28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.
Alma 32:28-29 (Emphasis mine)
Alma(2) begins his famous sermon on faith and the seed. He likens faith to a seed. If you allow the seed to be planted in your heart, he said, it would begin to grow. It will only grow if it is a true seed, a good seed, if it is not cast out by unbelief, and you do not resist the Lord.
The seed will begin to grow because it is a good seed. As the seed grow, you begin to understand the things of the spirit. Even with all this, you don’t have a perfect knowledge.
“Alma explains that our faith increases because we come to understand the revelation of the gospel. Thus progression is from faith to faith rather than from absence of faith to the acquisition of faith. We cannot claim to have come even to our faith on our own; it is a gift, something everyone has been given. For example, Alma does not say that we should plant a seed in our hearts and then see whether it grows, in spite of what is often said about the second half of his sermon. Rather, Alma says that a person should ‘give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart’ (Alma 32:28). In other words, we should allow the seed to be planted.” [1] (Emphasis mine)
Hugh Nibley comments:
“Notice that it comes by degrees; it comes by steps here. There's more and more reason why you should believe, but no reason why you should believe it completely ever. This is the interesting thing here. It's like planting a seed in your heart. If it's a true seed this is what will happen. Don't cast it out in your unbelief. Give it a chance; let it grow. It will begin to swell within your breast. Then you will feel the swelling motions. You will think something is happening here. Don't throw it away at all. If it is growing it must be good ‘for it beginneth to enlarge my soul [this is recognition]; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.’ “ [2] (Emphasis mine)
30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.
31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness.
32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.
Alma 32:30-32 (Emphasis mine)
As the seed grows, you know the seed is good. Knowing it is a good seed will strengthen your faith. How can you be sure that it is a good seed? A good seed can only bring forth a good seed. A bad seed won’t grow and will be cast off.
Hugh Nibley observes:
“Each success leads to another try; it gets better and better … if the seed grows it's good; don't cast it away. Because you have tried the experiment and planted the seed and it ‘swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good.’ It's not dead yet. If it doesn't work just forget it. This is the whole thing.” [3] (Emphasis mine)
33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.
34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.
Alma 32:33-34 (Emphasis mine)
You’ve tried the experiment and planted the seed. The seed has grown so you know the seed is good. Is your knowledge perfect? Now you have reached that point. You no longer have faith; you know.
The word sprouted and grew and knowledge has taken the place of faith.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psalms 19:7 (Emphasis mine)
[1] Romans 1: Notes and Reflections (Verses 16-17), Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 1, 2011.
[2] Lecture 55: Alma 32-35, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 1, 2011.
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