Alma expresses his joy that Shiblon has been faithful, even through difficult trials. He briefly shares his conversion experience, in order to emphasize that there is no way to be saved except through Jesus Christ. He counsels Shiblon not to be proud or overbearing and to acknowledge his unworthiness before God at all times.
Chapter Outline
- I’m grateful for your steadiness and faithfulness (v. 1-4)
- God sent an angel to warn me, and I was saved by Jesus Christ (v. 5-9)
- Various words of counsel (v. 10-15)
My Takeaways
- We need to express confidence in the people we lead and teach.
- We should discipline ourselves, work hard on important goals, avoid exaggerating our strengths, approach God with a teachable spirit, and pay attention to the impact of our words and actions.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Alma praises Shiblon – Alma 38:1-4
I Trust that I Shall Have Great Joy in You – Alma 38:2
2 And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he…
❖ Alma’s conversion – Alma 38:5-9
If I Had Not Been Born of God – Alma 38:6
6 Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know these things of myself, but it is the Spirit of God which is in me which maketh these things known unto me; for if I had not been born of God I should not have known these things. (Alma 38:6) The…
❖ Words of counsel – Alma 38:10-15
Alma’s Advice to Shiblon
I love the passages in the epistles of Paul where he offers rapid-fire advice: a series of pithy statements, any one of which would be worth a sermon, but which, taken together, describe the character of a disciple of Jesus Christ. Two examples of these passages are Romans 12:9-21 and 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22. Alma’s charge to his…
Shiblon’s Challenge
Alma’s admonitions to Shiblon have a common denominator: Be more self-aware. Recognize when you are motivated by pride. Channel your energy in more positive directions. Be careful not to substitute other people’s perceptions for reality.
How Can I “Use Boldess, but Not Overbearance?”
Near the end of his remarks to his son Shiblon, Alma gave him the following advice: Use boldness, but not overbearance (Alma 38:12). To be bold is to be “confident, courageous, and willing to take risks.” To be overbearing is to be “unpleasantly overpowering.” (Oxford English Dictionary) Boldness is the outcome of an inner battle. You…
What Does It Mean to Be “Temperate in All Things?”
The prophet Alma told the people in the city of Gideon that he wanted them to be “temperate in all things” (Alma 7:23). He later gave the same counsel to his son Shiblon (Alma 38:10). To be temperate is to be restrained, moderate, self-controlled, or disciplined (Oxford English Dictionary). The apostle Paul taught the Corinthians…
What Does It Mean to “Bridle All Your Passions?”
It would be ludicrous for a human being to attempt to subdue a horse by brute force. Yet by placing a small piece of metal against sensitive areas in the horse’s mouth, a human can guide the animal with relatively little effort (See “Bit by Bit,” Equestrian Magazine, November 2007). A passion is a “strong and…
What Does It Mean to Be Sober?
Throughout the Book of Mormon, people who are responsible, disciplined, and serious are referred to as “sober.” Nephi and Jacob both tell us that they taught the gospel with soberness (1 Nephi 18:10, Jacob 6:5). Jacob explains that God expected him to “magnify [his] office with soberness” (Jacob 2:2). King Benjamin urged his people to…
Old Testament Foundations
“Not for Thy Righteousness”
As the children of Israel prepared to enter the promised land, Moses warned them not to attribute God’s blessings to their own goodness: After the Lord your God has driven [the Canaanites] out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is…
“The Lord Bless Thee, and Keep Thee”
While the Israelites lived in the wilderness, God instructed Aaron and his sons to offer the following blessing on the people: The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6:24-26…
New Testament Parallels
No Greater Joy
John says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” If our greatest joy comes from the spiritual growth of our children, then we should put our greatest efforts into strengthening, encouraging, and guiding them.
“Forbearing One Another”
The apostle Paul urged the Ephesians to be kind to one another, to forgive each other, and to “forbear” one another, which means to give each other a break. As Alma taught Shiblon, we must bridle our passions to be fillied with love for one another.
The Pharisee and the Publican
We don’t have to convince God that we are worthy of His love. He loves us and is eager to help us. If we are so focused on proving to Him that we are already good, we may miss the opportunity to let Him help us become better!
“Temperate in All Things”
The Lord told Joseph Knight, Sr. that no one can assist in His work without being “temperate in all things.” The apostle Paul compared disciples of Christ with elite athletes, who carefully manage their diet, sleep, and exercise. Elder Kent D. Watson compared a temperate soul to tempered glass, which does not shatter dangerously when…
All Posts Referencing Alma 38
- “I Will Not Eat” (3/3/2026)
- Wholesome Recreational Activities (12/16/2025)
- “Take Especial Care of Your Family” (11/6/2025)
- Light and Truth: A Network of Revelatory Relationships (8/30/2025)
- A Crown of Eternal Life (6/22/2025)
- Strengthen Them (3/12/2025)
- “Temperate in All Things” (2/18/2025)
- Wickedness (2/13/2025)
- A Job Description for Servants of God (1/31/2025)
- “O God…” (12/6/2024)
- Knowing “Of Myself” (9/4/2024)
- Bridle and Repent (8/7/2024)
- Shiblon’s Challenge (8/4/2024)
- Born to Know (8/3/2024)
- Prayers and Pride (7/21/2024)
- Mercy (3/26/2024)
- No Greater Joy (12/3/2023)
- Developing Christlike Attributes (11/25/2023)
- “Forbearing One Another” (10/3/2023)
- Flee Fornication (8/27/2023)
- Only by His Grace (8/11/2023)
- Alma and Saul (7/13/2023)
- The Pharisee and the Publican (5/13/2023)
- God Gave Them Knowledge (11/1/2022)
- “Not for Thy Righteousness” (5/25/2022)
- Quail (5/13/2022)
- “The Lord Bless Thee, and Keep Thee” (5/10/2022)
- Heavenly Help (2/22/2022)
- The Living Christ and the Book of Mormon (12/26/2021)
- Endure in Faith (6/8/2021)
- Rashly (11/5/2020)
- Alma’s Advice to Shiblon (7/23/2020)
- What Is a “Remission” of Your Sins? (4/23/2020)
- How Does the Savior Bring Us Peace? (12/25/2019)
- Why Did Ammon Consider Himself Unworthy to Baptize? (12/18/2019)
- What Is Wisdom? (12/13/2019)
- How Should I Express Gratitude? (11/30/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Refrain from Idleness?” (11/3/2019)
- Why Is Steadiness Important? (11/2/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Temperate in All Things?” (11/1/2019)
- How Can I Teach the Gospel More Effectively in My Home? (9/16/2019)
- How Can I “Use Boldess, but Not Overbearance?” (9/12/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be Saved “In and Through” the Grace of God? (8/27/2019)
- How Can I Find Peace? (7/23/2019)
- What Is the Significance of God’s Promise to Nephi? (7/19/2019)
- How Can I Be a Better Father? (6/17/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be Temperate in All Things? (5/18/2019)
- How Can I Be Bold Without Being Overbearing? (5/17/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Being an Effective Parent? (5/15/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Bridle All Your Passions?” (5/5/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be Sober? (4/20/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Patience? (4/11/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Long-Suffering?” (3/1/2019)
- If I Had Not Been Born of God – Alma 38:6 (11/18/2017)
- I Trust that I Shall Have Great Joy in You – Alma 38:2 (11/16/2017)
- I Trust That I Shall Have Great Joy in You – Alma 38:2-5 (11/23/2016)
- That Ye May Learn Wisdom – Mosiah 2:17, Alma 38:9 (4/27/2016)
- Use Boldness, but Not Overbearance – Alma 38:12 (4/23/2016)
- “Bridle All Your Passions” – Alma 38:12 (4/17/2016)
- Bridle All Your Passions – Alma 38:12 (7/25/2015)