Alma loved his son Corianton. He wanted to help Corianton overcome a series of mistakes he had made during their ministry among the Zoramites. In order to provide that help, he:
- clearly identified the wrongful behavior and its consequences,
- explained the doctrinal misunderstandings which had motivated or at least justified the bad behavior, and
- expressed confidence in Corianton’s ability to repent of his sins, receive forgiveness from God, and continue in his ministry.
The doctrinal questions Alma answered for Corianton are:
- How could they know about Jesus Christ before He was even born?
- When will we be resurrected?
- Can’t God simply “restore” us from sin to happiness?
- How can it be fair for God to punish sinners?
I’m so impressed with Alma as a father! Rather than assume the worst of his son, he assumed the best. Corianton’s behavior was caused by a misunderstanding of important gospel principles, and once his understanding was corrected, he could receive God’s mercy through repentance, and could once again “bring souls unto repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon them” (Alma 42:31).
Here are some other lessons I’ve learned from these chapters:
Outline
- Alma 39 – Alma clearly identifies a sin Corianton has committed, and he emphasizes the seriousness of the sin. He answers question #1 by affirming that God loves all of His children.
- Alma 40 – Alma testifies of the reality of the resurrection and explains that between death and resurrection, we will be in one of two states in the spirit world.
- Alma 41 – Alma explains that God will restore us to our proper state. If we have sought to do good, then good will be restored to us.
- Alma 42 – Alma explains that justice and mercy are not in conflict. Adam and Eve were kept from the tree of life not to prevent their progress but to enable it.
Key Themes
- Chastity in action, word, and thought is an affirmation of loyalty to the most important relationships in our lives.
- Our spirit and our body will be reunited after we die, and our body will be restored to its perfect form.
- The Final Judgment is not a future decision that will be imposed upon us; it is the natural result of the decisions we are each making right now.
- From God’s perspective, mercy and justice are not in conflict. They coexist, and He upholds them both.
Connections
- King David, like Corianton, succumbed to tempation and committed serious sins. Both of their stories can teach us principles which can help us overcome temptation.
- When Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden of Eden, God prevented them from partaking of the tree of life. He did this not to penalize them or hold them back, but to give them time to prepare before coming back into His presence.
- In Alma’s discussion of the resurrection, he shares some things he knows, acknowledges some things he does not know, and offers his opinion on other questions. The apostle Paul provides a similar collection of testimony and opinion during a discussion of marriage in 1 Corinthians 7.
Applications
- Don’t make excuses for your mistakes. That prevents you from taking the first step toward repentance: confession.
- Acknowledge the worries that are holding other people back, and do what you can to “ease [their minds] somewhat,” so that they can move forward.
- Acknowledge the boundaries of your knowledge and make decisions based on fact rather than opinion.
- Find peace and joy in choosing righteously even before you see the consequences of those choices.
- Take full advantage of every day. Because we are in a probationary state, we have the opportunity every day to prove ourselves and to improve ourselves.
Recommended Posts
- What Is the First Resurrection?
- What Is a “Probationary State?”
- Alma, Samuel the Lamanite, and the Law of Restoration
Blog Posts: August 7-11
“Then Shall the Righteous Shine Forth”
Jesus and Alma both described the righteous in the resurrection “[shining] forth in the kingdom of God.” The Savior has also called on His disciples to shine forth today, so that the light we share can guide others to Him.
Bridle and Repent
To Shiblon, Alma counseled, “Bridle all your passions.” To Corianton, he said, “Repent and forsake your sins.” It’s better to prevent than to detect and correct it, but identifying sins and repenting quickly is better than leaving them unattended.
Prepared – Alma 43:19, Alma 49:8
When the Lamanite armies, under the leadership of Zerahemnah, arrived at the land of Jershon, they were dismayed. Captain Moroni and the Nephite army were prepared in a way that they had not anticipated: Moroni had prepared his people with breastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they…
Received or Cast Out
In the next life, we will either be received into a state of peace and joy called paradise, or we will be cast out into a state of sorrow and pain. To enter that state of paradise, we must be changed by the grace of God.
Corianton and Korihor
Corianton’s doubts, which his father Alma helped him overcome, are closely related to the teachings of Korihor, who had been popular not long before. Cultural messaging affects us all, but grounding ourselves in truth helps us make wiser decisions.
The Work of Justice
Alma told Corianton that God’s work of justice cannot operate except on conditions of repentance. He meant that He will not transform us unless we are willing to be changed. It would be unjust for Him to give us something we don’t want and would not value
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