From here on out I will reference the restoration edition of the scriptures that can be found here.

I’d like to expose some of my thoughts on disputations, what the cost of them is (which is great) and what’s at stake when we dispute. 

3 Nephi 5:8

“And there shall be no disputations among you, as there hath hitherto been, neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there hath hitherto been. For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the Devil, who is the father of contention; and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another, but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.”

3 Nephi 4:1

“there was not any man who could do a miracle in the name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his iniquity “. 

How can we expect to build Zion and perform a miracle if we are not cleansed of our backbiting, contentions and false teachings?”

“And the people began to look with great earnestness for the sign which had been given by the prophet Samuel, the Lamanite, yea, for the time that there should be darkness for the space of three days over the face of the land. And there began to be great doubtings and disputations among the people, notwithstanding so many signs had been given.”

-Basically they became overly anxious in looking for the sign of his coming just like we in our day are becoming anxious to build Zion. Some may have begun to think it won’t happen. But as the lord lived and was persecuted, this too will happen but if we are not prepared individually and as a community it will go to some other group that the lord has prepared. It is our opportunity to lose. 

3 Nephi 8:9

“Blessed are ye if ye have no disputations among you.”

Look at the inverse of everything. If you have disputations then you are NOT blessed. 

How do we rid ourselves of disputations? We become one. 

4 Nephi 1:1

“there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another. “

 4 nephi 4:2

“they did walk after the commandments which they had received from their Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting together oft, both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord. And it came to pass that there was no contention among all the people in all the land, but there were mighty miracles wrought among the disciples of Jesus.”

-Walking after the commandments believing that you shall receive the promise and having a unity of faith and understanding is a pre-requisite for Zion. Any seductive philosophies of man or false doctrines threaten to tear apart that which God has ordained. We must use our agency to make sure we are right before God in our receiving of all his word, adherence to his word and walking in his word.

“And surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. “

“but they were in one the children of Christ and heirs to the kingdom of God. And how blessed were they, for the Lord did bless them in all their doings.”

Alma 19:10

“Wickedness never was happiness.”

We have been counseled to eliminate judgement and forbear our fellow believers. 

Romans 70

“But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you set at naught your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For I live, says the Lord, and every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall swear to God, as it is written. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Let us not therefore judge one another anymore, but judge this rather: that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him that esteems anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if your brother is grieved with your food, you walk not charitably if you eat; therefore, destroy not him with your food for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of, for the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the holy ghost. For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men. 

Let us therefore follow after the things which aid peace and things with which one may edify another.”

-How do we seek peace? We seek it in the witness of God as to the truth of all things. We seek it in the accompaniment of the spirit in our daily walk. We seek it in mutual resolution and by having a firm mind in all the commandments of God. 

-If we think we have sinned in the slightest we must repair and repent.

If we have been offended, we must work it out with the offending party. Most of all we need to show deference and patience for those who are learning and those who are in their own mind learned. We must learn how to talk to one another in truth and humility.