37 And now, my beloved
brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things, and that ye should
work out your salvation with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny
the coming of Christ;
38 That ye contend no
more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name
of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in
whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in
thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow
upon you.
39 Yea, and I also
exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful unto prayer continually, that ye
may not be led away by the temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower
you, that ye may not become his subjects at the last day; for behold, he
rewardeth you no good thing.
40 And now my beloved
brethren, I would exhort you to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner
of afflictions; that ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because
of your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them;
41 But that ye have
patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one
day rest from all your afflictions. (Alma 34:37-41)
Amulek concludes his words.
He wants them to remember his words. They must work out
their salvation.
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in
my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling.
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do
of his good pleasure.
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
“That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God,
without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation [GR generation],
among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the
day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain” (Philippians
2:12-16).
“O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the
words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things
soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in
times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling before him” (Mormon 9:27).
They must respect God and cease to deny the coming of
Christ.
They should no longer resist the Holy Ghost and receive it.
“Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy
spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11).
“And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have
known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go
contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the
Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom’s
paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved…
“[T]he man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open
rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and
becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord has no place in
him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples” (Mosiah 2:36-37).
Having received the Holy Ghost, they are to take upon them
the name of Christ.
“And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye
shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for
behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts
are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have
become his sons and his daughters.
“And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other
head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby
salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of
Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be
obedient unto the end of your lives” (Mosiah 5:7-8).
“Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call
you; yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ;
and if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd, to the name by
which ye are called, behold, ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd” (Alma
5:38).
They must humble themselves and worship God wherever they
are. They are to worship Him in spirit and truth. They are to give thanks
giving daily. “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him
with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30).
“But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who
giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would
that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me,
considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and
thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of
devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils”
(D&C 46:7).
thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which
he doth bestow upon you.
They are to be grateful for the mercies and blessing bestowed
on them by God. “And again, to some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know the
differences of administration, as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord,
according as the Lord will, suiting his mercies according to the conditions of
the children of men” (D&C 46:15).
“Gratitude is a Spirit-filled principle. It opens our minds
to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God. Through it, we
become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things, which gladden
our hearts with their messages of God’s love. This grateful awareness heightens
our sensitivity to divine direction. When we communicate gratitude, we can be
filled with the Spirit and connected to those around us and the Lord. Gratitude
inspires happiness and carries divine influence. ‘Live in thanksgiving daily,’
said Amulek, ‘for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.’”[1]
They are to ensure they are to be watchful unto pray
continually. “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any
of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).
“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men [GR
behave like men], be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore
sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Peter 4:7).[2]
“And after they had been received unto baptism, and were
wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered
among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they
might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the
right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon
the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith” (Moroni
6:4).
Pray they will not be led away through the devil’s
temptations. “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is
tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them
that love him” (James 1:12).[3]
“Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of
all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a
firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve
the true and living God” (Mormon 9:28).
“Be faithful, and yield to no temptation” (D&C 9:13).
Avoid becoming subject to him at the last day. He will give
you no reward. [A]nd thus we see that the devil will not support his children
at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell” (Alma 30:60).
He told them to have patience. “Rest in the Lord, and wait
patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way,
because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass” (Psalm 37:7).
“Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour
of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and
our Father” (1 Thessalonians 1:3).
They were to bear their afflictions with patience. “This is
my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me” (Psalm 119:50).
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’
sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).
“Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou
knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy
gain” (2 Nephi 2:2).
They are not to condemn those who cast them out because of
their poverty. “Therefore they were not permitted to enter into their
synagogues to worship God, being esteemed as filthiness; therefore they were
poor; yea, they were esteemed by their brethren as dross; therefore they were
poor as to things of the world; and also they were poor in heart” (Alma 32:3).
If they do these things, they will become sinners like them.
They are to have patience and bear their afflictions with
hope they will rest from their afflictions. “So that we ourselves glory in you
in the churches of God for your patience [GR endurance] and faith in all your
persecutions and tribulations that ye endure” (2 Thessalonians 1:4).
“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the
will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:36).
[1] Gratitude:
A Path to Happiness, Sister Bonnie D. Parkin, April 2007 General Conference.
[2] “But to you the end of all things is at
hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (JST 1 Peter 4:7).
[3] “Blessed is the man that resisteth temptation: for
when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath
promised to them that love him” (JST James 1:12).
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