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THE SON OF ALMA The words which Alma, the High Priest according to the holy order of God, delivered to the people in their cities and villages throughout the land. [Comprising chapter 5.] |
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CHAPTER 5To gain slavation, men must repent and keep the commandments, be born again, cleanse their garments through the blood of Christ, be humble and strip themselves from pride and envy, and do the works of righteousness—The Good Shepherd calleth his people—Those who do evil works are children of the devil—Alma testifies of the truth of this doctrine and commands men to repent—Names of the righteous shall be written in the book of life. [About 83 B.C.] |
Tree of Life Theme |
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1 NOW it came to pass that
*Alma began to adeliver the word of
bGod unto the people, first in the land of
Zarahemlaa, and from thence
throughout all the land.
2 And these are the words which he spake to the people in the churcha which was established in the city of Zarahemla, according to his own record, saying: |
1a first in the land of
Zarahemla Now care is to be takento understand that the whole of
the land of the Nephites was called by the name of the nation of Zarahemla.
Within that national land there was the smaller provincial land of Zarahemla
amoung many other such provincial lands, all in the national land of
Zarahemla. Now the provincial land of Zarahemla was in the heart or the
center of the land, the city of Zarahemla itself being upon the right banks
of the central regions of the great and vast river Sidon. And the city of
Zarahemla was the capital city of the nation of Zarahemla. Alma thus begins
his teachings in that capital city in that capital province of Zarahemla.
2a to the people in the church Now not all of the people were members of the church. The nation of Zarahemla was a free nation, based upon the liberty of the people, the people having a voice in the goverment, appointing their judges by the voice of the people. So thus it is to be understood that Alma's mission was to the members of the church to strengthen them in their baptism and conversion unto the true church of God. |
1*
[About 83 B.C.] a Alma 4:19 b Alma 5:61
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Sermon to the Church in the City of Zarahemla |
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3 I, Alma, having been aconsecrated by my father,
Alma, to be a bhigh priest over the church of God, he
having power and cauthority from God to do these
thingsa,
behold, I say unto you that he began to establish a church in the
dland which was in the borders of Nephi; yea, the land
which was called the land of Mormon; yea, and he did baptize his brethren in
the waters of Mormon.
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3a he having power and authority from God
to do these things Alma the elder had been called by God by direct
revelation, receiving the power from God, though we do not have the specifics
of that consecration, we know that it occurred just as sure as we also know
that Moses was so called of God. And then Alma the younger was consecrated by
his father by the same power from God under the hand of his father. 'And no
man taken this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was
Aaron.' (Hebrews 5:4)
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3a
TG
Priesthood Authority b Alma 4:20 (4, 18, 20); Alma 8:23 (11, 23) c Mosiah 18:13; 3 Ne. 11:25 d Mosiah 18:4; 3 Ne. 5:12
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4 And behold, I say unto you, they were adelivered
out of the hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God.
5 And behold, after that, they were brought into abondage by the hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness; yea, I say unto you, they were in captivity, and again the Lord did deliver them out of bbondage by the power of his word; and we were brought into this landa, and here we began to establish the church of God throughout this land also.
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5a we were brought into this land Here in is information concerning the times of Alma the younger. He first speaks of 'they' and 'them' in respect to his father's generation how they were in captivity to the Lamanites and how the Lord did deliver them out of bondage by the power of his word. Alma would have been at most a child during the days of his father bing a priest in the courts of king Noah. And that captivity to the Lamanites would not be his. Even when he ] was but a youth in the land of Helam, that bondage would still not be his, but that of his father's generation. But his does include himself in the 'we' which were brought into this land from the land of Helam. Thus we know for an asurity that Alma the younger was but a youth during the days of that Alma his father and the people of the church did dwell in Helam and that he was with them when they departed that land and came into the land of Zarahemla to establish the church there. |
4a
Mosiah 23:1-3 5a Mosiah 23:37-39; Mosiah 24:9 (8-15) b Mosiah 24:17; Mosiah 25:10; Mosiah 27:16
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6 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to
this church, have you sufficiently retained in
aremembrance the captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have
you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering
towards them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance
that he has bdelivered their souls from hell?
7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the abands of death, and the bchains of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them.
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6a
2 Pet. 3:1-2 b TG Deliverance 7a Mosiah 15:8; TG Bondage, Spiritual; TG Man, Natural, Not Spiritually Reborn b Alma 12:11 (9-11); D&C 138:23; TG Hell
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8 And now I ask of you, my brethren, were they destroyed?
Behold, I say unto you, Nay, they were not.
9 And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the achains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand, and they did bsing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved. 10 And now I ask of you on what conditions are they asaved? Yea, what grounds had they to hope for salvation? What is the cause of their being loosed from the bands of death, yea, and also the chains of hell?
