Alma 41
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In Alma 40 Alma used the word restored for the resurrection: the soul restored to the body, every limb and joint restored. Corianton seems to have heard a dangerous idea in that word. If God restores everything to a perfect state, perhaps He will also restore a sinner to happiness, whatever the sinner has done. Alma says that some people have wrested the scriptures, and have gone far astray because of this thing (v. 1).
Tap any highlighted phrase to jump to the commentary that unpacks it.
Alma 41:1-8The Plan of Restoration
1And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the restoration of which has been spoken; for behold, some have wrested the scriptures, and have gone far astray because of this thing. And I perceive that thy mind has been worried also concerning this thing. But behold, I will explain it unto thee. 2I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself.
Some people were twisting the teaching about restoration to excuse sin. Alma sees that Corianton is troubled by it, and he sets out to explain it.
Restoration is requisite with the justice of God: fairness requires it. Through the power and resurrection of Christ, body and spirit are restored, and so are the things we have chosen.
3And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good. 4And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame—mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption—raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other— 5The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.
We will be judged by our works and by the desires of [our] hearts. In the resurrection we are raised to what we have truly wanted, happiness or misery.
6And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness. 7These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil. 8Now, the decrees of God are unalterable; therefore, the way is prepared that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved.
God's laws do not change, and He has prepared a way for everyone. So in the end we are our own judges: our choices decide where we stand.
Alma 41:9-11Wickedness Never Was Happiness
9And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offense against your God upon those points of doctrine, which ye have hitherto risked to commit sin. 10Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.
Corianton had used wrong ideas about doctrine as an excuse to sin. Alma tells him: don't take that risk again.
You cannot be restored from sin to happiness, because sin was never happiness to begin with. Restoration gives back what you had. It doesn't turn sin into joy.
11And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.
A person in sin has gone contrary to the nature of God, so they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness. Happiness is found in becoming more like God.
Alma 41:12-15That Which Ye Do Send Out
12And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature? 13O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish—good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful.
Restoration never turns something into its opposite. It returns like for like: good for good, evil for evil, mercy for mercy.
14Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again. 15For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.
Alma's advice: be merciful, be fair, judge righteously, and do good all the time. What you send out comes back to you.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- Judgment, the LastScripture on the Final Judgment, when all will be judged by their works and the desires of their hearts.
- RepentanceHow repentance through Jesus Christ changes our desires as well as our actions, the change verse 6 describes.
- Plan of SalvationHeavenly Father's plan for His children, including the resurrection and judgment Alma explains in these chapters.
Where this echoes in Scripture
The Plan of Restoration
- D&C 137:9I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.Works and desires, as in verses 3-5.
- Helaman 14:30-31Ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good... or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.Samuel the Lamanite teaches the same law of restoration.
- Alma 29:4He granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life.Alma's earlier statement of the same principle.
- John 14:6I am the way, the truth, and the life.The way prepared in verse 8.
Wickedness Never Was Happiness
- Helaman 13:38Ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity.Samuel the Lamanite on the same mistake.
- Isaiah 57:21There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
- Acts 8:23I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.Peter's words to Simon, echoed in verse 11.
- Mosiah 2:41That thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.Where real happiness is found.
- Alma 36:18-20O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness.Alma's own experience behind verse 11.
That Which Ye Do Send Out
- Galatians 6:7Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
- Matthew 5:7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.The Savior's beatitude behind verse 14.
- Matthew 7:2With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
- Micah 6:8To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.The same pairing of justice and mercy.
- Ecclesiastes 11:1Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.