Different kind of book - specifically focusing on teaching about Christ

Even though the Brass Plates were very insightful and meaningful to Lehi/Nephi, they also had parts that were really only meaningful to them because the lineage included their family. This made the book tailor made for Lehi and his family.

Nephi, however, wanted to make a book that applied to all people and persuaded all to come unto Christ and be saved. There was no need to have a section explaining detailed genealogy that would make the book more special to some and less special to most. Nephi guides the future writers to follow this principle:

1 Nephi 6:

1 And now I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in^athis part of my record; neither at any time shall I give it after upon these ^bplates which I am ^cwriting; for it is given in the record which has been kept by my ^dfather; wherefore, I do not write it in this work.

3 And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be written upon ^athese plates, for I desire the room that I may write of the things of God.

4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may ^apersuade men to^bcome unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.

6 Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.

Coming unto Christ - necessary to avoid spiritual condemnation

It was fairly common when I was on the mission to teach people about the gospel and invite them to be baptized. A fairly common response to this was, "I don't think so. I wouldn't want to rush into something and then fall away. Besides God is no toy; it's not wise to play around the things of God."

Generally this was just a reason to say no, and it must have been something mentioned in various churches because people used the phrase, "God is no toy" with me dozens of times.

There was one woman, however, who was fairly sincere in not wanting to fall away. It was while teaching her that a thought came to my mind. John 3:16 is quite famous across Christianity. It says,

16 ¶For ^aGod so ^bloved the ^cworld, that he ^dgave his ^eonlybegotten ^fSon, that whosoever ^gbelieveth in him should not perish, but have ^heverlasting ⁱlife.

Verse 17 is not nearly as famous, and verse 18 isn't well known at all, but these two verses help complete the message the Savior is giving:

17 For God ^asent not his Son into the world to ^bcondemn the world; but that the world through him might be ^csaved.

18 ¶He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that^abelieveth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the ^bname of the only begotten Son of God.^c

It is foolish to say, "I don't want to believe because I will be condemned more if I fall away." The truth is that those who don't believe are already condemned. It is through belief in Christ (and in following Him the correct way) that the condemnation leaves. Christ did not come to condemn, but to save. Likewise, he put his church on the earth in our day in order to help people know how to come close to him and be saved.

I appreciate Jesus' message of salvation.