Alma continues his discourse on the meaning of faith. He began with a definition of “not-faith (knowledge).” He then gave a definition of what faith was related to knowledge. Now he begins to encourage this humble people to have faith. His first point is to comfort them in their relationship to God. This is a people who have come to Alma because they believe that they are cut off from God. Alma has told them that they may approach God personally, and is explaining faith as that mechanism. There Alma assures them that God wants them to have faith. God desires that they believe, and that is why God has provided the information, and the person of Alma, to provide that opportunity for belief.