Alma 5:19-20

I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances? I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?

Trying to be faithful but making mistakes is very different from intentionally sinning and becoming subject to Satan.  The atonement will not apply to those who intentionally and persistently disobey and refuse to repent. The Lord will save only those who are willing to be saved.

Alma 5:15

Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?

When we keep the eternal goal in mind, it is easier to make good mortal choices.

Alma 5:13

And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved.

After we receive a witness from the Holy Ghost, we must stay humble, trust in God, and stay faithful to keep it. President Ezra Taft Benson explained: “Repentance means more than simply a reformation of behavior. … True repentance is based on, and flows from, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way. True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a change of behavior” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson 1988, 71).

Alma 5:11-12

Behold, I can tell you—did not my father Alma believe in the words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi? And was he not a holy prophet? Did he not speak the words of God, and my father Alma believe them? And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true.

Alma's formula for changing our life: Listen to the prophet of God, believe the Word of God, and have faith in the Son of God. The result: God will change us.

Alma 5:7

Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them.

This verse reminds us that the people of wicked King Noah, who were converted by young Alma's father, were pretty wicked themselves. The lesson to be gained here is that they didn't change themselves. The scripture says the Lord changed their hearts, awakened them, illuminated their souls. All they had to do was repent and let him in. He will do the same for us if we let him.

Alma 4:19

And this he did that he himself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them.

To bear down is to apply a steady pressure in order to get something to move. Pure testimony is a witness born from the heart in all sincerity, untainted by rhetoric and swelling words and sophistry. It is plain truth, exactly what you know and nothing more. No embellishment, no mystery, no fluff. Alma's objective was to apply constant pressure on the people with his plain, simple testimony of what he knew to be true from personal experience in the hopes moving the people towards repentance. This is always the role of a prophet. How grateful I am for the prophets who have touched my life for nearly fifty years.

Alma 4:13-14

Now this was a great cause for lamentations among the people, while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner of afflictions, for Christ’s sake, who should come according to the spirit of prophecy; Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their sins; being filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death.

A recurring theme in the Book of Mormon is the principle of retaining the remission of our sins through selfless service in caring for the poor. We do not buy our way into heaven with good deeds, but we please our Father when we learn to have compassion and use the gifts he has given us to bless others. We show our desire to serve him through our service to others, and he rewards our desires with mercy.

Alma 4:3

And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.

When afflictions awaken us to our duty, they are not a curse but a blessing. Hard times are sometimes our best times.

Alma 3:27

For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth. And thus endeth the fifth year of the reign of the judges.

To "list" is to desire. Our intentions and desires play a huge role in determining the outcome of our lives. We all sin, but not all of us want to. Mercy and redemption are offered to those who want to be obedient but fail because of mortal weakness. Justice is served to those who enjoy sin and purposefully disregard the commandments of God. It is not how many sins or the magnitude of the sins we commit but the genuine desire of our heart that is weighed in the balance. Christ can overcome every sin for us, but only if we want him to.

Alma 1:30

And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need.

This is why God prospers his righteous followers, so they can use their prosperity to bless others. He loves to give to us when we give to others.

Alma 1:28

And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding all their persecutions.

Peace is not the absence of trouble. It is attitude with which we meet our troubles. It is trusting in God and exercising faith despite our circumstances.  It is being grateful in all things, even the things we don't like.

Alma 1:4

https://bycommonconsent.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/nehor.jpg

And he also testified unto the people that all mankind should be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and, in the end, all men should have eternal life.

This verse recounts the false testimony of Nehor the Anti-Christ. Half truths are the weapons of Satan to confuse and blind those who are not careful. It is true that God created all people. And it is true that Christ has atoned for all sins of all people for all time. What is not true is that redemption is guaranteed to everyone with no effort on their part. We must participate in our own salvation. Each must work out his own salvation with fear and trembling, meaning with humility and effort. Anyone CAN be saved, but not everyone WILL be saved.

Mosiah 29:20

But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.

The result of faith is mercy. The ultimate end of mercy is deliverance, although the immediate result might be more trials. We must always remember in whom we trust and add patience to that trust. Without patience, trust is just a wish.

Mosiah 27:32

And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them.