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9a
Alma 12:6 b Ps. 147:1-7 10a TG Save
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11 Behold, I can tell you—did not my father Alma believe in
the words which were delivered by the amouth of Abinadi?
And was he not a holy prophet? Did he not speak the words of God, and my
father Alma believe them?
12 And according to his faith there was a mighty achange wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true. 13 And behold, he apreached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their btrust in the true and cliving God. And behold, they were faithful until the dend; therefore they were saved.
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11a
Mosiah 17:2-4 12a TG Conversion 13a Mosiah 18:7 (1-31) b TG Trust in God c 1 Sam. 17:26; Ps. 42:2; Morm. 9:28; D&C 20:19 d 2 Ne. 31:15
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14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye
aspiritually been bborn of God? Have ye
received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty
cchange in your hearts?
15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who acreated youa? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption braised in incorruption, to stand before God to be cjudged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body? 16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye ablessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?
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15a exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you Yes, it is Jesus Christ who is the same as Jehovah who did create us. Not as to the spirit, for we are all the spirit children of God the Father of Spirits including Jesus Christ, even Jehovah who is the Firstborn of the Father in the spirit. But he is the creator of this temporal being, of this body of flesh and bone which was formed from the dust of the earth. For he is the God of Creation, even our Ministering God of this Second Estate. |
14a
TG
Spirituality b Mosiah 27:25 (24-27); Alma 22:15 c Rom. 7:22; Rom. 8:11-17; Col. 3:10 (9-10); Mosiah 5:2; Moses 6:65; TG Sanctification 15a TG Jesus Christ, Creator b TG Immortality; TG Redemption; TG Resurrection c TG Jesus Christ, Judge; TG Judgment, The Last 16a Matt. 25:34 (31-46)
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17 Or do ye aimagine to yourselves that ye can lie
unto the Lord in that day, and bsay—Lord, our works
have been righteous works upon the face of the earth—and that he will
save you?
18 Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect aremembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set at defiance the commandments of God?
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17a
Alma 7:3 b 3 Ne. 14:22 (21-23) 18a Ezek. 20:43; 2 Ne. 9:14; Mosiah 2:40; Mosiah 3:25; Alma 11:43
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19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a
pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the
aimage of God engraven upon your
countenances?a
20 I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to become asubjects to the devil? 21 I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be asaved; for there can no man be saved except his bgarments are washed white; yea, his garments must be cpurified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins.
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19a can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your contenances? We are to strive to follow Christ and become even as he is. He is that God whom we are to imulate, for he has given us the example, being the truth, the way, the life and the light of the world. And none come unto the Father but by him, he who was anointed to be the God of this Second Estate, to be its creator and its redeemer, redeeming that which he had created. |
19a
1 John 3:2 (1-3) 20a Mosiah 2:32 21a TG Salvation, Plan of b 1 Ne. 12:10; Alma 13:11-13; 3 Ne. 27:19-20 c D&C 138:59; TG Purification
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22 And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if
ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with
ablood and all manner of bfilthiness?
Behold, what will these things testify against you?
23 Behold will they not atestify that ye are murderers, yea, and also that ye are bguilty of all manner of wickedness? 24 Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that such an one can have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with aAbraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white? 25 I say unto you, Nay; except ye make our Creator a liar from the beginning, or suppose that he is a liar from the beginning, ye cannot suppose that such can have place in the kingdom of heaven; but they shall be cast out for they are the achildren of the kingdom of the devil.
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22a
Isa. 59:3 b TG Filthiness 23a Isa. 59:12 b TG Guilt 24a Luke 13:28 25a Deut. 32:5; 2 Ne. 9:9
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26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have
experienced a achange of heart, and if ye have felt to sing
the bsong of redeeming love, I would ask,
ccan ye feel so now?a
27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves ablameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently bhumble? That your garments have been ccleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to dredeem his people from their sins? 28 Behold, are ye stripped of apride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.
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26a if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the sond of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? To only once so experience that change of heart and that redeeming love is not sufficient. For one must continue in that experience from day to day. One must continue to fell that change in his heart from day to day continually. And one must continue to sing the song of redeeming love from day by day and so enduring until the end, standing fast in the truth and the spirit of the Lord and that spirit which giveth life unto all men unto salvation and exaltation. |
26a
TG
Change;
TG
Conversion; TG Man, New, Spiritually Reborn b Alma 26:13 c Mosiah 4:12; Alma 4:14 (13-14); D&C 20:32 (31-34) 27a 1 John 3:21 (19-24); TG Justification b TG Humility c Rev. 19:8 d 1 Cor. 15:3; TG Jesus Christ, Mission of 28a TG Pride
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29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of
aenvy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared;
and I would that he should prepare bquickly, for the hour
is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an
one is not found guiltless.
