The Great Plan of Happiness

Book of Mormon – Alma 40-42

 In theses chapters Alma the younger, the great Nephite prophet, is counseling his son Corianton concerning Heavenly Father’s "plan of happiness" (Alma 42:8)—also called “the plan of restoration,” (41:2), “the great plan of salvation,” (42:5), “the plan of redemption” (42:11), and “the great plan of mercy,” (42:31).

Alma “perceives” that Corianton (who has not kept the Lord’s commandments) is concerned about the resurrection.  And even though Christ has not yet served his mortal mission on earth, Alma knows of His coming to take upon Himself the sins of the world, His crucifixion, subsequent resurrection and ascension into heaven.

First, Alma explains there will be no resurrection “until after the coming of Christ" (40:2).  But, Alma has inquired of the Lord and has been given the following by revelation: “there is a time appointed that all shall come forth from the dead”—everyone who has ever lived will be resurrected, but only “God knoweth the time which is appointed” (40:4).  He further explains that it “mattereth not” what time it will be as only God can know that (40:5) because “all is as one day with God, and time only is measured unto men” (40:8).

And Alma tells Corianton “there must needs be a space betwixt [between] the time of death and the time of the resurrection” (40:6).  “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” (40:11). Joseph Fielding Smith explains that “all spirits” don’t actually go back “into the presence of God.”  That phrase “simply means that their mortal existence has come to an end, and they have returned to the world of spirits,” to be assigned to their rightful place according to their works on earth, there to wait for the resurrection. (Answers to Gospel Questions, vol. 2, p. 85).

Next, Alma reveals “that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow” (40:12).  However, “the spirits of the wicked [those who chose evil works rather than good]…these shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil” (40:13).

After a period of time “between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery…the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works” (40:21).  This resurrection means “every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame” (40:23).  This is the same resurrection [restoration] that has been spoken of by all the prophets (40:24) “according to the power and resurrection of Christ” (41:2).

Now, Alma teaches his son about the “justice of God that men should be judged according to their works” (41:3).  He says that all things will be “restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame—mortality raised to immorality, corruption to incorruption—raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil” (41:4).  He emphasizes to Corianton, “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” (41:10).

As a righteous parent, Alma pleads with Corianton, “Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren [and sisters, I might add]; deal justly, judge righteously and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward;” then mercy, justice, righteous judgment and good, will be restored to him. “For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again” (41:14-15).

But, Corianton does not understand “concerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner” and Alma perceives that his son believes it is “injustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery” (42:1).  Alma teaches his son that because of the transgression of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, by using their agency, and partaking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they were sent out from the garden “to till the ground.”   A “cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every way” was placed at the “east end of the garden of Eden…lest  he [Adam] should put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live forever [in his fallen state] according to the word of God having no space for repentance.” Thus “the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated” (42:1-3,5).  He taught Corianton “there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God”—meaning this mortal life is the time to repent of our sins and prepare to meet God. (42:4). 

Note: Because of the Fall, all mankind became fallen—subject to death and “cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord” (42:6-7).  In this state, because we are imperfect [mortal], we cannot dwell in the presence of God who is immortal and perfect--“and no unclean thing can dwell with God” (1 Nephi 10:21).

In this fallen state all mankind “[was] in the grasp of justice” (42:14).  But, “God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also” (42:15). 

“Yea, even so he [Christ] shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.  And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice." (Mosiah 15:7-9.)

Finally, Alma tells Corianton that repentance is necessary because of sin.  And sin comes from transgressing the law which in turn requires punishment (42:17).  “If there was no law given against sin men would not be afraid to sin” (42:20).  “But there is a law given and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance mercy claimeth;—otherwise, justice claimeth the creature [person] and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God” (42:22).

In a conference talk in April 1977, Elder Boyd K. Packer gave an address titled “The Mediator.”  It is also found in Gospel Principles, Chapter 12.  The following is from that original talk:

“And by eternal law, mercy cannot be extended save there be one who is both willing and able to assume our debt and pay the price and arrange the terms for our redemption. Unless there is a mediator, unless we have a friend, the full weight of justice untempered, unsympathetic, must, positively must, fall on us.  The full recompense for every transgression, however minor or however deep, will be exacted from us to the uttermost farthing.

“But know this: Truth, glorious truth, proclaims there is such a Mediator.  “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 2:5.)

“Through Him mercy can be fully extended to each of us without offending the eternal law of justice.” (Ensign, "The Mediator," May 1977, pp. 54-55.)

“And…the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them” (43:1).  “Yea, and there was continual peace among them, and exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed and diligence which they gave unto the word of God, which was declared unto them by Helaman, and Shiblon, and Corianton, and Ammon…and by all those who had been ordained by the holy order of God, being baptized unto repentance and sent forth to preach among the people” (Alma 49:30). 

Yea Corianton, you listened.
 

First Estate—the pre-existence (pre-mortal existence) where all in mortality were born as spirit children of our Heavenly Parents.

Probationary time (The Second Estate; Mortality)—by keeping our first estate, we were allowed to be born into mortality and given agency to choose right or wrong.  This is the period of time during which we will be tried and tested and held accountable for our sins on judgment day.  Through Adam, all mankind is “fallen”—carnal, sensual and devilish (Mosiah 16:3).   By repenting and conforming to “the great plan of redemption” we can be “born again to righteousness” through the atonement of Christ and “return to the presence of God, hereafter” (See Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie, 2^nd ed., 1966, p. 268, 406, 589)

Resurrection—the reuniting of spirit and body, "restored to their proper and perfect frame” to immortality never to be separated again. (Alma 40:23.) 

World of Spirits—a place between death and resurrection where all spirits go to be assigned to their rightful place according to their works, and to await resurrection and final judgment. (See Joseph Fielding Smith above.)

Paradise—(sometimes called Heaven) a place of happiness, peace and rest where righteous spirits go after death to await resurrection. (Alma 40:12.)

Outer darkness (sometimes called Hell)—a place of misery where wicked spirits go after death to await resurrection.  (Alma 40:13.)

Repentance—“the process whereby a mortal soul…stained with the guilt of sin—is enabled to cast off the burden of guilt, wash away the filth of iniquity, and become clean every whit, entirely free from the bondage of sin.”  (Ibid., McConkie, 2^nd ed., 1966, p. 630).

Law—all things according to the Lord are governed by law. “And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” (D&C 130:21.) 

Justice—an eternal law stating there is a just punishment or penalty for violation of any and all of God’s laws.

Mercy—through the Atonement, Christ has taken on Himself the sins of the world.  For those who repent of their sins and keep His commandments, He will mediate on their behalf. “Through Him mercy can be fully extended to each of us without offending the eternal law of justice.”  (See Boyd K. Packer above.)