Alma 41
1 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the restoration of
which has been spoken; for behold, some have wrested the scriptures, and
have gone far astray because of this thing. And I perceive that thy mind has
been worried also concerning this thing. But behold, I will explain it unto
thee.
2 I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is requisite with the
justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their
proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and
resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body,
and that every part of the body should be restored to itself.
3 And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged
according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the
desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be
restored unto that which is good.
4 And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil.
Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to its
natural frame — mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption —
raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless
misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on
the other —
5 The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good
according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his
desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall
he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.
6 And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired
righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto
righteousness.
7 These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are
taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus
they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good
or do evil.
8 Now, the decrees of God are unalterable; therefore, the way is prepared
that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved.
9 And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offense against your God
upon those points of doctrine, which ye have hitherto risked to commit sin.
10 Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that
ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. $ Behold, I say unto you,
wickedness never was happiness.
11 And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in
a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; they
are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of
God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.
12 And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing
of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state
opposite to its nature?
13 O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is
to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish —
good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for
that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful.
14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal
justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these
things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored
unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a
righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good
rewarded unto you again.
15 For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be
restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner,
and justifieth him not at all.