Last week I got to a point in the Book of Mormon that I love--Alma talking to his 3 sons and giving them advice and counsel. He talks to Helaman first, then Shiblon. These two sons were good and did the things they should. Alma was proud of them. It's great to hear a father tell his sons about his past mistakes and admonish them not to make the same ones. He tells of his great conversion and his angelic visitation. He says how good it feels to make the right choices now. He emphasizes how important it is to learn to be good while they are young. It's a little amusing to me that he goes on about how good they are and then says but don't think you're better than others--typical parenting talk.
Then Alma takes Corianton aside. He's the not-so-obedient son. Alma shows him where he has gone wrong and tells him to clean up his act, but then the real meat of the gospel is laid out--the whole thing in about 3 chapters. It's all about how the atonement and resurrection make life fair for the whole human family and how good is rewarded with good and bad, well, isn't. I love it. Corianton has a lot of concerns, as do all sinners and this loving father lays it all out for him.
The part that really struck me when I read it is in Chapter 42 of Alma. Here's the whole chapter if you want the context. In verse 16 it starts,
16 Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul. 17 Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment? 18 Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man.
This is really interesting to me. I read it to mean that punishments are really important. Without punishments rules don't matter. Laws don't matter. Commandments don't matter unless there are punishments. Our whole society is bent on doing away with punishments. Consequences to actions have been tampered with. Parents want to be the best friends of their children. Teachers and administrators can't throw kids out of school. Criminals are paroled early just because of overcrowding. The death penalty is thought of as too horrible for even the most vile of murderers. Alma goes into that next.
19 Now, if there was no law given—if a man murdered he should die—would he be afraid he would die if he should murder? And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not be afraid to sin. And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature?
Isn't that pretty much where we are now? We can't call anything a sin anymore outside of church because there is no moral code or compass in society anymore. We can hear any swear word there is just by turning on the TV. We can see any body part just by walking down the sidewalk. Half of all children are born to single mothers; most preteens have used some form of drugs or alcohol; and lying and cheating has seemingly become acceptable to government officials and business professionals in every field. The world has forgotten or ignored or simply decided to rebel against the notion that God's laws still apply.
22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.
In my little realm, I can feel a little less guilty when I dole out a punishment. If God's authority is destroyed by the lack of rules and punishments then so is mine and I kind of like the idea that I do one thing like Him.
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