A group of poor Zoramites approaches Alma with a question: What can we do if we aren’t allowed into the synagogue to worship? In response, Alma tells them that they can worship always and everywhere, praises their humility, and then teaches them about faith. He uses a metaphor of a seed growing into a tree to explain our process of spiritual growth, and explains that faith, patience, and diligence are necessary in order to grow a tree of life in your own heart.
Chapter Outline
- A group of poor people approaches Alma and he begins to teach them (v. 1-6)
- You are blessed because you are humble (v. 7-16)
- Faith is not knowledge. Knowledge supersedes faith (v. 17-23)
- Alma compares spiritual growth to a tree (v. 24-43)
My Takeaways
- People learn when they’re ready to learn, not when we’re ready to teach them.
- We need to choose to convert humility into penitence. It doesn’t happen automatically.
- Faith is not the suspension of disbelief. It is the intentional choice to believe.
- Faith leads to knowledge, and knowledge strengthens our faith.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ The poor in heart – Alma 32:1-6
Poor in Heart
Mormon characterized a group of people who were receptive to Alma’s teaching as “poor in heart” because of temporal poverty. We don’t have to be poor to be humble, but we can be grateful when challenging circumstances make us receptive to God’s grace.
He Did Say No More to the Other Multitude – Alma 32:6-7
6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word. 7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but…
❖ Humility brings blessings – Alma 32:7-16
Sometimes… – Alma 32:13
Alma tells a group of poor Zoramites that it’s a good thing they are excluded from the synagogues. Why? Because that unfair treatment has made them humble, and humility can prepare us to receive God’s mercy (Alma 32:12-13). But Alma adds an important qualifier: “sometimes.” Humility, particularly imposed humility, doesn’t always lead to mercy and…
Because Ye Are Compelled to Be Humble – Alma 32:12-13
12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom; for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your brethren because of your…
Faith and Unforced Humility
Alma taught the Zoramites that it’s better to humble yourself than to be compelled to be humble. He also said that choosing to have faith is better than waiting for knowledge. Spiritual growth depends upon personal initiative. We grow by exercising agency
❖ Faith is not knowledge – Alma 32:17-23
It Is on the One Hand Even as It Is on the Other – Alma 32:19-20
19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression? 20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it is on the one hand even…
Things Which are Not Seen, Which Are True – Alma 32:21
21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.(Alma 32:21) Here are some of the principles about faith that I have learned from Alma’s description above: Faith requires uncertainty. If you…
Little Children Do Have Words Given unto Them – Alma 32:23
23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned. (Alma 32:23) Men, women, and children can receive revelation from God. Therefore, in our family…
❖ Alma compares spiritual growth to a tree – Alma 32:24-43
Only According to That Which Is True – Alma 32:24-25
24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of me what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out—now I do not desire that ye should suppose that I mean to judge you only according to that which is true—25 For I do not mean that ye all of…
Is Your Knowledge Perfect? – Alma 32:34-36
34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your…
“Let Us Nourish It With Great Care” – Alma 32:37
Faith doesn’t just happen. It requires positive action. Faith is not the suspension of disbelief. It is the intentional choice to believe. Alma used a number of active verbs to emphasize our role in developing faith. Here are a few examples: “Awake and arouse your faculties” (Alma 32:27). “Exercise a particle of faith” (Alma 32:27).…
Fruit
In Alma’s analogy of the seed, we plant the word of God in our hearts. As it starts to grow, we recognize that it is good, because it begins to enlarge our soul, enlighten our mind, and be delicious to us (Alma 32:28). This is a good sign, but it is not the final goal.…
Alma 32:38-39 If Ye Neglect the Tree…
38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out. 39 Now, this is not because…
What Is the Relationship Between Faith and Patience?
After the Lord warned Alma that the armies of King Noah were preparing to attack his people, he led them into the wilderness for 8 days, and they began to establish a new city (Mosiah 23:1-5). They were unified and diligent, and Mormon tells us that they “began to prosper exceedingly in the land.” But…
What Is the Relationship Between Faith and Knowledge?
