26 And Zeezrom said
unto him: Thou sayest there is a true and living God?
27 And Amulek said:
Yea, there is a true and living God.
28 Now Zeezrom said:
Is there more than one God?
29 And he answered,
No.
30 Now Zeezrom said
unto him again: How knowest thou these things?
31 And he said: An
angel hath made them known unto me.
32 And Zeezrom said
again: Who is he that shall come? Is it
the Son of God?
33 And he said unto
him, Yea.
34 And Zeezrom said
again: Shall he save his people in their sins?
And Amulek answered and said unto him: I say unto you he shall not, for
it is impossible for him to deny his word.
35 Now Zeezrom said
unto the people: See that ye remember these things; for he said there is but
one God; yet he saith that the Son of God shall come, but he shall anot
save his people—as though he had authority to command God.
36 Now Amulek saith
again unto him: Behold thou hast lied, for thou sayest that I spake as though I
had authority to command God because I said he shall not save his people in
their sins.
37 And I say unto you
again that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and
he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven;
therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.
38 Now Zeezrom saith
again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?
39 And Amulek said
unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth, and ball
things which in them are; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the
last;
40 And he shall come
into the world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the
transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall
have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else.
41 Therefore the
wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made, except it be the
loosing of the bands of death; for behold, the day cometh that all shall rise
from the dead and stand before God, and be judged according to their works.
42 Now, there is a
death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the
bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal
death.
43 The spirit and the
body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be
restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be
brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright
recollection of all our guilt.
44 Now, this
restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both
male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so
much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its
perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be
arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy
Spirit, which is cone Eternal God, to be judged according to their
works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.
45 Now, behold, I have
spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning
the resurrection of the mortal body. I
say unto you that this mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the
first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with
their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and
immortal, that they can no more see corruption.
46 Now, when Amulek
had finished these words the people began again to be astonished, and also
Zeezrom began to tremble. And thus ended
the words of Amulek, or this is all that I have written.
Alma 11:26-46
185 years ago today, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
was formally organized.
I hope you had the chance to listen to the words of the
Lord’s servants called to run His church.
On the one hand, I love to hear the profound messages. They always hit on issues we face today as
well as reminding us what is important.
On the other hand, I always feel uncomfortable at the end of conference. I am reminded of where I fall short and need
to improve. I am grateful for reminders
of where I need to improve as well all have areas where we need to improve.
Before continuing looking at the Alma’s and Amulek’s
confrontation with Zeezrom, I would like to finish comment started on
Saturday’s post.
Two days ago, Christ’s body remained in the tomb. Then, 2,000 years ago yesterday, that changed
and the most important 72 hours ever were finished. The atonement had occurred whereby we can
repent of our sins and someday enter back into God’s presence. But, the last essential part of the plan of
salvation had to be completed.
The day after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene went to his
sepulcher. “And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel [JST Matt.
28:2 ... two angels...] of the Lord
descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and
sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow
[JST Matt. 28:3 And their countenance
was like lightning, and their
raiment white as snow]. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became
as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I
know [JST Matt. 28:4 And the angels
answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye; for we know...] that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.”
Then, the most important words spoken by an angel, “He
is not here: for he is risen.”
She ran to get the
disciples. Peter and John[1]
ran to the sepulcher. “And he stooping
down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then
cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the
linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the
linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.” (John 20:5-7).
Please refer back to the raising of Lazarus. After Christ commands, “Lazarus, come forth … he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot
with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin.” (John
11:43-44). Compare Lazarus’s condition after he was raised from the dead with
the Savior’s. The “linen clothes” in which He had been wrapped were still into the
tomb. “John wants his readers to
remember that although Lazarus would eventually die again and need his burial
clothes, Jesus would never need them again.”[2]
After Peter and John left, Mary stayed. “[S]he
turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?
whom seekest thou? She, supposing
him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell
me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him,
Rabboni; which is to say, Master [GR Teacher]” (John 20:14-16).
