Come Follow Me LDS- Alma 32-35 Part 1, Book of Mormon

'Alma 32- Faith & The Word'
In contrast to the teachings and desires of Korihor, Alma teaches us how The Word (the Seed), Faith & Perfect Knowledge work. Unlike Korihor, the gospel requires an imperfect knowledge with which we can offer faith (trust), which, if developed properly, can become a Perfect Knowledge. It is Faith before the Signs, not the other way around.

 

 Raw Transcript

 in this episode we're going to cover

alma 32 faith and the word here we go
all right so we're going to divide this
week's come follow me
chapters into two separate episodes
again because I want to focus one
chapter here in this episode solely on
chapter 32 on Alma 32 this is a very
popular chapter we focus primarily on
verse 21 but we really want to delve in
here into this chapter I'm going to go
deeply into each most of these verses
here to give us some background and
context and understanding about what's
going on here
we typically think about Alma 32 as a
chapter on faith but in reality even
though it is about faith we can't pull
out the word from Alma 32 as we've
talked about quite a bit here and going
through the book of Alma the word is at
the center of the meaning of the sermon
here by Alma in chapter 32 and in fact
the seed that Alma talks about is not
faith it is the word it is the DBR so
we're going to go over that a little bit
and also just put it some context here
to help us understand the word a little
bit better what is meant by this and
what is meant by faith I've done a
previous episode on this before that I
highly recommend you take a look at if
you haven't seen it before or listen to
it before and so I'm not going to go
into completely a complete breakdown of
faith but we are going to cover a few
different verses and put into context
what faith means Alma does a beautiful
job here for paying attention to tell us
how the word and faith are related to
each other and gives us in reality an
idea of a scientific method for
spiritual things and that's going to be
in a sense my hypothesis here if you
will my scientific hypothesis my
spiritual hypothesis with chapter 32 and
that is that I'm not going to distance
myself from science and knowledge of
physical things
and the method to get there as we find
in the scientific method in fact what
I'm going to claim here and put forward
is that Alma is doing the exact same
thing with spiritual things he's giving
us a scientific method a spiritual
scientific method science means
knowledge so the scientific method that
we are used to which has seen given us a
great amount of knowledge and technology
and everything else it's very valid and
it's not an us-versus-them it's not
science against religion and or science
against faith and faith against science
that is completely false and we need to
get out of that mindset if we've been
trapped in that knowledge is knowledge
and we can gain it from several
different ways now there is a physical
knowledge that we can get from a
scientific method and there is spiritual
knowledge and Alma's claim here in his
sermon is that spiritual knowledge is
gained through faith and through a
spiritual scientific method very very
similar to what we get with a physical
scientific method so I'm going to go
over that and that will also change our
idea of what faith is this is very
important I think that in the church we
we've got to get a grasp on faith and
understand what it is
it is and it is imperative to our
testimonies it is imperative to the way
we live our lives so we're going to go
over that a little bit here in this
episode as well let's start off by going
right into verse one here of chapter 32
it says and it came to pass that they
did go forth this being Alma and Amulek
and their entourage here and
 
began to preach the Word of God he's
putting that right out there under the
people entering into their synagogues
and into their houses and even they did
preach the word in their streets so
there's a huge missionary effort here
among the Zoramites 
they've seen what the zoramites have
been doing in the synagogues there
come in and they're gonna contrast that
with the true Word of God
and what they find is they go through
the streets and the synagogue's you know
the homes is they start to have success
surprise surprise
among the poor class of people for
behold they were cast out of the
synagogue's because of the coarseness of
their apparel right again a very
physical type of a thing you don't
you're not up to snuff to come into our
synagogues right you're not wearing the
Gucci you're not wearing the Chanel your
brains are from Walmart your whatever it
is right it's it's very class distinct
it's very prideful it's very elitism
right and very elite in in their
attitude in these synagogues and we
learn here in verse three they say
therefore they were poor as to the
things of the world these are those that
are cast out of the synagogues but and
this is important and also they were
poor in heart so what do we mean by that
what does Alma trying to tell us here
he's going to go into this before we
ever get into faith he's going to set us
up here and show us how these people are
ready to hear the word of God right he's
saying that they're poor in heart
