The Book Of Alma (Chap. 12)

Alma 12:1
Now Alma, seeing that the words of Amulek had silenced
Zeezrom, for he beheld that Amulek had caught him in his lying
and deceiving to destroy him, and seeing that he began to tremble
under a consciousness of his guilt, he opened his mouth and began
to speak unto him, and to establish the words of Amulek, and to
explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that
which Amulek had done.

Alma 12:2
Now the words that Alma spake unto Zeezrom were heard by the
people round about; for the multitude was great, and he spake on
this wise:

Alma 12:3
Now Zeezrom, seeing that thou hast been taken in thy lying and
craftiness, for thou hast not lied unto men only but thou hast
lied unto God; for behold, he knows all thy thoughts, and thou
seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit;

Alma 12:4
And thou seest that we know that thy plan was a very subtle
plan, as to the subtlety of the devil, for to lie and to deceive
this people that thou mightest set them against us, to revile us
and to cast us out—

Alma 12:5
Now this was a plan of thine adversary, and he hath exercised
his power in thee. Now I would that ye should remember that what
I say unto thee I say unto all.

Alma 12:6
And behold I say unto you all that this was a snare of the
adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might
bring you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you
about with his chains, that he might chain you down to
everlasting destruction, according to the power of his captivity.

Alma 12:7
Now when Alma had spoken these words, Zeezrom began to tremble
more exceedingly, for he was convinced more and more of the power
of God; and he was also convinced that Alma and Amulek had a
knowledge of him, for he was convinced that they knew the
thoughts and intents of his heart; for power was given unto them
that they might know of these things according to the spirit of
prophecy.

Alma 12:8
And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might
know more concerning the kingdom of God. And he said unto Alma:
What does this mean which Amulek hath spoken concerning the
resurrection of the dead, that all shall rise from the dead, both
the just and the unjust, and are brought to stand before God to
be judged according to their works?

Alma 12:9
And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying:
It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless
they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart
only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant
unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence
which they give unto him.

Alma 12:10
And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same
receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not
harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the
word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God
until he know them in full.

Alma 12:11
And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the
lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his
mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led
by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by
the chains of hell.

Alma 12:12
And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being
raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being
brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our
works.

Alma 12:13
Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have
hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not
been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall
be condemned.

Alma 12:14
For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will
condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will
also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to
look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command
the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his
presence.

Alma 12:15
But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him
in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and
dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his
judgments are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he
is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power
to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth
fruit meet for repentance.

Alma 12:16
And now behold, I say unto you then cometh a death, even a
second death, which is a spiritual death; then is a time that
whosoever dieth in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also
die a spiritual death; yea, he shall die as to things pertaining
unto righteousness.

Alma 12:17
Then is the time when their torments shall be as a lake of
fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever;
and then is the time that they shall be chained down to an
everlasting destruction, according to the power and captivity of
Satan, he having subjected them according to his will.

Alma 12:18
Then, I say unto you, they shall be as though there had been
no redemption made; for they cannot be redeemed according to
God's justice; and they cannot die, seeing there is no more
corruption.

Alma 12:19
Now it came to pass that when Alma had made an end of
speaking these words, the people began to be more astonished;

Alma 12:20
But there was one Antionah, who was a chief ruler among them,
came forth and said unto him: What is this that thou hast said,
that man should rise from the dead and be changed from this
mortal to an immortal state that the soul can never die?

Alma 12:21
What does the scripture mean, which saith that God placed
cherubim and a flaming sword on the east of the garden of Eden,
lest our first parents should enter and partake of the fruit of
the tree of life, and live forever? And thus we see that there
was no possible chance that they should live forever.

Alma 12:22
Now Alma said unto him: This is the thing which I was about
to explain, now we see that Adam did fall by the partaking of the
forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see,
that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people.

Alma 12:23
And now behold, I say unto you that if it had been possible
for Adam to have partaken of the fruit of the tree of life at
that time, there would have been no death, and the word would
have been void, making God a liar, for he said: If thou eat thou
shalt surely die.

Alma 12:24
And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death
which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death;
nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might
repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time
to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state
which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection
of the dead.

Alma 12:25
Now, if it had not been for the plan of redemption, which was
laid from the foundation of the world, there could have been no
resurrection of the dead; but there was a plan of redemption
laid, which shall bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, of
which has been spoken.

Alma 12:26
And now behold, if it were possible that our first parents
could have gone forth and partaken of the tree of life they would
have been forever miserable, having no preparatory state; and
thus the plan of redemption would have been frustrated, and the
word of God would have been void, taking none effect.

Alma 12:27
But behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto men that
they must die; and after death, they must come to judgment, even
that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end.

Alma 12:28
And after God had appointed that these things should come
unto man, behold, then he saw that it was expedient that man
should know concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto
them;

Alma 12:29
Therefore he sent angels to converse with them, who caused
men to behold of his glory.

Alma 12:30
And they began from that time forth to call on his name;
therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the
plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation
of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their
faith and repentance and their holy works.

Alma 12:31
Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men, they having first
transgressed the first commandments as to things which were
temporal, and becoming as Gods, knowing good from evil, placing
themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act
according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to
do good—

Alma 12:32
Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made
known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do
evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an
everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for
on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works
of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme
goodness of God.

Alma 12:33
But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being
the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent
and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you,
through mine Only Begotten Son;

Alma 12:34
Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart,
he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto
a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.

Alma 12:35
And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity,
behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest.

Alma 12:36
And now, my brethren, behold I say unto you, that if ye will
harden your hearts ye shall not enter into the rest of the Lord;
therefore your iniquity provoketh him that he sendeth down his
wrath upon you as in the first provocation, yea, according to his
word in the last provocation as well as the first, to the
everlasting destruction of your souls; therefore, according to
his word, unto the last death, as well as the first.

Alma 12:37
And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they
are true, let us repent, and harden not our hearts, that we
provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us in
these his second commandments which he has given unto us; but let
us enter into the rest of God, which is prepared according to his
word.