Mary was blessed to be the first person to see the risen
Savior. Imagine what it would have been like to have been able to greet the
risen Savior after He had completed the atonement allowing us to conquer sin
and He had conquered death so that we all may live.
There will never be three days like this again throughout
the eternities.
After his failed attempt at bribery, Zeezrom began
questioning Amulek.
Q:
Do you believe there is a true and living God?
A: Yes, there is a true and living
God.
Q: Is there more than one God?
A: No.
Q: How do you know this?
A: An angel appeared and told me
these things.[3]
Q: Who is this God? Is it the Son of God?
A Yes.
Q. Will He save us in our sins?
A. No. It is impossible for Him to do deny His word.
“The nature of Zeezrom's questions to Amulek suggests that
he, and perhaps the entire order of Nehor in Ammonihah, had difficulty
understanding the concept that the Son of God would redeem mankind from their
sins (see Alma 11:34–40).”[4]
Mormon breaks in and reminds us what Amulek had said to
Zeezrom. The Lord will come, not to
redeem us in our sins, but from our sins.
Nephi2 and Lehi2, in a time of Nephite
iniquity remembered the words of their father, Helaman1. “And he hath power given unto him from the
Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath
sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which
bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls”
(Helaman 5:10-11).
[Nehor’s] followers not only
rejected the concept of everlasting postmortal punishment but took the next
logical step and insisted that people could be saved in their sins; therefore,
there would be no punishment at all and no need for repentance. For example, in
his dialogue with Amulek, Zeezrom implied that people could be saved “in their
sins” (see Alma 11:34–37)…[5]
After he finished the questioning, Zeezrom turned to the
crowd. Amulek, he said, claimed there
was only one God. Then he claims the Son
of God will not save His people. He
thinks he has the right to command God!
Deuteronomy 18:20 requires that a
man shall be put to death if he speaks “in the name of other gods.” One can
understand how Jacob’s “preaching ... the doctrine of Christ” (Jacob 7:6) could
have been deviously characterized by Sherem as a form of speaking “in the name
of” another god, for the Nephites had begun worshipping God in the name of
Christ (see 2 Nephi 25:13–19; Jacob 4:5). Perhaps Book of Mormon prophets
insisted so emphatically that God and his Son were but “one God” (2 Nephi
31:21; Alma 11:28–29, 35), partly to affirm that speaking in the name of
one was not to be construed legally as speaking in the name of any other god.[6]
Amulek responded Zeezrom was lying. He never claimed he had the right to command
God. What he said was no one can be saved in their sins. Paul would write to the Corinthians, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit
the kingdom of God? Be not deceived:
neither fornicators [GR sexually immoral persons, male prostitutes], nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [GR catamites[7]],
nor abusers [GR male homosexuals] of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners [GR robbers], shall
inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
The Lord has clearly stated no unclean thing can enter the
kingdom of heaven.
“Wherefore,
if they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the
things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore,
they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if
their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be
filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so,
the kingdom of God must be filthy also.” (1 Nephi 15:33).
But
behold, an awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things
pertaining to things of righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean
thing can inherit the kingdom of God; but they are cast out, and consigned to
partake of the fruits of their labors or their works, which have been evil; and
they drink the dregs of a bitter cup. (Alma 40:26).
“And
no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into
his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because
of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto
the end” (3 Nephi 27:19).
No one can be saved in their sins.
When Zeezrom finished, Amulek again
accused Zeezrom of lying (Alma 11:36), and Amulek then delivered a detailed
statement about the basic elements in the plan of redemption and divine
judgment as taught by the Nephites. His points were directly responsive to
Zeezrom's stances: God will redeem his people if they will believe and repent;
the Son is indeed the “very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth” (v. 39;
compare “the Father of heaven and earth,” Mosiah 3:8); and the Son and God the
Father, along with the Holy Spirit, are “one Eternal God” (Alma 11:44).
