Day 48 Alma 28-30

Alma Chapter 28 relays that 15 years in to the reign of judges, there was the worst war anyone had seen yet between the Lamanites and Nephites.  There were thousands of lives lost and people cried and mourned for their dead loved ones.  They were in a deep state of loss and mourning, but also felt joy that there loved ones were with God because of their belief in Him and the knowledge they were given of Eternal Life.

In Alma 29, Alma shares how much he desires to be like an Angel and travel near and far crying repentance and how much he wants every soul to hear the Gospel, repent, and find eternal life.  He shared how his desire to do this is all consuming at times.  

Alma acknowledges however, that God's will be done, that people have freedom to choose repentance and salvation, or not to repent and not to believe.  He explains that those who are not knowing of the truth are not accountable for their actions, but those who are educated on matters of Salvation and repentance are held to a higher standard and choose for themselves whether to seek that which is good or seek that which is not good.  

Alma expresses his understanding that sometimes his love and joy for God's Plan of Salvation overcomes him and he wants to be humble and allow God to lead people to be taught.  Once God leads, people will decide whether to accept or reject the Gospel.

Alma Chapter 30 talks about Korihor the evil anti-christ.  I can not stand this Anti-Christ.  He was a horrid, evil person!  This man, Korihor, comes to Zarahemla and starts speaking against the teachings of the Church of God.  At the time of his arrival the people had been experiencing peace in their land.  Then he shows up and starts teaching against the Gospel.

In Zarahemla, it wasn't against the law to speak out against the Church.  Each person had a right to believe or not to.  So when Korihor started speaking against the Church he wasnt breaking any laws.

Korihor said that to believe in a Christ was foolish because no such person would come.  He said teachings of Christ were traditions passed down and had no merit. He said there was no such thing as an Atonement for sin.  He didn't even believe in sin, that a man's actions could not be punished.

Every time Korihor went to a city that had been taught by Ammon where the people believed, they would tie Korihor up, take him to the High Priest, and then kick him out of their city!  They could not be persuaded away from Christ and the teachings of the Prophets.  

Likening This Chapter Unto Me

I love so much the explanation of the righteous believers not able to be swayed away from the teachings of the truth!  Their faith and obedience, their trust in the Prophets and God, teach me so much about how I can trust my faith in God, my living Prophet, and good leaders.  I can know that being obedient and righteous protects my testimony just as it did the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and the Nephites and  Lamanites who repented. 

I am being reminded and re-learning through reading these chapters that God has me in His heart, plans, and loves me.  He  wants me with Him for eternity, and it's why He has always given us Prophets to lead us, warn us, prepare us, and teach us how to recognize false teachers and Anti-Christs.  He hasn't left us alone!

I love how when Korihor goes before Alma, he tells him that he receives no compensation for teaching the truths of Christ. How it's not even sensible to believe that if they were teaching for gain, but did not receive any, that they would continue teaching these people about God? 

I love how when Korihor asks Alma for a sign that there is a God and if the sign happens Korihor will believe.  Alma says, "you already know there is a God. You have a devil in you.  You have the Testimonies of the people of God, the testimony and teachings of the Prophets, and the very rocks and nature testify of Him; the moon, stars, and planets!"  

But Alma is like, "fine, if you deny Christ again, God will make you mute and not able to speak!"  Korihor then says he knows God made him not able to speak and he always believed there was a God!  Korihor admitted a demon pretending to be an angel appeared to him and told him what to go teach.  He asked Alma to pray for his deliverance from the devil.

The Zoramites who Korihor went begging for food from, cast him out and he died of starvation.  They knew he was evil and would not feed or house him.  The final verse in Chapter 30 says, "And thus we see the end of him who perverted the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell!"

I will always believe and remember that Jesus Christ is my Savior and the rock I stand on, he is my advocate with the Eternal Father, the Son of God, and my sure foundation!