13 Behold, do ye not remember the words which
he spake unto Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye
shall prosper in the land? And again it is said that: Inasmuch as ye will not
keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
14 Now I would that ye should remember, that
inasmuch as the Lamanites have not kept the commandments of God, they have been
cut off from the presence of the Lord. Now we see that the word of the Lord has
been verified in this thing, and the Lamanites have been cut off from his
presence, from the beginning of their transgressions in the land.
15 Nevertheless I say unto you, that it shall
be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for you, if ye remain in
your sins, yea, and even more tolerable for them in this life than for you,
except ye repent.
16 For there are many promises which are
extended to the Lamanites; for it is because of the traditions of their fathers
that caused them to remain in their state of ignorance; therefore the Lord will
be merciful unto them and prolong their existence in the land.
17 And at some period of time they will be
brought to believe in his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the
traditions of their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will
be merciful unto all who call on his name. (Alma 9:13-17)
Alma continues.
He reminds them of
the promises and warnings the Lord gave Lehi about this people. “And he hath
said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the
land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from
my presence” (2 Nephi 1:20).
King Benjamin
taught, “And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them
diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the
commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land according to the promises
which the Lord made unto our fathers” (Mosiah 1:7).
Alma would later
make this point to his son. “O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are
the commandments of God. And he said: If ye will keep my commandments ye shall
prosper in the land—but if ye keep not his commandments ye shall be cut off
from his presence” (Alma 37:13).
He used the
Lamanites as an example of what happens if they don’t repent. Laman, Lemuel,
and their group refused to obey God’s commandments. As a consequence, they were
cut off from His presence. Nephi told us, “Wherefore, the word of the Lord was
fulfilled which he spake unto me, saying that: Inasmuch as they will not
hearken unto thy words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And
behold, they were cut off from his presence” (2 Nephi 5:20).
Even though the
Lamanites had been cutoff from His presence, it will be “more tolerable” for
them than if the people of Ammonihah refuse to repent of their sins. “Alma
continually emphasized that individuals and groups raised with greater light
are more accountable than those raised in cultures ignorant of or antagonistic
toward gospel principles.”[1]
The Lord has extended
promises to the Lamanites.
“Thus they were a
very indolent people, many of whom did worship idols, and the curse of God had
fallen upon them because of the traditions of their fathers; notwithstanding
the promises of the Lord were extended unto them on the conditions of
repentance.
“Therefore, this was
the cause for which the sons of Mosiah had undertaken the work, that perhaps
they might bring them unto repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to
know of the plan of redemption” (Alma 17:15-16).
The reason they are
ignorant of the gospel is because of the traditions of their fathers.
“Typically,
when the scriptures allude to ‘the traditions of men’ or ‘the traditions of the
fathers,’ they are speaking negatively about the false notions that hinder
people from recognizing and accepting the truth (e.g., at 1 Peter 1:18; D&C
74:4; 93:39). ‘Why do ye . . . transgress the commandment of God by your
tradition?’ the Savior asked his audience (Matthew 15:3). ‘For laying aside the
commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men’ (Mark 7:8). The Lamanites,
too, were misled by the false traditions of their fathers (Mosiah 1:5; 10:12-3;
Alma 9:16; 60:32; Helaman 15:4).”[2]
As we see throughout
the Book of Mormon, the Lamanites carry the hatred of the Nephites which goes
back to when Lehi’s family separated after his death. Laman and Lemuel’s hatred
for Nephi and his people carries on throughout the Book of Mormon;
nevertheless, they have promises because of their lack gospel knowledge.
“Wherefore, he has given
a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there
is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation
the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the
atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him.
“For the atonement
satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given
to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and
the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and
they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of
Israel” (2 Nephi 9:25-26).
“For behold, and
also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the
transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning
them, or who have ignorantly sinned” (Mosiah 3:11).
The Lord will be
merciful to the Lamanites, prolonging their existence in the land.
The time will come
when the Lamanites will be brought to know the incorrectness of the traditions
of their fathers. Enos prayed, asking the Lord for this day. “And now behold,
this was the desire which I desired of him—that if it should so be, that my
people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression, and by any means be
destroyed, and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God would
preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so be by the power of
his holy arm, that it might be brought forth at some future day unto the
Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation” (Enos 1:13).
“Salvation therefore consists, at least partially, in
overcoming false traditions (Alma 9:17; Helaman 5:51; 15:7-8; D&C 74:6-7),
and, accordingly, it is part of the goal of those who preach the true gospel to
lead people to see the incorrectness of the traditions they have previously
been taught (Alma 17:9; 24:7).”[3]
Many will be saved
as the Lord is merciful to those who call on His name.
[1] Alma’s
Enemies: The Case of the Lamanites, Amlicites, and Mysterious Amalekites,
J. Christopher Conkling, Journal of Book
of Mormon Studies 14/1 (2005): 116.
[2] Editor's
Introduction: Traditions of the Fathers, Daniel C. Peterson, Maxwell
Institute website.
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