Amulek's direct and penetrating response caused the people to be astonished and
Zeezrom to tremble, conscious that he was guilty of lying (11:46–12:1).[8]
Exaltation comes as a gift from
God, dependent upon my obedience to God’s law. No works I do solely of my own
power can bring this to pass. Only by the grace of God has this course been
opened to me, but only through obedience to the laws of God can I claim my
inheritance in the celestial kingdom of my Heavenly Father as a son within
his family. I cannot be
exalted in my sins, but must work until I overcome them.[9]
We are not saved in our
sins, as by being unconditionally saved through confessing Christ and then,
inevitably, committing sins in our remaining lives (see Alma
11:36–37). We are saved from our sins (see Hel. 5:10)
by a weekly renewal of our repentance and cleansing through the grace of God
and His blessed plan of salvation (see 3 Ne.
9:20–22).[10]
Q: Is the Son
of God the Eternal Father?
A: He
is. He is the very Eternal father; the
beginning and end; the first and last.
“For
unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be
upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty
God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
“But
now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we
all are the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64:8).
“AND
now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself
shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. And
because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having
subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—The
Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of
the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—And they are one God, yea, the very
Eternal Father of heaven and of earth” (Mosiah 15:1-4).
“For
by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities,
or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” (Colossians 1:16).
“And
they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust
of the earth. And they all cried aloud
with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ
that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified;
for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth,
and all things; who shall come down among the children of men” (Mosiah 4:2).
The Savior, Amulek explained, would come to redeem His
people. “Then took [Simeon] him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in
peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou
hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles [GR for
revelation to], and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother
marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them,
and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set [OR appointed] for the
fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken
against;” (Luke 2:28-34).
He will take upon Himself the sins of those who have faith
and obey His commandments. They will
have eternal life and salvation.
“And
he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the
sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments” (1 John 2:2-3).
“Behold
I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all
the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say
unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that
the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission
of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs
of the kingdom of God. For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are
they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed” (Mosiah 15:11-12).
“For
behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer
if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which
suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of
pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would
that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the
Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men”
(D&C 19:16-19).
Those who have not repented or asked Christ will remain as
if there had been no redemption, with the exception of the resurrection, which
is available to all of us. “And now behold, I say unto you then cometh
a death, even a second death, which is a spiritual death; then is a time that
whosoever dieth in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also die a spiritual
death; yea, he shall die as to things pertaining unto righteousness” (Alma 12:16).
At the resurrection, all will be raised from the dead and
stand before God to be judged.
“And
I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened:
and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged
out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And
the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the
dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their
works” (Revelation 20:12-13).
“While
many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of their kindred, yet they
rejoice and exult in the hope, and even know, according to the promises of the
Lord, that they are raised to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of
never–ending happiness” (Alma 28:12).
“[M]ercy
claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the
atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection
of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are
restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to
the law and justice” (Alma 42:23).
The gospel is not just a set of
things we are supposed to understand, important as that may be, but it includes
actions, else what is the point in being “judged according to [our] works”
(Alma 11:41)? The gospel, as the scriptures define it, is a series of actions:
Jesus “came into the world … to be crucified for
the world ... and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness”
(D&C 76:41), “the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in
me. And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be
saved” (3 Nephi 11:32-33). In all these activities, only one (belief) might
arguably be claimed to be only an intellectual activity. The story is
essential, for the gospel requires action and not just philosophical
contemplation.[11]
When we are resurrected, our body and spirit will reunite in
its perfect form.
“O
how great the plan of our God! For on
the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the
righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit
and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and
immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in
the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect” (2 Nephi 9:13).
“The
soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every
limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head
shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect
frame” (Alma 40:23).
Then, we shall be brought to stand before God, having a
clear memory of our guilt.
“Wherefore,
we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and
our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their
enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with
the robe of righteousness” (2 Nephi 9:14).
