Alma 4:6-10

⁶ And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges [84 B.C.], that the people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel.  ⁷ Now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to many of the people whom Alma had consecrated to be teachers, and priests, and elders over the church; yea, many of them were sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be among their people.

⁸ For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure.

⁹ And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges, there began to be great contentions among the people of the church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of God. ¹⁰ And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges; and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling–block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress.

Alma 4:6-10 (Emphasis mine)

The people became righteous and prosperous.  Then, came their fall.  They became a proud people.  They had fine silks and linens.  Their flocks and herds had increased.  All these riches came from their hard work.  Hugh Nibley reminds us “[w]ork itself doesn't sanctify. We are told it is possible to work like the devil, or to work like demons. He works hard. Alma 4:6 and 10:4 say what you gain by your industry is not holy gain.” [1]  Then they committed the sin of “wearing very costly apparel.”  Remember, Hugh Nibley told us “’[c]ostly apparel’ is the mark of wicked and morbid perversion in the Book of Mormon. Notice, not beautiful apparel, but costly apparel—the externalization, the emphasis on the look…” 

John Sorenson explains Mormon’s view of this economic situation.

“Mormon’s economic view of his people was that prosperous conditions resulted when an ideal social and religious order was followed (for example, see Helaman 3:24, 25, 36; 4 Nephi 1:3, 23). Mormon felt that ideally the population should predominantly be cultivators and exhibit minimal distinctions in wealth (see Alma 32:4–5; 34:24–25; 35:9; 3 Nephi 6:1–5). Conversely, he believed that economic distress followed when the people became unrighteous and unequal. When such conditions arose, Mormon editorialized pointedly about the suffering and evils that resulted from differences in wealth and class distinctions (see Alma 4:6–9; 5:55; Helaman 3:36; 4:12; 6:39; 4 Nephi 1:26).” [2] (Emphasis mine)

Alma(2) and other church leaders were concerned (“this was the cause of much affliction”).  Not only did church members “begin to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes” but also “they began to be scornful, one to another” and “they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure.”  Alma(2) knew he had major problems within the church that had to be solved.

Members began to contend with each other and “there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and pride.” 

Hugh Nibley observes:

“In return for unquestioning obedience, wealth promises security, power, position, and honors, in fact anything in this world. Above all, the Nephites, like the Romans, saw in it a mark of superiority and would do anything to get hold of it, for to them ‘money answereth all things’ (Ecclesiastes 10:19). Even the people of the church when they ‘began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches’ (Alma 4:6) became fiercely competitive, full of ‘envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and pride’ (Alma 4:9).” [3] (Emphasis mine)

Mormon goes on to tell us “the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress.”  The church of God was supposed to offer something to the people.  It was supposed to offer truth and a guide towards life.  It was something special.

When the non-member saw the way the members were acting, they lost interest.  I’m sure they felt that there is nothing special about the church.  The people are no better than anyone else is.  In fact, they may have been worse.  Why would someone want to make the change and commit themselves to the church when they become convinced there was nothing special about the church of God? 

Needless to say, “the church began to fail in its progress.”  An understatement if I ever read one.

---

[1] Lecture 43: Alma 1-2, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 29, 2012.

[2] The Environment of the Nephites and How They Exploited It, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 29, 2012.

[3] Good People and Bad People, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 29, 2012.