Alma 12:22

Now Alma said unto him:

This is the thing which I was about to explain.

Now we see that Adam did fall by the partaking of the forbidden fruit,

according to the word of God;

and thus we see, that by his fall,

all mankind became a lost and fallen people.

Alma 12:23

And now behold, I say unto you that

if it had been possible for Adam

to have partaken of the fruit of the tree of life at that time,

there would have been no death,

and the word would have been void,

making God a liar,

for he said:

If thou eat thou shalt surely die.

Alma 12:24

And we see that death comes upon mankind,

yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek,

which is the temporal death;

nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent;

therefore this life became a probationary state;

a time to prepare to meet God;

a time to prepare for that endless state

which has been spoken of by us,

which is after the resurrection of the dead.

Alma 12:25

Now, if it had not been for the plan of redemption,

which was laid from the foundation of the world,

there could have been no resurrection of the dead;

but there was a plan of redemption laid,

which shall bring to pass the resurrection of the dead,

of which has been spoken.

Alma 12:26

And now behold, if it were possible

that our first parents could have gone forth and partaken of the tree of life

they would have been forever miserable,

having no preparatory state;

and thus the plan of redemption would have been frustrated,

and the word of God would have been void,

taking none effect.

Alma 12:27

But behold, it was not so;

but it was appointed unto men that they must die;

and after death, they must come to judgment,

even that same judgment of which we have spoken,

which is the end.

Alma 12:28

And after God had appointed that these things should come unto man,

behold, then he saw that it was expedient

that man should know concerning the things

whereof he had appointed unto them;

Alma 12:29

Therefore he sent angels to converse with them,

who caused men to behold of his glory.

Alma 12:30

And they began from that time forth to call on his name;

therefore God conversed with men,

and made known unto them the plan of redemption,

which had been prepared from the foundation of the world;

and this he made known unto them

according to their faith and repentance and their holy works.

Alma 12:31

Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men,

they having first transgressed the first commandments

as to things which were temporal,

and becoming as Gods,

knowing good from evil,

placing themselves in a state to act,

or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures,

whether to do evil or to do good —

Alma 12:32

Therefore God gave unto them commandments,

after having made known unto them the plan of redemption,

that they should not do evil,

the penalty thereof being a second death,

which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness;

for on such the plan of redemption could have no power,

for the works of justice could not be destroyed,

according to the supreme goodness of God.

Alma 12:33

But God did call on men, in the name of his Son,

(this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying:

If ye will repent and harden not your hearts,

then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son;

Alma 12:34

Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart,

he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son,

unto a remission of his sins;

and these shall enter into my rest.

Alma 12:36

And now, my brethren, behold I say unto you, that

if ye will harden your hearts

ye shall not enter into the rest of the Lord;

therefore your iniquity provoketh him

that he sendeth down his wrath upon you as in the first provocation,

yea, according to his word in the last provocation as well as the first,

to the everlasting destruction of your souls;

therefore, according to his word, unto the last death, as well as the first.

Alma 12:37

And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they are true,

let us repent, and harden not our hearts,

that we provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us

in these his second commandments which he has given unto us;

but let us enter into the rest of God,

which is prepared according to his word.