As Alma begins to lead a much larger church than the one he established at the waters of Mormon, he faces a new problem: what to do about church members who intentionally break God’s commandments and lead others astray? King Mosiah doesn’t want to get involved—this is a church matter, not a government one, he says. Alma pours out his soul to God and receives his answer: Forgive everyone, but those who refuse to repent and follow the commandments should not be church members any more.
Chapter Outline
- Many in the rising generation did not understand nor believe the word of God (v. 1-5)
- Many church members sinned and were brought before Alma to be judged (v. 6-12)
- God teaches Alma how to set boundaries for church members (v. 13-32)
- Alma writes and implements God’s instructions (v. 33-39)
My Takeaways
- Belief and understanding are interconnected.
- God is willing to give us guidance when we face difficult decisions.
- The Savior can heal every spiritual wound if we are willing to be healed.
- All church members must be willing to both give and receive feedback.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ The rising generation – Mosiah 26:1-5
Belief and Understanding – Mosiah 26:1-3
Which comes first: understanding or belief? As background for a serious challenge which faced Alma as the high priest over the church, Mormon describes some of the young people in the land of Zarahemla: Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king…
They Would Not Be Baptized – Mosiah 26:4-6
4 And they would not be baptized; neither would they join the church. And they were a separate people as to their faith, and remained so ever after, even in their carnal and sinful state; for they would not call upon the Lord their God.5 And now in the reign of Mosiah they were not…
❖ Church members accused of sins – Mosiah 26:6-12
The Spirit of Alma Was…Troubled – Mosiah 26:6-7, 13
6 For it came to pass that they did deceive many with their flattering words, who were in the church, and did cause them to commit many sins; therefore it became expedient that those who committed sin, that were in the church, should be admonished by the church. 7 And it came to pass that…
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Relationship Between Church and State?
Before the time of King Mosiah, religion and government were commingled in Nephite society. Mosiah’s father, King Benjamin, had served not only as the political leader but also as the spiritual leader of his people, and Mosiah had followed suit. But when Alma arrived with a group of people whom he had organized into a…
❖ God teaches Alma – Mosiah 26:13-32
“Because Thou Hast Inquired of Me…Thou Art Blessed” (Mosiah 26:19)
When Alma faced a difficult decision as the leader of the church, he went to the Lord in prayer. He “poured out his whole soul to God,” asking for guidance (Mosiah 26:13-14). In response, he received an answer from God. Four times in His response, the Lord called Alma “blessed,” because of good things he…
Thou Art My Servant – Mosiah 26:19-20
19 And because thou hast inquired of me concerning the transgressor, thou art blessed. 20 Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life; and thou shalt serve me and go forth in my name, and shalt gather together my sheep. (Mosiah 26:19-20) King Benjamin taught his people that…
They Would Not Be Redeemed – Mosiah 26:26
26 And then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, that I am their Redeemer; but they would not be redeemed. (Mosiah 26:26) A consistent theme in the Book of Mormon is the assurance that salvation is available to everyone who chooses it. As the Savior instructs Alma on how to deal…
“As Often as My People Repent”
The Savior promised to forgive us “as often” as we repent. That’s a comforting promise, particularly when we make mistakes repeatedly. We need to keep repenting, He’ll keep forgiving, and we’ll eventually stop making those mistakes with His help.
❖ Alma regulates the affairs of the church – Mosiah 26:33-39
Regulate – Mosiah 26:37
To “regulate” something is to govern it using rules (Merriam-Webster). The word comes from the Latin word regula, which refers to two kinds of rule: Literal: a straight piece of wood, used as a guide to draw a straight line Metaphorical: a standard of behavior, used as a standard to ensure consistent conduct While serving…
Admonishing and Being Admonished
Alma and his fellow church leaders admonished one another. It might seem strange that imperfect people should correct each other, but that’s the way the church works. We were “baptized unto repentance,” meaning that we are humble and willing to change.
“Give Thanks in All Things”
Alma and his fellow church leaders “[gave] thanks in all things.” Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained that gratitude is not transactional. Instead, it is “an expression of hope and testimony.” We can be grateful even for blessings we have not yet detected.
Old Testament Foundations
Why?
When God showed Moses the earth and its inhabitants, Moses replied with a question: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them? Moses 1:30 In response, God explained that this earth was created by His Only Begotten Son, that it is one of many worlds which He…
New Testament Parallels
Shepherd and Bishop
Peter called Jesus “the Shepherd and Bishop of [our] souls.” He added that we should “feed the flock of God,” under the leadership of “the chief Shepherd. President Nelson called us the Savior’s true undershepherds, looking after His sheep as He would do.
“I Judge Not Mine Own Self”
God’s judgment is the only judgment that matters in the end. Therefore, we ought to be careful how we judge others and even how we judge ourselves. We ought to strive to understand how God sees us, and to act accordingly.