meaning that they their hearts are
wounded they have a broken heart and a
little bit more of a contrite spirit
because of their circumstances in a
sense they are compelled because of
consequences and circumstances to be
more open to listen to the Word of God
they were esteemed by their brethren as
dross as lower than therefore they were
poor as to the things of the world and
also they were poor in heart so there's
a a very conscious effort here by the
elite by the wealthy to create a class
distinction and worthiness has to do
with it whether or not you're part of
the group do you play by our rules do
you follow our orthodoxy
so Alma and his missionary companions
here his district they're going to go to
the poor in heart so Alma goes out and
he goes onto this hill that's called
Oneida by the way we revisit Oneida in
the future here in Alma
47 when we get into the war chapters and
a lot of people come to Alma here they
congregate they come to listen to what
he has to say
remember a number of these people may
have are going to have a remembrance may
be many years before I love hearing the
word of God but a lot of the younger
people may not there's going to be this
mixture here in this crowd some of them
are going to remember what was taught to
them when they were in their youth or
just a few years ago even in verse 5 we
learned that they are the the priests
are actually the ones that cast them out
of the synagogue's
and that the poor were actually involved
in building the synagogues and yet
they're not worthy enough to go inside
of them so we can kind of get an idea of
how the wealthy zoramites the in-crowd
is an elite crowd is an exclusionary
crowd and so this group on the hill
oneida asked Alma what are we going to
do we can't worship right we can't
worship our God we can't pray because we
can't go into our synagogues this is an
interesting point because this is a
natural thing to do when you're looking
for control you would teach this this is
my guess
right you would teach this in the
synagogue's that the only place you can
worship and the only place that you can
sacrifice even or the only place that
you can pray would be in the synagogue's
we see the same thing in the
centralization of power under Josiah and
those that followed him or those that
were around him in the time of Lehi
right there was a great centralization
of power where they destroyed all of the
high places they called them we see that
typically in the Old Testament as
something very negative these high
places but we don't know that there is
definitely an effort there in Lehi steam
to centralize theocracy right the power
of the church into Jerusalem and the
temple at Jerusalem which may be by the
way why there's another temple in
Jerusalem they recently found which is
interesting and I might give us reason
for layman level being so mad
immediately after li hai sacrifices in
the valley of Lemuel when they come back
from Jerusalem his sons come back from
Jerusalem that may have been a no-no
right so this idea of centralizing this
power so that you have control in the
church is a common thing that happens in
an apostate religion but when Alma hears
this he gets excited about it
because he feels like okay they're in a
position then they don't understand this
but I can tell them something that is
going to help them he says he beheld
that their afflictions had truly humbled
them and that they were in preparation
to hear the word right this is all about
the word and how it gets to us this is
an important thing throughout all of
Alma's record here and an important
theme here in chapter 32 the word word
word is found 16 times in this chapter
alone and you can look at the recent
episode that I did on DBR and the word
to get a little bit more information on
this
so Alma responds to them first of all
and says look do you suppose that you
can only worship God save it be in your
synagogues only or moreover do you
suppose that you must not worship God
only once in a week so this is what
again we can see the contrast here and
what the Zoramites the wealthy
zoramites are teaching you can only pray
and worship in the synagogue and you
only do this once a week you only live
the religion one day a week well we can
see that in our own lives sometimes do
we only live our religion one day a week
do we only worship inside the church now
we can see that more broadly in other
religions as well right there's some
that are devoted and it's it's a
day-to-day thing for them there's others
that it's one day a week or one day a
month or one day a year or two days a
year that they're focused on worship
maybe Christmas and Easter but he tells
us something very interesting here
it's
there's a rule that applies to us that
when we are humble whether it be from
other circumstances or were able to make
ourselves humble one of those two that
we then are in a position to gain wisdom
so that's a very important law that we
can learn from Alma here before we get
into the Interfaith says here it's well
that ye are cast out of your synagogues
in other words it's good that you have
adversity that she may be humble and
that you may learn wisdom right so
that's the law we can be humbled from
consequences we can be humbled from our
