Reference: Paul uses the phrase “inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9–10, 15:50; Gal. 5:21), which may provide the general structure of Alma’s “inherit the kingdom of heaven.” However, a more logical model phrase is John 3:5: “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” This phrase is much closer to Alma, including the similar position of “except” and the concluding statement that such a person cannot enter the “kingdom of God/heaven.” This link between baptism and entrance into Yahweh’s kingdom repeated in the Book of Mormon (Mosiah 27:25–26, 3 Nephi 11:33).
In Alma, the emphasis is not on baptism but on repentance, as in this verse (see also Alma 9:12, 11:37, 39:9, 40:26, 41:4). This difference is not conceptually significant, however, since repentance is an important precursor to baptism to accept the atonement. Alma himself notes later: “Ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins” (Alma 7:14). Alma here states very clearly that repentance, being baptized, and being born again precede entrance to the kingdom of heaven.