Alma 7

This is the sermon that Alma delivered to the people of Gideon.

“Now that I have retired from political leadership, I am able to come and speak with you about matters of God. I have come hoping to find you humbled and blameless before him, and not in the horrible state that our brothers in Zarahemla were. They have now repented and been restored to righteousness. I trust that you have not fallen as far as your brothers in Zarahemla have and that you look forward to the remission of your sins that will come. The time when Jesus Christ the redeemer will come and live among people is not far away.

“The Spirit has told me to prepare the way for God, and walk the straight path, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand when the Son of God comes to earth. He will be born of a virgin named Mary and will be conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost. The Son of God will be born in Jerusalem, in the land of our ancestors. During his mortal life he will suffer pain, abuse, and temptation of every kind. He will take upon himself the pains and sickness of his people. He will take death upon himself so that he may release his people from the bondage of death. He will take upon himself his people’s sickness so that he may be filled with mercy and the knowledge of how to heal them. He will take upon himself the sins of his people so that they may be delivered from them. This is my testimony.

“If you want to be born again, you must repent. If you are not born again, you cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. Come be baptized and cleansed of your sins, and have faith in Jesus Christ, who will take away the sins of the world. Set aside your sins and show God of your willingness to repent. Make a covenant with God to keep his commandments, and witness it by being baptized in water. Whoever does this will have eternal life.

“Do you believe these things? I know that you do believe, because your faith is strong. I perceive that you do walk the straight path of righteousness that leads to the kingdom of God. You know that you cannot walk on crooked paths or live in filth, and be received into the kingdom of God. When the judgment day comes, those who have lived in filth will remain in filth.

“I have said these things to awaken you to your sense of duty to God at all times, giving thanks to God for whatever you receive. I want you to see that if you have faith, hope, and charity that you will always be fulfilling the good work that is asked of you. May God bless you and keep you clean so that you may sit down with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob1, and the holy prophets who are also clean. I rejoice because of the attention you’ve paid to receiving my word. May the peace of God rest upon you, your houses, lands, livestock and all you possess, your women and children, from this time forever forward.” [83 BC]