There are no private sins. All sin has the effect of weakening the fabric of society. Because of this, it is inevitable that the righteous will suffer because of the transgressions of others. Nevertheless the Lord goes to great lengths to protect and spare the righteous. The present verses undoubtedly recall to the reader’s mind the account of Abraham bartering with the Lord over Sodom. “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked,” Abraham asked? “Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
So the Lord consented not to destroy Sodom if fifty righteous people could be found therein. Abraham asked again, What if there be but forty-five? And the Lord consented—if there were forty-five he would spare the city. What if there be but forty? Once more the Lord consented not to destroy the city. And what if there be but thirty? twenty? or ten? Abraham asked, each in their turn. And to each the Lord consented—he would spare the city if there were only ten righteous people within it. As sin, be it public or private, weakens the fabric of society, so all that is wholesome and good reaches out to bless and even preserve it. (See Genesis 18:23-32; see also Alma 10:22; 3 Nephi 9:11.)