Alma 18

(March 30, 2015)

                Throughout the Book of Mormon, we encounter a central apostate teaching that is reiterated over and over again – that we can do whatever we want and we will be fine.  The Nehorites taught this (it was their central dogma), and here Mormon points out that this same pernicious belief exists among the Lamanites – they believe that whatsoever they did was right.

                Mormon, by the time he is writing, has seen how that damnable belief had consumed his entire society and largely destroyed the Church of God.  Having seen our day, he also knew how prevalent that belief would be among the people of the world (including the people in the Church).  There are those who believe that many or most people will achieve Exaltation, and I don’t really have a good answer for many of their philosophical arguments in support of that position.  But I also know that Mormon (and the entire Book of Mormon) stand in opposition to that philosophy, and so I see no choice but to reject it as well.