Alma 5

Alma 5 is known for its soul-searching questions. Alma is speaking to the Nephites for the first time since he resigned as Chief Judge to focus on preaching and leading the church full-time. These questions he asks the people are valuable for each of us to think through and answer for ourselves. And perhaps the more important part after you answer the question is to follow-up with a question for yourself—“Therefore, what?”

• Have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? (v14)
• Have ye received his image in your countenances? (v14)
• I love this concept! I know people who just radiate light. I believe that quality—that light in our countenances—can be cultivated and created as we turn our lives and our goals, our motives and actions, over to the Lord. It's a worthy goal!
• Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? (v15)
• 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? (v15)
• Can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth? (v16)
• Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say—Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth—and that he will save you? Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set at defiance the commandments of God? (v17-18)
• Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? Can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances? (v19)
• If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? (v26)
• Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? (v27)
• Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? Behold, are ye stripped of pride? (v27-28)
• Alma also offers commentary after this important question: “I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.” This verse causes me to think deeply, because the answer is no, I am not stripped of pride (and this doesn’t mean you can’t be proud of your family or your work, or that sense of the word. This means looking down on others, refusing feedback or criticism from others, being easily offended, putting your needs above others, etc.). One prophet of the church once said that pride is the universal sin, meaning we all have it. So it is really important to ask ourselves what we are doing to overcome that pride and replace it with humility.
• Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? (v29)
• Same commentary on envy! “I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.”
• Is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions? (v30)
• Commentary here too: Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved! (v31)
• And now if ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd, of what fold are ye? (v39)

In addition to asking these important questions, Alma shares how he has come to know about these things for himself—and particularly how he has come to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Remember that he was reprimanded by an angel and was knocked-out for a number of days! That’s how you know if God is real, right?... or maybe not. Here is his answer:

45 And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?

 46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.

I know that answers can come to anyone and everyone through the Holy Spirit of God—yes, including you—if you seek them sincerely and with real intent, meaning you intend to change your life according to the answers God gives to you. This promise is given specifically about knowing if the Book of Mormon is true, in the last chapter of the book (Mormon 10:4-5):

 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.