Gospel Essentials Unabridged Class Notes

January 13, 2002

Click Here to Listen to this class:  Part 1 of 1 (58 minutes)

On What Grounds Do You Have A True Hope For Salvation

Alma makes a bold claim that his (their) forefathers were saved.  How did he make this claim?

Alma 3:16 And again I ask, Were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? 17 I say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand, and they did sing redeeming love. 18 And I say unto you that they are saved.

On what grounds came his assurance?  What guidelines does he offer for salvation’s ‘guarantee?’

Alma 3:19 And now I ask of you on what conditions are they saved? Yea, what grounds had they to hope for salvation? 20 What is the cause of their being loosed from the bands of death? Yea, and also, the chains of hell? 21 Behold, I can tell you….

1:  25  a mighty change was (also) wrought in their hearts; and

2:  they humbled themselves, and

3:  put their trust in the true and living God.

4: 26 And behold, they were faithful until the end;

therefore they were saved.

What is is to have a 'change in heart' i.e. to be 'Born Again?'

Mosiah 11:186 For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold, I am born of the Spirit. 187 And the Lord said unto me, Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men, and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; 188 Yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; and thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in no wise inherit the kingdom of God. 189 I say unto you, Unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off. 190 Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God;

Can fall from Grace if…

Hebrews 6:4 For he hath made it impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to be renewed again unto repentance; seeing they crucify unto themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

II Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

II Peter 2:20 For if after they (Believers) have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they had known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

II Peter 3:11 If then all these things shall be destroyed, what manner of persons ought ye to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 Looking unto, and preparing for the day of the coming of the Lord wherein the corruptible things of the heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the mountains shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless, if we shall endure, we shall be kept according to his promise. And we look for a new heavens, and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

If we are spiritually changed in our heart with no more disposition to do evil, humble, trusting in God and faithful until the end, we can have boldness in the day of judgment:

Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

I John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world.