Alma and Christ

[ute4ever]

Please help me understand what appears to be a discrepancy.

Alma tells his son Helaman (37:36-37):

...yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Meanwhile, God says otherwise (D&C 58:26-28):

...for behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

Verily I say, men should be aanxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.

In other words, Alma's instruction is to place all of your decisions, wants and needs at the feet of God, while God says leave me alone and think for yourself.

[Archaea]

Scripture is written as you know with multiple interpretations for the same phrases if used in different contexts.

I'd suggest without further meaningful study, thus shooting from the hip, that the first means, you should have an eye on the glory of God in all your doings, but you should not be commanded what to do in all things. Simplistic I know but it's the end of the day.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by ute4ever

Please help me understand what appears to be a discrepancy.

Alma tells his son Helaman (37:36-37):



Meanwhile, God says otherwise (D&C 58:26-28):


In other words, Alma's instruction is to place all of your decisions, wants and needs at the feet of God, while God says leave me alone and think for yourself.

I read #1 as meaning to recognize the hand of God in all things and always lean unto him for SUPPORT. #2 is saying that you SHOULDN'T have to be COMMANDED what you should do at all times and in all things.

I don't view these as contradictory because they aren't even talking about the same thing.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

I read #1 as meaning to recognize the hand of God in all things and always lean unto him for SUPPORT. #2 is saying that you SHOULDN'T have to be COMMANDED what you should do at all times and in all things.

I don't view these as contradictory because they aren't even talking about the same thing.

I had the exact same thoughts. They don't seem contradictory in the least to me.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by jay santos

I had the exact same thoughts. They don't seem contradictory in the least to me.

I would go further and suggest that they are actually mutually reinforcing. WHen we throw off the natural man we submit to the will of God. This doen't mean we become unthinking automotons or that we enter the workhouse of the Lord, but that we voluntarily submit to his approach to life. Alma is urging his son to be submissive in this way, to throw himself at God's feet, as you put it, and make himself available to Him as his servant in humility and in acknopwledgement of God as God. The D&C passage can be used to support a number of ideas, among which is that we should not act out of compulsion, but out of will. So we are told we shouldn't have to be ordered, we should instead be eager and willing to do God's bidding. Acting as God would have us act does not mean that we must wait until we are ordered to do something; assuming the attirbutes of charity and love we can act accordingly without specific direction or compulsion, which is what He would have us do. I see them as going together well.

[ute4ever]

Thanks everyone.

I have been going through an intense, emotionally-draining, four-year ordeal that may reach its pinnacle this weekend and finally go away. Thanks for putting up with all of my silly religous questions. I've seriously had to reassess the most basic things.

If all goes well, I will explain more next week.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by ute4ever

Thanks everyone.

I have been going through an intense, emotionally-draining, four-year ordeal that may reach its pinnacle this weekend and finally go away. Thanks for putting up with all of my silly religous questions. I've seriously had to reassess the most basic things.

If all goes well, I will explain more next week.

Good luck!