When Alma spoke to Helaman and Shiblon, he used wonderful expressions, aphorisms, and wisdom statements that are meaningful even when they stand alone. When Alma addressed Corianton, the density of the wisdom literature is not as great here, partly because the pearls are scattered among many other things that Alma needed and chose to address. There are enough wisdom sayings to see that these chapters were written by the same Alma, but he was having to use a much different style because of Corianton’s very different and crucial needs.
Thus, as you read, notice the number of times Alma makes strong, personal declarations, uses imperatives, asks blunt rhetorical questions, and poses bold statements of incontrovertible axioms of truth. We will do well to ponder each one of these propositions and consider how they might apply to our lives, as much as they applied to Corianton’s. For example,
In addition, although we need to read between the lines in these four chapters, it is not difficult to detect what Corianton’s doctrinal questions and religious problems were. Many of these problems came straight out of the complaint-book of Nehor and Korihor. For instance:
As you read, pay attention to the many ways that Alma rebutted and corrected these persistent errors, adapting his previous public answers to these questions to now suit the individual needs of his youngest son Corianton. Notice how delicately he uses sincere pleading, testimony, scriptures, words of the prophets, linguistics, air-tight logic, commandments, and humble admissions that he does not know it all.
Ultimately, Alma chose, in effect, to correct Corianton by focusing on the last two of the seven elements in what he had called the “Word” in Alma 33:23, which he said that all people should “plant … in your hearts.” Those two final elements were that the Lord Jesus shall “bring to pass the resurrection” and that “all men shall stand before [God] to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works” (33:22). Alma focused here on the doctrines of the resurrection in chapter 40 and on the doctrines of the judgment in chapters 41–42.
As you individually or with your family read the ninety-one verses in this very tightly woven and maturely sophisticated text, consider carefully how all of Alma’s profound words address our needs today, both in general for Latter-day Saints as a people and also to you and your family in particular:
Which of Corianton’s problems are still with or around us today? How do Alma’s responses still offer compelling and satisfying answers?
What has helped you personally to recognize the seriousness of sin and to inspire someone else on the path of turning away through repentance?
How can you help your family members increase their faith in the principle of resurrection and in the reality of the world to come?
How can one spiritually internalize more deeply the very core of Alma’s explanation that God can be, and indeed must be, both just and merciful?