circumstances or we can choose to humble
ourselves regardless for it is necessary
that you should learn wisdom for it is
because that ye are cast out that you're
despised of your brethren because of
your exceeding poverty that ye are
brought to a lowliness of heart that's
the poor in heart for a year necessarily
brought to be humble okay where does the
gospel grow the most right now is it in
the West no it's not we still have a
little bit in the US right and a few
other places in the West where we're
based a lot more off of a very
family-oriented environment which we're
losing which helps so there's still
growth in those areas but for the most
part right the the gospel grows in areas
where people are more humble either
forced to be humble or they're in
positions where their culture allows
them to be more humble look at the
growth that we have in the Philippines
look at the growth that we have in Latin
America look at the growth that we have
in Africa right these are vastly
third-world countries where the gospel
is being accepted the most we have a
much tougher time with gaining converts
in Western society there's too much
wealth
there's too much pride there's a
breakdown in the family and he says here
in verse 13 because ye are compelled to
be humble blessed are ye for a man
sometimes
if he is compelled to be humble seeketh
repentance now how has that ever
happened to you right where you have
been in a position of you've gone
through consequences you've lived a
certain way or you've done something
that you know was not right and the
reaction to that the the there there's
consequences and many of those are just
plain natural consequences and you
become humble because of it it's a lot
easier to become humble when those
circumstances and those consequences lay
heavy on you so that's one way to become
humble so in many ways thank goodness
for guilt
thank goodness for consequences because
they are warnings to put us back onto
the right path and he says whoso
repenteth shall find mercy so even if
it's from circumstances and consequences
if you are repentant and you humble
yourself you will find mercy you'll find
love you'll find grace and those that
find grace will be saved but then he
gives us something an even higher law
here right we always have this context
and hierarchy in in even levels of good
right we've got the talk quite a ways
back good better and best so that's a
good way to be humble a better way he
follows up with here is in verse 14 and
now I said unto you that because he were
compelled to be humble you were blessed
do ye not suppose that they are more
blessed who truly humble themselves
because of the word right there's the
word again the DBR in other words as
they receive the word whether it be in
person a lesson that you receive a talk
a General Conference reading the
scriptures when you take that in and you
humble yourself and it's not because of
consequences it's because of
introspection that you begin to place
yourself into that
fluid hierarchy and look up to God then
you are even more blessed because of
that so if we're trying to move forward
and you know it's and trying to progress
it's best not to wait for circumstances
to catch up to us
it's better to grab the word study it
understand it internalize it and humble
ourselves and become repentant and then
he goes back to the ideas of core whore
this is important to understand chapter
32 needs to be put into a the context of
the original chapters by Mormon the
original chapters in the original
manuscript that the scribes wrote from
Joseph Smith and the original print
edition of the Book of Mormon in 1830
the chapter Mormon has their is checked
our chapters 30 through 35 right so it
goes all the way from Korihor and 32
the zoramites and what they were doing
in 31 and then now here in 32 the next
episode will be 33 34 and 35 where we
bring in the doctrine of Christ and the
plan of redemption but looking at these
as a whole we can see how Mormon is
composing this right Korihor wanted a
sign before faith we need to remember
that as we learn about faith and the
word here in 32 he says in 17 yeah there
are many who do say if that will show
unto us a sign from heaven then we shall
know of a surety
then we shall believe right what's the
problem with that how much easier would
that be the problem is is that we lose
our purpose right there's no way for us
to grow and to learn without developing
faith faith is not belief I'm going to
go over that in a minute
faith is trust trust right okay so in
eighteen now I ask is this faith
other words asking for a sign before you
believe begin to believe behold I say
unto you nay for if a man knoweth a
thing he hath no cause to believe for he
knoweth it so let's understand what's
being said here he's implying inherently
with this that it is essential to first
learn to believe and build faith before
signs come that doesn't mean signs don't
come it means we can't ask for signs
before belief and faith that's a problem
that takes away the entire plan of
redemption that takes away our purpose
for growth and it takes away our agency
and it gives us additional reason why
this doesn't happen it's not just about
us not being able to progress it's about
us being condemned without developing
