Alma continues to discuss the fallen nature of mankind. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
“And Aaron did expound unto him the scriptures from the
creation of Adam, laying the fall of man before him, and their carnal state and
also the plan of redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the
world, through Christ, for all whosoever would believe on his name. And since
man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and
death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance, and so
forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no
victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of
glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto the king” (Alma 22:13-14),
We are in the grasps of God’s justice. “For when we were in the flesh, the motions
[GR sufferings, afflictions] of sins, which were by the law, did work in our
members to bring forth fruit unto death” (Romans 7:5).[1]
“For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children,
and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for
we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi
25:23).
Because of the demands of justice, we would be cut off from
God’s presence.
Mercy, minus the plan of salvation, would have no
effect. The only way mercy can meet the
demands of justice is through the atonement of Christ. “O how great the goodness of our God, who
prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that
monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death
of the spirit” (2 Nephi 9:10).
“And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken
the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should
have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.
But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no
victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ” (Mosiah 16:7-8).
Through the atonement, mercy can appease the demands of
justice. “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to
take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for
he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but
the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38).
“Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers
and supplications with strong [GR mighty, powerful supplication] crying and
tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in [GR
because of his piety, reverence] that he feared;[2] Though
he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And
being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them
that obey him” (Hebrews 5:7-9).
“Yea, I know that ye know that in the body he shall show
himself unto those at Jerusalem, from whence we came; for it is expedient that
it should be among them; for it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth
himself to become subject unto man in the flesh, and die for all men, that all
men might become subject unto him” (2 Nephi 9:5).
“Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through
the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a resurrection,
according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented
as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope
of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh” (Jacob 4:11).
“And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come
unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all
this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge
him, and shall crucify him” (Mosiah 3:9).
“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass
the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).
The demands of justice having been appeased, God is a
perfect, just, merciful God.
There had to be a punishment for breaking God’s laws before
we could have repentance. “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish” (Proverbs
19:9).
“And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the
arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible
[HEB tyrants]” (Isaiah 13:11).
“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,
and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (2 Peter 2:9).
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in
like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange
flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude
1:7).
“For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth
to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in
his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his
wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to
his own knowledge” (Mosiah 2:33).
“Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and
dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal
soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from
the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish,
which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever. And
now I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man; therefore his final
doom is to endure a never–ending torment” (Mosiah 2:38-39).
“Nevertheless, it is not written that there shall be no end
to this torment, but it is written endless
torment. Again, it is written eternal damnation; wherefore it is more
express than other scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children
of men, altogether for my name's glory. Wherefore, I will explain unto you this
mystery, for it is meet unto you to know even as mine apostles. I speak unto
you that are chosen in this thing, even as one, that you may enter into my rest.
For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment
which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—Eternal punishment is God's
punishment. Endless punishment is God's punishment” (D&C 19:6-12).
This punishment is eternal.
What does this mean? Failing to repent, we will be cast out of the presence
of God for all eternity. Eternal
punishment is being cast out for all eternity.
This is what, I am convinced, is meant by eternal punishment.
[1] “For
when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were not according to the law,
did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death” (Joseph Smith
Translation Romans 7:5).
[2] A
note in the JST manuscript states that verses 7 and 8 allude to Melchizedek and
not to Christ. Otherwise, the texts in the KJV and JST are the same.
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