1 Ne 22:17 he will preserve the righteous by his power…Wherefore, the righteous need not fear

Many have worried how selective the Lord will be when he separates the wheat from the tares. Many have suggested that some of the righteous must inevitably suffer in the destructions which are to attend the Second Coming. Nevertheless, the Lord has given the righteous the promise that they will be preserved. He has also said, verily it is a day of sacrifice and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming (DC 64:23). Although many have considered the payment of tithing as the best type of fire insurance available, there is one caveat. The section heading for DC 119 explains that at the time this revelation was given, the term, “tithing,” refers to “not just one tenth, but all free-will offerings, or contributions, to the Church funds.” One may safely conclude that if the sacrifice has been great enough in the eyes of the Lord (in the payment of tithing, fast-offerings, sacrifice of one’s time and talents), there is no reason to fear the destructions of the last days. The Lord is able to preserve the righteous by his power.

Mark E. Petersen

“... in these, the last days, the Lord has predicted that there shall be two simultaneous movements. One of these movements is the great tribulation that shall come upon the world. The wicked will destroy the wicked.

“The other great movement which will be going forward simultaneously is that there shall be a stone cut out of the mountain without hands, and it shall roll forth and eventually fill the whole earth. The Church to which you and I belong is that stone. It has been cut out of the mountain without hands, and your destiny and mine is to help roll it forth. (D&C 65:2.)

“Now do you suppose for one moment that the judgments of God are going to interfere with the progress of his work? He is consistent, isn't he? Although he will pour out his tribulations upon the wicked, he nevertheless will carry forward his work, and his people, under divine protection, will roll forth that stone until eventually it fills the whole earth.

“And so says the Book of Mormon:

“For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.

“Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire. (1 Nephi 22:16-17.)

“I believe that. In the midst of all these tribulations God will send fire from heaven, if necessary, to destroy our enemies while we carry forward our work and push that stone until it fills the whole earth!

“Your destiny is to do that very thing, and this is the kind of protection you will have. You do not need to fear about world conditions. You do not need to fear about anybody. Just serve the Lord and keep his commandments and build the kingdom, and as you do so you will be protected in these last days. God will have his hand over you, and you can plan your lives in confidence. (Conference Report, October 1960, pp. 81-83. as taken from D. Ludlow’s A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon, p.122-3)

Brigham Young

“God has been and is our helper, and is on our right and left, and round about us like a wall of fire to defend this people, if they serve him with an undivided heart.” (Journal of Discourses, 8:172 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.74)

Joseph Fielding Smith

“Do not think for a moment that the days of trial are over. They are not. If we keep the commandments of the Lord, we shall prosper, we shall be blessed; the plagues, the calamities that have been promised will be poured out upon the peoples of the earth, and we shall escape them, yea, they shall pass us by. But remember the Lord says if we fail to keep his word, if we walk in the ways of the world, they will not pass us by, but we shall be visited with floods and with fire, with sword and with plague and destruction. We may escape these things through faithfulness.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:34 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.75)

Joseph Smith

“It is a false idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer, and ‘the righteous shall hardly escape;’ still many of the Saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith; yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God. So that it is an unhallowed principle to say that such and such have transgressed because they have been preyed upon by disease or death…” (History of the Church, 4:11 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.75)