The authors of the Book of Mormon were comfortable declaring their knowledge of the truthfulness of their message: In the first chapter of the book, Nephi says, “I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge” (1 Nephi…
Old Testament Foundations
“The Just Shall Live by Faith”
We’re not supposed to know everything. Not knowing is uncomfortable, so uncomfortable that we work hard to avoid acknowledging it. We look for evidence that our opinions are right. We ignore evidence that they are not. We place ourselves in familiar environments, where we have some expertise. We avoid unfamiliar environments, where other people know…
He Revealeth His Secret
The prophet Amos asked the people in the kingdom of Israel a series of rhetorical questions to illustrate their lack of awareness: (See Amos 3:3-6, New Living Translation.) He asks one more question which is a little tricky: “Does disaster come to a city unless the LORD has planned it?” Joseph Smith actually corrected that…
“The Grass Withereth, the Flower Fadeth”
Placing ourselves entirely in the hands of God, being “willing to submit to all things which [He] seeth fit to inflict upon [us]” (Mosiah 3:19) is not so much an honorable thing as it is an obvious thing. It is an exercise of our God-given agency, to be sure, and it is a gift to…
A Tree of Life
Multiple scriptures discuss “the tree of life,” referring either to the second named tree in the Garden of Eden, representing immortality (Genesis 2:9, 2 Nephi 2:15, Alma 12:22-26, Alma 42:2-5) or to the focal point of Lehi’s dream, representing the love of God as manifest through Jesus Christ (1 Nephi 8:10, 1 Nephi 11:25, 1…
Take Root and Bear Fruit
There’s a lot of change going on in my life right now. A couple of examples: I just started a new job, and the boundaries of our church congregation recently changed. Perhaps this explains why a simple sentence in 2 Kings caught my attention this week. The prophet Isaiah was reassuring King Hezekiah that he…
“Greater Things Above Them”
God taught Abraham a way to think about progression. If two celestial bodies exist, He said, and one moves more slowly than the other, there is probably a third one that moves more slowly still (Abraham 3:6-8). If two people exist, one more skilled than another, there is probably a third who is more skilled…
Times and Seasons
When we truly have faith in God, we trust His timing. The author of the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that many of our experiences occur on a schedule beyond our control: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and…
Rain
As the children of Israel prepared to enter the promised land, Moses promised them that God would bless them in their new home, including providing the moisture needed to grow crops: It shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with…
New Testament Parallels
Give Place
Jesus told Jairus and his wife to “give place” for the miracle He was about to perform. Alma invited the Zoramites to “give place” for the word of God. We also need to make room in our schedules and in our hearts to receive God’s grace.
Poor in Spirit
The Greek word ptóchos (πτωχός) means literally one who crouches or cowers. God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him. Are we spiritually poor but unaware of it? Have we not yet become ptóchos, crouching and seeking help from Him?
“In Spirit and in Truth”
Sacred times and places are important, and we benefit from treating them with reverence. But as Jesus taught the Samaritan woman, and as Alma and Amulek taught the Zoramites, the ultimate goal is communion with God.
