A New Generation of Unbelievers

As time passed, many of the rising generation did not believe their fathers’ righteous traditions. At the time that their parents had experienced a mighty change of heart under King Benjamin’s reign, they were too young to understand. They did not believe what had been said about the resurrection of the dead or about the coming of Christ. Because of their unbelief, they could not understand God’s word and their hearts became hardened. Because of their lack of faith, they refused to be baptized or to join the church. They remained in their carnal, sinful state, for they would not call upon the Lord their God.

During Mosiah’s reign, the unbelievers were not half as numerous as God’s people, but because of dissension among church members, the unbelievers soon became more numerous. The unbelievers deceived many church members with flattery and caused them to commit many sins. It soon became necessary to correct those people in the church who committed sin, and so they were brought before the priests by the teachers. The priests in turn brought them before Alma, the high priest.

King Mosiah had given Alma authority over the church. Alma did not know of these people’s sins, but there were many witnesses against them. This kind of thing had never happened before in the church, and Alma’s spirit was troubled. He did not feel comfortable judging the accused, and so he brought them before King Mosiah. Alma then said to the king, “Here are many who have been accused by their brethren, having been caught in various sins. The accused are not sorry, so we brought them here for you to judge.” King Mosiah replied, “I will not judge them. I prefer that you judge them, Alma.”

Now Alma’s spirit was even more troubled. He went and asked the Lord what to do, for he was afraid of doing something wrong in the sight of God. After pouring out his whole soul to God, the Lord’s voice said to him, “You are blessed, Alma, and those baptized in the waters of Mormon are also blessed. You are blessed because of your great faith, having heard only the words of my servant Abinadi. And those who were baptized are blessed because of their great faith in your words alone.

“You are also blessed because you have established a church among my people. This people, who are willing to bear my name, are blessed, for in my name they will be called, and they are mine. And because you have asked me about the transgressors, you are blessed. You are my servant, and I covenant with you that you will have eternal life. You will serve me, going forth in my name, gathering my sheep. Those who hear my voice will be my sheep. You will receive them into the church, and I will receive them also. For this is my church, and I will freely forgive those whom you receive—those who will believe in my name and be baptized unto repentance. I take the sins of the world upon myself, having created those who sin. And I will give a place at my right hand to those who believe in me throughout their lives. They are called by my name (Children of Christ). If they know me, at the sound of the first trumpet they will be resurrected and have a place eternally at my right hand.

“When the second trumpet sounds, those who never knew me will be resurrected and stand before me. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God—their Redeemer—and that they did not want to be redeemed. Then I will tell them that I never knew them, and they will go into an everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. This is why I tell you not to receive those who refuse to hear my voice into my church, for I will not receive them at the last day.

“Now go and judge all who transgress against me, according to the sins they have committed. If they confess their sins before you, and before me, and repent in the sincerity of their hearts, forgive them, and I will also forgive them. And as often as my people repent I will forgive their trespasses against me. You will also forgive one another, because anyone who does not forgive his neighbor when his neighbor says that he has repented brings himself under condemnation. Now go, and those who refuse to repent of their sins will not be numbered among my people. Observe this law from this time forward.”

Upon hearing these words, Alma wrote them down so that he could judge the people of the church according to God’s commandments. Then he judged those who had been found committing sin according to the word of the Lord. Those who repented of their sins and confessed them were numbered among the people of the church. Those who would not confess and repent of their sins were not numbered among the people of the church—they were excommunicated.

Alma regulated all the affairs of the church, and the Nephites began to have peace again. The church prospered as the people walked in obedience before God, and they received and baptized many. Alma and the other priests and teachers were diligent in teaching God’s word to the people of the church. They suffered all types of afflictions at the hands of all who did not belong to God’s church. Those who committed sins were counseled with God’s word, and they were all commanded by God to always pray and give thanks to Him in all things.