Just because we repent and turn our lives around does not mean everything will run smoothly from now on out. Sometimes our hardest times and greatest trials can come just at that point when we think we've got our game together. We are finally doing the right things. We are going to church, paying our tithing, attending the temple, and serving in our callings. We think we are making solid progress, and then the roadblocks appear, and the storms rage, and everything we do seems to go wrong. These are not the times to despair but to persevere. The blessings come after the trial of our faith. Trials are just tests, they are not judgments or punishments. If God didn't think we could stand the heat, he wouldn't put us in the furnace.

Mosiah 27:29

My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.

"Snatch" is an interesting verb. Alma uses it twice in this chapter and once in the next chapter to describe the process by which his guilt was removed. It means to quickly seize something in an eager way. God is eager to forgive us. He is quick to forgive at the first sign of repentance. If we feel like it takes an eternity to repent of our sins and gain God's acceptance, it is not God who is slow, it is us. He will forgive us far faster than we will forgive ourselves.

Mosiah 27:28

Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.

"Everlasting" does not mean that the burning guilt has no end, but rather, it is God's burning, for "Everlasting" is one of his names. Guilt, like pain, is a good thing when it tells us that something is wrong and needs to be tended to. The world wants to feed us painkillers that simply mask the symptom (sometimes called "searing our consciences"). But Christ offers more than mere relief. He offers healing. He offers to make us like new again.

Mosiah 27:27

I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off.

Alma knows what can happen to us when we are intentionally disobedient to God. Remember, Alma did not sin in ignorance. He willfully rebelled. He was not going to be cast off because he made mistakes, but because he purposely chose wickedness when he knew better. Christ's atonement covers our mistakes, but if we refuse to let him help us, we will be as if no atonement had been made. The good news of the gospel is that we choose the outcome of our life.

Mosiah 27:25

And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

God's desire is to save all his children. Christ has been empowered through the atonement to cover every single person and every single sin. No one has to miss the opportunity to be redeemed. We just have to choose Christ, give him our sins, and let him change us. We just have to stop being stubborn and proud, start being obedient, and let it happen. We are all his children by virtue of God being the Father of our spirits. But to become a son or daughter of God requires a different kind of birth --a rebirth from carnal to spiritual, from natural to sanctified. It is not so much what we do as what we choose to become.

Mosiah 27:14

And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.

Prayers on behalf of others work. They unlock the power of God. They don't necessarily change God's will, but they have an impact. Things happen with prayer that might not happen or might happen differently without prayer. I do not understand completely how it works or why it works, but I am convinced by many evidences that prayer for others does indeed work.

Mosiah 24:29-30

Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also. Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.

We are not condemned for sin but only for refusing to repent. The atonement has made it possible for us to learn from our mistakes without being condemned by them. The plan of salvation is genius, but it works only because Christ became our Savior.

Mosiah 26:24

For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand.

Our task and our goal is to come to know Christ. If we know him, we will not deny him; and if we do not deny him, he will not deny us.

Mosiah 26:18

Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine.

When we covenant to bear the name of Christ through baptism, we identify with him. We become as much like him as we can. Through his grace and because of his atonement, we develop Christ-like attributes until, eons from now, we become indistinguishable from him. We will be called by his name and we will not be ashamed to answer to it. Just as children carry the family name of their father, so we as children of Christ will carry his name.

Mosiah 26:15

Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi.

We are blessed when we choose to believe God's word without physical evidence or proof. He is pleased when we take his word on faith and give it a chance to work in us. The Spirit will deliver all the evidence we need once we demonstrate our willingness to try the word.

Mosiah 26:14

And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him.

How does one pour out his whole soul? He exposes his deepest, honest thoughts, concerns and desires. He holds nothing back and hides nothing in a secret chamber of his heart. He shows God everything there is to know about himself. He leaves no sin unconfessed, no weakness unexplored, no hidden thoughts unexamined. In the end, he gives up his whole heart and soul to God. He offers every good thing and even every bad thing in his heart to the Lord and asks Him to take it all and do with it what He will. Because the soul is the body and spirit combined, to offer one's whole soul is to submit temporally and spiritually to God. He can have everything, all one's time, energy, strength, talent, and work and all one's loyalty, faith, devotion, courage, and desires. When one truly offers his agency to God, submits himself fully and completely, leaving nothing tethered to the natural man, he has poured out his whole soul. Such a one can most assuredly ask and receive, seek and find, knock and be opened to. When we hold nothing back, God holds nothing back.

