The Book of Mormon Part 55

Alma 4:8 8 For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure.

Alma 4:9 9 And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges, there began to be great contentions among the people of the church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of G.o.d.

Alma 4:10 10 And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges; and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress.

Alma 4:11 11 And it came to pa.s.s in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw also that the example of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people.

Alma 4:12 12 Yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.

Alma 4:13 13 Now this was a great cause for lamentations among the people, while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner of afflictions, for Christ's sake, who should come according to the spirit of prophecy;

Alma 4:14 14 Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their sins; being filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death.

Alma 4:15 15 And now it came to pa.s.s that Alma, having seen the afflictions of the humble followers of G.o.d, and the persecutions which were heaped upon them by the remainder of his people, and seeing all their inequality, began to be very sorrowful; nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him.

Alma 4:16 16 And he selected a wise man who was among the elders of the church, and gave him power according to the voice of the people, that he might have power to enact laws according to the laws which had been given, and to put them in force according to the wickedness and the crimes of the people.

Alma 4:17 17 Now this man's name was Nephihah, and he was appointed chief judge; and he sat in the judgment-seat to judge and to govern the people.

Alma 4:18 18 Now Alma did not grant unto him the office of being high priest over the church, but he retained the office of high priest unto himself; but he delivered the judgment-seat unto Nephihah.

Alma 4:19 19 And this he did that he himself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of G.o.d unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of G.o.d, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them.

Alma 4:20 20 And thus in the commencement of the ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, Alma delivered up the judgment-seat to Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the high priesthood of the holy order of G.o.d, to the testimony of the word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy.

Alma 5 Chapter 5

Alma 5:1 1 Now it came to pa.s.s that Alma began to deliver the word of G.o.d unto the people, first in the land of Zarahemla, and from thence throughout all the land.

Alma 5:2 2 And these are the words which he spake to the people in the church which was established in the city of Zarahemla, according to his own record, saying:

Alma 5:3 3 I, Alma, having been consecrated by my father, Alma, to be a high priest over the church of G.o.d, he having power and authority from G.o.d to do these things, behold, I say unto you that he began to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of Nephi; yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon; yea, and he did baptize his brethren in the waters of Mormon.

Alma 5:4 4 And behold, I say unto you, they were delivered out of the hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of G.o.d.

Alma 5:5 5 And behold, after that, they were brought into bondage by the hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness; yea, I say unto you, they were in captivity, and again the Lord did deliver them out of bondage by the power of his word; and we were brought into this land, and here we began to establish the church of G.o.d throughout this land also.

Alma 5:6 6 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance that he has delivered their souls from h.e.l.l?

Alma 5:7 7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto G.o.d. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of h.e.l.l, and an everlasting destruction did await them.

Alma 5:8 8 And now I ask of you, my brethren, were they destroyed?

Behold, I say unto you, Nay, they were not.

Alma 5:9 9 And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the chains of h.e.l.l which encircled them about, were they loosed? I say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand, and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved.

Alma 5:10 10 And now I ask of you on what conditions are they saved? Yea, what grounds had they to hope for salvation? What is the cause of their being loosed from the bands of death, yea, and also the chains of h.e.l.l?

Alma 5:11 11 Behold, I can tell you--did not my father Alma believe in the words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi? And was he not a holy prophet? Did he not speak the words of G.o.d, and my father Alma believe them?

Alma 5:12 12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true.

Alma 5:13 13 And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living G.o.d. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved.

Alma 5:14 14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of G.o.d? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

Alma 5:15 15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before G.o.d to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?

Alma 5:16 16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?

Alma 5:17 17 Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say--Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth--and that he will save you?

Alma 5:18 18 Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of G.o.d with your souls filled with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set at defiance the commandments of G.o.d?

Alma 5:19 19 I say unto you, can ye look up to G.o.d at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of G.o.d engraven upon your countenances?

Alma 5:20 20 I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?

Alma 5:21 21 I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins.

Alma 5:22 22 And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of G.o.d, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you?

Alma 5:23 23 Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and also that ye are guilty of all manner of wickedness?

Alma 5:24 24 Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that such an one can have a place to sit down in the kingdom of G.o.d, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white?

Alma 5:25 25 I say unto you, Nay; except ye make our Creator a liar from the beginning, or suppose that he is a liar from the beginning, ye cannot suppose that such can have place in the kingdom of heaven; but they shall be cast out for they are the children of the kingdom of the devil.

Alma 5:26 26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

Alma 5:27 27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before G.o.d?

Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?

Alma 5:28 28 Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet G.o.d. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.

Alma 5:29 29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.

Alma 5:30 30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?

Alma 5:31 31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!

Alma 5:32 32 Yea, even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent, for the Lord G.o.d hath spoken it!

Alma 5:33 33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.

Alma 5:34 34 Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely;

Alma 5:35 35 Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness, and ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire--