Alma 42
Alma2 Teaches about Justice and Mercy
Alma 42:1
1 And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand—which is concerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery.
Corianton’s confusion about the nature of the gospel apparently had much to do with an understanding of the eternal purposes of God. He had denied the need for a Christ and Alma2 responded to that issue in our chapter 40, which discussed the issue of the time gap between when a person would die and the future time when Christ would perform the atonement. Alma2 introduced that chapter by saying that he knew that the issue was on Corianton’s mind.
Chapter 41 begins with Alma2 saying that he knew that Corianton was concerned with another issue of the next life, and so he explained the doctrine of restoration. Now, in chapter 42, Alma2 again says that “I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind.” This discussion will cover the justice of God in separating some people from the possible happiness that was previously discussed (see specifically Alma 41:5).
Alma 42:2–4
2 Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee. For behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were taken—yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden, cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the tree of life—
3 Now, we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live forever, the Lord God placed cherubim and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the fruit—
4 And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God.
To understand the justice of God’s punishment, Alma2 finds that he must return to the way that opposition was set in motion for all of humankind. He returns to the Garden of Eden, a story that Corianton surely knows, and therefore Alma2 gives only a brief outline. The part he chooses to tell is that after partaking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve had to be prevented from partaking of the fruit of the tree of life. This is the tree of life in the Garden, which has a slightly different imagery from the one in Lehi1’s dream.
The elaboration of the meaning will come in verses 5 and 6, but Alma2 sets up that meaning by suggesting that by forestalling eternal life, a time was created in which humankind could learn and, through repentance, still achieve that eternal life.
Alma 42:5–7
5 For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated.
6 But behold, it was appointed unto man to die—therefore, as they were cut off from the tree of life they should be cut off from the face of the earth—and man became lost forever, yea, they became fallen man.
7 And now, ye see by this that our first parents were cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord; and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own will.
The problem in Eden was that with agency and the imposition of opposition in all things, there was not only the possibility, but the probability, of sin. Had Adam and Eve eaten of the tree of life they would have lived forever. Without death, there was no boundary between mortality and immortality, and therefore no separation between the two in order that there would be a restoration. No restoration could be done, because nothing was lost that could be restored. Without dying, there is no resurrection -- that is to say, with no death of the sinful life, there is no resurrection to new possibilities.
The blessing of prohibiting the partaking of the fruit of the tree of life was to allow for repentance. When Alma2 says that “there was a time granted unto man to repent,” he refers to our mortal lives. In that time, we can learn the important lessons of mortality. Even when we sin, we can learn repentance. Then, because death ends that state, the doctrine of restoration allows what we have learned to rise with us and therefore, to lead us to an eternal life that is eternal in quality and not simply lengthy in time.
The conclusion of this discussion of the benefits of mortal death is that agency has time to work: “thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own will.”
Alma 42:8–10
8 Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness.
9 Therefore, as the soul could never die, and the fall had brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal, that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord, it was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual death.
10 Therefore, as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state.
It seems contradictory to indicate that humanity should not be reclaimed from death when we know that humanity has been saved through the Atonement. Alma2 knows that as well and has already taught about the timing of the resurrection and the doctrine of restoration. What Alma2 is doing here is speaking of the necessity of a time between the fall and the eternal consequences of sin. When he says that it was “not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death,” he is saying that it was not expedient that man should be immediately reclaimed.
Verse 9 verifies this understanding. The soul could not die, and the fall brought physical and spiritual death. Alma2 had already noted that had Adam and Eve immediately been given eternal life, they would have had no dividing line to separate their mortality from life with God. The merciful plan, however, provides that this life can be a place of agency, where we can learn to prepare for the next life. This life is “carnal, sensual, and devilish” only if we do not learn and do not repent while in it.
Alma 42:11–14
11 And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of redemption, (laying it aside) as soon as they were dead their souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord.
12 And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience;
13 Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.
14 And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence.
The question that Alma2 is answering is how is it just that God punish the wicked if he saves the good. The simple answer to that is the plan of redemption, but Alma2 cannot explain the justice of that plan without discussing what would happen in its absence. That is the reason that he “lay[s] aside” the plan of redemption. It is laid aside for the argument precisely because it is the answer to the argument. However, the reason that it is the answer is best seen when examining a world without the plan of redemption.
Thus, we have in verse 12 the condition where there was “no means to reclaim men from this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience.” Agency virtually assured that we would disobey and therefore merit our fallen state. Without the plan of redemption, and with already having eternal life, we would be condemned forever, as there was no way to separate us from our sins (again, without the plan of redemption).
Without the barrier of death, there was no way to separate humankind from their life in the mortal state. Even repentance would be ineffective as there was no way to implement repentance because there was no barrier of death and subsequent resurrection that would allow for good changes in our behavior to be effective and for repented sins to be forsaken.
Alma2 concludes that in that state, where humankind was subject to sin, but not to death, they “were in the grasp of justice.” Our actions would inevitably lead us away from God with no way of reconciliation. In those conditions, justice prevailed, and mercy had no ability to act.
Alma 42:15
15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.
Alma2 had “laid aside” the plan of redemption for the purposes of his discussion (see verse 11), but that left a rather bleak picture. Alma2 inserts verse 15 to make sure that Corianton understands that there is a plan of redemption, and that the coming Messiah is central to that plan. It is the atonement that reconciles the problem of spiritual and temporal death and which “bring[s] about the plan of mercy, [and appeases] the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.”
Having made this insertion to verify that the bleak picture is not our reality, Alma2 will continue with his discussion of how mercy and justice are both satisfied through the plan of redemption.
Alma 42:16–20
16 Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul.
17 Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment?
18 Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man.
19 Now, if there was no law given—if a man murdered he should die—would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?
20 And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not be afraid to sin.
Alma2 has returned to his “what if” scenario. The thesis is that we cannot repent unless there is a punishment. How does that work? As a very mundane example, say there are two pencils on a table, and you pick up one and move it to a different table. Of what could you repent? Have you done anything wrong? There is no law, and certainly no punishment attached to the law, so your action is simply an action. There is nothing of which to repent.
That is the meaning of “how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment?” Each of those questions emphasizes the relationship not between sin and the law, but between repentance and the law. We do not think of that particular relationship, but that is the critical issue here.
Repentance is the engine that moves mortal humans from one state to another, such as from evil to good (complete opposites) or even from good to better. There is no way to make reasoned and purposeful judgments unless there is a law against which we may measure ourselves. Having the law teaches us what we should do and be. Repentance overcomes the penalties attached to disobeying that law.
Verses 18–20 reinforce that idea. Without a law to know what is good, and without a punishment to enforce it, how would we ever be able to use the law to progress?
Alma 42:21–23
21 And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature?
22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.
23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.
Verse 21 sums up the hypothetical condition of a world without law and punishment. There would be nothing against which justice, or even mercy, could act. Justice and mercy would be meaningless.
However, “there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted.” This is where Alma2 leaves the hypothetical argument and moves to explain how the plan of redemption has been implemented. The first important aspect of the plan is that there is a law, and a punishment. Those two things allow for repentance, as Alma2 had explained in his hypothetical case in previous verses.
This plan of life and redemption is so important that it is part of the essential nature of God. As a just God, if justice were removed from his character, he would cease to be God. This is the crux of Corianton’s issue. He apparently felt that mercy should triumph over justice. Alma2 declares that it was impossible for mercy to remove justice, for that would be the same as declaring that God was not just.
The plan reconciles justice and mercy and replaces neither. The Atonement provides the way so that the problem of sin and death may be overcome. The resurrection defeats the barrier of death, while still allowing time for repentance. An atonement for sin provides repentance, which allows us to use the time of our probation to learn and develop characteristics more similar to God’s.
The two come together in a final judgment, where mortal deeds are restored to us, and we can be judged according to our works. Mercy allows us to improve; justice judges what we have become, not what we were.
Alma 42:24–26
24 For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved.
25 What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God.
26 And thus God bringeth about his great and eternal purposes, which were prepared from the foundation of the world. And thus cometh about the salvation and the redemption of men, and also their destruction and misery.
Alma2 concludes his explanation of justice and mercy by focusing on mercy, which appears to have been Corianton’s emphasis. Certainly, all humankind hopes for mercy, but that mercy must come within the context of a plan that uses our agency to transform us. At the final judgment, all of what we have learned and become will stand before God, and in that moment both justice and mercy will be served. Mercy will allow us all the opportunity to be worthy to stand before God. Justice will associate the reward of our next life to the degree that we have learned attributes of Godhood in this life.
These are “His great and eternal purposes, which were prepared from the foundation of the world.”
Alma 42:27–28
27 Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds.
28 If he has desired to do evil, and has not repented in his days, behold, evil shall be done unto him, according to the restoration of God.
This great plan of salvation opens the opportunity for this life to be a time of learning and not one of condemnation. Where justice might require punishment, mercy gives us repentance and time to learn and grow, thereby perhaps to no longer merit that punishment. Both are still satisfied. There is simply time and opportunity to improve.
In the end, it is still a restoration of the desire to do good or evil. The difference is that the plan of redemption gives us the chance to learn how to do good.
Alma 42:29–31
29 And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.
30 O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility.
31 And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word unto this people. And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon them. And may God grant unto you even according to my words. Amen.
Alma2 ends his counsel to his son. The plan of redemption works for Corianton as it does for us all. There is the opportunity to repent and learn to be better. That is the ultimate counsel. Alma2 tells Corianton: “I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more.” This was one of the heresies that he had adopted, and therefore it is what Alma2 spent a lot of time on and what he desired that Corianton reject. The request was to no longer teach the ideas that he had proposed: that God would be merciful and that one did not need to worry about justice.
At the end, Alma2 calls Corianton “to preach the word unto this people.” This was the response that Alma2, himself, had when he was converted from his apostate ways. He repented by preaching that what he had learned was the truth, thereby attempting to undo the wrongs he had done to those whom he had taught. Corianton is to do the same. In humility, he is to preach to those to whom he had previously preached, but this time to teach truth, just as Alma2 and the sons of Mosiah2 had done.
This ends a chapter in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon. It also ends the material that Mormon selected from Alma2‘s personal record. The following chapters return to the large plates as their primary source.
