All things bear record · Alma

Alma 32

0 witnesses of Christ here, and 6 further echoes from the reading.

Doctrine of Christ

And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved. Alma 32:13–16

Alma walks through the doctrine of Christ: humility, repentance, mercy, baptism, and enduring to the end to be saved. Christ Himself taught these same steps as His doctrine.

A readingEchoAn echo of Him
  • alludes to 2 Nephi 31:15-16 — He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved; Nephi calls this the doctrine of Christ.
  • alludes to 3 Nephi 27:16 — Christ: whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name and endureth to the end shall be held guiltless.

Believe on His name

And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his word. Alma 32:22

Alma says mercy comes to those who believe on God's name. By the end of his sermon he makes plain that this belief centers in the Son of God (Alma 33:22).

A readingEchoAn echo of Himthe Father or the Son
  • alludes to John 1:12 — To them that believe on his name, He gave power to become the sons of God.
  • interpreted by Alma 33:22 — Alma names the object of that belief: the Son of God.

The seed: faith in Christ

Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. Alma 32:28–34

Alma compares the word to a seed planted in the heart that swells and grows when nourished by faith. In the next chapter he identifies the seed: believe in the Son of God, that He will come, suffer, die, and rise again.

A readingProphecy or typeallegory_parable
  • interpreted by Alma 33:22-23 — Alma explains the word to plant is belief in the Son of God and His Atonement.
  • alluded to by Alma 33:1 — The people ask how they should plant the seed, or the word.

Light

O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect? Alma 32:35

The growing word is real because it is light. Latter-day revelation teaches that whatsoever is light is the Spirit of Jesus Christ, so the enlightenment the seed brings is His light.

A readingEchoAn echo of Him
  • interpreted by D&C 84:45 — Whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
  • alludes to John 8:12 — I am the light of the world.

Tree of Life

And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life. Alma 32:40–41

The nourished seed becomes the tree of life, springing up to everlasting life. In Nephi's vision the tree is the love of God shown in the condescension of His Son, and Alma 33:23 ties this tree to believing in Christ.

A readingProphecy or typeAn object that is a type of Him
  • interpreted by 1 Nephi 11:21-25 — The angel shows the Lamb of God and explains the tree as the love of God.
  • interpreted by Alma 33:23 — The word of belief in the Son becomes a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
  • alludes to John 4:14 — The water Christ gives becomes a well springing up into everlasting life.

Fruit of the Tree of Life

And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst. Alma 32:42

The fruit is sweet, white and pure, matching the fruit Lehi tasted, and those who feast on it never hunger or thirst. Jesus promised the same to those who come to Him as the bread of life.

A readingProphecy or typeAn object that is a type of Him
  • alludes to 1 Nephi 8:10-12 — Lehi's fruit was white above all whiteness and most sweet.
  • alludes to John 6:35 — He that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.