the tools and the ability spiritually to
manage it here's what I mean look what
hey look how he follows us up in 19 and
now how much more cursed is he that
knoweth the will of God so the sign
that's come and do with it not then he
that only believeth or only have cause
to believe and falleth into
transgression in other words if you have
not grown and developed through belief
and then faith in something the ability
to be just be giving knowledge
straight-out right a perfect knowledge
of something a sign at the end of the
rainbow here and you're not ready for it
right you you're given the meat
before the milk then you're going to
have a real problem with it and you're
going to be judged that much more
harshly because you're not under
position to know these things you're not
in a position to have these signs you're
not in a position to have received the
Spirit that much yet whatever that sign
might be because you haven't built
toward it and you haven't changed
yourself in the process so he's going
over why it is so important to first
believe and have faith I'm gonna go into
more on that in a minute here
and then you receive the signs and he
tells us right here that these signs
come based on our own progression in 20
now of this thing you must judge behold
ice and to you that it is on the one
hand even as it is on the other in other
words it shall be unto every man
according to his work so according to
his growth what he does then the faith
develops and then the signs come after
that that's how the plan of redemption
works that's how growth works that's how
we become more like the Savior and then
we get to the famous verse 21 so we've
built up to this now to this point we
oftentimes take this completely out of
context but we need to understand the
whole idea of signs and faith and how we
have to switch that around how faith has
to come first and then the signs come
this is the anti example so to speak
of Korihor so here's 21 it says and
now as I said concerning faith faith is
not to have a perfect knowledge of
things therefore if you have faith a
hope for things which are not seen which
are true so since this is such an often
used Scripture let's break this down a
little bit let's understand what he is
saying about faith faith is not to have
a perfect knowledge right but he's going
to go over here in a minute that we get
to a perfect knowledge but faith has to
be utilized exercised first that's how
it works so faith is not to have a
perfect knowledge of things or the sign
given to you therefore if you have faith
I hope for things which are not seen
which are true so as Joseph Smith said
real faith is only built on true things
think about that a real trust that
actually works can only be built on
truth I can trust in something that's
not true and I might be faked out by it
for a while
but eventually there's no way to get
around trust there's no way I can I can
have trust in someone but if the truth
is coming out of that person and it
changes I can pretend to have trust but
you and I both know that in reality that
trust cannot be messed with
you either have the trust or you don't
you can fake it but Trust is very very
real and it is earned and it is
exercised and it is developed so a real
trust is only built on true principles
because you can full to the max right go
with that trust because it's a true
principle that's why you can only have
really a very very true faith in God
because he's perfect
I can have a lesser faith in those I
have built a long-term trust
relationship with and that's kind of the
goal of building those relationships
it's that trust it's that faith and we
each kind of try and move each other up
and as we get higher and higher and try
to become more like the Savior or we can
build that trust up amongst each other
that faith amongst each other but it is
a hope for things which are not seen now
we can look at in a couple ways one is
it's not scientific it's not a physical
observance that's true right but
spiritual things are every bit as real
trust is every bit as real as atoms and
molecules and quarks right it's every
bit as true and in fact probably more
true because we'll probably learn more
about those other items and visit in
science and the other characteristics
might change we'll learn more about them
etc the other way to look at that is
that things that are not seen it's
things that are coming it's things that
haven't been shown to us yet it's
getting the perfect knowledge
it's the
of Jared right up on the mountain where
his his the the finger of the Lord could
not be held back from his view it's the
signs which come it's the reality that
comes into a future present it's the
belief in their case here that Christ
will come to the earth
it's unseen for now but eventually he
does so it's it's a belief in future on
based on true principles Trust is a a
relationship that doesn't just live in
the present it's built from the past it
lives in the present but it projects
into the future which is what hope is
faith hope and charity so he says here
then in 22 following up with that and
now behold I stand to you and I would
that you should remember that God is
merciful unto all who believe on his
name
so belief is the beginning of faith
