Alma answers one final question: Is it just for God to punish sinners. He explains that, when Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden of Eden, they were prevented from accessing the tree of life. This might seem like a punishment, but it was actually an act of mercy. They needed time to prepare, and they needed a way to overcome their sins, which God provided through His atonement. Alma urges Corianton to stop denying God’s justice by excusing his sins, and instead to repent and partake of God’s mercy.
Chapter Outline
- Is it unjust for sinners to be punished? (v. 1)
- Adam and Eve were prevented from partaking of the tree of life (v. 2-7)
- This life became a preparatory state (v. 8-14)
- God Himself atones for our sins, making mercy available to us (v. 15-28)
- Final counsel: Don’t deny God’s justice, but let it motivate you to repent (v. 29-31)
My Takeaways
- Every day in mortality is precious. It represents an opportunity to prove ourselves and to improve ourselves.
- From God’s perspective, mercy and justice are not in conflict. They coexist, and He maintains them both.
- God’s laws represent a blueprint for a happy life, a set of instructions which we don’t fully live up to, but which point us in the direction of greater spiritual maturity.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Question: Is it unjust for sinners to be punished? – Alma 42:1
I Perceive That Thy Mind Is Worried – Alma 40:1, 41:1, 42:1-2
1 Now my son, here is somewhat more I would say unto thee; for I perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of the dead. (Alma 40:1) 1 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the restoration of which has been spoken; for behold, some have wrested the scriptures, and…
❖ Adam and Eve were cut off from God’s presence – Alma 42:2-7
Why Did God Prevent Adam and Eve from Partaking of the Tree of Life?
After Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, God placed “cherubim and a flaming sword” on the east side of the Garden of Eden. These heavenly sentinels ensured that Adam and Eve could not approach the tree of life and partake of its fruit (Moses 4:31, Genesis 3:24). Why was that…
❖ A preparatory state – Alma 42:8-14
What Is the Plan of Redemption?
The word “plan” doesn’t appear in the King James Version of the Bible. But it appears 51 times in the Book of Mormon. Book of Mormon prophets, particularly Jacob and Alma, teach clearly that God created a plan for us, and that by following His plan, we can overcome every challenge we face and achieve…
What Is a “Probationary State?”
When Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they became mortal. As the prophet Lehi explained to his sons, everything was static before that time: “If Adam had not transgressed…he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have…
❖ God makes mercy available to us through His atonement – Alma 42:15-28
A Perfect, Just God, and a Merciful God Also – Alma 42:15
15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also. 16…
Just and Merciful
God is both just and merciful. Multiple Book of Mormon prophets testify of this, including Lehi (2 Nephi 2:12), Nephi (2 Nephi 11:5), Jacob (Jacob 4:10), King Benjamin (Mosiah 5:15), Alma (Alma 42:15), and Mormon (3 Nephi 26:5, Mormon 6:22). We ought to be just and merciful as well: See that you are merciful unto…
Whosoever Will Come May Come – Alma 42:27
27 Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds. (Alma 42:27) I love the simplicity of this verse as…
Old Testament Foundations
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…
How Long Halt Ye?
Three years into a severe famine, Elijah asked King Ahab to gather his people. When they were all together, Elijah called out their tentativeness. “How long halt ye between two opinions?” he asked. “If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21). In the King James Version, and in many other English translations of the…
The Fall and the Temple
By partaking of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve introduced not only physical death but also spiritual death into the world: they were immediately separated from God’s presence. He would no longer walk in their garden and have periodic face to face conversations with them. Alma said, “It was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed…
“My Law”
On the surface, the word “law” sounds like something that is imposed upon us, something that we are forced to obey, on pain of punishment. Book of Mormon prophets do in fact emphasize that there are consequences for disobeying the law. Lehi describes “the punishment which is affixed,” in contrast with “the happiness which is…
Mother Eve
Among the biblical characters Joseph F. Smith saw in his vision of the Redemption of the Dead, was “our glorious Mother Eve” (Doctrine and Covenants 138:39). In the Hebrew Bible, her name appears as Chavvah (חַוָּה), which means “life.” She was given this name because she was “the mother of all living,” or in other…
The Ancient of Days
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. Job 12:12 There are many reasons for us to love and respect Adam and Eve. As the first man and woman on the earth, they pioneered the way for us, learning by experience so many things which we take for granted. They made our mortal experience…
New Testament Parallels
Freely
John says that each of us can partake of the water of life freely. Alma extended the same invitation to the people in Zarahemla and later to his son Corianton. God offers blessings to His children abundantly, and He invites us to come and receive them.
