Alma 42

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 8/20 Green 5/21 yellow green 5/21 orange 8/22 Brown 9/23)

CHAPTER 42

Mortality is a probationary time to enable man to repent and serve God—The Fall brought temporal and spiritual death upon all mankind—Redemption comes through repentance—God Himself atones for the sins of the world—Mercy is for those who repent—All others are subject to God’s justice—Mercy comes because of the Atonement—Only the truly penitent are saved. About 74 B.C.

  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. Hmm...why would he think this is unjust? Is he thinking about those that sin ignorantly? Raised in sin? Deceived by others? Just weak because of the flesh? Is he thinking about the duration of eternity and how this life is such a short time to determine our eternal existence? I have thought those things...
  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—Some people think that maybe Satan wasn't counting on this and hoped Adam would partake of the tree of life and live forever in his sins...(may have said that before in another chapter...) 
  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—Interesting that God, who can do anything, didn't destroy the tree, or suddenly make it not life-sustaining. He just guarded it. Was it important for Adam to see it was still there and what he had done? Also, while Adam had his agency, God intervened and did not give him the choice to partake of the tree of life and eat and live forever in his sins. Not giving you a choice to do something is not the same thing as forcing you to do something. 
  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. This is the purpose of our lives. To repent (because we are born carnal) and to serve God (because we love him). 
  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. Were they not subject to follow their own will before this? Or is it just saying since they were cut off from the Lord, His will would not be ever present before them or so easily accessed, or that the Lord would let them make most of their choices according to their own will...
  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.
 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 ^bjustice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence.
 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. This gets confusing, because I thought we were talking about God the Father, but this is clearly now, God, the Son...
 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. Notice the punishment is affixed to the law.
 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. Consequences are the thing that bring remorse.
 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.
 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. Again...notice it is the law that inflicts the punishment, not God. And mercy claims the repentant. Love that!
 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.
 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. Notice that justice is masculine and mercy is feminine. Is this code for Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother? 
 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. Mercy robs justice if it is given without repentance by the individual first.
 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.
 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. You choose. If you don't like the punishment, you shouldn't have chosen to break the law and don't get to now complain that the punishment is not fair. 
 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.
 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. There is something very important and profound here. One of the reasons to declare the gospel is to share this truth with others. They are going to be subject to the demands of justice unless they are claimed by mercy and that mercy can only come if they repent. That is why we preach nothing but repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. The anti-christ (satan) is here to declare that no such repentance is needed so that people are only left with the claims of justice, so they will be lost.