“And
if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and
abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the Lord
into a state of misery and endless torment, from whence they can no more
return; therefore they have drunk damnation to their own souls” (Mosiah 3:25).
“[C]an
ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled
with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance
of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set at defiance the
commandments of God? I say unto you, can
ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image
of God engraven upon your countenances? I say unto you, can ye think of being
saved when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?” (Alma
5:18-20).
“But
I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account
thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and
by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37).
The question has been asked why Christ should suffer for our
sins.
Why should one innocent person,
Christ, suffer so horribly for the sins he did not commit? How can all that
suffering be transferred from one person to another? Is that justice? The
answer: Do not think that anyone is getting off easy. Each suffers to his
capacity in time for his own sins: "there could be nothing so exquisite
and so bitter as were my pains," Alma reports (Alma 36:21). And worst of
all, "we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know
now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt" (Alma 11:43).
Physical suffering has its limits at which the body shuts off, but not
spiritual suffering, which requires the atoning blood of Christ more than any
theory or abstraction.[12]
We all will participate in the resurrection and receive the
restored body regardless of whether we were righteous or followed the devil. Not
one hair of the head will be lost. Then,
we will stand before the judgement bar of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and
be judged according to our works.
Amulek continues speaking of the death of the mortal body
and the resurrection.[13] At the resurrection, the mortal body will be
raised into an immortal body.
“The
soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every
limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head
shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect
frame” (Alma 40:23).
“Yea,
and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, from henceforth, when the Lord
shall come, and old things shall pass away, and all things become new, they
shall rise from the dead and shall not die after, and shall receive an
inheritance before the Lord, in the holy city” (D&C 63:49).
We will die no more, having our spirits reunited with our
body, never to be separated again. The
immortal body will never see corruption again. “Yea, and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, from henceforth,
when the Lord shall come, and old things shall pass away, and all things become
new, they shall rise from the dead and shall not die after, and shall receive
an inheritance before the Lord, in the holy city” (D&C 63:49).
“Amulek's direct and penetrating response caused the people
to be astonished and Zeezrom to tremble, conscious that he was guilty of lying
(11:46–12:1).’[14]
[1]
The scripture refers to the second disciple as “the other disciple whom Jesus loved.” (John 20:2). It is accepted that the unknown disciple is
John, the author of the gospel.
[2] As
quoted in “The Life and Teachings of
Christ, Volume II, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, Gaye Strathearn.
[3] And again, I know that the things whereof he
hath testified are true; for behold I say unto you, that as the Lord liveth,
even so has he sent his angel to make these things manifest unto me; and this
he has done while this Alma hath dwelt at my house (Alma 10:10).
[4] The
Temple in Time and Eternity – Conflicting Orders: Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah,
Thomas R. Valletta, Maxwell Institute, accessed April 6, 2015.
[5] Painting
Out the Messiah: The Theologies of Dissidents, John L. Clark, Maxwell
Institute, accessed April 6, 2015.
[6] Pressing
Forward with the Book of Mormon – Sherem's Accusations against Jacob,
Maxwell Institute, accessed April 6, 2015.
[7] A boy or youth who is in a sexual relationship with a man
(dictionary.com).
[8] The
Temple in Time and Eternity – Conflicting Orders: Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah,
Thomas R. Valletta, Maxwell Institute, accessed April 6, 2015.
[9] Salvation
and Exaltation, Elder Theodore M. Burton, April 1972 General Conference.
[10] Have
You Been Saved? Dallin H. Oaks, April 1998 General Conference.
[11] A
Book of Mormon Guide: A Simple Way to Teach a Friend, reviewed by John Gee,
Maxwell Institute, accessed April 6, 2015.
[12] King
Benjamin's Speech – Assembly and Atonement, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute,
accessed April 6, 2015.
[13] “And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death,
and being raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being
brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our works” (Alma 12:12).
[14] The
Temple in Time and Eternity – Conflicting Orders: Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah,
Thomas R. Valletta, Maxwell Institute, accessed April 6, 2015.
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