Alma 13:3

[Bernard Gui]

I have always had difficulty following Alma's logic in this verse:

Alma 13:3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—

being called and prepared from the foundation of the world

according to the foreknowledge of God,

on account of their exceeding faith and good works;

in the first place being left to choose good or evil;

therefore they having chosen good,

and exercising exceedingly great faith,

are called with a holy calling,

yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with,

and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.

What do you think of the way it reads with this punctuation?

And this is the manner after which they were ordained:

Being called and prepared from the foundation of the world,

according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their

exceeding faith and good works in the first place. [the pre-mortal existence]

Being left to choose good or evil, [the mortal existence]

therefore, they, having chosen good and exercising exceedingly great faith,

are called with a holy calling;

yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with,

and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.

What do you think is the preparatory redemption?

Bernard

Edited August 12, 2011 by Bernard Gui

[Brant Gardner]

I think that the punctuation you have used helps to clarify the meaning. As for a preparatory redemption, my opinion is that it is a reference to Christ's mission prior to the time it occurs. While Christ's atonement actually took place at a particular time, it had to be effective prior to the time it was actually performed, or else none who live before would have been able to repent. Therefore, a "preparatory" redemption--the means whereby one could access the benefits of the atonement before the act took place. I would guess that it somehow accessed the divine promise of the atonement prior to its accomplishment.

[Bernard Gui]

I think that the punctuation you have used helps to clarify the meaning. As for a preparatory redemption, my opinion is that it is a reference to Christ's mission prior to the time it occurs. While Christ's atonement actually took place at a particular time, it had to be effective prior to the time it was actually performed, or else none who live before would have been able to repent. Therefore, a "preparatory" redemption--the means whereby one could access the benefits of the atonement before the act took place. I would guess that it somehow accessed the divine promise of the atonement prior to its accomplishment.

Thank you.

How do you connect this with their fore-ordained callings?

Bernard

[LeSellers]

What do you think of the way it reads with this punctuation?

I think that the punctuation you have used helps to clarify the meaning.

I believe everyone (including me, who have not done so yet) should get an electronic copy of the Book of Mormon, remove all chapter and verse numbering, sentence-related capitals and punctuation, then go through and and edit it for publication. The typesetter, Gilbert, did this in 1829, and he was not necessarily working from inspiration (being more or less one of the very the first antis). That he did as good a job as he did is testament to his integrity (or professionalism), but we cannot pretend that his efforts were the final word, so to speak, on the meaning of the Book of Mormon.

I have, as a trial, done it with the Title Page. This is no mean feat. But it made me aware of the content and meaning in a way nothing else has.

For the diligent student, here's the thirteenth chapter of Alma set up as I suggested.

