Church is Taken Seriously Because of War

In 86 BC, there was no fighting in the land of Zarahemla. But the people suffered because they had lost so many men, animals, and crops. So great was their suffering that everyone had reason to mourn. They knew they had received God’s judgments because of their great sinfulness, and they had now awakened to remember their duty toward Him. They began to establish the church more fully. Many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and joined the church of God. They were baptized by Alma, who had been consecrated to be the high priest over the people of the church by his father Alma.

85 BC was a year of peace, during which 3,500 souls were baptized into the church of God. But again in 84 BC, the people of the church began to be proud of the wealth they had acquired. Because of their fine silks and linen, their flocks and herds, their gold and silver, and all their valuables, their pride began to show and they started wearing very expensive clothing. Alma and the teachers, priests, and elders whom he had consecrated to teach the church were all very sorrowful because of this wickedness that had begun among the people of the church. It sorrowed them to see the people boasting of their accomplishments, and setting their hearts upon their money and the vain things of the world. The people began to despise one another, and to oppress the humble people of the church who did not believe as they did.

After enjoying only one year of peace, there was much fighting among the people of the church. They were envious of one another and had great contentions among themselves, and many church members became even more proud than those who did not belong to God’s church. By the end of 84 BC, the progress of the church began to fail, for the non-members saw all the pride and contention of the church members and had no desire to join their church. By 83 BC, Alma saw that the wicked example of the church was leading astray those who had not joined it—a wickedness that was the beginning of the people’s destruction. Alma saw great inequality among the people. Many thought they were better than others, and turned their backs on the people who needed food, drink, clothing, and physical care.

This inequality caused great sadness among the people. Yet some humbled themselves and gave what they had to the poor and needy. They suffered all types of afflictions because they believed in Jesus Christ who would soon come, as declared to them by the spirit of prophecy. They looked forward to Christ’s coming. By giving to the poor, they retained a remission of their sins. They were filled with great joy, for they believed that the will and power of Jesus Christ would deliver them from a permanent death.

Even though Alma was very sorry to see this inequality in the church—so many church members afflicting God’s humble followers—the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him.

Following the Spirit, Alma selected Nephihah, a wise elder of the church, and gave him power, by the voice of the people, to make and enforce new laws according to the laws that had already been given. Nephihah was appointed as chief judge and governor of the people, but Alma remained as high priest over the church.

Alma gave up his judgment-seat so that he would have the time to go among his fellow Nephites and preach God’s word to them—to help them remember their duty to each other and to bring down all the pride and contention among them. He saw no other way to bring them back to God except by bearing down in pure testimony of Christ against them.

By the beginning of 83 BC, Alma had given up his temporal work as chief judge and did nothing but spiritual work according to the high priesthood of the holy order of God. His work was to testify of God’s word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy.