Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Alma 5 - teaching the recently gone astray members

Alma 5 teaches a few things; here's the highlights:

- recently there were people in bondage that were freed by the mercy/power and word of God; this is an example for us of what God does - takes those that are in bondage/darkness and frees/illuminates them (v3-11)
- likewise all of us also get in bondage due to our sin or lack of faith
- Believing on the words of Christ through a prophet led to salvation (v 10-13)
- asks if they have also been changed of God through faith? does it show in their countenance/actions? (v14-15)
- asks if they can imagine the judgement, standing in front of God, and a good or bad outcome depending on their lives. Focuses particularly on how they will feel if they are still soiled with sin when in front of God. (v16-25)
- If you were once changed, do you still feel changed ("sing the song of redeeming love")? (v26)
- series of questions about more particular traits a changed person needs to have (humility, no pride, no envy, not mocking those around you) (v27-30)
- Repent you workers of iniquity, Christ offers redemption freely to all and continually calls after you (v31-38)
- you either follow the Savior or the Devil, you'll be rewarded for who you follow, and it's shown by your works (v39-42)
- I am called of God to teach repentance to all, and I know these things are true of myself (v43-49)
- Spirit tells him to say, Kingdom of heaven is at hand, repent to be ready for it, if you don't repent you will be cast out into the fire (v 50-52)
- Summarizes warnings: will you, ignore these sayings (trampling Christ under your feet - notice it's an active, not passive thing to ignore and sends a message), be proud, wear costly apparel and focus on riches, think you're better than others and persecute others who are humble and do good works in the church, turn back on poor, persist in wickedness? If so, you will be cast into the fire unless you repent (v53-56)
- desirous to follow the Good Shepherd? leave the wicked; there will be clear separation at some point; also, "touch not their unclean things", and he will protect those in his fold (v57-60)
- Invitations: he does always call after you, he commands me to command you to follow my words,  I command members and invite non-members to be baptized unto repentance in order to have entire life (v58-60)

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