and again my brethren i would cite your minds forward to the time when the lord god gave these commandments unto his children and i would that ye should remember that the lord god ordained priests after his holy order which was after the order of his son to teach these things unto the people and those priests were ordained after the order of his son in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his son for redemption and this is the manner after which they were ordained being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of god on account of their exceeding faith and good works in the first place being left to choose good or evil therefore they having chosen good and exercising exceedingly great faith are called with a holy calling yea with that holy calling which was prepared with and according to a preparatory redemption for such and thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith while others would reject the spirit of god on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds while if it had not been for this they might have had as great privilege as their brethren or in fine in the first place they were on the same standing with their brethren thus this holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their hearts being in and through the atonement of the only begotten son who was prepared and thus being called by this holy calling and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of god to teach his commandments unto the children of men that they also might enter into his rest this high priesthood being after the order of his son which order was from the foundation of the world or in other words being without beginning of days or end of years being prepared from eternity to all eternity according to his foreknowledge of all things now they were ordained after this manner being called with a holy calling and ordained with a holy ordinance and taking upon them the high priesthood of the holy order which calling and ordinance and high priesthood is without beginning or end thus they become high priests forever after the order of the son the only begotten of the father who is without beginning of days or end of years who is full of grace equity and truth and thus it is amen now as i said concerning the holy order or this high priesthood there were many who were ordained and became high priests of god and it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance and their righteousness before god they choosing to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish therefore they were called after this holy order and were sanctified and their garments were washed white through the blood of the lamb now they after being sanctified by the holy ghost having their garments made white being pure and spotless before god could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence and there were many exceedingly great many who were made pure and entered into the rest of the lord their god and now my brethren i would that ye should humble yourselves before god and bring forth fruit meet for repentance that ye may also enter into that rest yea humble yourselves even as the people in the days of melchizedek who was also a high priest after this same order which i have spoken who also took upon him the high priesthood forever and it was this same melchizedek to whom abraham paid tithes yea even our father abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed now these ordinances were given after this manner that thereby the people might look forward on the son of god it being a type of his order or it being his order and this that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins that they might enter into the rest of the lord now this melchizedek was a king over the land of salem and his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination yea they had all gone astray they were full of all manner of wickedness but melchizedek having exercised mighty faith and received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of god did preach repentance unto his people and behold they did repent and melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his days therefore he was called the prince of peace for he was the king of salem and he did reign under his father now there were many before him and also there were many afterwards but none were greater therefore of him they have more particularly made mention now i need not rehearse the matter what i have said may suffice behold the scriptures are before you if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction and now it came to pass that when alma had said these words unto them he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a mighty voice saying: now is the time to repent for the day of salvation draweth nigh yea and the voice of the lord by the mouth of angels doth declare it unto all nations yea doth declare it that they may have glad tidings of great joy yea and he doth sound these glad tidings among all his people yea even to them that are scattered abroad upon the face of the earth wherefore they have come unto us and they are made known unto us in plain terms that we may understand that we cannot err and this because of our being wanderers in a strange land therefore we are thus highly favored for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all parts of our vineyard for behold angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory and now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us by the mouth of angels of his coming for the time cometh we know not how soon would to god that it might be in my day but let it be sooner or later in it i will rejoice and it shall be made known unto just and holy men by the mouth of angels at the time of his coming that the words of our fathers may be fulfilled according to that which they have spoken concerning him which was according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them and now my brethren i wish from the inmost part of my heart yea with great anxiety even unto pain that ye would hearken unto my words and cast off your sins and not procrastinate the day of your repentance but that ye would humble yourselves before the lord and call on his holy name and watch and pray continually that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear and thus be led by the holy spirit becoming humble meek submissive patient full of love and all long-suffering having faith on the lord having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life having the love of god always in your hearts that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his crest and may the lord grant unto you repentance that ye may not bring down his wrath upon you that ye may not be abound down by the chains of hel1 that ye may not suffer the second death and alma spake many more words unto the people which are not written in this book

Lehi

Edited August 12, 2011 by LeSellers

[Brant Gardner]

Thank you.

How do you connect this with their fore-ordained callings?

Bernard

The calling is in effect in this world and is available because of the promised atonement--otherwise, they could not be eligible due to irrecoverable sin.

[David T]

exceeding faith and good works in the first place. [the pre-mortal existence]

Being left to choose good or evil, [the mortal existence]

I disagree with your editorialized insertions making explcit a judgement based on pre-mortal life and activity, mainly because I don't read this as originally referring to one's being called due to pre-mortal (already actualized) faith and diligence, etc - this is pressing our current assumptions and theology onto the text. Rather, to me, a plain reading shows expression by the prophet that at the foundation of the world, a Responsibility is prepared for those who will be worthy of it. The Lord foresees that eventually, with the opportunity to choose between Good and Evil will do Good, and on account of this foreknowledge of their future acts, declares their ordination prior to its being actualized. I do not think it is necessary to read our current understanding of pre-mortal councils and lives into this text, nor do we need to accept wholeheartedly the expression of perfect infallible foreknowledge that follows from this reading of the text.

For example, try reading it as this:

³ And this is the manner after which they [those who become High Priests in this life] were ordained—

being called and prepared from the foundation of the world [their calling is already 'Out There' for them to have made known to them]

according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works [that God foresees that they will accomplish in the future. It is not foreknowledge if it is present observation of a previous event];

in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith [They are born with the option to choose Good or evil. Through the course of their life, they choose good]

, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such. [The Calling sits ready and prepared from the foundation of the earth for it to be ratified and redeemed in actuality]

I think the later verses are important, and I will present them along with how I understand them to be reading:

⁴ And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith [iE, on account of the Faith that the Lord sees that in the future that they will exhibit here on earth],

while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds [also here on earth],

while, if it had not been for this [God seeing that they would reject the Spirit] they might have had as great privilege as their brethren. ⁵ Or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing with their brethren [iE, they were born with the same possibilities and potential];

thus this holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their hearts [through trial in this life], being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son, who was prepared—

I think Alma is trying to express a primitive understanding of the concept of fore-ordination that is different from, and not nearly as theologically developed as our current (and Joseph's later) understanding of that concept. I do not see evidence that a Pre-mortal existence for humans is part of Book of Mormon/Nephite theology.

I am quite willing to be convinced otherwise, I just have yet to see anything compelling to argue for the pre-mortal reading.

