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Book of Mormon Commentary
Alma Chapter 5
To accept this as prophecy which became history some fourscore years later is to settle some
theology which has taxed the faith of scholars and torn apart churches throughout the ages. It
establishes the doctrine of the virgin birth and the manhood and divinity of the Christ. When men
have faith to accept the plainness of the Book of Mormon as divine, many points of doctrine will
be clarified.
Alma 5:21 And this that the word might be fulfilled which saith, He will take upon him the pains and
the sicknesses of his people; and he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death
which bind his people:
Thus some of the nature of his ministry is foreshadowed as well as his crucifixion. Alma then told
why He is called the Savior. “The Son of God suffereth according to the flesh, that he might take
upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions." Alma then made his
appeal direct, "Now I say unto you, that ye must repent, and be born again: for the Spirit saith, If
ye are not born again, ye can not inherit the kingdom of heaven" (23,24).
Alma 5:27 Yea, come and go forth, and shew unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins,
and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day, by
going into the waters of baptism;
This made clear that the purpose of the sacrament of baptism is remission of sins and to enter into
a covenant relationship. Alma declared then, "He shall have eternal life, according to the
testimony of the Holy Spirit, which testifieth in me" (28).
"And now my beloved brethren, do you believe these things?" Immediately he had the answer,
"The way that I know that ye believe them, is by the manifestation 0£ the Spirit which is in me"
(29,30).
Alma 5:33 For I perceive that ye are in the paths of righteousness: I perceive that ye are in the path
which leads to the kingdom of God;
The change in the tone of Alma's message was from questioning and doubt to one of assurance
and joy. The change in his feelings was produced by "the manifestation 0£ the Spirit which is in
me" (30). Alma was much encouraged by this knowledge. It was quite a contrast with the
conditions he had found in the church in the city of Zarahemla.
Alma 5:35 Neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, neither hath he a shadow of turning from
the right to the left, nor from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one
eternal round.
Those who accept this as the true presentation of the character of God have a sure foundation. God
is perfect in wisdom, comprehension, and power. Should he change, he would not be perfect nor
God. One cannot change a perfect circle without destroying its quality of perfection. He can make
it larger or smaller, but this is only a relative aspect and does not affect its basic quality as a
perfect circle with a circumference at all points equidistant from its center.