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| Alma 19:72 And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offense against your God upon those points of doctrine, which ye have hitherto risked to commit sin. Alma 19:73 Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Alma 19:74 Behold, I say unto you, Wickedness never was happiness. Alma 19:75 And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness. Alma 19:76 And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration, to take a thing of a natural state, and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature? Alma 19:77 O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration, is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish; good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful; Alma 19:78 Therefore, my son, see that ye are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things, then shall ye receive your reward; Alma 19:79 Yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; Alma 19:80 And ye shall have good rewarded unto you again; for that which ye do send out, shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore the word restoration, more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all. Alma 19:81 And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye can not understand, which is concerning the justice of God, in the punishment of the sinner: for ye do try to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery. Alma 19:82 Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee: for behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground, from whence they were taken; yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden, cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the tree of life. Alma 19:83 Now we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever, the Lord God placed cherubim and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the fruit; Alma 19:84 And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man, to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God. Alma 19:85 For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partook of the tree of life, he would have lived for ever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; Alma 19:86 Yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated. Alma 19:87 But behold it was appointed unto man to die; therefore as they were cut off from the tree of life, they should be cut off from the face of the earth; and man became lost for ever; yea, they became fallen man. Alma 19:88 And now we see by this, that our first parents were cut off, both temporally and spiritually, from the presence of the Lord; and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own will. Alma 19:89 Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness; Alma 19:90 Therefore, as the soul could never die, and the fall had brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal; that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord; therefore it was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual death; Alma 19:91 Therefore as they had been carnal, sensual and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state. Alma 19:92 And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of redemption, (laying it aside,) as soon as they were dead, their souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord. Alma 19:93 And now there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state which man had brought upon himself, because of his own disobedience; Alma 19:94 Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only, on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state; yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Alma 19:95 Now the work of justice could not be destroyed: if so God would cease to be God. Alma 19:96 And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them for ever to be cut off from his presence. Alma 19:97 And now the plan of mercy could not be brought about, except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also. Alma 19:98 Now repentance could not come unto men, except there were a punishment, which also was as eternal as the life of the soul should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul. Alma 19:99 Now, how could a man repent, except he should sin? How could he sin, if there was no law? How could there be a law, save there was a punishment? Alma 19:100 Now there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man. Alma 19:101 Now if there was no law given, if a man murdered he should die, would he be afraid he should die if he should murder? Alma 19:102 And also, if there was no law given against sin, men would not be afraid to sin. Alma 19:103 And if there was no law given if men sinned, what could justice do, or mercy either: for they would have no claim upon the creature. Alma 19:104 But there is a law given and a punishment affixed, and repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth: otherwise, justice claimeth the creature, and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God. Alma 19:105 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead: and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; Alma 19:106 And thus they are restored into his presence; to be judged according to their works; according to the law and justice; for behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved. Alma 19:107 What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God. Alma 19:108 And thus God bringeth about his great and eternal purposes, which were prepared from the foundation of the world. Alma 19:109 And thus cometh about the salvation and redemption of men, and also their destruction and misery; therefore, O my son, whosoever will come, may come, and partake of the waters of life freely; Alma 19:110 And whosoever will not come, the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him, according to his deeds. Alma 19:111 If he has desired to do evil, and has not repented in his days, behold evil shall be done unto him, according to the restoration of God. Alma 19:112 And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance. Alma 19:113 O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Alma 19:114 Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point, because of your sins, by denying the justice of God, but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long suffering, have full sway in your heart; but let it bring you down to the dust in humility. | And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offense against your God upon those points of doctrine, which ye have hitherto risked to commit sin. Do not suppose that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, Wickedness never was happiness. O my son, see that ye are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually. If ye do all these things, then shall ye receive your reward and then shall ye have mercy restored unto you again. [Alma 19:72-74, 78,79] |
Re: The Thorny Issues Excluded -- Joanne, 19:56:58 11/25/01 Sun