Edited August 12, 2011 by nackhadlow

[zerinus]

I have always had difficulty following Alma's logic in this verse:

What do you think of the way it reads with this punctuation?

What do you think is the preparatory redemption?

Bernard

I don't agree with the change. You have altered the meaning of the text by doing that. The original reading is the correct one.

[Bernard Gui]

I don't agree with the change. You have altered the meaning of the text by doing that. The original reading is the correct one.

I think you will agree the way it stands is very difficult to understand.

Bernard

[Ahab]

I think that the punctuation you have used helps to clarify the meaning. As for a preparatory redemption, my opinion is that it is a reference to Christ's mission prior to the time it occurs.

Christ's mission prior to the time it occurs... or occurred. Hmm. What exactly was that mission that you are referring to?

His mission to act as our Mediator with our Father before he came to offer the sacrifice? Maybe?

I think the term "preparatory redemption" is another way of referring to a redemption which prepared for our redemption, or a redemption that occurred to prepare us to receive even more of the redemption that our Father had in mind for us. That calls to my mind the work people did and the sacrifices they made in in "similitude" of the atonement of our Savior, including receiving and exercising faith from God and repenting when necessary, all of which are part of the "preparatory" gospel that God, through Jesus, gave to us through Moses and Aaron and the "Aaronic" priesthood.

While Christ's atonement actually took place at a particular time, it had to be effective prior to the time it was actually performed, or else none who live before would have been able to repent. Therefore, a "preparatory" redemption--the means whereby one could access the benefits of the atonement before the act took place. I would guess that it somehow accessed the divine promise of the atonement prior to its accomplishment.

Yes. That is right.

Edited August 12, 2011 by Ahab

[zerinus]

I think you will agree the way it stands is very difficult to understand.

Bernard

No more difficult than other passages of scripture that some may find difficult to understand.

[Bernard Gui]

No more difficult than other passages of scripture that some may find difficult to understand.

??

Bernard

[Bernard Gui]

Nack said:

I think Alma is trying to express a primitive understanding of the concept of fore-ordination that is different from, and not nearly as theologically developed as our current (and Joseph's later) understanding of that concept. I do not see evidence that a Pre-mortal existence for humans is part of Book of Mormon/Nephite theology.

I am quite willing to be convinced otherwise, I just have yet to see anything compelling to argue for the pre-mortal reading.

On the contrary, Alma shows a sophisticated knowledge of priesthood theory and practice.

There is evidence in this chapter and in other locations that the Nephites clearly understood

the doctrine of pre-mortal existence.

Alma 13 is unique in the Book of Mormon.

--Melchizedek is mentioned in no other place

--Earliest doctrinal exposition on Melchizedek and the Melchizedek priesthood

--Previously unknown details about Melchizedek that show up again in the D&C and the JST

--Foreshadows D&C treatment of the High Priesthood

--Clear references to the pre-mortal existence, fore-ordination, eternal nature of priesthood

--Extremely complex syntax

--Not like any other writing by Alma or Mormon

--Ecstatic prophetic utterances

--Impassioned call to repentance

In this chapter, Alma reveals a depth of Nephite theology that remains mostly hidden

in the rest of the BoM. That this was shared knowledge gained from the brass plates

is demonstrated in verse 20:

"Now I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said may suffice. Behold, the scriptures

are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction."

Edited August 12, 2011 by Bernard Gui

[Bernard Gui]

I believe everyone (including me, who have not done so yet) should get an electronic copy of the Book of Mormon, remove all chapter and verse numbering, sentence-related capitals and punctuation, then go through and and edit it for publication. The typesetter, Gilbert, did this in 1829, and he was not necessarily working from inspiration (being more or less one of the very the first antis). That he did as good a job as he did is testament to his integrity (or professionalism), but we cannot pretend that his efforts were the final word, so to speak, on the meaning of the Book of Mormon.

You just increased my appreciation for what Grandin did. I think it also reflects positively on his intelligence and education.

Bernard

[zerinus]

??

Bernard

There are many passages of scripture that are ambiguous or difficult to understand. Changing the text so that it reads differently is not the way to solve that problem.

[LeSellers]

You just increased my appreciation for what Grandin did. I think it also reflects positively on his intelligence and education.

It was a monumental task and I cannot see how we Saints have truly acknowledged the work Gilbert did. (We don't know what Grandin's contribution, if any, to this aspect of the work was.) He/They obviously were professional about it because (at least from my point of view) they did not sabotage the work (and easily could have).

Nonetheless, for all the accolades we could heap on them, I believe their punctuation can and did change the meaning of parts of the text. That's why I encourage people to try it. Well, two reasons, the first being to see just how incredibly difficult it was.

