29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not
stripped of envy? I say unto you
that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly,
for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for
such an one is not found guiltless. 30 And again I say unto
you, is
there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon
him persecutions? 31 Wo unto such an one,
for he
is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be
saved! 32 Yea, even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent,
repent, for the Lord God hath spoken it!
Alma 5:29-32 (Emphasis
mine)
Are you envious, Alma(2) asks? You have a problem. In Proverbs, King Salmon wrote, “[a] sound
heart is the life of the flesh: but envy
the rottenness of the bones” (Proverbs 14:30).
In his epistle, James wrote, “where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16).
Do you mock a brother or persecute him? King Solomon taught, “[w]hoso mocketh the poor
reproacheth his Maker: and he that is
glad at calamities shall not be unpunished” (Proverbs 17:5).
What are the consequences of these sins? Alma(2) made it clear that they are not
prepared to meet God. “[T]he time is at
hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!”
Alma(2) doesn’t stop there.
He continues to call on “all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent, for
the Lord God hat spoken it!” He reminds
the people that this call to repentance comes not from him. It comes from “the Lord God.”
Richard Rust sums up this part of the sermon.
“The dramatic summary of this phase of the sermon is ‘Yea,
even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent, for the Lord God hath
spoken it!’ (Alma 5:32). In reaching this point, Alma has stressed the urgency
of his message with references to ‘quickly’ or ‘at hand’ and has built it up
rhythmically with such repeated phrases as ‘I say unto you’ and ‘Wo unto.’ “ [1]
(Emphasis mine)
33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men,
for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I
will receive you. 34 Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake
of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread
and the waters of life freely; 35 Yea, come unto me and bring
forth works of righteousness, and ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the
fire—
Alma 5:33-35 (Emphasis mine)
Alma(2) makes it clear that the Lord “sendeth an invitation
unto all men.” The Lord wants all to
repent. He is there to help and
support. We don’t have to do it
alone.
He tells us the Lord’s “arms of mercy are extended towards
them.” Before his death, Lehi told his
children “the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory,
and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love” (2 Nephi 1:15).
Jacob told the Nephites “I beseech of you in words of
soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave
unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And
while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden
not your hearts” (Jacob 6:5).
The Savior Himself promised us “if ye will come unto me ye
shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm
of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive;
and blessed are those who come unto me” (3 Nephi 9:14).
David Seely reminds us “[t]he image of the arm of mercy also
occurs in Mosiah 16:12; Alma 5:33; 19:36; 29:10; and 3 Nephi 9:14. Each time,
the Lord is offering ‘to all people who will repent and believe on his name’
(Alma 19:36) the chance to take full advantage of the Atonement. For example, ‘Behold,
he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended
towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you’ (Alma 5:33).” [2]
[1] "Know
the Covenants of the Lord" - Sermons, Richard Dilworth Rust, Provo,
Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed March 7, 2012.
[2] The
Image of the Hand of God in the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament, David
R. Seely, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed March 7, 2012
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