Moroni's Message to Non-Believers

"Step Into the Dark"
Interesting picture . . . I can't tell which direction he is walking.

I've recently been studying Moroni's teachings which are scattered through the last two chapters of Mormon and the Books of Ether and Moroni (chapters 1-7 & 10).  Moroni knew the effects of unbelief well, having described how it destroyed both the Jaredite and Nephite civilizations.  As the last Nephite, and having seen our day in a vision, Moroni's message was intended for us.  It is sobering to wonder how similar we are to the Jaredites and the Nephites of his day.

Much of Moroni’s perspective was colored by the reality that he was among a very small group of people that continued to believe in Christ.  The ever-shrinking minority of believers and the growing unbelief of everyone else brought about the destruction of his entire nation. Much of the 8^th and 9^th chapters of Mormon are dedicated to showing that God has not ceased to be God and that he continues to be a God of miracles.  Unfortunately, the ability to recognize God and his miracles first required people to set aside their unbelief.  Accordingly, the contrasting states of belief and unbelief are heavily themed throughout Moroni’s writings; Mormon 9 and Ether 4 in particular can be viewed as Moroni's message to non-believers.

In the eyes of most people in Moroni's day, God had ceased to do miracles. Moroni taught that this was because they "dwindle[d] in unbelief" (Mormon 9:20).  To dwindle is to diminish gradually in size, amount or strength. His usage implies that what was dwindling was really belief.  As belief degrades, the the path of least resistance leads to a state of disbelief where unbelievers are prone to place trust in things that have no ability to save. 

In contrast, those that simply believe, have the assurance that they will one day come to know great things (Ether 4:11; see also Mormon 9:21-27; Ether 3:26) that are otherwise hidden by unbelief and the state of spiritual blindness that it causes (Ether 4:13-15). 

It seems that history doomed to repeat itself. Today we find ourselves living in a society that is reminiscent of Moroni's day. People are determined to deny the miracles of God and rationalize him out of existence. Believing without proof is now considered foolhardy.  Sadly for those unwilling to take the first step, signs only follow those that believe (Mormon 9:24; see also Ether 4:18; D&C 63:9).