We should keep in mind, too, that punctuation is a modern invention. With few exceptions, there was none in the ancient biblical texts, either Greek or Hebrew. In Greek, there were not even word breaks (I don't know about Hebrew), so when we see the "original" Greek texts in printed versions of the Bible, that's not what the original writers penned. Whattheydidwouldbeasifwewrotealloursentenceslikethisone. (And Greek is a much more complex language since it has case and true conjugation endings for each word depending on the word's function in the sentence. They didn't use capitals regulary, either.) One reason I hypothesize that there was no punctuation in the Book of Mormon manuscripts was that there wasn't any in the reformed Egyptian characters Joseph translated from.

Lehi

[Bernard Gui]

There are many passages of scripture that are ambiguous or difficult to understand. Changing the text so that it reads differently is not the way to solve that problem.

The text was not changed. If you see no problem, perhaps you would provide your understanding of verse 3?

Bernard

[zerinus]

The text was not changed.

But the meaning was!

If you see no problem, perhaps you would provide your understanding of verse 3?

To do that it is best to look at the verse in the wider context, rather than in isolation:

Alma 13

:

3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.

4 And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as great privilege as their brethren.

5 Or

in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing with their brethren; thus this holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world for such as

would not harden their hearts

,

being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son, who was prepared—

6 And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest—

Nowhere in the passage does it actually refer to the preexistence, but to this life. What that verse is saying is that God knew in His foreknowledge that they would be faithful, therefore the calling was prepared for them according to that foreknowledge. And then it goes on to say that they left to prove themselves in this life. God knew in His foreknowledge that they would pass the test; but He puts them through the test anyway to prove to us (and then) that His foreknowledge was correct, so that He is not seen as though He were practising "favouritism". The LDS insistence on reading a preexistence in this verse is unjustified. If it does have a reference to the preexistence, it would be extremely vague and oblique. It is even possible that Alma (and the Nephites in general) didn't know about the preexistence at that time, because it had not been revealed to them. The Book of Mormon for example suggests that Alma (and presumably the Nephites) didn't know much about the "spirit world" that intervenes between death and resurrection at that time either; and he only discovers that by personal revelation after much diligent inquiry:

Alma 40

:

9 Therefore, there is a time appointed unto men that they shall rise from the dead; and there is a space between the time of death and the resurrection. And now, concerning this space of time, what becometh of the souls of men is the thing which

I have inquired diligently of the Lord to know;

and this is the thing of which I do know.

11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

This suggests that that doctrine was not common knowledge among the Nephites, at least in the time of Alma. It is possible that much greater knowledge concerning these things was revealed to them after Jesus had visited them after His resurrection, as suggested in this verse:

2 Nephi 1

:

10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord—

having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning,

and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.

But then we are told in the Book of Mormon that a lot of the great stuff that the Lord revealed to the Nephites, He had forbidden to be written in the Book of Mormon!

3 Nephi 26

:

11 Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people.

LDS unfortunately have a very narrow minded and short sighted way of looking at their own traditions and scripture. On minute they assume that Alma needs to know everything; next minute they overlook how much the Nephites did know, which Mormon was not allowed to disclose.

Edited August 14, 2011 by zerinus

[cdowis]

But the meaning was!

To do that it is best to look at the verse in the wider context, rather than in isolation:

Alma 13

:

3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.

Seems to me as clearly pointing to our life in the pre-existence. Otherwise it goes beyond simple foreknowledge to Calvinistic predestination.

We are called and prepared to receive the priesthood before the foundations of the earth *prior* to our faith and works, only based on fore-knowledge? That seems very Calvanist to me.

I see this as similar to certain ordinances here on earth which foreshadows that ordinance which is fulfilled in the next life. We elected to have ourselves pre-ordained (prepared) into the priesthood in the pre-existence based on good works and faith in the pre-existence. Without that pre-ordination, we cannot receive the priesthood here in this life.

In the pre-existence it was possible to exercise faith and good works, as we see that one-third refused to accept the Father's plan, choosing on their own volition to be faithless and evil.

For me, at least, the meaning is very clear. We had faith and good works in the pre-existence and received the preparation for the priesthood before coming into mortality. Fore-ordination, not the false doctrine of predestination.

Edited August 14, 2011 by cdowis

[zerinus]

Seems to me as clearly pointing to our life in the pre-existence. Otherwise it goes beyond simple foreknowledge to Calvinistic predestination.

We are called and prepared to receive the priesthood before the foundations of the earth *prior* to our faith and works, only based on fore-knowledge? That seems very Calvanist to me.

