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CHAPTER 26Many members of the Church are led into sin by unbelievers—Alma is promised eternal life—Those who repent and are baptized gain forgiveness—Church members in sin who repent and confess to Alma and to the Lord shall be forgiven; otherwise they shall be excommunicated. [Probably between 120 and 100 B.C.] |
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1 NOW it came to pass that there were many
of the rising generation that could not understand the
awords of king Benjamin, being little children at the time
he spake unto his people; and they did bnot believe the
tradition of their fathers.
2 They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the deada, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christb. 3 And now because of their aunbelief they could not bunderstand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened.
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2a They did not believe what had been
said concerning the resurrection of the dead At the time of Christ
it would be the Saducees who would not then believe that the body of man
would rise again from the grave. Certainly there is much concerning the
resurrection yet to be revealed. For the physical 'dust' of this physical
body does return to the earth from whence it comes except that there be an
immediate resurrection. Christ's resurrection was one that was immediate.
All before the time of Christ's fulfillment of the atonement and resurrection
did remain in the grave for a length of time. And their body of corruption
did return unto the dust again. Thus it must truly be considered that when
the resurrection does occur, and it certainly will, and all who ever lived
will be so resurrected and restored to their physical body again, that it
is relative to something more than just the common elements of the earth
which will call the body together again from the elements of the earth. Each
of us have a DNA pattern which orgainizes the common elements of this
physical matter into that which lives and houses our spirits. That essense
will be called forth, and it will restore the elements to the body, bone to
bone and flesh to flesh. And that which in mortality was the blood of life
will be replaced with that which is incorruptible, which will flow in the
body in the stead thereof and give to the resurrected body incorruption of
a perfect immortal body. We are told that this body, the nature of it as it
was laid down will be how it is and like when first it is raised back up.
And from the imperfect state of being, the 'newness of life' will proceed to
perfect the old into that which is new according to the degree and glory to
which it is raised according to the judgments there of.
2b neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ Common to the belief that the exalted being is a being of flesh and bone combined with that spirit which it does house, there have always been many which did not believe that God was such a being. And this according to the influence of Satan who does not wish for man to understand and know that God, that is Jehovah who was the first born spirit of the exalted Father, would come to earth like unto all the spirit children of God and take upon himself flesh and bone. This ties to the consideration that if their is no resurrection, then there is no need or any sense to be made of God, that is Jehovah, to come to earth to also obtain such a body. This is what Satan who never will obtain a body of flesh and bone wishes and influences people to believe. He did not keep his first estate and thus did not and will not ever receive a body of flesh and bone but forever remain a spirit. And this is the state which he would that all men also consider to be their own final state. That is a disembodied spirit with no advancement and glory to be obtained forever more. Yes, as the God of the Old Testament, as the God of Creation, Jehovah performed by the power and authority of God given him by the Father. The Father is advanced beyond this Second Mortal Estate. It was therefore necessary that one pertaining to this estate be made God, given that power to act in the name of the Father to all those of this Second Estate. The Father selected Him whose right it was, the heir of the Father, the Firstborn of the Father in the Spirit. And the Father anointed Him and ordained Him, giving him the fulness of the power and authority of the Father to act in the stead of the Father in all things pertaining to this Second Estate. Thus it was the Son, Jehovah, who did create the heavens and the earth. It was Jehovah who was the God pertaining to this Second Estate who was the God of the Old Testament. It was Jehovah who did condesend to come to earth to the depths below all others to suffer for the sins of the would and redeem all those who would come to this Second Estate, that they might live again and be raised up unto immortality by the resurrection which He would effect. It is this Christ whom the Father introduced unto Joseph Smith and who effected the restoration to the fulfilling of the promises of the fathers, even those of the Covenant of Abraham. It is this Jehovah who was resurrection as Jesus Chirst who will come again and rule and reign upon this earth as its King for the thousand years of the Millennium. And it is the Son, Jehovah the Firstborn of the Father in the Spirit, even Jesus Christ the Only Begotten Son of the Father in the Flesh, who will be Our Judge, Our Priest and Our King over all things at that great and final day to the Glory of the Father when he will have answered the final fulfillment of his mediation, advocacy and recopitulatin if our behalf between us and the Father of that Celestial Kingdom which is our great hope that we might obtain. |
1a
Mosiah 2:1 b TG Family, Children, Duties of 3a TG Unbelief, Unbelievers b TG Understanding
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4 And they would not be baptized; neither would they join the
achurch. And they were a separate people as to their
faith, and remained so ever after, even in their bcarnal
and sinful state; for they would not call upon the Lord their God.
