Alma teaches them the first principles of the gospel: faith in the Lord and redemption from their sins through repentance (v. 7). If the people desire to come into the fold of God and to be called his people (v. 8), they enter into the family of Christ. As stated previously, Christ is the Father of our eternal life. Through the baptism of the Holy Ghost, they would be “spiritually begotten … and born of him and … become his sons and his daughters” (Mosiah 5:7). They would “take upon [them] the name of Christ, by baptism” (2 Nephi 31:13). Christ becomes their family name, and they are thereafter brothers and sisters in the gospel. They accept certain responsibilities towards those who have become their brothers and sisters. They are to share the burdens that come, that one member is not overwhelmed, but all share the responsibilities (Mosiah 18:8). As Paul told the Galatians “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (6:2). When one member of the family has cause to mourn, the whole family is to mourn together and extend comforts toward one another. To both family members and those who are not family members, they are to stand as witnesses of the family of Christ (v. 9). This will strengthen the family and extend and invitation for others to become adopted or spiritually begotten into the family. This witness is to be given at all times; every day of the week, and every hour and minute of the day. It is to be given through their conduct, in all things, in their occupations or businesses, their social engagements, their recreational activities, and their spiritual gatherings. It is to be given in their travels and activities among all cultures and localities and in every environment. These witnesses are to continue “even to death” (v. 9).
The family of Christ is a covenant family (v. 10). As with the prophesies of the prophets, the promises are both conditional and unconditional. The conditional promises are based on eternal law. “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (D&C 130:20–21).
The unconditional promises are also eternal, “I , the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (D&C 82:10). If family members keep their commitments, they will be redeemed [forgiven of their sins] and come forth in the first resurrection and have eternal life (Mosiah 18:9). They are also promised to have the Spirit poured out more abundantly if they keep the commandments (v. 10). Thus the Lord takes care of their past [sins], present [the Spirit], and future [the first resurrection and Eternal Life].
A father, as the head of the household, designates to his children various tasks he expects them to perform. Christ, as the head of His family, directs his family members to serve and to keep his commandments (v. 10). These directions may come through personal revelation or through his servants; “whether by mine own voice or the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38). As King Benjamin taught, “when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). We serve others to perfect ourselves. As Jesus taught in his mortal ministry, “he that is greatest among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 23:11). We serve also “for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12). However, we must serve as Christ, our family Father, directs us to serve, “it must be done in mine own way” (D&C 104:16).
A father also establishes rules by which the family is governed. As the family head, Christ has given the scriptures or his commandments to govern his children. To obtain eternal life, the member of Christ’s family must be “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19).
As in a temporal contract or covenant, the baptismal covenant requires witnesses and an official validation. In the Church today, and probably in Alma’s day as well (see D&C 20:25–26), other members of Christ’s family view the baptism to assure it is performed properly, and the validation comes by the ordinance being sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (see D&C 132:7). The reaction of those who assembled and heard Alma’s explanation of the baptismal covenant is indicative of their having received a witness of the Holy Ghost that his words were true. They desired to enter the covenant (Mosiah 18:11).
A summary of the covenant of baptism is given in the Table 6 on page 409, “The Purpose and Covenant of Baptism.” Additional points and scriptures are added: