After defeating the Lamanite army, Alma faces a new challenge: a charismatic preacher named Korihor, who denies that there will be a Christ and accuses church leaders of oppressing church members. Korihor challenges Alma to show him a sign and is stricken dumb. He confesses that he always knew there was a God, but that he had taught the words of the devil because they were “pleasing unto the carnal mind.” He becomes a beggar and is trampled to death by the Zoramites.
Chapter Outline
- The people enjoy continual peace (v. 1-5)
- Korihor arrives and teaches that there will be no Christ (v. 6-18)
- In both Jershon and Gideon, he is arrested and defends himself to the high priest (v. 19-28)
- He is taken to Zarahemla and speaks with Alma (v. 29-42)
- He challenges Alma to show him a sign and is struck dumb (v. 43-55)
- He becomes a beggar and is trampled to death by the Zoramites (v. 56-60)
My Takeaways
- If we reject valid methods of gaining knowledge, then we restrict our ability to learn.
- Good leaders persuade rather than compel, and they use their authority to benefit the people they lead.
- All things bear record of God, and spending time with His creations brings us closer to Him.
- We should be careful what we say, because we may come to believe the things we teach.
- The devil has no loyalty to us, and he won’t reward our loyalty.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ The Nephites enjoy peace – Alma 30:1-5
Strictness
God’s commandments are strict. Korihor thought this meant that we lack freedom. But God’s strictness is not an attempt to subvert our agency. It is a vote of confidence in us, a vision of what we can become, with His help.
They Were Strict in Observing the Ordinances of God – Alma 30:3
3 Yea, and the people did observe to keep the commandments of the Lord; and they were strict in observing the ordinances of God, according to the law of Moses; for they were taught to keep the law of Moses until it should be fulfilled. (Alma 30:3) In the chapters preceding this verse, the Nephites…
❖ Korihor’s teachings – Alma 30:6-18
Korihor and the Closing of the Nephite Mind
When I think of a teacher, I think of someone who expands people’s knowledge, who helps them open their minds to new possibilities and new paradigms. But Korihor, a popular teacher among the Nephite people about 75 years before the birth of Christ, was entirely focused on debunking myths and questioning beliefs. His view of…
Does Obedience Diminish Freedom?
Korihor had a message for the Nephite people: You have been brainwashed. Your religious beliefs are the effect of a frenzied and a deranged mind (Alma 30:16). Your church leaders have taught you to follow foolish and silly traditions in order to “usurp power and authority over [you], to keep [you] in ignorance, that [you]…
Anti-Christ, Anti-Repentance
Korihor was “Anti-Christ” because he denied the existence of Christ. He also denied the reality of sin, but he actually knew better. He later said, “I always knew that there was a God.” Deception is contrary to our nature. Our Father is a God of truth.
❖ Korihor speaks with the high priest – Alma 30:19-28
How Can I Tell When Authority Is Being Used Improperly?
Korihor had a persuasive argument against the church: Members consistently obeyed church leaders; therefore, church leaders must be exercising inappropriate authority over the members. In Korihor’s defiant words: I do not teach this people to bind themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances which are laid down by ancient priests, to usurp power and…
❖ Korihor speaks with Alma – Alma 30:29-42
What Evidence Have Ye That There Is No God? – Alma 30:40
40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only. (Alma 30:40-41) Korihor’s argument is twofold: The people are unhappy (whether they know it or not) because of rules imposed upon them by the…
“I Have All Things as a Testimony” – Alma 30:41
I wrote yesterday about Korihor’s constricting worldview. His rejection of all knowledge that is not current and within our own experience led to very poor outcomes. Alma, in contrast, had a broad perspective. After asking Korihor what evidence he had that there is no God, Alma shared his own experience: “I have all things as…
A Lying Spirit
The prophet Micaiah told Ahab that his false prophets were filled with a lying spirit. Alma used the same phrase to describe Korihor. Many people choose to say whatever benefits them personally. We should listen to people who are willing to tell the truth
❖ Korihor is struck dumb – Alma 30:43-55
“I Always Knew” – Alma 30:52
We know more than we realize. After Korihor was struck by the power of God, he began to see things differently. He acknowledged that he had been teaching falsehoods. He did so “because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind.” Over time, his mind was blinded by the approval he received from others: “I taught…
Alma 30:53 I Taught Them, Even Until…I Verily Believed That They Were True
53 But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I…
I Withstood the Truth – Alma 30:53
53 But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I…
❖ Korihor becomes a beggar – Alma 30:56-60
The Devil Will Not Support His Children – Alma 30:58-60
58 And it came to pass that they were all convinced of the wickedness of Korihor; therefore they were all converted again unto the Lord; and this put an end to the iniquity after the manner of Korihor. And Korihor did go about from house to house, begging food for his support. 59 And it…