Mosiah 26:4

And they would not be baptized; neither would they join the church. And they were a separate people as to their faith, and remained so ever after, even in their carnal and sinful state; for they would not call upon the Lord their God.

When we choose to pray, light comes into our life. But when we choose not to pray, the light goes out of our life. It is hard to make good decisions about anything else spiritual when we have decided not to pray.

Mosiah 26:3

And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened.

Faith starts with belief, and belief starts with a choice. Because the generation described in this verse chose not to believe, they closed themselves off from light and knowledge. They hardened their own hearts. A hard heart has no room for God. We choose the texture of our heart.

Mosiah 24:14-15

And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

Sometimes God removes our burdens, but more often he strengths us to bear them more capably. He is wise enough to know what we need to keep us humble and ever seeking him without breaking us. When the time is right, we will be free. In the meantime, we will be empowered. When we can stop fighting God's plan and submit cheerfully and patiently, it doesn't really matter whether we are rescued or not, and that is usually when deliverance comes.

Mosiah 24:10

And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.

The purpose of afflictions is not to punish us, but to turn us to God. Even the faithful followers of Alma needed a heavy affliction to get them to earnestly call upon God. The heavier the affliction, the more we recognize our dependence on God, and the more humble and sincere our prayers become. The more powerful are our prayers, the more powerfully God can act in our lives.

Mosiah 23:28

Therefore they hushed their fears, and began to cry unto the Lord that he would soften the hearts of the Lamanites, that they would spare them, and their wives, and their children.

Tonight I share not my own words but those of Elder David A. Bednar from April 2015:

"Notice Alma did not hush the people’s fears. Rather, Alma counseled the believers to remember the Lord and the deliverance only He could bestow (see 2 Nephi 2:8). And knowledge of the Savior’s protecting watchcare enabled the people to hush their own fears.

"Correct knowledge of and faith in the Lord empower us to hush our fears because Jesus Christ is the only source of enduring peace. He declared, 'Learn of me, and listen to my words walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me' (D&C 19:23).

"The Master also explained, 'He who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come' (D&C 59:23).

"Trust and confidence in Christ and a ready reliance on His merits, mercy, and grace lead to hope, through His Atonement, in the Resurrection and eternal life (see Moroni 7:41). Such faith and hope invite into our lives the sweet peace of conscience for which we all yearn. The power of the Atonement makes repentance possible and quells the despair caused by sin. It also strengthens us to see, do, and become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity. Truly, one of the great blessings of devoted discipleship is 'the peace of God, which passeth all understanding' (Philippians 4:7).

"The peace Christ gives allows us to view mortality through the precious perspective of eternity and supplies a spiritual settledness (see Colossians 1:23) that helps us maintain a consistent focus on our heavenly destination. Thus, we can be blessed to hush our fears because His doctrine provides purpose and direction in all aspects of our lives. His ordinances and covenants fortify and comfort in times both good and bad. And His priesthood authority gives assurance that the things that matter most can endure both in time and in eternity.

"But can we hush the fears that so easily and frequently beset us in our contemporary world? The answer to this question is an unequivocal yes. Three basic principles are central to receiving this blessing in our lives: (1) look to Christ, (2) build upon the foundation of Christ, and (3) press forward with faith in Christ."

Mosiah 23:24

And it came to pass that he did deliver them, and he did show forth his mighty power unto them, and great were their rejoicings.

If God did not let us have hard times, he would not have the opportunity to demonstrate his power in delivering us. When times are particularly tough, we should look forward all the more to seeing God's hand in our life. The end result, if we endure well in faith, will always be rejoicing.

Mosiah 23:21

Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.

Why do we have trials, challenges, predicaments, afflictions, problems, heartaches, pain, sorrow, disappointments, disasters, calamities, and troubles? Because we have to learn patience and faith. Without resistance, we do not develop. Without mountains we do not rise. Without pressure we do not expand. Without the furnace of affliction, we are not purified. Does God like to see us suffer? No, but he hates even more to see us whither, atrophy, and waste our probation. He wants us to come home fit for his kingdom.