5 And now in the reign of Mosiah they were not half so numerous as the people of God; but because of the adissensions among the brethren they became more numerous. 6 For it came to pass that they did adeceive many with their bflattering words, who were in the church, and did cause them to commit many sins; therefore it became expedient that those who committed sin, that were in the church, should be cadmonished by the church.
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4a
Mosiah 25:22 (18-23);
Alma 4:5 (4-5) b TG Man, Natural, Not Spiritually Reborn 5a TG Apostasy 6a Col. 2:18 (16-23); TG Deceit b TG Flattery c Alma 5:57-58; Alma 6:3; TG Warnings
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7 And it came to pass that they were brought before the priests, and
delivered up unto the apriests by the teachers; and the
priests brought them before Alma, who was the bhigh priest.
8 Now king Mosiah had given Alma the aauthority over the bchurch. 9 And it came to pass that Alma did not know concerning them; but there were many awitnesses against them; yea, the people stood and testified of their iniquity in abundance.
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7a
TG
Priest b Mosiah 23:16; Mosiah 29:42 8a TG Delegation of Responsibility b TG Church Organization 9a TG Witnesses
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Dividing Church and StateNow during the riegns of king Mosiah I, Benjamin and Mosiah II, the church and state was administered by the prophet king, he consecrating priests and overseeding both the afares of the church and the state, the state being mixed between members and non-members, those who believe and those who do not. But in preparation for the day of the judges, and in that Alma the elder was also called to minister in a church of God, King Mosiah did given unto Alma by his consent as the king of the Land, the rights of administering the Church of God. In the following instance that division is further defined. But a certain portion of the 'church' is so retained in the 'kingdom' of the ' king, as he still retains certain priests which are still 'priests of the king'. Thus the transition is a step and gradual process, defining it phase by phase. That we have but an abridged account is evident, that a more complete account would be of great interest is considered. Perhaps ever since the days of Nephi, that 'prophet-king' was the afairs of church and state combined. What that was like would be of interest, for we seem to be headed such a direction with the King of the Earth, who will be Christ, will oversee both chruch and state though a division of labor will be diligated, it still must be considered that there will be but one head over them both, Jesus Christ, King David of the Millennial reign. |
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10 Now there had not any such thing happened before in the
church; therefore Alma was troubled in his spirit, and he caused
that they should be brought before the king.
11 And he said unto the king: Behold, here are many whom we have brought before thee, who are accused of their brethren; yea, and they have been taken in divers iniquities. And they do not repent of their iniquities; therefore we have brought them before thee, that thou mayest judge them according to their crimes. 12 But king Mosiah said unto Alma: Behold, I judge them not; therefore I adeliver them into thy hands to be judgeda.
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12a Behold, I judge them not; therefore I deliver them into thy hands to be judged Here King Mosiah II makes a very distinct split between church and state, giving all matters of the commandments of God in the Church of God into the hands of Alma. Now whereas it must be understood that prior the king did minister in the joint affairs of church and state, King Mosiah who is but a humble servant of the people and God, had no problem with letting go of the 'authority' of ruling over the people as to judging them in terms of their righteousness within the structure of the Church of God. Yea, Alma will indeed regulate 'ALL' the affairs of the church. |
12a
D&C 42:87 (78-93)
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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 avoice of the Lord came to him, saying: 15 Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the awaters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding bfaith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi.
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14a
TG
Guidance, Divine 15a Mosiah 18:30 b Mosiah 17:2; D&C 46:14; TG Faith
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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 achurch 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 aname; for in my bname shall they be called; and they are mine.
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17a
Mosiah 25:19-24 18a Mosiah 1:11; Mosiah 5:8; TG Jesus Christ, Taking the Name of b Deut. 28:10
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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 aeternal 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 asheep; and him shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive.