that's all it is
therefore he desireth in the first place
that she should believe yay even on his
word alright so we're going to get an
explanation here of how that word is
brought to us so that we can exercise
faith we need the word first knowledge
precedes faith faith builds to a perfect
knowledge so this is what he's trying to
emphasize here then he goes into
something that he's done before when he
was in a Ammonihah and preaching with Zeezrom
and antionah and others he
 
says in verse 23 and now he impart of
his word by angels unto men yay 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 learn it what is he saying right
this is how how this works
there are prophets who see visions and
are given inspiration and authority and
power spiritual power
that preach and write their words down
their visions and other prophecies down
that is the word coming from God
think of Jehovah coming to the poor that
word then going to the prophets and the
prophets then bringing it to us and the
important thing is understanding that
it's men women and children in other
words all individuals this is a very
individual thing have the right to
receive the word to receive revelation
and to gain an individual testimony and
to develop an individual faith but
that's how that works right if we go
back real quickly here and we look at
what Alma did with the people of M&I
high in his sermon he does the exact
same thing with this idea of the word
right he starts off chapter 12 talking
about the words of Amulek about the two
different deaths and then he establishes
more those words and then gives his own
words and here's how he says this is
done he talks about there being a
probationary state and a time for a man
to prepare to meet God well what does
that probationary state based on well if
you're fortunate enough to receive the
word it's based on receiving that word
and then developing faith on that word
that's what he's going to go over here
with the seed and the tree and in 28 he
says and after God had appointed that
these things should come unto man the
word behold then he saw that it was
expedient that man should know
concerning the things whereof he had
appointed unto them in other words God
has got to get us the information he's
got to get us the word there's a way
that he does that 29 therefore he sent
angels to converse with them who caused
men to behold
of his glory think of me if eyes
visitation from the angel and they began
from that time forth to
on his name therefore God conversed with
men through the prophets primarily and
through personal revelation through the
spirit and made known unto them the plan
of redemption the word which had been
prepared from the foundation of the
world and this he made known unto them
according to their faith and repentance
which is what is going over now and
their holy works wherefore he gave
Commandments unto men them knowing good
from evil placing them in a state to act
or being placed in a state to act
according to their wills and pleasures
or in other words to be acted upon
therefore God gave unto them
Commandments after having made unto
known known unto them the plan of
redemption this is how this works right
this is how the word the DBR gets put
out there and that's what Alma is doing
right now with these poor zoramites he's
giving them the word and telling them
how to use it down in 32:26 he says as I
said concerning faith that it was not a
perfect knowledge even so it is with my
words he cannot know of there a surety
at first so think of people think of
yourself in your own testimony when you
first hear about something you can't
know for sure of something
some people believe easier than others
that's a gift it's a spiritual gift I'm
not one of those I need to work it
through right maybe you too maybe it's a
lot easier for you but I need to work it
through he says he cannot know of their
surety at first unto perfection what
does he mean by perfection he means the
fullness of it in many cases an actual
physical manifestation of something kind
of like what we see or a vision kind of
like what we see with a brother of Jared
any more than faith is a perfect
knowledge
so he's distinguishing these two right
you start off with belief in faith you
can end up with a perfect knowledge of
something you should go and take a look
at either 3:19
and compare that verse then he says here
following up behold if you will awake
and arouse your faculties right get
alert even to what an experiment he
actually uses the word experiment that's
what this is that's what he's trying to
tell us about faith it is an experiment
just like you would do in science an
experiment upon my words and exercise a
particle of faith just start off with a
little bit of trust you have to start
off with that you've heard the word just
put a little bit of trust in this you
don't have to full-bore go with it yet
but put a little bit of trust on this
even if you can no more than desire to
believe so the smallest speck of faith
let this desire work in you even until
you believe in a manner that you can
give place for a portion of my words
right you get a little bit of the word
put a little trust in this try it out
and then you can get more of the word
and put even more trust into it