Being Good Ground
In the parable of the sower, Jesus describes four kinds of ground which a seed might experience: (See Matthew 13:3-8.) The first three are not conducive to growth. Only the fourth enables the seed to flourish. Alma uses a similar metaphor in his sermon to the Zoramites. Comparing the word of God to a seed,…
Church History Connections
How to Worship
In an 1833 revelation to Joseph Smith, the Lord said: I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness. Doctrine and Covenants 93:19, italics added Worship is an…
Edify
How do you recognize God’s influence in your life? How can you hear Him amongst the many other voices in the world? Here’s how Alma described the impact of God’s word: If ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed…it will begin to…
All Posts Referencing Alma 32
- Faith and Asymmetric Knowing (3/18/2026)
- Alma, Probation, and the Tree of Life (1/24/2026)
- Discernible (6/24/2025)
- Springing Up (6/14/2025)
- How to Recognize the Holy Ghost (2/5/2025)
- A Job Description for Servants of God (1/31/2025)
- Pillars and Rays (1/17/2025)
- Strengthening the Foundation of Our Faith (11/27/2024)
- Faith Comes First (11/26/2024)
- On Seeing and Believing (9/6/2024)
- Received or Cast Out (8/9/2024)
- Faith and Unforced Humility (7/26/2024)
- You Can Do This! (7/24/2024)
- Poor in Heart (7/23/2024)
- Looking Forward with An Eye of Faith (6/13/2024)
- Where Is He? (12/21/2023)
- Her Perfect Work (11/19/2023)
- More Blessed (7/27/2023)
- “They…Stopped Their Ears” (7/15/2023)
- Knowing and Doing (4/27/2023)
- Give Place (3/8/2023)
- Poor in Spirit (2/17/2023)
- “In Spirit and in Truth” (2/12/2023)
- Being Good Ground (12/29/2022)
- The Tree (12/23/2022)
- “The Just Shall Live by Faith” (11/30/2022)
- He Revealeth His Secret (11/15/2022)
- Rain (11/10/2022)
- General Conference (9/27/2022)
- “The Grass Withereth, the Flower Fadeth” (9/21/2022)
- The Poor Among Men Shall Rejoice (9/14/2022)
- A Tree of Life (9/4/2022)
- Take Root and Bear Fruit (7/17/2022)
- “Greater Things Above Them” (12/31/2021)
- How to Worship (8/29/2021)
- Times and Seasons (8/12/2021)
- Wheat and Tares (8/4/2021)
- Endure in Faith (6/8/2021)
- Edify (5/15/2021)
- “The Greatest of All the Gifts of God” – 1 Nephi 15:36 (2/16/2021)
- How Can I Recognize the Voice of the Lord? (1/31/2021)
- Fruit (7/16/2020)
- “Let Us Nourish It With Great Care” – Alma 32:37 (7/15/2020)
- Sometimes… – Alma 32:13 (7/14/2020)
- “They Did Humble Themselves” – Mosiah 21:13-14 (5/16/2020)
- What Is Wisdom? (12/13/2019)
- How Can I Be More Hopeful? (8/25/2019)
- What’s Wrong with Seeking Signs? (5/22/2019)
- How Can I Be More Humble? (5/13/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Patience? (4/11/2019)
- What Should I Do About Economic Inequality? (4/5/2019)
- What’s Wrong with “Costly Apparel?” (4/3/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Long-Suffering?” (3/1/2019)
- What Is the Tree of Life? (2/7/2019)
- What Is the Relationship Between Faith and Patience? (1/13/2019)
- What Is the Relationship Between Faith and Knowledge? (1/8/2019)
- It Is on the One Hand Even as It Is on the Other – Alma 32:19-20 (11/12/2017)
- He Did Say No More to the Other Multitude – Alma 32:6-7 (11/11/2017)
- In a Preparation to Hear the Word – Alma 32:6 (3/13/2017)
- “In a Preparation to Hear the Word” – Alma 32:6 (9/26/2016)
- He Turned Him About – Alma 32:4-7 (8/27/2016)
- Because of Your Diligence and Your Faith and Your Patience – Alma 32:41-43 (4/11/2016)
- Without Being Compelled to Be Humble – Alma 32:15-16 (3/25/2016)
- That Ye May Be Humble – Alma 32:12-15 (3/24/2016)
- By Your Faith with Great Diligence and Patience – Alma 32:41-43 (3/17/2016)
- Things Which are Not Seen, Which Are True – Alma 32:21 (2/29/2016)
- Little Children Do Have Words Given unto Them – Alma 32:23 (7/16/2015)
- Is Your Knowledge Perfect? – Alma 32:34-36 (7/16/2015)
- Only According to That Which Is True – Alma 32:24-25 (7/15/2015)
- Because Ye Are Compelled to Be Humble – Alma 32:12-13 (7/14/2015)
- When Alma Heard This, He Turned Him About – Alma 32:4-7 (7/12/2015)
- Alma 32:38-39 If Ye Neglect the Tree… (11/13/2014)