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20a
TG
Election 21a TG Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd
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22 For behold, athis is my
bchurch; whosoever is cbaptized shall be
baptized unto repentance. And whomsoever ye receive shall
dbelieve in my name; and him will I freely
eforgive.
23 For it is I that taketh upon me the asins of the world; for it is I that hath bcreated thema; 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 aknow me they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand.
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23a for it is I that hath created them This of course speaks of the temporal creation and the fact that Jehovah who is Jesus Christ did so order and create the heaven and the earth and did form man, that natural temporal being, after the image of the spirit according as had been given him of God the Father of Spirits to do. Thus it is Jehovah as Jesus Christ who does take the sins of the world upon him and it is Jehovah, who is the Word even Jesus Christ, who did create the temporal heaven and earth and also who did form man after the image of God. Thus he did 'create them' in their natural temporal second estate and this is what is being refered to here that he did create them. And this not that he was the Father of their spirits but the creator of their natural temporal being of flesh and bone, as he did so form and order the man Adam from the beginning of this second estate, and we all have descended from Adam. |
22a
Mosiah 27:13 b TG Jesus Christ, Head of the Church c 2 Ne. 9:23 d TG Baptism, Qualifications for e TG Remission of Sins 23a TG Jesus Christ, Redeemer b TG Jesus Christ, Creator 24a John 17:3
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25 And it shall come to pass that when the asecond
trump shall sound then shall they that never bknew 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 aknew them; and they shall bdepart into ceverlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
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25a
Dan. 12:2 (1-2) b 3 Ne. 14:23 (21-23); D&C 76:85 (81-86); D&C 112:26 27a Matt. 7:23 (21-23) b Luke 13:27 c 1 Ne. 15:35 (32-36)
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28 Therefore I say unto you, that he that will not
ahear my voice, the same shall ye not receive into my
church, for him I will not receive at the last day.
29 Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye ajudge baccording to the sins which he has committed; and if he cconfess his sins before thee and me, and drepenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye eforgive, and I will forgive him also.
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28a
2 Ne. 9:31;
D&C 1:14 (2, 11, 14); Moses 6:27 29a TG Judgment b TG Accountability c Num. 5:7 (6-10); Alma 17:4; 3 Ne. 1:25; TG Confession d TG Repentance e TG Forgiveness
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30 Yea, and aas often as my people
brepent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.
31 And ye shall also aforgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his bneighbor's trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation. 32 Now I say unto you, Go; and whosoever will anot repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered among my people; and this shall be observed from this time forward.
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30a
Moro. 6:8 b Ezek. 33:11, 15-16; Amos 5:4-8; Acts 3:19-20; 2 Ne. 1:20; Mosiah 29:20 31a Col. 3:13 (12-14); 3 Ne. 13:14-15; D&C 64:10 (9-10) b TG Neighbor 32a Alma 1:24; TG Excommunication
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33 And it came to pass when Alma had heard these words he
awrote them down that he might have them, and that he might
judge the people of that church according to the commandments of God.
34 And it came to pass that Alma went and judged those that had been taken in iniquity, according to the aword of the Lord.
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33a
TG
Scriptures, Writing of 34a 2 Ne. 33:14 (13-15)
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35 And whosoever repented of their sins and did
aconfess them, them he did number among the people of the
church;
36 And those that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were ablotted out.
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35a
TG
Confession 36a Ex. 32:33; Ps. 9:5; Ps. 109:13; Alma 1:24; TG Book of Life
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37 And it came to pass that Alma did regulate all the affairs of
the church; and they began again to have peace and to prosper
exceedingly in the affairs of the church, walking circumspectly
before God, receiving many, and baptizing many.
38 And now all these things did Alma and his afellow laborers do who were over the church, bwalking in all diligence, teaching the word of God in all things, suffering all manner of afflictions, being persecuted by all those who did not belong to the church of God. 39 And they did admonish their brethren; and they were also aadmonished, every one by the word of God, according to his sins, or to the sins which he had committed, being commanded of God to bpray without ceasing, and to give cthanks in all things.
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38a
TG
Church Organization b TG Walking with God 39a TG Warnings b 2 Ne. 32:9 (8-9) c TG Thanksgiving
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