Alma’s target audience is church-men, especially those who have strayed into worldly ways. In this context, he can also call upon those who do not belong to the church.
The Book of Mormon describes only two major politico-religious trends in Zarahemla: the traditional Nephite way (gospel), and the worldly way (costly apparel, social and economic stratification, and denial of the Atoning Messiah). While most church-men had apparently not denied the Messiah, they had begun adopting the other traits and thus becoming too much like the world. This connection gives Alma an opening to invite those who are not church-men to forsake their worldly ways and embrace the gospel.
As part of his conclusion, he returns to the motif of the tree of life (see commentary accompanying Alma 5:34), inviting non-church-men to eat its fruit that they too might be filled with the joy of the gospel. This image, taken from Lehi’s dream, symbolized accepting the Atoning Messiah.
Text: Here Alma’s sermon to the congregation in Zarahemla ends, and it also ends a chapter for Mormon.