Alma’s Words to Antionah and the People
- Alma 12:22
- Alma explains that humanity has become a lost and fallen people because of Adam’s partaking of the forbidden fruit.
- Alma 12:23
- If Adam had partaken of the fruit of the tree of life after the fall, he would have become immortal; this would invalidate the word of God.
- Alma 12:23
- Mankind became mortal, with time allotted to repent.
- Alma 12:24
- This life is a probationary state to prepare us to meet God, and to prepare for eternal life.
- Alma 12:25
- The plan of redemption enables the resurrection of the dead.
- Alma 12:26
- If Adam had hypothetically eaten of the fruit of the tree of life, they would be sealed in their probationary state, and the plan of redemption would be disrupted.
- Alma 12:27
- Death became a necessary part of the plan; and death is followed by judgement.
- Alma 12:28–29
- God sent angels unto men so they could see God’s glory and know the things that God had appointed.
- Alma 12:30
- From then on, people began to call on God’s name, and God taught the plan of redemption to the people by conversing with them.
- Alma 12:31
- God gave commandments to humanity, who had gained the capacity to discern good and evil.
- Alma 12:32
- The commandments prohibited doing evil, and the penalty for doing evil is the second death (a separation from goodness) which disables to power of the redemption.
- Alma 12:33–34
- Those who repent, and obtain mercy through the Only Begotten Son of God will obtain a remission of sins, all others will not.
- Alma 12:36
- Hardening your hearts will lead to the destruction of your souls, including the second death.
- Alma 12:37
- Let us repent, not harden our hearts, and enter into the rest of God.
- Alma 13:1–2
- The Lord ordained priests after the Son of God so that the people would know how to look forward to redemption.
- Alma 13:3
- Priests were foreordained from the foundation of the world, and called because of their faith and goodness after being left to choose.
- Alma 13:4
- Others reject the Spirit of God and harden their hearts, thereby becoming ineligible for this same calling.
- Alma 13:5
- Everyone started with the same standing, but only those who didn’t harden their hearts and lived in and through the atonement were called.
- Alma 13:6
- Those who are ordained are called to teach the commandments to the people, so they can enter into the rest of the God.
- Alma 13:7
- This high priesthood is after the order of the Son of God, and was prepared according to the eternal knowledge of God.
- Alma 13:8
- Priests were called and ordained by a holy ordinance, thereby taking upon them the eternal priesthood.
- Alma 13:9
- Through this ordinance, they become high priests forever, after the order of the eternal Son of God, who is full of grace, equity, and truth.
- Alma 13:10
- Faith, repentance, and righteousness accounted for those who were ordained to become high priests of God.
- Alma 13:11
- Priests are called, sanctified, and purified.
- Alma 13:12
- Having been sanctified and purified, priests abhorred sin and entered into the rest of the Lord.
- Alma 13:13
- Humble yourselves and repent, that you may enter into the rest of God.
- Alma 13:14
- Humble yourselves as the people of the time of Melchizedek, who was also a priest after the order of God.
- Alma 13:15
- This Melchizedek received tithing from Abraham.
- Alma 13:16
- Ordinances were given as a type of the Son of God and his order, that people might look forward to remitted sins and to the rest of the Lord.
- Alma 13:17
- Melchizedek was king over a people who had gone astray.
- Alma 13:18
- Melchizedek taught repentance, established peace, and was called the prince of peace.
- Alma 13:19
- There were many priests before and after Melchizedek, but none greater than him.
- Alma 13:20
- The scriptures contain the rest of the account of Melchizedek.
- Alma 13:21
- Alma directs his words to a broader audience, and speaks in a mighty voice.
- Alma 13:21–22
- Now is the time to repent, and angels declare that the day of salvation draws near.
- Alma 13:23
- We are favored to have these glad tidings declared among us in plain terms.
- Alma 13:24
- Angels declare these things to many people locally to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Lord.
- Alma 13:25
- We wait to hear of the coming of Christ from angels, whenever it may be.
- Alma 13:26
- Inspired holy men will proclaim the Lord’s coming when it occurs.
- Alma 13:27
- Do not procrastinate your repentance, rather listen to my words and cast off your sins.
- Alma 13:28
- Humble yourselves, calling on his name, and be led and changed by the Holy Spirit.
- Alma 13:29
- Have faith, hope and love, that you may be lifted up into the rest of God.
- Alma 13:30
- May the Lord grant you repentance, that you may not suffer the second death.