Alma's Discernment and Diligent Inquiry
Book of Mormon Notes - Friday, October 13, 2023, Alma 40-42
The rest of Alma the Younger’s teachings to his son Corianton contain some of the greatest doctrinal discourses on the plan of salvation, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, repentance, and the Resurrection in all of scripture. I’m sure that Alma would have wanted each of his sons to be present as he taught Corianton and revealed to him so many things that he had learned from the Lord.
Alma the Younger enjoyed the gift of discernment which enabled him to know exactly what to teach his son Corianton. Notice a few things that Alma discerned about his son’s state of mind:
And now I will ease your mind somewhat on this subject. Behold, you marvel why these things should be known so long beforehand. Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming? (Alma 39:17)
Now my son, here is somewhat more I would say unto thee; for I perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of the dead. (Alma 40:1)
And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the restoration of which has been spoken; for behold, some have awrested the scriptures, and have gone far bastray because of this thing. And I perceive that thy mind has been cworried also concerning this thing. But behold, I will explain it unto thee. (Alma 41:1)
And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand—which is concerning the ajustice of God in the bpunishment of the sinner; for ye do try to suppose that it is cinjustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery. (Alma 42:1)
The Lord knows our thoughts and our hearts. He knows our desires and our intents. The Lord may reveal such things to His servants in order to assist them in His work. This must be an especially important gift for parents so that they, like Alma, can perceive what is most necessary for their child to learn. But it is also a gift that the Lord bestowed upon Ammon in order to lead the Lamanites unto Christ:
Now when the king had heard these words, he marveled again, for he beheld that Ammon could adiscern his thoughts; but notwithstanding this, king Lamoni did open his mouth, and said unto him: Who art thou? Art thou that Great Spirit, who bknows all things?
Ammon answered and said unto him: I am not.
And the king said: How knowest thou the thoughts of my heart? Thou mayest speak boldly, and tell me concerning these things; and also tell me by what power ye slew and smote off the arms of my brethren that scattered my flocks (Alma 18:18-20)
Ammon taught King Lamoni the power by which he was able to discern his thoughts and by which he was able to preserve the king’s flocks:
And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a aGreat Spirit?
And he said, Yea.
And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?
And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens.
And Ammon said unto him: The heavens is a place where God dwells and all his holy angels.
And king Lamoni said: Is it above the earth?
And Ammon said: Yea, and he looketh down upon all the children of men; and he aknows all the thoughts and bintents of the heart; for by his hand were they all created from the beginning. (Alma 18:26-32)
Of course there are innumerable other instances in scriptures in which the Lord and His servants discern the thoughts of individuals, just as Alma discerned the thoughts of his son Corianton. This is one of the gifts of the Spirit of which the Apostle Paul wrote:
To another the working of amiracles; to another bprophecy; to another cdiscerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of dtongues: (1 Corinthians 12:10)
The Topical Guide entry on spiritual discernment may also be helpful for better understanding this great gift from God.
In any case, Alma discerned, by the Spirit of God, exactly what worried or bothered his son, and the Lord blessed Alma to teach his son of Christ, the plan of salvation, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, repentance, and the Resurrection. I have included the three chapters of Alma 40, 41, and 42 in the same post because they address the same theme, the same doctrine, and the same teachings to Alma’s son Corianton.
But why was Corianton concerned about the Resurrection? Why was he concerned about restoration? Why was he concerned about the ajustice of God in the bpunishment of the sinner? Why did he suppose that it was cinjustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery? These concerns seem very similar to the concerns that Laman and Lemuel expressed to Nephi, at least when they were humble and weren’t beating him, accusing him, or trying to kill him. Like Laman and Lemuel, Corianton’s heart had been set upon the things of this world. Alma was helping Corianton to repent and to lift his thoughts and his focus toward Jesus Christ and celestial things. He was helping Corianton to Think Celestial.
Why might Mormon include these passages of instruction from a righteous father to his wayward son? Who more than we moderns, and particularly we modern, materialistic, competitive, and telestially focused modern Americans, needs to be reminded that this life is not all that there is? Who more than us needs to be reminded that this life is the time to prepare to meet God? Who more than us needs to be taught that we receive the same attributes and characteristics in the Resurrection that we developed during our time in mortality? Who more than us needs to understand that wickedness never was happiness? Who more than us needs to know that Heavenly Father’s great plan of happiness is brought about by the Atonement of Jesus Christ and becomes operative in our lives through our sincere repentance?
By the time that Mormon recorded these things, both Alma and Corianton had already completed their mortal probations. Mormon recorded these things for our benefit, and they contain some of the greatest doctrinal discourses in all of scripture. Thank you Mormon. Thank you Alma. Thank you Corianton.
I am impressed by the way that Alma describes the revelations that he received concerning the nature of the Resurrection, the Plan of Salvation, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Alma mentions that he “inquired diligently of God” that he might know “concerning the resurrection”. Because of Alma’s diligently inquiry we now know more about the Resurrection - and many other things - than we ever would by a mere study of the New Testament.
These chapters are obviously too rich to summarize or to fully expound upon in any meaningful way in just one blog post. But it is clear that Alma was happy and that he wanted his son to be happy. He taught his son the way to true happiness. He taught his son the true doctrine of Christ that is the way to happiness. The chapters contain some of the greatest teachings in all of scripture to help us to lift our minds and to keep our attention focused on an eternal perspective, to prepare now to meet God, and to Think Celestial.