The Valiant Are Given the Priesthood

“Now, my brothers and sisters, let us go forward to the time when the Lord God gave these commandments to His children. The Lord ordained priests, after His holy order, to teach these things to the people. Those priests were ordained after the order of His Son so that the people would know that they should look forward to His Son for redemption.

“This is how they were ordained: First, because of their great faith and good works, they were called and prepared from the beginning of the world according to God’s foreknowledge. Next, they were placed on earth, being left on their own to choose good or evil. After showing great faith by choosing good, they were called with a holy calling according to the Savior’s redemption which was prepared for them. They were called to this holy calling because of their faith, while others rejected the Spirit of God because of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds. If these others had not rejected God’s Spirit, then they too might have been called. In other words, in the beginning they were all equally faithful with their brethren. But this holy calling was prepared only for those who would be cleansed on earth, in and through the Atonement of the Only Begotten Son, who had prepared Himself to redeem all people. The reason for being called by this holy calling—for being ordained to the high priesthood of the holy order of God, was to teach His commandments to all people so that they also might enter into His rest. This high priesthood is an order that has always existed. It is without beginning of days or end of years—being prepared from eternity to all eternity according to God’s foreknowledge of all things.

“After high priests were ordained with a holy ordinance, they took the responsibility of the high priesthood of the holy order upon themselves. They became high priests forever, after the order of the Son—the Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity and truth. Many were ordained and became God’s high priests because of their great faith, repentance and righteousness before Him. They chose to repent and work righteousness rather than to spiritually perish. Because of their correct choices, they were called after this holy order. They were sanctified, and their robes were washed white through the blood of the Lamb. After they were sanctified by the Holy Ghost—having had their robes made white—having been made pure and spotless before God, these high priests found sin to be repulsive. And a great number of them entered into the rest of the Lord their God.

“And now, my brethren, I hope that you will humble yourselves before God, and bring forth works of repentance, that you may also enter into that rest. Humble yourselves even as the people who lived in the days of Melchizedek. He was also a high priest after this same order, who took upon himself the high priesthood forever. It was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes, even ten percent of all he possessed. Now these ordinances were given so that the people might look forward to the Son of God, it being His order. After receiving these ordinances, they looked forward to Him for a remission of their sins, and also to the time when they would enter into His rest. When Melchizedek was King of Salem, his people had become very wicked. By using his mighty faith (having been ordained to this high priesthood according to the holy order of God) he preached repentance to his people, and they repented. He established peace in the land during his lifetime and was called the Prince of Peace, for he was King of Salem, reigning under his father. There were many before Melchizedek, and many after, but none were greater. This is why the prophets make special mention of him in their writings. Now I have said enough and do not need to repeat myself. The scriptures are before you. If you resist their messages it will be to your own destruction.”

After saying this, Alma stretched out his arm and cried with a mighty voice, “Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation is near! Yes, the Lord speaks through His angels, telling all people in all nations to receive the joyful news. This is why angels have come to us. Because we of the house of Israel are wanderers in a strange land, these things are declared to us in all parts of the earth, and in plain terms so that we may understand. Because of this we are highly favored by the Lord. Even now, angels are declaring this to many people in our land. They do this to prepare the hearts of the people to receive His word when He comes in His glory. We wait for angels to tell us the joyful news of His coming, which will be soon. I do not know how soon, but I hope that it is during my lifetime. Whether His coming is sooner or later, I will rejoice in it. When He comes, angels will make it known to just and holy men. This will fulfill the words of our forefathers, who have spoken of Him according to the spirit of prophecy in them.

“And now, my brothers and sisters, I desire from the center of my heart with great anxiety, and even pain, that you would listen to my words. Throw off your sins and do not put off the day of your repentance. Humble yourselves before the Lord, calling upon His holy name. Watch and pray continually so that you may not be tempted beyond what you can bear. By doing this, you will be led by the Holy Spirit, and you will become humble, meek, submissive, patient, and full of love. You will have faith in the Lord, and you will have the hope of receiving eternal life. You will always have God’s love in your heart and will be lifted up at the last day to enter into His rest. May the Lord give you repentance so that you will not bring down His anger upon you, nor be tied down by the chains of hell and suffer the second death.”

Alma said many other things to the people which are not written in this book.