For some time I have known that chapters 5 and 32 in Alma deal with the same subject—faith. Until my reading last year, however, I had failed to notice how carefully the two sermons were tailored to their respective audiences. Alma’s listeners in chapter 5 were Church members in Zarahemla (see Alma 5:2). This city was the headquarters of the Church, and one may assume that the members knew the doctrine. In contrast, the listeners in chapter 32 were the poverty-stricken Zoramites who had been forced out of the synagogues by the rich. The people in this part of the land had drifted far from the truth (see Alma 31:12–17). Although the poor were humble and wanted to learn, they were investigators needing to be taught gospel fundamentals. Alma’s sermon in chapter 5 to the members in Zarahemla was deep and complex. The series of questions he posed assumed familiarity with the doctrine and experience with the Holy Ghost. Otherwise, the questions would have had little meaning and been difficult to answer. The purpose of the questions was to prompt those members in Zarahemla to review and renew their faith in the Lord and His redemptive powers. Listen to the questions (see Alma 5:14–15):
• Have you spiritually been born of God?
• Have you received His image in your countenances?
• Have you experienced this mighty change in your hearts?
• Do you exercise faith in the redemption of Him who created you?
• Do you look forward with an eye of faith and view this mortal body raised in immortality to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds that have been done in the mortal body?
To appreciate and answer these questions, one must know about and believe in the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, have experienced a cleansing by water and by fire, have tasted the fruits of the Holy Spirit, and believe in the literal resurrection of the physical body. This was not a sermon for initiates but for well-grounded members of the Church.
In contrast, Alma taught the Zoramite investigators the rudiments of faith—how faith in Christ begins and then grows. The sermon in chapter 32 is so clear concerning the faith-building process that missionaries use it today to teach investigators how they may develop a testimony. The process begins with a “desire to believe.” An individual must then plant the seed—which is the word of God—in his or her heart by searching the scriptures, listening to the words of the prophets, praying and asking for a confirmation of gospel truths, going to church, and obeying the commandments. The result, Alma said, will be a swelling in one’s bosom, an enlightenment of the mind, and warm feelings in the heart (see Alma 32:28). These are the beginning of a testimony—and the seed is good. Anyone with a sincere desire to know can obtain a testimony by following Alma’s teachings in chapter 32.
After explaining the initial faith-building process, Alma continued with a question in chapter 32: “After ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect?” (Alma 32:35). No—the process has just begun (see Alma 32:36). The seed has grown but is still only a seedling. Alma explained that if one continued faithful, the seedling would grow into a tree. What tree? The tree of life! (see Alma 32:41). This tree is a symbol of God’s love for His children expressed through the condescension and atoning sacrifice of His Son (see 1 Nephi 11:9–33; John 3:16).
Alma taught the Zoramites that when the tree was deep within their souls, they would feast upon its fruit and not hunger or thirst (see Alma 32:42–43). In other words, they would have experienced spiritual rebirth—the mighty change of heart—and the tree deep within their soul would produce God’s image in their countenances.
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