Chapter 6
The Church in
Zarahemla is cleansed and set in order—Alma goes to Gideon to preach. About 83 B.C.
1 And now it came to
pass that after Alma had made an end of speaking unto the people of the church,
which was established in the city of Zarahemla, he ordained priests and elders,
by laying on his hands according to the order of God, to preside and watch over
the church.
2 And it came to pass
that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were
baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church.
3 And it also came to
pass that whosoever did belong to the church that did not repent of their
wickedness and humble themselves before God—I mean those who were lifted up in
the pride of their hearts—the same were rejected, and their names were blotted
out, that their names were not numbered among those of the righteous.
4 And thus they began
to establish the order of the church in the city of Zarahemla.
5 Now I would that ye
should understand that the word of God was liberal unto all, that none were
deprived of the privilege of assembling themselves together to hear the word of
God.
6 Nevertheless the
children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft,
and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of
those who knew not God.
7 And now it came to
pass that when Alma had made these regulations he departed from them, yea, from
the church which was in the city of Zarahemla, and went over upon the east of
the river Sidon, into the valley of Gideon, there having been a city built,
which was called the city of Gideon, which was in the valley that was called
Gideon, being called after the man who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the
sword.
8 And Alma went and
began to declare the word of God unto the church which was established in the
valley of Gideon, according to the revelation of the truth of the word which
had been spoken by his fathers, and according to the spirit of prophecy which
was in him, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who
should come to redeem his people from their sins, and the holy order by which
he was called. And thus it is written. Amen.
Having finished preaching to those in Zarahemla, Alma ordained
priests and elders.
What does it mean to be ordained? The Guide to the
Scriptures tell us, “To appoint or confer authority or office. To use authority
in the Lord’s Church, a person must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the
laying on of hands by those who are in authority (5th Article of
Faith[1]).
Although a person may receive authority by ordination, he uses it under the
direction of those who hold the particular keys for that authority.”
The scriptures are clear about ordination and its importance.
“I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the
truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity [GR
truth]” (1 Timothy 2:7).
“For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest
set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I
had appointed [GR directed, ordered] thee” (Titus 1:5).
“Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called
of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been
consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector,
and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know that I have spoken unto you
exceedingly many things” (2 Nephi 6:2).
“And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God,
ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain
to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the
kingdom of God” (Mosiah 18:18).
“Which John I have sent unto you, my servants, Joseph Smith,
Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto the first priesthood which you
have received, that you might be called and ordained even as Aaron” (D&C 27:8).
Ordination is done by the laying on of hands by one who has
authority.
“And Moses did as the Lord commanded him: and he took
Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:
“And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as
the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses” (Numbers 27:22-23).
“And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose
Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus,
and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
“Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had
prayed, they laid their hands on them” (Acts 6:5-6).
“We still continued the work of translation, when, in the
ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and
inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found
mentioned in the translation of the plates. While we were thus employed,
praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud
of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying:
“Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I
confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of
angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the
remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the
sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness” (Joseph
Smith—History 1:68-69).
Alma ordained priests and elders. They were to watch and preside
over the church.
“Let the residue of the elders watch over the churches, and
declare the word in the regions round about them; and let them labor with their
own hands that there be no idolatry nor wickedness practiced” (D&C 52:39).
Those who were not members of the church, and accepted his
message, repented and were baptized and received into the church.
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).
“Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again;
for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of
heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed
from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the
sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all
unrighteousness” (Alma 7:14).
“Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins
through your words, and desireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise shall
ye baptize them—Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name
shall ye baptize them” (3 Nephi 11:23).
Church members who refused to repent and give up their
pride, humbling themselves were excommunicated from the church. “And ye are
puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might
be taken away from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:2).
Order was established in the church in the city of
Zarahmela.
The church was commanded to meet often. They were to fast
and pray on behalf of those who would not accept Alma’s message.
“In gospel-sharing homes we pray for guidance for ourselves,
and we pray for the physical and spiritual well-being of others. We pray for
the people the missionaries are teaching, for our acquaintances, and for those
not of our faith. In the gospel-sharing homes of Alma’s time, the people would ‘join
in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who
knew not God’ (Alma 6:6).”[2]
Having completed his work in Zarahemla, Alma left and went
to the valley and city of Gideon. Alma declared the word of God to the church
at Gideon, as well as to the people who lived in the valley of Gideon. He testified
of Christ’s mission, which is to redeem us from our sins.
[1] “We believe that a man must be called of God, by
prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to
preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof” (5th Article
of Faith).
[2] Creating
a Gospel-Sharing Home, President M. Russell Ballard, April 2006 General
Conference.
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