Old Testament Foundations
When I Consider Thy Heavens
Based on: Psalm 8 Core message: Interacting with God’s creations fills us with a sense of awe and wonder. Related Book of Mormon passage: Alma 30:44
Joshua and the Book of Mormon
This week, I reviewed the book of Joshua, summarizing the content of each chapter and identifying related Book of Mormon passages. The book can be divided into four parts: The children of Israel prepare to enter the promised land (chapters 1-5) With divine intervention, they conquer various cities in the land of Canaan (chapters 6-12)…
Machpelah: Paying Full Price
When Sarah died, Abraham wanted to give her a proper burial. Although he was wealthy and highly regarded among his neighbors, and although he had lived in Canaan for many years, he still felt like an immigrant. “I am a stranger and a sojourner among you,” he said to his neighbors. “Give me a possession…
All Things
When Alma testified to Korihor that “all things denote there is a God,” he listed a number of things which most of us don’t pay much attention to during a typical day: “the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form” (Alma…
“Strong Reasons”
When the Lord instructed Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to confront their critics in Kirtland, Ohio, He used a phrase from Isaiah to explain the approach they should take. “Let [your enemies] bring forth their strong reasons against the Lord,” He said (Doctrine and Covenants 71:8). In other words, instead of bearing the full burden…
“Mine Ordinances”
There is power in choosing to do things the Lord’s way. After the children of Israel were rescued from slavery in Egypt, the Lord emphasized that He wanted them to worship Him according to His instructions, not according to the religious traditions of their former taskmasters nor of their future neighbors: After the doings of the land…
Church History Connections
Freedom of Religion
When King Mosiah proposed to his people that they abolish the monarchy and establish a new government consisting of judges appointed “by the voice of the people,” one important feature of this new system was the protection of each citizen’s rights: Now I desire that this inequality should be no more in this land, especially among this…
The Sound of Rejoicing
A few years ago, I had the responsibility to recruit some volunteers to help a family move between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Knowing that it was a time of year when people are spending time with their families, and being somewhat self-conscious about making this request on short notice, I emphasized the negative aspects…
King-Men and Freedom of Speech
Words matter. Words have an impact, for good or for evil. Jesus said, “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). And Alma warned the people of Ammonihah, some of whom were guilty of deceiving others, “Our words will condemn us” (Alma 12:24).…
Avoiding Deception
We can avoid being deceived by (1) obtaining and remembering accurate information, (2) being vigilant but not paranoid, and (3) drawing closer to God, who can enlighten our minds and help us see more clearly.
“The Laborer Is Worthy of His Hire”
God loves hard work. Jesus taught that the laborer is worthy of his hire. Missionaries like Alma and the sons of Mosiah received eternal rewards for their service. God promised two rewards to Thomas B. Marsh for his service: forgiveness of sins and joy with those whom he served.
All Posts Referencing Alma 30
- Respecting One Another’s Beliefs (11/22/2025)
- Tradition! (7/5/2025)
- New Testament References in Doctrine and Covenants 63 (6/13/2025)
- “The Laborer Is Worthy of His Hire” (4/10/2025)
- Avoiding Deception (2/21/2025)
- Old Testament Prophecies of the Second Coming (1/24/2025)
- “I…Will Not Deny the Christ” (12/3/2024)
- Corianton and Korihor (8/10/2024)
- Faith and Unforced Humility (7/26/2024)
- A Lying Spirit (7/18/2024)
- Strictness (7/17/2024)
- Anti-Christ, Anti-Repentance (7/16/2024)
- When I Consider Thy Heavens (8/13/2022)
- Joshua and the Book of Mormon (5/26/2022)
- Performances and Ordinances (4/2/2022)
- Machpelah: Paying Full Price (2/18/2022)
- All Things (1/22/2022)
- Freedom of Religion (11/19/2021)
- “Strong Reasons” (6/30/2021)
- “Mine Ordinances” (5/21/2021)
- The Sound of Rejoicing (3/27/2021)
- King-Men and Freedom of Speech (1/14/2021)
- “I Have All Things as a Testimony” – Alma 30:41 (7/9/2020)
- Korihor and the Closing of the Nephite Mind (7/8/2020)
- “I Always Knew” – Alma 30:52 (7/7/2020)
- Why Are Ordinances Important? (11/9/2019)
- What Is a High Priest? (11/6/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Cast Out Devils?” (10/24/2019)
- How Much Power Does the Devil Have? (10/22/2019)
- How Can I Tell When Authority Is Being Used Improperly? (10/16/2019)
- How Can I Be More Hopeful? (8/25/2019)
- How Can I Recognize the Temptations of the Devil? (8/18/2019)
- Does Obedience Diminish Freedom? (7/3/2019)
- What’s Wrong with Seeking Signs? (5/22/2019)
- How Does God Communicate with Us? (4/16/2019)
- Is It Possible to Know Something but Not to Know That You Know It? (1/9/2019)
- The Devil Will Not Support His Children – Alma 30:58-60 (3/10/2017)
- All Things Denote There Is a God – Alma 30:44 (10/19/2016)
- They Were Strict in Observing the Ordinances of God – Alma 30:3 (6/6/2016)
- I Withstood the Truth – Alma 30:53 (5/24/2016)
- What Evidence Have Ye That There Is No God? – Alma 30:40 (7/10/2015)
- Alma 30:53 I Taught Them, Even Until…I Verily Believed That They Were True (11/12/2014)