based on a scientific method based on a
spiritual scientific method so on twenty
eight we will compare the word unto a
seed what is he doing here he's talking
about the tree of life he's talking
about you as the tree of life or you on
your journey to the Tree of Life
remember what the word is in Lehigh's
vision right it's the rod of iron the
iron rod and where does that lead it
leads to the Tree of Life
what is the Tree of Life in my
estimation yes its exaltation yes it's
the joy of God but in my estimation
overall it is the doctrine of Christ it
is the word in that sense it is at least
the embodiment of a word and the
fruition of the word and then he goes
over giving this a a scientific method
for this a spiritual scientific
that with this seed he says if he give
place that a seed may be planted in your
heart behold if it be a true seed or a
good good seed if you do not cast it out
by your unbelief that you will resist
the Spirit of the Lord behold it will
begin to swell within your breasts and
when you feel these swelling motions you
will begin to say within yourself it
must needs be this is a good seed we can
kind of compare this a little bit with
the burning of the bosom but it's an
Enlightenment right it is intelligence
it is the spirit or that the word is
good the word is good I want something
that's good for it beginneth to enlarge
my soul it beginneth to enlighten my
understanding yet begin it to be
delicious to me
these are personal observations personal
experiences and that's one of the big
differences with spiritual scientific
method its individual right that's that
makes it harder but more important I can
take a physical scientific method and I
can observe it and I can have somebody
else come in and observe it and two more
people in five and ten and a hundred
people a thousand people observe the
results of a hypothesis right in our
case here with Alma the hypothesis is
the word the hypothesis is the gospel
hypothesis is the words of the prophets
and the scriptures but in a physical
science method right many people can see
the results the observations of that
test but with spiritual knowledge
it's got to be individual eventually it
comes down to you and who you are
becoming and your personal faith so it
is individualistic those observations
those experiences are individual and
it's that way for a reason because you
are an individual and you need to build
on that strength ultimately between you
and God
so you are the only observer of those
experiences and then he asks would this
not increase your faith ice and you yeh
nevertheless it hath not grown up to a
perfect knowledge right so again that's
that's the pathway get a little bit of
the word right a little bit of knowledge
first place a little bit of trust in
that see how that works out for you
does it enlarge your soul does it bring
intelligence to you is it good
get more of the word place more trust in
it and you keep going through that
process and he says look if you do this
and and this begins to grow in your
heart and it begins to enlighten your
mind isn't this a good seat and and if
you believe it is a good seed then will
that not strengthen your faith more so
you are looking for results it is not
blind faith that's that's in this
episode that's what I would try and
emphasize the most faith is not fake
right faith is not just oh I'm going to
believe where I'm not going to believe
that there's a little bit of utility in
that kind of belief but it's nothing
compared to real faith faith is
something that has developed through
experimentation faith is something that
is built off of trying and failing faith
is something that is proven in a sense
the in a way that we use a trial or a
proof just like we do with a scientific
experiment it works the same way I've
seen a number of people say try and
separate that completely oh well science
is over here and we we don't believe in
that as much as we believe in this idea
of belief and faith and in the sense
that we just need to believe it's a
choice just to believe well where it
might be a choice to believe faith is
not that rudimentary faith is nuanced
faith is developed faith is real
and it is built through trial-and-error
it is built through effort it is built
through experimentation that is exactly
the word that Alma is giving us here and
exactly this scenario he's giving us is
using a scientific method using a
spiritually scientific method on
spiritual things and even gives us some
of this verbiage here from more of a
scientific method if we read it properly
he says here in verse 33 and now behold
because he have tried the experiment we
usually usually think of the terms try
as in an effort but I don't think that's
what's being said here because you have
tried it put it on trial you've put it
on trial you're proving it right you
want some type of evidence evidence is
okay evidence is real you need evidence
for your faith you need spiritual
evidence otherwise it makes no sense
what am i how am I going to trust in
something again trusting can't be fake
so unless there are evidences that are
given to me and fruit of my labor and my
trust fruit that is good then I can't
have faith in it right so there are
proofs there there are evidences of
