17 And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church.
18 And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
19 And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets.
18 And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
19 And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets.
Mosiah 18:17-19 (Emphasis mine)
After the baptism of his followers, we learn that Alma(1) formally called his church the Church of Christ. This name would continue among the Nephites and the Church. At the time of Christ's visitation to the Nephites (some 90 years after Alma(1)), baptism continued. Mormon than recorded that "21 And they who were baptized in the name of Jesus were called the church of Christ." 3 Nephi 26:21.
Why was the Church named after Christ? We don't have a detailed explanation here, but we see this issue arising again during Christ's visitation. Robert Millett discusses this issue in detail.
"There is something terribly significant about the name of Christ. I wish I knew all that was going on here. But do you notice the number of times in scripture it says, 'Do this in the name . . .'? Consider that among the earliest things communicated from heaven to earth was a message from an angel to Adam. What did he say? 'Thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore' (Moses 5:8). So, there is this emphasis on the name. You see the Savior trying to answer the question and saying, 'What is it you are to do? You are to do things in my name. So, if you are going to name this church, what are you going to name it?'
"... At this point we could stop and interrupt ourselves and say that all a church needs to be Christ's church is to have his name. But you and I know there is more to it than that, and he's not going to let us get off with just calling it after him. There is something else it must have. He says, 'But if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel' (3 Nephi 27:8). It must be built upon his gospel.
"... If it is Christ's church, if it is named after him, and if it is built upon his gospel, it will evidence that it is the work of the Father ..." (Emphasis mine)
The Doctrine of the Risen Christ, Part 3, , Maxwell Institute, accessed July 27, 2011.
Alma(1) began organizing the Church. He could do this because of his priesthood authority. He had been ordained a priest by Noah; Noah had been ordained by his father Limhi. So, Alma(1) received his authority through those who had authority.
Just a side note about Alma(1) organizing a church. It appears that this is the first formally organized church among the Nephites. Daniel Peterson writes:
"... among the early Nephites, there was no church ... Only with Alma do we encounter a separate 'church' in the true sense of the Greek word ekklesía. (That term, it will be recalled, originally referred, in classical Greece, to an assembly of the citizens called out by a kind of crier. It is related to the verb ekkaléo, "to call forth." The notion of 'separation' is inherent, unavoidable, in it.)
I realize that I am working here on the basis of an argument from silence ... One way of testing it will be by the plausibility, or lack thereof, of my overall position, in which this particular argument has a specific place. But I must say that the lack of references to an early Nephite church—consistent over many pages and the space of many years, but only in a particular portion of the record—seems to me more likely to be indicative of something significant than is the occasional failure, in a book nowhere prone to give biographical details, to mention personal ordinations to the priesthood." (Emphasis mine)
But what about King Noah? Could he ordain priests? Did he still have priesthood authority? Remember, Noah was quite a wicked person.
This question can be asked today. Let's look at a "What if..." What if your great grandfather was ordained to the office of an Elder. At the time your grandfather was baptized and confirmed, by your great grandfather, you grandfather was not following all the commandments as he should. Your great grandfather ordains your grandfather to all priesthood offices, up to an elder. He was still living a "colorful" life (being a good man at heart, he later repents and becomes an exemplary priesthood holder).
Your grandfather baptizes and confirms your father. He later ordains him to all priesthood offices, including an elder. He has always led an excellent life.
Yes, Alma(1) was ordained by one with authority (Noah), in spite of his wickedness. Daniel Peterson writes:
"... [Alma(1)] was ordained validly by Noah, who was ordained validly by his father ... The fact that Noah was not righteous and that Alma himself seems to have violated the laws of God during his early ministry has nothing to do with Alma's priesthood authority. Unless and until superior priesthood authority withdraws permission to exercise priestly functions, a legitimately ordained holder of the priesthood may continue to perform valid priesthood ordinances—however unrighteous he may personally be, however dead to spiritual promptings, and however unlikely it may be that he will ever actually exercise his priesthood ..." (Emphasis mine)
[u]nless and until superior priesthood authority withdraws permission to exercise priestly functions, a legitimately ordained holder of the priesthood may continue to perform valid priesthood ordinances ..." explains why ordinances are valid as long as the priesthood holder still has the authority to perform the ordinances. If this weren't true, things would be very confused, as the situation mentioned above shows. No one would have any confidence in any ordinances that are performed.
"Alma's leadership included ordaining lay priests—one for every fifty members—whom he instructed to labor for their own support, and to limit their sermons to his teachings and the doctrine 'spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets . . . nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord' (Mosiah 18:19—20). Alma also required that there be faithful observance of the Sabbath, daily expressions of gratitude to God, and no contention, 'having their hearts knit together in unity and in love' (18:21—23). The priests assembled with and taught the people in a worship meeting at least once weekly (18:25). Through generous donations, everyone cared for one another 'according to that which he had' (18:27—28)" (Emphasis mine)
Alma(1),
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