34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.
35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.
36 And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb.
Alma 34:34-36 (Emphasis mine)
There are those who believe they will have the opportunity to repent when they stand before God. There’s a problem with this belief, Amulek tells us. The spirit that posses your body in this life is the same spirit that will possess your body in the eternities.
If you will not repent during this life, you have subjected yourself to the devil. The Spirit of the Lord has withdrawn from you and the devil has power over you. There is no place for the Spirit to dwell. You won’t want to repent because you’ve subjected yourself to the devil. It’s too late.
It is not unusual to hear members interpret “the spirit that possess you body in this life” being your spirit. John Tvedtnes and Matthew Roper explain why this is not a correct interpretation of the scripture.
“Another misreading of the passage has led some people to believe that the ‘same spirit’ (Alma 34:34) refers to a person's own spirit, which they suppose cannot change after death. Occasionally, some have suggested that this means that a smoker, for example, will still have a craving for tobacco after he dies, but that his spirit will not be able to satisfy this craving. However, a careful reading of the next verse shows what Amulek meant. Speaking to these people who had already been members of the church, he declared:
“[I]f ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked. (Alma 34:35)
“From this it is clear that the ‘same spirit’ that possesses the wicked person and will continue to possess him in the hereafter is the devil, not the individual's spirit. Those who do the devil's will and refuse to repent will come under his power both in this world and the world to come. This is particularly true of those who have already entered into the covenant by being baptized.” [1] (Emphasis mine)
38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.
39 Yea, and I also exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you, that ye may not become his subjects at the last day; for behold, he rewardeth you no good thing.
40 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them;
41 But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions.
Alma 34:38-41 (Emphasis mine)
Amulek closes his sermon telling the people to stop fighting the Holy Ghost. Receive it and take upon yourselves the name of Christ. Humble yourselves and worship wherever you are. He warned them to be watchful as the devil will still try to lead them away from the truth.
Be patient in the afflictions they suffer. Don’t despise those who persecuted them. If they do, they become sinners just like those people are. Be patient in the firm hope that the day will come when they will rest from their afflictions.
Here ends the words of Amulek.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psalms 51:11 (Emphasis mine)
17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Jude 1:17-19 (Emphasis mine)
Gail Call observes:
“When Amulek warns that ‘he [the devil] rewardeth you no good thing’ (Alma 34:39), he does not mean just the lack of a good reward, but the surety of tremendously evil results—torment, captivity, and damnation.” [2] (Emphasis mine)
[1] Scripture Insight: "Do Not Procrastinate the Day of Your Repentance", John A. Tvedtnes, and Matthew Roper, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 9, 2011.
[2] Antenantiosis in the Book of Mormon, Gail Call, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 9, 2011.
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