3 Nephi 6–7

Pride Leads to Division and Destruction

Have you ever noticed that even after amazing experiences with God, some people eventually turn away from Him? After God protected the Nephites from the Gadianton robbers, they returned to their homes and began to rebuild their lives. Through pride and division, Satan led the people to rebel against God. The consequences were so severe that the government collapsed, and the people were divided into tribes. This lesson can help you better understand the impact of pride and how to overcome it by following the Savior.

• Is it possible for someone to be:

• Rich and humble?

• Poor and prideful?

• Educated and humble?

• Uneducated and prideful?

Think about what leads some people to be prideful in our day. How does being prideful impact you, others, and society? As you study, ponder how this lesson might apply to your life and circumstances.

Satan’s continual temptations

After defeating Giddianhi and the Gadianton robbers with the help of the Lord, the Nephites “put an end to all those wicked, and secret, and abominable combinations” (3 Nephi 5:6). They returned to their homes and began to rebuild their lives. But Satan continually worked to deceive the people into following him. In a short time, the Nephites changed. In 3 Nephi 6–7, Mormon helped us understand what the people did that eventually caused many of them to die in the destructions that preceded the Savior’s coming to the Americas (see 3 Nephi 8). These teachings also explain why others were prepared for Christ’s appearance at the temple in the land Bountiful (see 3 Nephi 11).

Create a chart like the following. Read the passages and fill out what you learn about the condition of the people.

The 26th year (3 Nephi 6:4–9)	The 29th year (3 Nephi 6:10–18)
The 26th year (3 Nephi 6:4–9)	The 29th year (3 Nephi 6:10–18)

• What caused the change in such a short time?

• What truths can we learn from these examples?

One truth you may have identified is when we are prideful, we give Satan greater power to tempt us and lead us to iniquity.

Think about what it means to be prideful. Search for insights in the following statement from President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994).

The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us. (Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” Ensign, May 1989, 4)

• Why do you think being prideful enables Satan to have greater influence on us?

• How is this different from how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ encourage us?

Effects of pride then and now

Because of the pride of the people, every part of society began to be impacted. Read either 3 Nephi 6:20–30 or 7:1–14, looking for examples of how pride impacted individuals and society.

1. Answer the following questions:

   • What examples of the impact of pride did you find in these verses?

   • In what ways does Satan use pride to lead people to iniquity in our day?

Overcoming pride

Think about how your pride or the pride of others is impacting you and how you can overcome pride and its effects.

Though pride caused so much destruction, some heeded the words of the prophet and continued to follow the Savior.

Read 3 Nephi 7:15–26, looking for what Nephi taught the people and how it impacted them. It might be helpful to mark each time the Savior is mentioned.

2. Answer the following question:

   • What examples did you find in these verses of how the Savior and His gospel helped some people overcome pride and iniquity?

The following scenario can help you demonstrate your knowledge of the impacts of pride and how following Jesus Christ can help overcome pride.

This is Jim. He doesn’t know it yet, but he has a problem with pride.

3. Answer the following questions:

   • What evidence might you expect to see in Jim’s life that he has a problem with pride?

After realizing his problem and recognizing that so many of the biggest frustrations in his life are the result of his pride, he wants answers on how to get rid of pride.

• What solutions would you propose to help Jim overcome pride?

Optional: Want to Learn More?

How do we see pride and division in our day?

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:

In our day, the scriptural imperative for unity is largely ignored, and for many people the emphasis is on tribalism, often based on status, gender, race, and wealth. In many countries, if not most, people are deeply divided about how to live. In the Lord’s Church, the only culture we adhere to and teach is the culture of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The unity we seek is to be unified with the Savior and His teachings. …

… The Book of Mormon makes it clear that there must be no -ites, tribes, or classes. We must be united and equal before God. (Quentin L. Cook, “Prepare to Meet God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 116)

What are some indicators of pride?

Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated:

When prideful, we tend to take honor to ourselves rather than giving it to others, including the Lord. Pride is often competitive; it is a tendency to seek to obtain more and presume we are better than others. Pride often results in feelings of anger and hatred; it causes one to hold grudges or to withhold forgiveness. (Elder Gary E. Stevenson, “Spiritual Eclipse,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 47)

How are the events in the Book of Mormon relevant to our day?

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) compared the events in the Book of Mormon to our day by stating:

In the Book of Mormon we find a pattern for preparing for the Second Coming. A major portion of the book centers on the few decades just prior to Christ’s coming to America. By careful study of that time period, we can determine why some were destroyed in the terrible judgments that preceded His coming and what brought others to stand at the temple in the land of Bountiful and thrust their hands into the wounds of His hands and feet. (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 6–7)