Alma 12:31-37

Alma(2) continues teaching Zeezrom.

31  Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men, they having first transgressed the first commandments as to things which were temporal, and becoming as Gods, knowing good from evil, placing themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good—

32  Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of God.

33  But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son;

Alma 12:31-33 (Emphasis mine)

When man transgressed, they became as the Gods, knowing good from evil.  We were in a position to do what we wanted.  We can choose evil or we can choose good.  The key to all this is that we now had our free agency.

To help us, God made known the plan of redemption.  We also received commandments.  The consequence of choosing evil would be a second death, a spiritual death.  We would be dead to all things righteous.  Justice would claim us; the plan of redemption would have no power.

God called on us, in the name of the Son, to repent and not harden our hearts against His word.  By doing this, we will have mercy. 

Richard Draper and Donald Parry further observe:

“Physical death results in the ‘body without the spirit’ (James 2:26). The ‘second death’ (Jacob 3:11)—called ‘spiritual death’ (Helaman 14:18) or ‘everlasting death’ (Alma 12:32)—pertains to those who die in sin (see Alma 12:16), who ‘die as to things . . . of righteousness’ (Alma 40:26), or who are ‘cut off from the presence of the Lord’ (Alma 42:9). This second death is the penalty for doing evil (see Alma 12:32).” [1]   (Emphasis mine)

Thomas Valetta wrote:

“Alma clarified that men, having chosen mortality, ‘plac[ed] themselves in a state to act’ (Alma 12:31). ‘Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do evil’ (Alma 12:32). Doing evil, contrary to the commandments, would bring the penalty of ‘a second death, which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of God’ (Alma 12:32). The eternal plan of God provided opportunity to repent (see Alma 12:33), according to Alma…” [2] (Emphasis mine)

34  Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.

35  And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity, behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest.

36  And now, my brethren, behold I say unto you, that if ye will harden your hearts ye shall not enter into the rest of the Lord; therefore your iniquity provoketh him that he sendeth down his wrath upon you as in the first provocation, yea, according to his word in the last provocation as well as the first, to the everlasting destruction of your souls; therefore, according to his word, unto the last death, as well as the first.

37  And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they are true, let us repent, and harden not our hearts, that we provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us in these his second commandments which he has given unto us; but let us enter into the rest of God, which is prepared according to his word.

Alma 12:34-37 (Emphasis mine)

Alma(2) makes things as clear as he can.  If you repent, you will be forgiven of your sins, obtain mercy, and enter into His rest.  If you don’t, you won’t enter into his rest.  He can’t be more clear than that.

If you don’t repent, you will be eternally cutoff from the Lord.  Your sins will lead to the destruction of your soul.  You will suffer the second death, the spiritual death. 

He ends his words by calling upon them to repent that they all may be enter into the rest of the Lord.

27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Matthew 26:27-28 (Emphasis mine)

45  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48  And ye are witnesses of these things.

Luke 24:45-48 (Emphasis mine)

43  To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Acts 10:43 (Emphasis mine)

7  Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

8  Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Hebrews 3:7-8 (Emphasis mine)

15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Mark 16:15-16 (Emphasis mine)

28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

John 5:28-29 (Emphasis mine)

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[1] Seven Promises to Those Who Overcome: Aspects of Genesis 2—3 in the Seven Letters, Richard D. Draper, and Donald W. Parry, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed October 30, 2011.

[2] Conflicting Orders: Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah, Thomas R. Valletta, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed October 30, 2011.