30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a amock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions? 31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the atime is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved! 32 Yea, even wo unto all ye aworkers of iniquity; repent, repent, for the Lord God hath spoken it!
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29a
TG
Envy b TG Procrastination 30a TG Backbiting; TG Mocking 31a TG Procrastination 32a Ps. 5:5 (4-6)
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33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto aall men,
for the barms of mercy are extended towards them, and he
saith: Repent, and I will receive you.
34 Yea, he saith: aCome unto me and ye shall partake of the bfruit of the tree of lifea; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the cbread and the waters of life dfreely; 35 Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness, and ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire—
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34a Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life When one comes to understand that the 'tree of life' is a base platform upon which may be set the 'vision of all' and that Christ is to be the associated Path, Rod of Iron and the central provider of the Tree of Life in the overall Plan of God, then one can then begin to readily see that the entire Book of Mormon itself is so based to give unto man a basis in that vision of life and even eventually all things. Christ is the way, the truth and the light, which are the three central elements of the Vision of the tree of life. Christ is the way, the very means, the path, whose gospel and doctrine that man must follow and endure in to obtain eternal life. The Rod of Iron is the very Word of God, that Word is Christ and his scriptures and the voice of his prophets unto his people. If they but will grasp and hold firm to that Word, that Rod of Iron, it will safely guide Christ's people through. And that most precious and delicious of all fruit is but the spirit of revealtion received in, by and through the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God, which is also administered unto man by way of the Holy Ghost. And that Tree of Life is a representation of God's love, 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.' That Son is as being that gift, that tree, that fruit of which if we do partake of we may obtain eternal life. That is that 'light' of 'life.' |
33a
Alma 19:36;
3 Ne. 18:25 b Isa. 59:16; 2 Ne. 1:15; Jacob 6:5; 3 Ne. 9:14 34a 1 Ne. 1:14; 2 Ne. 26:25 (24-28); 3 Ne. 9:14 (13-14) b 1 Ne. 8:11; 1 Ne. 15:36 c TG Bread of Life d 2 Ne. 9:50-51; Alma 42:27
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36 For behold, the time is at hand that whosoever
abringeth forth not good fruit, or whosoever doeth not the
works of righteousness, the same have cause to wail and mourn.
37 O ye workers of iniquity; ye that are apuffed up in the vain things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone bastray, as csheep having no dshepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath ecalled after you and is still calling after you, but ye will not fhearken unto his voice! 38 Behold, I say unto you, that the good ashepherd doth call you; yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ; and if ye will not bhearken unto the voice of the cgood shepherd, to the dname by which ye are called, behold, ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd.
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36a
Matt. 3:10;
Matt. 7:19 (15-20); Jacob 5:26-60; 3 Ne. 14:19; D&C 97:7 37a TG Worldliness b 2 Ne. 12:5; 2 Ne. 28:14; Mosiah 14:6 c Matt. 9:36 d TG Shepherd e Prov. 1:24-27; Isa. 65:12; 1 Ne. 17:13; 2 Ne. 7:2 f 2_chr. 33:10; Jer. 26:4; Alma 10:6 (5-6) 38a TG Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd b Lev. 26:14-20; D&C 101:7 c 3 Ne. 15:24; 3 Ne. 18:31 d Mosiah 5:8; Alma 34:38
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39 And now if ye are not the asheep of the good
shepherd, of what fold are ye? Behold, I say unto you, that the
bdevil is your shepherd, and ye are of his fold; and now,
who can deny this? Behold, I say unto you, whosoever denieth this is a
cliar and a dchild of the devil.
40 For I say unto you that whatsoever is agood cometh from God, and whatsoever is bevil cometh from the devil.
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39a
Matt. 6:24;
Luke 16:13 b Mosiah 5:10; TG Devil, Chruch of c John 2:22 d 2 Ne. 9:9 40a Ezra 3:11; Ps. 85:12; Omni 1:25; Ether 4:12; Moro. 7:16 (15-17) b Isa. 45:7; Amos 3:6; Moro. 7:12
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41 Therefore, if a man bringeth forth agood works
he hearkeneth unto the voice of the good shepherd, and he doth follow him;
but whosoever bringeth forth evil works, the same becometh a
bchild of the devil, for he hearkeneth unto his voice, and
doth follow him.
42 And whosoever doeth this must receive his awages of him; therefore, for his bwages he receiveth cdeath, as to things pertaining unto righteousness, being dead unto all good works.
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41a
3 Ne. 14:17(16-20);
TG
Good Works b Mosiah 16:3-5; Alma 11:23; 42a Alma 3:27 (26-27); D&C 29:45 b Rom. 6:23 c Hel. 14:18 (16-18)
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43 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should hear me, for I speak
in the aenergy of my soul; for behold, I have spoken unto
you plainly that ye cannot err, or have spoken according to the commandments
of God.