Mosiah 23:13

And now as ye have been delivered by the power of God out of these bonds; yea, even out of the hands of king Noah and his people, and also from the bonds of iniquity, even so I desire that ye should stand fast in this liberty wherewith ye have been made free, and that ye trust no man to be a king over you.

Once we get free of our sins through the atonement of Christ, we have to hold fast to that liberty. We have to retain the remission of sins. We do this by loving God, obeying him as best we can, and serving his children. Repentance and redemption are continuous processes, not insular events. The song of redeeming love is a full symphony, not a single blast of a single note. We have to learn all the parts, participate in all the movements, and hold on till the last refrain.

Mosiah 23:9

But remember the iniquity of king Noah and his priests; and I myself was caught in a snare, and did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore repentance;

We think of Alma's conversion as instantaneous, and that is the case--for his conversion. But not for his repentance. He had to struggle through the repentance process like everyone else. God can forgive sins instantly, but we are perhaps not so quick to forgive ourselves. Though Alma got himself turned around and facing in the right direction, he still had to walk the path, learn to heed the Spirit, and demonstrate his desire to come unto Christ and be saved. He still had wrongs to right and restitution to make. Even a miraculous conversion does not exempt us from the mortal process of healing and growing and becoming.

Mosiah 23:3

And they fled eight days’ journey into the wilderness.

Alma and his people, like all repentant people, spent time in the wilderness, living in tents, subsisting on the bare necessities, stripping themselves of the world, and becoming sanctified. Because they were humble and teachable, they did not suffer in the wilderness for long. They turned the wilderness from an affliction into a home and a refuge. The wilderness is what we make it. If we fight it, it can be a miserable existence. If, however, we accept it and work with it, the wilderness can become an Eden.

Mosiah 22:2

And it came to pass that they could find no way to deliver themselves out of bondage, except it were to take their women and children, and their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and depart into the wilderness; for the Lamanites being so numerous, it was impossible for the people of Limhi to contend with them, thinking to deliver themselves out of bondage by the sword.

The Lord uses the wilderness to purge us of the baggage of pride and sin. While the wilderness is always a trial full of afflictions, it is not a curse, but a cleansing. If we endure our wilderness experiences well, they change us and sanctify us and bring us closer to God. They are indispensable legs in our journey through mortality towards eternal life.

Mosiah 21:15

And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage.

The reality is, the Lord may not remove our trials right away. He lets them continue in his wisdom until we are sufficiently refined by the things we suffer. His goal is to save us, not to make us comfortable.

Mosiah 21:15

And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage.

If we have separated ourselves from God, it may take effort on our part to humble ourselves enough to reestablish the lost connection. It may seem like God is ignoring us, but he never ignores us. He hears every prayer, but he may not answer instantly so that we have time to really attune ourselves to his will, so we are ready to accept his answer when it comes.

Mosiah 21:14

And they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions.

Even when we repent, God often allows the consequences of our sins to run their natural course, not as a punishment, but as a lesson and motivation to be humble, submissive, and obedient. When we escape too easily, we fail to appreciate the great benefit God offers us through the atonement.

Mosiah 21:8

And it came to pass that the Lamanites did beat them, and drove them back, and slew many of them.

Just like the people of Limhi tried to fight their way out of their captivity using only their own power, we often try to "fix" ourselves using sheer grit and determination. Resistance against the natural man without the help of God, however, is futile. The spirit may be willing but the flesh is always weak. We must rely on Christ's grace--his enabling power. He is the only way!

Mosiah 21:5

And now the afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands, for the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side.

The burden of our sins is greater than we can bear alone and beyond our personal abilities to overcome and rid ourselves of our guilt. We need the Deliverer. It is just that simple.

Mosiah 20:22

And now let us pacify the king, and we fulfil the oath which we have made unto him; for it is better that we should be in bondage than that we should lose our lives; therefore, let us put a stop to the shedding of so much blood.

Wisdom is situational. Is it not better to die than to live in bondage? For some, perhaps. Limhi's people, however, needed to repent. Repentance may feel sometimes like bondage as we make the effort to make amends and change our habits and even our nature. But better to make the effort and hope for salvation than to give up and lose the opportunity for eternal life.