these things that's what Alan is saying
because he have tried the experiment and
planted the seed and it's well if it's
sprout at the beginning to grow you must
need to know that the seed is good and
he asks again behold is your knowledge
perfect well he says it's perfect in
that thing in other words up to that
point you've received the evidence the
fruit of a greater enlightenment greater
knowledge greater spirit so in that one
thing it is but you have a long way to
go right a long way to go for more
perfect knowledge and we could see how
sign seeking would be the exact opposite
of this right I want the perfect
knowledge first especially some kind of
physical sign and then I will believe it
doesn't work it destroys the entire
planet Redemption and he asks this
specifically in 35 oh then is this not
real as if you were comparing it to a
physical science experiment is this not
real I say unto you yay because it is
light and whatsoever is light is good
because it is discernible therefore you
must know that it is good a great place
to go for context on light is section 93
and that goes hand in hand into this
idea of Alma's experiment here light and
truth and he continues and now behold
after you have tasted this light is your
knowledge perfect behold I say into you
nay neither must you lay aside your
faith so you can't stop that's the whole
point the whole point is developing
faith it's not getting the sign for ye
have only exercised your faith to plant
the seed that you might try the
experiment to put it on trial to know if
the seed was good and then we get the
introduction of the idea of the tree and
behold as the tree beginneth to grow you
will say let us nourish it with great
care that it may get root that it may
grow up and bring forth fruit unto us
and now behold if you nourish it with
much care it will get root and grow up
and bring forth fruit the signs so just
as in Lehigh's vision where we have the
iron rod that is leading to that is the
word or the seed that is leading toward
the Tree of Life this is the same thing
it is the seed that is leading toward
being developed into the tree of life
and he tells us right this is why it's
all about faith if he neglected 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 scorch
with it because it have no root it
withers away and you pluck it up and
cast it out I can tell you that this is
true personally right if I have not
allowed those roots to be nourished with
the word right and and and exercise
faith on those things I know that things
are weaker for me and maybe you've gone
through times in your life where you've
waned back and forth a little bit with
it's very true because it's all about
developing faith it's not about the
signs the signs were a result of that
but what matters is what we are becoming
and we become who we need to become
based on our ability to trust on certain
principles or have faith on certain
principles the gospel principles and
then he talks about the signs being the
fruit here in 40 he says and thus if you
will not nourish the word which is why
we need come follow me in the scripture
so badly looking forward with an eye of
faith to the fruit thereof the signs the
results you can never pluck of the fruit
of the tree of life right because you
can't have the signs first it does not
work that way if you do three things
here then that tree of life will
flourish he says here in 42 and because
of your diligence and constancy right
consistency and your faith and your
patience with the word and nourishing it
that it may take root in you the seed
behold by and by you shall pluck the
fruit thereof you'll get the signs which
is most precious which is sweet above
all that is sweet and which is wide
above all that is white and which is
pure above all that is pure and you
shall feast upon this fruit even until
ye are filled that ye hunger not neither
shall ye thirst just as we get with
Jesus's words to the woman the Samaritan
woman at the well then my brethren he
finishes off then ye shall reap the
rewards of your faith and your diligence
and patience and long-suffering waiting
for the tree to bring forth fruit unto
you that's how it works that is the
message here the focus is on developing
trust it's on developing trust on the
world
on the principles of the gospel on the
commandments it is the antithesis of
what cor whore was looking for remember
this is all about the word interestingly
enough what was the curse given to cor
whore
he lost his speech he lost the word I do
not think that is a coincidence based on
the theme that Alma's record here is
giving us if we want more of the word if
we want that to flourish as the Tree of
Life within us then it's a matter of us
growing it's a matter of us developing
that faith developing trust in the
principles of the gospel and on the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ it's all about
what are we becoming Alma is pointing
out that faith comes before the signs
the signs will come but it is faith that
must first be developed and nurtured and
the best way to do that is with a
spiritually scientific method I'll talk
to you next

 

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Book of Mormon Alma

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