Mosiah 18:21-24

Brant Gardner

As Alma begins his new congregation, his new church, he establishes the social rules that govern it. Part of the rules of community were discussed as preparation for the entrance rite of baptism, that they care for one another and, therefore, become a community.

Now, Alma begins a listing of how they were to organize and how they should practice this new religious covenant.

First, he repeats the essentials that prepared them for baptism. They had declared that they were willing to bear one another’s burdens, and now that was part of their responsibility. Here it is phrased that they should have no contention with one another. The idea is that they are now a family, and are to treat one another as family. That is finalized when Alma says that “thus they became the children of God.” They are part of a new family.

Next, there is a continuation of the sabbath day. This is still a community that will live under the law of Moses, and therefore they will continue the sabbath practice.

Verse 24 repeats a theme we saw in Benjamin’s speech. The ideal is egalitarianism. While the priests have responsibilities to the community, they are also to labor with their own hands for their support. This would ensure that they did not see themselves as better than others, since all had to work.

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