Mosiah 18:27

And again Alma commanded that the people of the church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not should be given.

Sharing our abundance and supporting the poor is always a sign of the true faith. It is not only a commandment but a natural outgrowth of love for God. This seems to be one of the very first ways in which disciples organize themselves. It is a principle we should take seriously.

Mosiah 18:16

And after this manner he did baptize every one that went forth to the place of Mormon; and they were in number about two hundred and four souls; yea, and they were baptized in the waters of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God.

After baptism, Alma's people were filled with grace. The Book of Mormon is full of references to grace, yet we hardly know what it means. It can be defined as the enabling power of the atonement. It enables us to change, to repent, to grow, to put off the natural man, to become justified and sanctified. Grace is a gift of power. It is by grace that we approach God, pray to him, hear his word, receive the Holy Ghost, obtain spiritual gifts, exercise the priesthood, and receive charity. It is by grace we are saved, in spite of all we try to do.

Mosiah 17:12

But the priests lifted up their voices against him, and began to accuse him, saying: He has reviled the king. Therefore the king was stirred up in anger against him, and he delivered him up that he might be slain.

We ought to be careful about the people with whom we surround ourselves. Noah chose wicked men as his counselors. When he might have done the right thing, his friends talked him out of it. It is hard enough to walk the strait and narrow path of discipleship when your friends are cheering you on. It is impossible when the people around you intentionally try to steer you in the wrong direction. We are to be familiar with all and a genuine friend to every person. But we must be careful who we listen to.

Mosiah 15:27

Therefore ought ye not to tremble? For salvation cometh to none such; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither can the Lord redeem such; for he cannot deny himself; for he cannot deny justice when it has its claim.

Those who know the truth and rebel against it, who knowingly turn their backs on the Savior and refuse his mercy, will face justice. They can receive only justice because they refuse mercy. Their sins are not necessarily any more grievous than the rest of ours, but they will not allow Christ to pay for them. It seems like such a foolish choice, but they are nevertheless free to make it. God will force no one to accept the gift of mercy.

Mosiah 15:22

And now, the resurrection of all the prophets, and all those that have believed in their words, or all those that have kept the commandments of God, shall come forth in the first resurrection; therefore, they are the first resurrection.

Those in the First Resurrection, which are those who are saved, include the prophets and those who obey them (in other words, the faithful saints from all dispensations), those who died without having heard the gospel (which is a whole lot of people), and those who died as little children. For all of these, Christ has atoned. Only the rebellious and disobedient will not benefit from the atonement.

Mosiah 15:8-9

And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.

Sometimes I simply stand in awe of God's plan of salvation. He sent his perfect Son to work out the perfect Atonement. The Book of Mormon testifies of Christ again and again in poignant eloquence that exceeds my poor understanding. Tonight I choose to "stand all amazed."

Mosiah 14:3-12

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no evil, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

The prophet Abinadi used the words of Isaiah to prophesy the coming of the Messiah. No more beautiful or poignant language can be found to express the cost of Christ's atonement: "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed; the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted; he was taken from prison and from judgment; he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people was he stricken. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; he shall bear their iniquities; he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." How can any soul not be touched by such great love?

Mosiah 13:28

And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.

No set of commandments will save us. First, we cannot keep every commandment perfectly, so if we depend solely on our obedience, we will fail. Second, we each have unique circumstances, which require unique responses. Therefore, personal revelation is needed. God cannot list everything on paper for us all individually in advance. Salvation comes through the atonement and is directed by the Spirit. The atonement allows us to make mistakes, learn from them, repent, and improve without being permanently cast off and separated from God. Christ can justify us and make us worthy in the end. The flight may be bumpy, but Christ can smooth out the landing and ensure that we walk into the Father's arms unscathed.

Mosiah 13:25-26

[Abinadi] said unto them: Have ye taught this people that they should observe to do all these things for to keep these commandments? I say unto you, Nay; for if ye had, the Lord would not have caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning this people.

Here is a simple truth: Messages from the prophets reflect the condition of our hearts. If our hearts are united with God and at peace, God sends messages of peace through his prophets. If, however, our hearts are turned against the Lord, he sends messages of warning. If we do not hear messages we like, the blame is not with the prophet, but with his audience.