Commands and Invitations from Authority

I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church; and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of invitation. Alma 5:62

When Alma says this, it may sound like he is trying to coerce those in the church. I do not believe this is so.

Rather, he is instructing, stating that under the terms of his stewardship there are consequences that he is in charge of administering upon disobedience. There are also some beyond his administration, but due to covenants made by those in the church, Alma is acting as mouthpiece for God who will administer them. That is, they will be held accountable to God for their maintenance of their covenants with Him, and Alma is authorized to command on God's behalf. (See verse three.)

To those outside his stewardship, there may be consequences, but the administration of such is beyond his authority and stewardship.

This is why parents have authority to instruct their children when they are being raised under their care.

Bishops, as judges in Israel, have this same authoritative stewardship to instruct or command. Prophets today do the same.

What makes the command different than the invitation is stewardship and accountability -- both, however, are best extended from a way of being of love and a desire to inspire rather than manipulate.

Manipulations and Inspirations

After the battles and devastation due to Amlici, we read the following verses:

Now it came to pass in the sixth year. . .the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain
. . .and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.
And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized. . .and it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of God and were baptized.
And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud
. . .And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church. . .yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.

From this example, and I anticipate there are others much similar to it, it seems that the impetus for change here was effective in the short term, but not in the long term.

In other words, when someone believes the judgments of God are upon them, it may motivate them to righteousness, but only long enough to get out from underneath those perceived judgments.

Thus, this belief seems to create a manipulation of behavior that only maintains its effect while the manipulation is in place, not an inspiration of behavior that can change a heart for a lifetime.

Conferring Keys

I was struck this morning in my scripture study when I read the following verses.

And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church. Mosiah 25:19
Now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church. Mosiah 26:8 

I read these and thought -- wait, what? Since when does God's church get authority from a government of men? Why did Alma need authority from the king to ordain priests and teachers, or to have authority over the church, etc.?

Then it occurred to me that Mosiah had been the prophet-king, just as his father before him had been! Alma didn't need authority from the King, he needed authority from the current leading prophet!

It's as in the old testament wherein there were multiple prophets at the same time!

What King Mosiah was doing here was conferring whatever prophetic office he held to Alma. I don't mean to say I think Mosiah was giving up his prophetic role. Rather, it's like a Bishop getting released -- the Bishop remains a Bishop, though his keys are no longer exercised as another takes the active calling.

Thus King Mosiah essentially creates perhaps the first official separation of church and state of the Nephite era.

This is totally a thinking out loud here (as are all my posts on this blog). I have *no* idea if this is doctrinally accurate, but it's one possibility for now.

Unbelief creates a lack of understanding

And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened. Mosiah 26:3

This verse intrigues me. What do I not understand because of my unbelief? An express causal relationship is portrayed here.

Now this doesn't imply that every lack of understanding is caused by unbelief, but that unbelief is indeed a cause of a lack of understanding.

Unbelief creates lack.

The thirteenth article of faith teaches "we believe all things." I've never thought that to imply gullibility. At the same time, the word used is all.

I've oft pondered what could be meant by this. I have a number of thoughts, none of which I am completely confident on, but I want this post to be short and sweet, so perhaps another day.