on the teaching of the word of God. We are ordained to teach the word of God. (Alma 13:1; D&C 50:13-14).

The emphasis should be on teaching the word of God after having been born of God. This is the labor we are to perform without ceasing.  

We should "waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light" the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Gospel as He defines it in 3 Nephi 27, again so that all may have mercy.

Through His words we hear His voice of mercy for the living and the dead in His Gospel which we have received. (D&C 128:19).

Another term for putting the cart before the horse is to look beyond the mark which is a result of our blindness, of our not hearing the voice of God in His words, of our not being born again ourselves. (Jacob 4:14). 

He has commanded us to "preach naught but repentance" for a reason, and to not talk of "tenets" (D&C 19:21;31), the purpose being that through our repentance and faith in our Savior we will receive a remission of sins by baptism and by fire, even the Holy Ghost. Teaching "about" being born again is not the same as actually being born again. 

When you are born again then you are an "example of a believer (in Christ), in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). If you be a good minister of Jesus Christ, you shall be "nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou has attained" (2 Timothy 4:6). "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine, continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee" (2 Timothy 4:16 emphasis added).

Consider this:  Imagine that we have all been born again, born of God and have become new creatures, all relying wholly upon the merits of Christ. Then the works that we do will be His works, done by the power and gifts of God according to our faith in Him, the fruits of our repentance. We then know He is the vine and we are the branches, and that the branches cannot bring forth fruit of themselves. We will recognize and receive His gifts and rejoice in them and in Him who is the giver of the gifts. We will love because we have been filled with His love, and will desire that all partake of His love. His love will be expressed through us and, we will hold up His light rather than our own. We will look to Him and live, and desire all to look and live, and will do everything we can to serve Him by serving others, and bring them to Him. He will take away our disposition to do evil and cure our tendency to turn away from Him. We will switch from worshipping ourselves and each other to worshipping our God and King.

We will then, and only then, have put the horse before the cart.

Men Are Instructed Sufficiently

As one of the great doctrinal discourses in the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2 is an example of the seed or word being sown and whether it finds its way into the heart of the person receiving it. I say 'receiving' as a step that occurs after searching and 'hearing' the word, as in one who hears it and with great joy receives it, but not only hears the word, but sees the word, experiences it, understands it, believes it, and the word brings forth much fruit. The receiver is nourished by the word and delivered from bondage because of the word, and the receiver's soul is illuminated by the light of the everlasting word. 2 Nephi 2 is that type of discourse.

Lehi is speaking to his son Jacob. He is both teaching and blessing him. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say he is blessing him by teaching him. Lehi tells Jacob that his soul shall be blessed (note that he does not say that his life shall be blessed), and that his days shall be spent in the service of His God. Through his words to Jacob, Lehi teaches us a great truth when he says: "I know that thou art redeemed because of the righteousness of thy redeemer..." (2 Nephi 2:3). 

Contrast this teaching with the idea that we are redeemed because of our righteousness (or better said our imagined righteousness) or our goodness, and we can begin to glimpse its significance. Lehi has observed that Jacob has beheld in his youth the 'glory' of his redeemer, and by doing so Jacob was blessed even as they unto whom Christ ministered in the flesh, a reminder to us that Christ's spirit is the same, yesterday, today and forever, and that we can also behold His glory.  

Lehi then teaches Jacob what the Lord has, through His words, taught him. As a type or order of teaching that we see many times in the Book of Mormon, Lehi begins with the fall of Adam and tells Jacob that the 'way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.' His next statement invites some thought: "And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil..."  

Can you say that you know good from evil because you have been instructed sufficiently? Or is Jacob telling us that sufficient instruction has been given to us (parable of the sower) and it is up to us to receive His instruction so that we may know good from evil and also be able to behold His glory?

As with Alma, Lehi then instructs Jacob on the fact that a law was given unto men, but 'by the law no flesh is justified or, by the law men are cut off." It is because of the law that the justice of God comes into play for without the law, there would be no sin (Alma 42).   

Seeking righteousness by the works of the law has always been a stumbling block for Israel. The Righteousness of Christ is attained of faith and not by the works of the law (Romans 9:30-32). Christ offered himself to answer the ends of the law, to meet the demands of the law and justice. Redemption comes in and through the Holy Messiah, for he is full of grace and truth. Our part is to repent and come unto Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. When we do that, then He meets the demands of justice for us and begins the process of changing us to become like Him, the fruits of our repentance. If we don't repent then we suffer His justice (3 Nephi 27:13-21). Or to put it another way, He burns the hell out of us for Justice is God's. Why? Because He loves us.

After introducing the concept of God's Justice and Mercy, Lehi tells Jacob "how great the importance to make these things known to the inhabitants of the earth" (why?) "that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah...." 

Lehi again reminds us that it is not about our good works, our merits or our righteousness. Because that Christ makes intercession for all, then all men will stand in His presence to be judged of him "according to the truth and holiness which is in him."

Lehi then instructs Jacob (and us) that justice and mercy are in opposition to each other, the one coming because of the law and the other because of Christ (His atonement), and further describes one as punishment and the other as happiness. 

The often misunderstood statement that there must be "an opposition in all things" is stated as a great truth, and Lehi explains why. Without opposition there would be "no wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad." Keep in mind that Lehi has already told Jacob that "men are instructed sufficiently that they may know good from evil." He is now explaining why this truth is so critical. He does this in verses 11-14, and because it is part of the instructions we have received that we may know good from evil, it is worth our time to search and 'hear' it. But to summarize, without opposition, there would be no purpose to our existence, in fact there would be no purpose for our creation and God's wisdom would be destroyed.  See verse 13.

Jacob, as well as us, are taught these things for our profit and learning, "for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon. And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter."

After this short discourse, Lehi teaches us another significant truth: "the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other." Nothing is more important to learn and nothing is more important to teach than this truth--it is our choice, the one or the other--only two choices--Good or the righteousness of God, or evil which is everything else.

Lehi then explains to Jacob about how an angel of God had fallen from heaven and became a devil, "having sought that which was evil before God. And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil."

This order of teaching was utilized by Ammon and Aaron when they taught Lamoni and his father because it put them in the play. We are participants in the drama and cannot escape the choice between the one or the other. Jacob tells the same story that was told by many before, and would continue to be told by many after. Adam and Eve did partake of the fruit and were driven out of the garden of Eden and brought forth children; "yea, even the family of all the earth." But, notwithstanding, their fall, God prolonged the days of the children of men "that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore (our) state became a state of probation, and (our) time was lengthened.... For he gave commandment that all men must repent."

And this is not all because He showed unto us that we were lost because of the transgression of our parents Adam and Eve. And because we are lost, the gift of repentance or turning to Christ was given to us, and we either choose to repent or we don't choose to repent. But if we repent then Christ will pay the demands of Justice and we will be found guiltless and spotless (3 Nephi 27:13-21). Lehi teaches Jacob that this is the reason "the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. Lehi's definition of redeemed is narrow. Because we are redeemed from the fall we "become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for (ourselves) and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law (His justice) at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God has given."

All men are thus free according to the flesh and are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

Lehi in his last recorded words to Jacob says (and notice the verbs)

"look to the great Mediator,

and hearken unto his great commandments (repent); 

and be faithful unto his words, 

and choose eternal life according to the will of his Holy Spirit; 

and not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein (in us), 

which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell..."

And where did Lehi get these words which he taught? "I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls." Should we teach our children anything less?  Anything more?