Alma Instructs His Son Corianton

“My son, Corianton, because some people have not read the scriptures, they have gone far astray, and do not understand the plan of restoration. I perceive that you have been worried about this, so I will explain it to you. God’s justice requires everything to be properly restored to its own order, according to the power and resurrection of Christ—that each spirit be restored to its body and that each part of each body be restored to itself.

“God’s justice also requires us to be judged according to our works. If our works were good in this life, and the desires of our hearts were good, then at the last day we will be restored to what is good. If our works were evil, then we will be restored to what is evil. This is how all things will be restored to their proper order. First, every imperfect mortal body becomes immortal and perfect. Then every immortal body is joined to its spirit—resurrected—to receive endless happiness and inherit God’s kingdom, or to receive endless misery and inherit the devil’s kingdom. One is raised to happiness and good according to his desires, while the other is raised to evil according to his desires, for those who desired evil during their lives will have their reward of evil when they die.

“All who repent of their sins, desiring righteousness until the end of their days, will be rewarded with righteousness. All these are redeemed by the Lord—taken out of and delivered from an endless night of darkness. This is how we will stand or fall, being able to judge for ourselves whether to do good or evil. God’s decrees are unalterable, and the way is prepared for the righteous to be saved.

“My son, do not risk one more offense against your God upon these points of doctrine, which you have already risked by sinning. Do not think that because I have spoken about a restoration that you will be restored from sin to happiness, for wickedness cannot make anyone happy. My son, all men and women are in a carnal, natural state, bound by sins, and full of bitterness. They are without God in the world, going against His nature—the nature of happiness.

“The word restoration does not mean to take something in a natural state and change it to an unnatural state, opposite to its nature. Restoration means bringing back evil to what is evil, carnal to what is carnal, and devilish to what is devilish. It means bringing goodness back to what is good, righteousness to what is righteous, justice back to what is just, and mercy to what is merciful. Knowing this plan, see that you are merciful to your brethren, my son. Deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually. If you do all these things, then you will receive your reward, and have mercy, justice, righteousness, and good restored to you. For what you send out will return and be restored to you. This is how the plan of restoration fully condemns, rather than justifies, the sinner.”