Sin and Law
Law is good, because it helps us see what we should do. It can also be discouraging, as we recognize how far we fall short. But if that recognition leads us to reach out to the Savior and receive His mercy, then our awareness of the law has been fruitful.
Truth and Soberness
Paul told Festus that his words were “of truth and soberness.” Words of truth are in harmony with reality. Words of soberness are disciplined and serious. The sons of Helaman were “men of truth and soberness.” Their courage was governed by reason.
Church History Connections
A Time to Prepare
In a revelation Joseph Smith received in September 1830, the Lord urged everyone who is willing to listen to Him: …to prepare their hearts and be prepared in all things against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked. Doctrine and Covenants 29:8 Alma said that, because Adam and Eve were cast out from the…
Declare Repentance
Both John Whitmer and his brother Peter asked God many times what they could do which would be of the greatest worth. His response to both of them was the same: The thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with…
“I Will Explain” – Alma 41:1, Alma 42:2
Corianton had done wrong. He had not only committed a serious sin, but had done so while representing the church as a missionary under the leadership of his father, Alma. His actions had embarrassed his father and had weakened the credibility of his fellow missionaries (Alma 39:1-12). As you might expect, Alma reproved his son.…
All Posts Referencing Alma 42
- Alma, Probation, and the Tree of Life (1/24/2026)
- Carnal, Sensual, and Devilish (1/23/2026)
- The Fall of Adam and Eve (1/19/2026)
- “Take Especial Care of Your Family” (11/6/2025)
- Vessels of Wrath, Vessels of Mercy (7/10/2025)
- Between Him and Thee Alone (3/30/2025)
- Book of Mormon Elements in Doctrine and Covenants 20 (3/14/2025)
- Moroni’s Collaborative Conclusion (12/18/2024)
- The Work of Justice (8/11/2024)
- Corianton and Korihor (8/10/2024)
- The Plan of Salvation (4/18/2024)
- Mercy (3/26/2024)
- Living After the Manner of Happiness (2/18/2024)
- Freely (12/27/2023)
- Out of Great Tribulation (12/16/2023)
- Divine Nature (11/24/2023)
- Another Gospel (9/30/2023)
- Sin and Law (8/15/2023)
- Truth and Soberness (8/4/2023)
- Be of Good Cheer (3/9/2023)
- But If Not… (11/6/2022)
- Past Performance Is Not Necessarily Indicative of Future Results (10/26/2022)
- A Tree of Life (9/4/2022)
- How Long Halt Ye? (6/30/2022)
- Overcoming Temptation: Lessons from David and Corianton (6/24/2022)
- Wrestling (3/1/2022)
- In Process of Time (1/27/2022)
- The Fall and the Temple (1/14/2022)
- Mother Eve (12/4/2021)
- The Ancient of Days (10/13/2021)
- “My Law” (4/21/2021)
- A Time to Prepare (3/28/2021)
- Declare Repentance (2/18/2021)
- “I Will Explain” – Alma 41:1, Alma 42:2 (1/12/2021)
- “The Least Degree of Allowance” – Alma 45:16 (1/1/2021)
- “No Less Serviceable” – Alma 48:19 (8/2/2020)
- Just and Merciful (7/31/2020)
- No Excuse – Alma 39:4 (7/28/2020)
- Justice and Mercy (4/4/2020)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Reveal? (1/1/2020)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Clarify? (12/31/2019)
- Why Would God “Inflict” Things on Us? (12/3/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Add to Our Understanding of the Resurrection? (10/4/2019)
- How Can I Teach the Gospel More Effectively in My Home? (9/16/2019)
- How Can I Be a Better Father? (6/17/2019)
- What Is the Plan of Redemption? (6/16/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Resurrection? (4/21/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be Sober? (4/20/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Long-Suffering?” (3/1/2019)
- Why Did God Prevent Adam and Eve from Partaking of the Tree of Life? (2/10/2019)
- What Is a “Probationary State?” (2/8/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Fall of Adam and Eve? (2/6/2019)
- How Is the Word “Atonement” Used in the Book of Mormon? (1/30/2019)
- A Perfect, Just God, and a Merciful God Also – Alma 42:15 (11/26/2017)
- I Perceive That Thy Mind Is Worried – Alma 40:1, 41:1, 42:1-2 (7/19/2016)
- A Spiritual Death – Alma 42:9-10 (2/6/2016)
- “A Perfect, Just God, and a Merciful God Also” – Alma 42:15 (1/8/2016)
- The Work of Justice Could Not Be Destroyed – Alma 42:15, 2 Nephi 2:13 (1/4/2016)
- Whosoever Will Come May Come – Alma 42:27 (7/31/2015)
- Alma 42:3-5 Lest He Should Put Forth His Hand (11/18/2014)