Alma goes on to testify to Shiblon that he knows the things
he teaches through the Spirt of God. Had
he not been born of God, he would not have known these things. “But behold, my limbs did receive their strength
again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had
been born of God … For because of the word which he has imparted unto me,
behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have
seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which
I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God” (Alma 36:23,
26).
“And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit
with the manifestation of my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of
water and of the Spirt” (D&C 5:16).
The Lord sent an angel to Alma. And as I said unto you, as they were going
about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them;
and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of
thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood … [H]e cried
again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church
of God? For the Lord hath said: This is
my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is
the transgression of my people” (Mosiah 27:11, 13).
Alma was commanded to cease his work of destruction among
the church. “Now they were desirous that
salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that
any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should
endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble. And thus did the
Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they were the very vilest of
sinners. And the Lord saw fit in his
infinite mercy to spare them; nevertheless they suffered much anguish of soul
because of their iniquities, suffering much and fearing that they should be
cast off forever” (Mosiah 28:3-4).
“Who could have supposed that our God would have been so
merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and polluted state? Behold,
we went forth even in wrath, with mighty threatenings to destroy his church” (Alma
26:17-18).
“For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy
the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way” (Alma
36:6).
Alma experienced pain and anguish for three days and
nights. “And it came to pass that I fell
to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I
could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs … And now, for three
days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul” (Alma
36:10, 16). He cried to the Lord, and found peace in his soul and a remission
of his sins.
Virtually every time remission of
sins is described as having occurred in the Book of Mormon, it refers to a
relatively well focused event (Enos 1:2, Mosiah 4:2-3, Alma 5:6-13. Alma 38:8.
3 Nephi 1:23.3 Nephi 7:25). Rather than being portrayed as a lifelong process
completed only when one is perfect, remission of sins is almost always
described as something which occurs at the outset of an individual’s acceptance
of Christ/the Gospel (2 Nephi 3 1: 17-20) and which must be retained (Mosiah 4:
11-12.26; Alma 4: 14) during the long and gradual process of sanctification
(Helaman 3:35, Alma 13: 10-12).[1]
He tells Shiblon his words were given him so that he would
learn wisdom. There is no other name by
which we can be saved is that of Christ.
“Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning
the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and
that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death
and sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood” (Alma 21:9).
“And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other
name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the
children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent” (Mosiah
3:17).
Christ is the light of the world. He is truth and righteousness. “THE LORD is
my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
the LORD is the strength of my
life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalms 27:1).
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of
the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
light of life” (John 8:12).
“And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me;
for good cometh of none save it be of me.
I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my
words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not
believe the Father who sent me. For
behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the
world” (Ether 4:12).
The word light is specifically
linked throughout the scriptures to many words pertaining to “the light of the
gospel” (D&C 138:30). Light is connected to or synonymous with life (John
8:12), joy (Alma 36:20), intelligence (D&C 93:36), truth (D&C
93:36–40), salvation (Psalm 27:1; Alma 26:15), knowledge (D&C 77:4), the
glory of Zion (D&C 124:6), understanding and wisdom (Daniel 5:11, 14), law
(3 Nephi 15:9), a standard for the nations (D&C 115:5), power (D&C
50:27), righteousness (Alma 38:9), and redemption (D&C 93:9).[2]
Alma told Shiblon to continue preaching the word of
God. Be diligent and temperate in all things.
“And as [Paul] reasoned of righteousness, temperance [GR self-control], and
judgment to come, Felix trembled [GR feared], and answered, Go thy way for this
time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:25).
“[T]he “man [or woman] of Christ” (Helaman 3:29) is
spiritual and bridles all passions (see Alma 38:12), is temperate and
restrained, and is benevolent and selfless. Men and women of Christ lay hold
upon the word of God, deny themselves and take up His cross (see Matthew 16:24;
Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; D&C 56:2), and press forward along a strait and
narrow course of faithfulness, obedience, and devotion to the Savior and His
gospel.”[3]
Be not lifted in pride nor boast in your own wisdom Shiblon was
advised.
Shiblon was advised to speak with boldness, but not
overbearance. “And Ammon began to speak
unto [King Lamoni] with boldness…” (Alma 18:24). Control his passions so he
would be filled with love.
“A SOFT answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir
up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
“He that hath no rule
over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls” (Proverbs 25:28).
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).[4]
Don’t be idle. Don’t pray as the Zoramites.[5]
Remember you are to pray acknowledge your unworthiness. The Savior gave us the same command. “The
Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not
as other men are, extortioners,
unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes
of all that I possess [GR acquire, gain, or possess]. And the publican,
standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be
merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one
that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be
exalted” (Luke 18:11-14).
He left the Lord’s blessing on his soul. He closes with advice similar to what Peter
gave us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
[1] Review
of Doctrines of the Book of Mormon: The 1991 Sperry Symposium (1992), edited by
Bruce A. Van Orden, and Brent L. Top, Mack C. Stirling, Review of Books on
the Book of Mormon 5/1 (1993): 253.
[2] Light:
A Masterful Symbol, Richard Dilworth Rust, Journal of the Book of Mormon
and Other Restoration, Scripture 20/1 (2011): 59.
[4] “Then
said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man
will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
And
now for a man to take up his cross, is to deny himself all ungodliness, and
every worldly lust, and keep my commandments” (Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 16:26).
[5] “Therefore,
whosoever desired to worship must go forth and stand upon the top thereof, and
stretch forth his hands towards heaven, and cry with a loud voice, saying: Holy,
holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe that thou art holy, and
that thou wast a spirit, and that thou art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a
spirit forever. Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our
brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren, which was
handed down to them by the childishness of their fathers; but we believe that
thou hast elected us to be thy holy children; and also thou hast made it known
unto us that there shall be no Christ. But thou art the same yesterday, today,
and forever; and thou hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around
us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which holiness, O
God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou hast elected us, that we
may not be led away after the foolish traditions of our brethren, which doth bind
them down to a belief of Christ, which doth lead their hearts to wander far
from thee, our God. And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a
holy people. Amen. Now it came to pass
that after Alma and his brethren and his sons had heard these prayers, they
were astonished beyond all measure. For behold, every man did go forth and
offer up these same prayers. Now the place was called by them Rameumptom,
which, being interpreted, is the holy stand” (Alma 31:14-21).
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