I see this as similar to certain ordinances here on earth which foreshadows that ordinance which is fulfilled in the next life. We elected to have ourselves pre-ordained (prepared) into the priesthood in the pre-existence based on good works and faith in the pre-existence. Without that pre-ordination, we cannot receive the priesthood here in this life.

In the pre-existence it was possible to exercise faith and good works, as we see that one-third refused to accept the Father's plan, choosing on their own volition to be faithless and evil.

For me, at least, the meaning is very clear. We had faith and good works in the pre-existence and received the preparation for the priesthood before coming into mortality. Fore-ordination, not the false doctrine of predestination.

The way I am reading it, it is referring to this earth, not the preexistence. And it has nothing to do with Calvinism.

[CV75]

What do you think is the preparatory redemption?

A preparatory redemption can be compared to a promise or down payment on the actual redemption. Since all things on this earth are possible only through Christ, it was Heavenly Father’s confidence in Christ’s promise to carry out the actual redemption that foreordinations could be arranged in support of the plan of redemption. The preparatory redemption was the faith-worthy promise. The Lord’s servants thus worked under His direction before the foundation of the world and after. Verse 4 indicates that not all who were originally faithful and were foreordained actually continued faithful in this life so as to function as the Lord’s servants.

It could also be said that a preparatory redemption took th form of Christ's role in the war in heaven, by providing the true light by which to judge.

[zerinus]

What do you think is the preparatory redemption?

In Alma 13:3 it is the ordination to the higher priesthood that is called a “preparatory redemption”. By that I believe is meant a kind of preliminary redemption, or a lesser redemption that precedes the greater one. Here are some definitions of “preliminary” I found in online dictionaries:

• Something that precedes, prepares for, or introduces the main matter, action, or business.
  
  
• An academic test or examination that is preparatory to one that is longer, more complex, or more important.
  
  
• something that precedes or is introductory or preparatory
  
  
• preceding and leading up to the main part, matter, or business; introductory; preparatory:
  preliminary examinations
  
  

And here are some online definitions for “preparatory”:

• Serving to make ready or prepare; introductory.
  
  
• preparing or serving to prepare for something: introductory
  
  
• that prepares or serves to prepare; preliminary; introductory
  
  
  1. serving or designed to prepare:
     preparatory arrangements.
     
     
  2. preliminary; introductory:
     preparatory remarks.
     
     
  3. of or pertaining to training that prepares for more advanced education.
     
     
  [*]
  done as preparation for something else:
  preparatory training
  [*]
  preceding and preparing for something: "preparatory steps"
  [*]
  preparing the way for anything by previous measures of adaptation; antecedent and adapted to what follows; introductory; preparative; as, a preparatory school; a preparatory condition
  [*]
  preceding and preparing for something; "preparatory steps"
  [*]
  existing or coming before, introductory, preliminary, opening, basic, primary, elementary, prefatory, preparative

In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Law of Moses is called a “preparatory gospel”:

D&C 84

:

26 And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;

Meaning that it is a preliminary or introductory gospel, helping to prepare them for the greater gospel to be received at a later date.

Being ordained to the higher priesthood is a form of redemption; but not a complete redemption. To the Brother of Jared the Lord said: “Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you” (Ether 3:13). To be “redeemed” means to be brought back into the presence of God (the opposite of the Fall). So the Brother of Jared was “redeemed” while still living in mortality, by virtue of being brought back in to the presence of God. The function of this higher priesthood is to do the same thing, to bring one back to the “presence of God,” for without this priesthood no one can “see the face of God, even the Father, and live” (D&C 84:22). Thus those who are ordained to this higher priesthood “typify” the Savior, “in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption” (Alma 13:2); Who is the perfect model of the saved and redeemed being.

Thus to sum it up, a “preparatory redemption” is preliminary redemption, a lesser redemption prefiguring the greater one in the kingdom of heaven; also serving as a type of Christ, to whom people can look as the ultimate source of all redemption.

Edited August 15, 2011 by zerinus

[Robert F. Smith]

I have always had difficulty following Alma's logic in this verse:

What do you think of the way it reads with this punctuation?

What do you think is the preparatory redemption?

Bernard

You might want to look at a chiastic arrangement of Alma 13:3,

A in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption

B And this is the manner after which they were ordained

being

called

and

prepared

from the foundation of the world

according to the foreknowledge of God

C on account of their

exceeding faith

and good works

D in the first place being left to

choose good

or evil

D therefore they having

chosen good

C and exercising

exceeding great faith

B are called with a holy

calling

yea, with that holy

calling

which was

prepared

A with and according to a preparatory redemption for such

Edited August 15, 2011 by Robert F. Smith