Mosiah 27

(September 10, 2013)
My thoughts with this chapter were all about accountability.  Consider the following: Alma proselyted for wickedness, lived wickedly, repented because an angel visited him (through the prayers of his father), and lived righteously thereafter.  Presumably (although I am in no position to judge), Alma received his Exaltation.  Contrast that with a man who lived righteously, proselyted for the faith of God, met Alma before he was converted, was led away by Alma’s preaching, and fell away permanently.  Presumably, this man lost his Exaltation.

It is easy enough to argue that this is not fair.  ‘But for Alma,’ we may say, ‘the man would never have fallen away.  Why should Alma receive a reward and the man receive a condemnation?’  Of course we know that God will not be unjust with us in our day of judgment, but we somehow lose track of the principle of accountability all too often.  The fact is that Alma, whatever his persuasive skills, could not lead this hypothetical man astray without that man’s willing consent.  Nor could he lead him back.  In mortality, when seeking judgment, we look to all of the contributing factors.  But in the eternities, there is only one factor that truly matters – “What think ye of Christ?”  We will not be able to pawn off our failures on our parents, teachers, friends, spouses, children, neighbors, or leaders.  They will be ours, and ours alone.