13 And now the spirit
of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should
do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight
of God.
14 And it came to pass
that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came
to him, saying:
15 Blessed art thou,
Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art
blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant
Abinadi.
Alma had gone to King Mosiah and asked for his help dealing
with church members who had fallen away. He told Alma, “But king Mosiah said
unto Alma: Behold, I judge them not; therefore I deliver them into thy hands to
be judged” (Mosiah 26:12). “The earthly king, who, in earlier Nephite
tradition, had been the fount of religious authority and the last resort for
religious questions, had definitively given up such a role. Only the heavenly
king was left.”[1]
He was troubled. He did not know how to deal with those who
had fallen away from the truth. He wanted to be sure he dealt with them
properly. So, he “poured out his whole soul to God” (Mosiah 26:14).
“Queries [to the Lord] can … be of a strictly doctrinal
nature … In at least one instance, prayer about a difficult political problem
elicits an answer. Unsuccessful in his effort to transfer jurisdiction over
zealous apostates to the king, Alma takes his dilemma to the Lord in prayer. ‘And
it came to pass … the voice of the Lord came to him,’ saying essentially that
ecclesiastical dilemmas require ecclesiastical solutions (Mosiah 26:14).”[2]
The Lord blessed Alma for his faith in the words of Abinadi.
Those who believed his words and were baptized at the waters of Mormon were
also blessed. They are also blessed for placing their faith in Alma’s
teachings.
16 And blessed are
they because of their exceeding faith in the words alone which thou hast spoken
unto them.
17 And blessed art
thou because thou hast established a church among this people; and they shall
be established, and they shall be my people.
18 Yea, blessed is
this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be
called; and they are mine.
19 And because thou
hast inquired of me concerning the transgressor, thou art blessed.
20 Thou art my
servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life; and thou
shalt serve me and go forth in my name, and shalt gather together my sheep.
21 And he that will
hear my voice shall be my sheep; and him shall ye receive into the church, and
him will I also receive.
22 For behold, this is
my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance. And
whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive.
The Lord reminds Alma he had established His church among
the Nephites. “[K]ing Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches
throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and
teachers over every church” (Mosiah 25:19). Members are blessed for taking upon
themselves His name. He told Alma, “in my name shall they be called; and they
are mine” (Mosiah 26:18).
Those “that will hear my voice shall be my sheep; and him
shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive” (Mosiah 26:21).
Those who are baptized are baptized to repentance. “And he commandeth all men
that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the
Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God”
(2 Nephi 9:23). Those “whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and
him will I freely forgive” (Mosiah 26:22).
“Because repentance includes the covenant to obey the
commandments of the Lord, it is tied closely to baptism in water as the public
evidence or witness of that covenant. Thus baptism in water is the appropriate
sequel to repentance.”[3]
23 For it is I that
taketh upon me the sins of the world; for it is I that hath created them; and
it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right
hand.
24 For behold, in my
name are they called; and if they know me they shall come forth, and shall have
a place eternally at my right hand.
25 And it shall come
to pass that when the second trump shall sound then shall they that never knew
me come forth and shall stand before me.
26 And then shall they
know that I am the Lord their God, that I am their Redeemer; but they would not
be redeemed.
27 And then I will
confess unto them that I never knew them; and they shall depart into
everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
He will take upon himself the sins of the world. “[I]t is I
that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand”
(Mosiah 26:23). If they know Him, the will “have a place eternally at my right
hand” (Mosiah 26:24). “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the
only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).
When the second trumps sounds, those who never knew Him will
stand before Him.
“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince
which standeth for [OR who has charge over] the children of thy people: and
there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation
even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every
one that shall be found written in the book.
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall
awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt”
(Daniel 12:1-2).
At that time, they will know “I am the Lord their God, that
I am their Redeemer; but they would not be redeemed” (Mosiah 26:26). He will
tell them He did not know them.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works?
“And then will I profess unto them [JST Matthew 7:33 – And
then will I say, Ye never knew me], I
never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity [GR lawlessness]”
(Matthew 7:21-23).
The will “And then I will confess unto them that I never
knew them; and they shall depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil
and his angels” (Mosiah 26:27). “But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not
whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:27).
[2] The Book of Mormon and Dialogic Revelation, Terryl L. Givens, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies
10/2 (2001): 23-24.
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