Alma 12:1-19 Point 4: The Judgment of What We Have Become

[MaidservantX]

starting in verse 12

" . . . being raised . . . to a state of immortality, and being brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our works. 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. For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; . . . and our thoughts will also condemn us . . . 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 repentence." (ending in verse 15).

Here we learn that whatever condition we are in is between us and God.

We choose our words.

We choose our thoughts.

We choose our works.

And at the point at which we are raised immortal and are brought to have that interview with God . . . the time is over to be able to say any more words, think any more thoughts, and do any more works . . . as it relates to our mortal probation. And so -- what our previous words, thoughts and works have been will be the only ones there are when we are presented at the bar. We are reminded (verse 15) that mercy and repentence and saving is easily and abundantly available during mortality and we can be cleaned of words, thoughts and works that are barriers between us and God. But at that day at some future point the time will be past, and we will have become what we are and what we wanted to be and what we labored to be and become. In this sense we self-select/self-judge for which condition we will be in, post-final judgment. It is not a matter of earning a reward. It is a matter of what nature will we be?

We recall Alma's words in chapter 5:33-34 "Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you . . . Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely." Alma 5 goes hand in hand with these Alma 12 verses beautifully. Alma 5:19 "the image of God engraven upon your countenances" OR v20 "can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?" In that chapter, he also speaks of the time becoming too late. (Let me be clear -- if you are still alive right now, it's not too late. Even if you die, it may not be too late, for the spirit world is still part of our mortal probation. Alma 12 says that the final judgment happens when we are raised to our immortality -- that is the too late point. 2 Nephi 9:4 says, "ye know that our flesh must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God." see also Alma 5:15) We also hear a similar teaching in 1 John in the New Testament (although it speaks more of the second coming than the final judgment) (beginning with ch 2 verse 28) "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. . . . (ch3v2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure . . . (v9) Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God . . . (v20) for if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things".

Here is another interesting phrase: v 13 " . . . insomuch that [the word] has not been found in us". How do we get the word in us? I like that!.

(BTW, I have not spoken to define what "condemnation" means; that is another thread. Suffice it to say that 1) it should not be thought of as the hell sectarianism imagines -- although the reality will be quite awful as well; and 2) it can be at least partly defined as being cut off from God and his presence. We may touch more upon this condemnation in the 5th and final point I will eventually make from these great Book of Mormon verses -- 2 Ne 12:1-19.)

[HizWife625]

2 Timothy 2:11-15

11Here is a trustworthy saying:

If we died with him,

we will also live with him;

12if we endure,

we will also reign with him.

If we disown him,

he will also disown us;

13if we are faithless,

he will remain faithful,

for he cannot disown himself.

No matter what you do on this earth, how good or even when you fail, if you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, He will NEVER disown you. He cannot do that because He cannot disown Himself.

Living in fear of being rejected when Jesus returns, is allowing Satan to have a stronghold on your life that defies the meaning of the cross. Grace.......

[MaidservantX]

I have no fear that I will be rejected by Jesus Christ. He knows me, he rescues me, I belong to him, he has saved me.

I am on a journey of becoming that I cannot do alone -- I must have that grace of Christ in me or with me.

Thank you for sharing your expression of faith, Hiz.

[Hemidakota]

Xhenli, some will come and profess to 'KNOW' the Savior when in time, the Savior will say, "Get thee hence..."