15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.
16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.
Alma 32:15–16 (Emphasis mine)
Alma(2) teaches an interesting principle in these verses. He tells us that the person that humbles themselves, repents of their sin, and endures to the end, without being compelled, is much more blessed than those that are forced into humility because of their poverty.
John Welch comments:
“Some people have the gift to believe quite readily (see D&C 46:13–14), but most people need evidence, clues, and inducements to believe because they are by nature stubborn. Alma told the poor in Antionum that it was blessed to believe in the word of God ‘without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know’ (Alma 32:16); but being ‘brought to know’ is better than never coming to know at all. I have been ‘brought to know’ many things by means of evidence, even though that evidence has fallen short of compelling me to know.” [1] (Emphasis mine)
Hugh Nibley remarks:
“But remember, to seek riches is to seek power, prestige, influence and luxury, and you are not humble when you are looking for those things—if they are the things that interest you. So I must assert that I am humble if I want to feel right. If I'm too rich I have to make a big shout about being humble. I've heard a lot of that from rich friends. ‘Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble’—that's nice, and without talking about it, of course.” [2] (Emphasis mine)
17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.
19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?
20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto every man according to his work.
Alma 32:17-20 (Emphasis mine)
Show us a sign, and we will believe. Alma(2) asks is this faith? No. If you know something, you no longer believe because you know.
The consequence of those who know and turn away from what they know is far more serious than one who believes.
38 ¶ Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it…
Matthew 12:38-39 (Emphasis mine)
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Luke 16:27-31 (Emphasis mine)
Hugh Nibley explains:
“Notice, [Alma(2)]'s beginning with the fundamentals with these people. These people are practically slaves. They want to know about the gospel. They don't know anything. There are things they don't understand. All the hints they've been taking, they've been taking from the other Zoramites. They were Zoramites, too, you see. This is a sermon on faith that comes here, and it's a very important sermon on faith. He begins working from the ground up with these people … He says, shouldn't we begin by showing you a sign? … ‘How I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.’ “ [3] (Emphasis mine)
Nibley then asks a question. Are knowledge and faith enemies?
“Well, are knowledge and faith enemies then? If I have something, I don't have to believe and I don't have to have faith. There are some people who would tell us that knowledge is the enemy of faith. Will study weaken faith? That's thought to be so in some quarters. If you know, it's not the same thing as only believing. ‘And it shall be unto every man according to this work. And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.’ You hope it is true. Peter in his argument with Simon Magus says [something like this]. You can imagine an island. It's an imaginary island; you have never been there. It's a real island though … It's imaginary for you. You have faith that it's there. You are imagining something that's real, but for you is only imagination. Peter says the same thing: Before I came to Caesaria I didn't know what it was like. I had an image of what it was like, which was not correct. But it was reality, and here I am [paraphrased].” [4] (Emphasis mine)
[1] The Power of Evidence in the Nurturing of Faith, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 29, 2011.
[2] Lecture 55: Alma 32-35, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 29, 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment