ALMA 32
The Great Experiment
People often talk as if religion and science are at odds. In fact, the scientific method was described perfectly in Alma 32 as a way to move from faith to knowledge, as a way to prove out faith. If you have questions, ask my son Peter, he's a scientist.
People often talk as if religion and science are at odds. In fact, the scientific method was described perfectly in Alma 32 as a way to move from faith to knowledge, as a way to prove out faith. If you have questions, ask my son Peter, he's a scientist.
Alma 32:27 - The experiment:
- Planting a seed
- Alma invites us to see what happens when we plant a seed in a specific place.
- The seed is God's word (which we grow by our faith)
- How do we grow our seed of faith:
The Great Experiment:
Fundamental Truths:
1. What's the best kind of "soil" to grow your faith in? What divine quality? (Alma 32:12-16)
2. What do we already know faith is not? (32:21, 26)
3. How does God feel about you conducting your experiemtn? (32:22)
4. Who is authorized to conduct this experiment? (32:23)
Hypothesis:
Place any stamenent of faith you want here, just be sure to word it in the positive. (God is real, The Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith was a true prophet, etc.)
Procedures: (see alma 32:27-28)
1. Desire to believe
2. Give place for it to grow
3. Plant it in your heart (it has to come from a place of sincerity)
Observations: (see alma 32:28)
1. Swelling within your breast (D&C 9:8, 85:6, Galatians 5:22-23)
2. Enlarge my soul (makes you a better person - how have you changed for good)
3. Enlighten my understanding (The spirit speaks to both heart and mind)
4. Delicious (when its delicious, you want more of it)
Conclusions:
1. (32:29) - your faith increases
2. (32:30) - good seed (he never says its a true seed, but a good seed)
3. (32:35) - It's real, light and discernable
Study Questions for Alma 32:35-43
1. After we've planted the Seed, are we done? (35-36)
2. What kind of tree are we trying to grow? A shade tree? A decorative tree? (37)
3. What must we not do with our tree of faith? (36,38)
4. What must we do with our tree of faith after it begins to grow? (37)
5. What is the name of the tree we are growing? (40)
6. What three repeated things are necessary for nourishing our tree? (41,42,43)
7. What blessings come to those who grow their trees? (41-42)
Liken the Scriptures:
1) If you could visualize the state of your faith as a tree, what would it look like?
2) Have you ever experienced one of the four observations of faith? What happened?
3) What are you doing to nourish your tree of faith? Do you feel prompted to do something more? Will you?
4) What fruites of faith have you already experienced? What fruits do you most look forward to?
- Planting a seed
- Alma invites us to see what happens when we plant a seed in a specific place.
- The seed is God's word (which we grow by our faith)
- How do we grow our seed of faith:
The Great Experiment:
Fundamental Truths:
1. What's the best kind of "soil" to grow your faith in? What divine quality? (Alma 32:12-16)
2. What do we already know faith is not? (32:21, 26)
3. How does God feel about you conducting your experiemtn? (32:22)
4. Who is authorized to conduct this experiment? (32:23)
Hypothesis:
Place any stamenent of faith you want here, just be sure to word it in the positive. (God is real, The Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith was a true prophet, etc.)
Procedures: (see alma 32:27-28)
1. Desire to believe
2. Give place for it to grow
3. Plant it in your heart (it has to come from a place of sincerity)
Observations: (see alma 32:28)
1. Swelling within your breast (D&C 9:8, 85:6, Galatians 5:22-23)
2. Enlarge my soul (makes you a better person - how have you changed for good)
3. Enlighten my understanding (The spirit speaks to both heart and mind)
4. Delicious (when its delicious, you want more of it)
Conclusions:
1. (32:29) - your faith increases
2. (32:30) - good seed (he never says its a true seed, but a good seed)
3. (32:35) - It's real, light and discernable
Study Questions for Alma 32:35-43
1. After we've planted the Seed, are we done? (35-36)
2. What kind of tree are we trying to grow? A shade tree? A decorative tree? (37)
3. What must we not do with our tree of faith? (36,38)
4. What must we do with our tree of faith after it begins to grow? (37)
5. What is the name of the tree we are growing? (40)
6. What three repeated things are necessary for nourishing our tree? (41,42,43)
7. What blessings come to those who grow their trees? (41-42)
Liken the Scriptures:
1) If you could visualize the state of your faith as a tree, what would it look like?
2) Have you ever experienced one of the four observations of faith? What happened?
3) What are you doing to nourish your tree of faith? Do you feel prompted to do something more? Will you?
4) What fruites of faith have you already experienced? What fruits do you most look forward to?
v. 3 ... yea, they were esteemed by their brethren as dross; therefore they were poor as to things of the world; and also they were poor in heart.
Dross: The waste or impurity that rises to the surface when metal is melted or refined. It's skimmed off and discarded so the metal becomes purer.
Often, in the Old Testament, prophets speak of removing the dross to mean removing pride, corruption, idolatry, and moral weakness. In this sense, the refining fire doesn't destroy gold, it reveals the gold by removing what isn't gold.
Dross: The waste or impurity that rises to the surface when metal is melted or refined. It's skimmed off and discarded so the metal becomes purer.
Often, in the Old Testament, prophets speak of removing the dross to mean removing pride, corruption, idolatry, and moral weakness. In this sense, the refining fire doesn't destroy gold, it reveals the gold by removing what isn't gold.
v. 4 Now, as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the people upon the hill Onidah, there came a great multitude unto him, who were those of whom we have been speaking, of whom were poor in heart, because of their poverty as to the things of the world.
Poor in Spirit, poor in heart: A rich heart is full of pride, it already knows, it is just fine, it's justified, it doesn't need correction, doesn't need help. A poor heart says that it is ready to be taught, to be corrected, to help it see, that it may be wrong. One is closed, one is teachable. Poor in heart is not low self-esteem, however, it means recognizing that your strength is not self-originating. It's dependence without insecurity.
Poor in Spirit, poor in heart: A rich heart is full of pride, it already knows, it is just fine, it's justified, it doesn't need correction, doesn't need help. A poor heart says that it is ready to be taught, to be corrected, to help it see, that it may be wrong. One is closed, one is teachable. Poor in heart is not low self-esteem, however, it means recognizing that your strength is not self-originating. It's dependence without insecurity.
v. 12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom...
The seed of faith grows best in the soil of humility: As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you.
- C.S. Lewis
Faith can only grow in the fertile fields of humility
The seed of faith grows best in the soil of humility: As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you.
- C.S. Lewis
Faith can only grow in the fertile fields of humility
v. 21 And now as I said concerning faith - faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
Faith is not a perfect knowledge (you begin with a seed, not a giant tree of knowledge) - rather its a hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
Faith is not a perfect knowledge (you begin with a seed, not a giant tree of knowledge) - rather its a hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
v. 22 ... God is merciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his word.
God desires that you know these things. He's on your side.
God desires that you know these things. He's on your side.
v. 23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned.
Everyone can have faith and can conduct this experiment. Men, women, and children. Everyone.
Everyone can have faith and can conduct this experiment. Men, women, and children. Everyone.
v. 27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
Procedure: Alma 32:27-28
1. Desire to believe
2. Give place for it to grow
3. Plant it in your heart (it has to come from a place of sincerity)
Procedure: Alma 32:27-28
1. Desire to believe
2. Give place for it to grow
3. Plant it in your heart (it has to come from a place of sincerity)
v. 28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that. seed may be planted in your heart, behold, it if be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves - It must needs be that is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
Observations:
1. Swelling within your breast (D&C 9:8, 85:6, Galatians 5:22-23)
2. Enlarge my soul (makes you a better person - how have you changed for good) - often its not a light from heaven or a sounding trumpet, but on reflection, we see that is has changed us for good.
3. Enlighten my understanding (The spirit speaks to both heart and mind) - it just makes sense, it clicks, rings true in your head and in your heart.
4. Delicious (when its delicious, you want more of it) - God's love for each individual, there is life after death, that God is merciful, etc.
- These four observations spell SEED.
Observations:
1. Swelling within your breast (D&C 9:8, 85:6, Galatians 5:22-23)
2. Enlarge my soul (makes you a better person - how have you changed for good) - often its not a light from heaven or a sounding trumpet, but on reflection, we see that is has changed us for good.
3. Enlighten my understanding (The spirit speaks to both heart and mind) - it just makes sense, it clicks, rings true in your head and in your heart.
4. Delicious (when its delicious, you want more of it) - God's love for each individual, there is life after death, that God is merciful, etc.
- These four observations spell SEED.