“Mark Them Which Cause Divisions”
Paul warned us to avoid people who cause contention or deceive people. The Savior taught that we should continue to love them, minister to them, and pray for them, but don’t make them your mentor. Don’t trust them to be your teacher. Be careful.
Be Not Faithless, but Believing
Jesus wants us to believe the testimony of other people. He chastised the apostles for not believing witnesses of His resurrection. He praised Alma for believing the words of Abinadi. We too can listen to the testimony of others with a believing heart.
Church History Connections
The Rising Generation
Twice in the Book of Mormon, we read of times when young people turned away from the faith of their parents: “Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not…
“Any of Them”
In his dedicatory prayer for the ancient temple in Jerusalem, Solomon raised a series of hypothetical situations, asking God for specific blessings in each of them. Here is one of those situations: When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and…
The High Council of the Church of Christ
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14 Alma was troubled. As the high priest over the church, he had taught church members “that there should be no contention one with another,” but that they should have “their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another” (Mosiah 18:21). He taught…
The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood
In a revelation about priesthood which Joseph Smith received in 1832, there is a passage that is commonly known as the oath and covenant of the priesthood. Here is the first part of that passage: Whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.…
“He That Will Hear My Voice” – Mosiah 26:21
In a September 1829 revelation, the Savior explained to Joseph Smith His relationship with us and with all of God’s children. He said He would gather people like a hen gathers her chicks, “even as many as will hearken unto my voice” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:2). He said He is our advocate with the Father.…
Hear His Voice
A defining characteristic of disciples of Jesus Christ is that they listen to Him. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice.” In 1830, He added, “Mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts.” We can be better disciples by listening more intently and taking action more quickly on what we hear.
All Posts Referencing Mosiah 26
- Recorded on Earth and in Heaven (11/4/2025)
- “I Will Remember Mercy” (9/11/2025)
- Admonished but Not Ashamed (8/22/2025)
- Boundaries and Forgiveness (6/18/2025)
- “Sweet Evidence” (4/3/2025)
- Hear His Voice (4/2/2025)
- Avoiding Deception (2/21/2025)
- “O Ye Pollutions” (11/8/2024)
- “Like the Dog to His Vomit” (9/22/2024)
- “I Am Mormon” (9/20/2024)
- Exquisite (8/2/2024)
- How to Preach (6/15/2024)
- “As Often as My People Repent” (5/31/2024)
- “Give Thanks in All Things” (5/29/2024)
- “We Talk of Christ” (3/10/2024)
- Shepherd and Bishop (11/22/2023)
- “I Judge Not Mine Own Self” (8/26/2023)
- “Mark Them Which Cause Divisions” (8/20/2023)
- Be Not Faithless, but Believing (6/27/2023)
- The Eleventh Hour (5/10/2023)
- Josiah and Benjamin (7/12/2022)
- Why? (1/2/2022)
- The Rising Generation (10/24/2021)
- Poured Out (10/3/2021)
- “Any of Them” (9/29/2021)
- The High Council of the Church of Christ (9/16/2021)
- The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood (8/1/2021)
- “He That Will Hear My Voice” – Mosiah 26:21 (3/24/2021)
- “They Were Also Admonished” – Mosiah 26:39 (1/26/2021)
- “Inquire of the Lord” (1/7/2021)
- “I Inquired of the Lord” – Moroni 8:7 (12/13/2020)
- Book of Mormon References in Moroni 6 (12/5/2020)
- “Because Thou Hast Inquired of Me…Thou Art Blessed” (Mosiah 26:19) (5/23/2020)
- Regulate – Mosiah 26:37 (5/21/2020)
- Belief and Understanding – Mosiah 26:1-3 (5/20/2020)
- The Legacies of Limhi’s People and Alma’s People (5/17/2020)
- What Is a High Priest? (11/6/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Relationship Between Church and State? (10/30/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Cast Out Devils?” (10/24/2019)
- What Is the Relationship Between the Family and the Church? (9/18/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Pour Out Your Soul to God? (9/17/2019)
- How Can I Be More Forgiving? (8/7/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Forgiving Others? (4/27/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Baptized Unto Repentance?” (2/22/2019)
- They Would Not Be Redeemed – Mosiah 26:26 (11/16/2018)
- The Spirit of Alma Was…Troubled – Mosiah 26:6-7, 13 (11/15/2018)
- Thou Art My Servant – Mosiah 26:19-20 (3/17/2018)
- They Would Not Be Baptized – Mosiah 26:4-6 (2/2/2017)
- Because of Their Unbelief They Could Not Understand – Mosiah 26:3 (1/30/2017)
- And They Were Also Admonished – Mosiah 26:38-39 (1/27/2017)
- As Often as My People Repent Will I Forgive – Mosiah 26:30-31 (12/21/2016)
- As Often as My People Repent – Mosiah 26:30 (10/9/2016)
- They Were Also Admonished – Mosiah 26:39 (5/25/2015)
- Mosiah 26:3 Because of Their Unbelief They Could Not Understand (10/24/2014)