44 For I am called to speak after this manner, according to the aholy order of God, which is in Christ Jesus; yea, I am commanded to stand and testify unto this people the things which have been spoken by our fathers concerning the things which are to come.
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43a
Alma 7:5 44a Mosiah 29:42
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45 And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I
aknow of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you
that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do
ye suppose that I know of their surety?
46 Behold, I say unto you they are made aknown unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have bfasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of crevelation which is in me.
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45a
Alma 36:4 46a 1 Cor. 2:10 (9-16) b Alma 10:7 c Rev. 19:10
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47 And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed unto
me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are
true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me,
which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God.
48 I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name.
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49 And now I say unto you that this is the aorder
after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and
every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and
young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle
aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent
and be bborn again.
50 Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God cometh in his aglory, in his might, majesty, power, and dominion. Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith: Behold the glory of the bKing of all the earth; and also the King of heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of men. 51 And also the Spirit saith unto me, yea, crieth unto me with a mighty voice, saying: Go forth and say unto this people—Repent, for except ye repent ye can in nowise inherit the akingdom of bheaven. 52 And again I say unto you, the Spirit saith: Behold, the aax is laid at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be bhewn down and cast into the fire, yea, a fire which cannot be consumed, even an unquenchable fire. Behold, and remember, the Holy One hath spoken it.
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49a
TG
Called of God;
TG
Priesthood b TG Man, New, Spiritually Reborn 50a Ps. 24:8; Ps. 72:19; TG Jesus Christ, Glory of b Ps. 74:12; Ps. 149:2; Matt. 2:2; Luke 23:2; 2 Ne. 10:14; D&C 38:21-22; D&C 128:22-23; Moses 7:53; TG Jesus Christ, King; TG Kingdom of God, on Earth 51a TG Kingdom of God, in Heaven b TG Heaven 52a Luke 3:9; D&C 97:7 b Jacob 5:46; Jacob 6:7; 3 Ne. 27:11-12
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53 And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand
these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and
atrample the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be
bpuffed up in the pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still
persist in the wearing of ccostly apparel and setting your
hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon your
driches?
54 Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than another; yea, will ye persist in the persecution of your brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy order of God, wherewith they have been brought into this church, having been asanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works which are meet for repentance— 55 Yea, and will you persist in turning your backs upon the apoor, and the needy, and in withholding your substance from them? 56 And finally, all ye that will persist in your wickedness, I say unto you that these are they who shall be hewn down and cast into the fire except they speedily repent.
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53a
TG
Sacrilege b 1 Cor. 5:2 c 2 Ne. 28:13 (11-14); Morm. 8:36-39 d Ps. 62:10; D&C 56:16-18 54a TG Sanctification 55a Ps. 109:16 (15-16); Jacob 2:17; Hel. 6:39-40; D&C 56:16
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57 And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the
voice of the agood shepherd, come ye out from the wicked,
and be ye bseparate, and touch not their unclean things;
and behold, their names shall be cblotted out, that the
names of the wicked shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous,
that the word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the wicked
shall not be mingled with the names of my people;
58 For the names of the righteous shall be written in the abook of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right hand. And now, my brethren, what have ye to say against this? I say unto you, if ye speak against it, it matters not, for the word of God must be fulfilled. 59 For what shepherd is there among you having many sheep doth not watch over them, that the wolves enter not and devour his flock? And behold, if a wolf enter his aflock doth he not drive him out? Yea, and at the last, if he can, he will destroy him.
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57a
TG
Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd b Ezra 6:21; Ezra 9:1; Neh. 9:2; 2 Thes. 3:6; D&C 133:5, 14 c Deut. 29:20; Ps. 109:13 58a TG Book of Life 59a Ps. 27:23
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60 And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after
you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you
into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that
ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be
destroyed.
61 And now I, Alma, do command you in the language of ahim who hath commanded me, that ye observe to do the words which I have spoken unto you. 62 I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church; and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye also may be partakers of the fruit of the atree of lifea.
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62a Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life Again we see the 'tree of life' vision is the foundational base of the 'vision of all.' The way or path begins with the first principles of the gospel ordinances of faith, repentance, and baptism, which is the 'gate' to the path that leads one to eternal life, that fruit of the tree of life. And we here are learning it from the scriptural 'Word of God,' that Rod of Iron that guides one along the path to the precious fruit of eternal life from the tree of life. All of which are a representation fo Christ, that Gospel Plan found only in, through and by Jesus Christ the Lord. |
61a
Alma 5:1, 44 62a 1 Ne. 8:10; 1 Ne. 11:21-23
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| * Verse 1 [About 83 B.C.]. | ||
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