Let’s get back on topic.
I’m going to jump around in the book of Alma a little bit in order to point out three specific characteristics of those who belong to “the holy order of God.” Mormon first makes an initially obvious mention of these three characteristics at the end of chapter 4:
And thus in the commencement of the ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, Alma delivered up the judgment-seat to Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to the testimony of the word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy. (Alma 4)
The testimony of the word, the spirit of revelation, and the spirit of prophecy—three characteristics of this order that are repeatedly mentioned by both Alma the Younger and Mormon, though they’re not quite as obvious when mentioned later. These characteristics work interdependently, and all three will always be found working the same way in any individual belonging to this order.
Individuals who belong to this order are called—commanded, actually—to testify:
43 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should hear me, for I speak in the energy of my soul; for behold, I have spoken unto you plainly that ye cannot err, or have spoken according to the commandments of God.
44 For I am called to speak after this manner, according to the holy order of God, which is in Christ Jesus; yea, I am commanded to stand and testify unto this people the things which have been spoken by our fathers concerning the things which are to come. (Alma 5)
We see this call and command coming to Alma with some more specificity when an angel tells Alma to return to Ammonihah to preach repentance to the people in that city and when the word of the Lord directs Alma to take Amulek with him:
14 And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither, being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass while Alma was thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying:
15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you.
16 And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city; yea, preach unto them. Yea, say unto them, except they repent the Lord God will destroy them.
25 But behold, I have been commanded that I should turn again and prophesy unto this people, yea, and to testify against them concerning their iniquities.
29 And the word came to Alma, saying: Go; and also say unto my servant Amulek, go forth and prophesy unto this people, saying—Repent ye, for thus saith the Lord, except ye repent I will visit this people in mine anger; yea, and I will not turn my fierce anger away. (Alma 8)
1 And again, I, Alma, having been commanded of God that I should take Amulek and go forth and preach again unto this people, or the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass as I began to preach unto them, they began to contend with me, saying: (Alma 9)
Of what do they testify?
45 For I am called to speak after this manner, according to the holy order of God, which is in Christ Jesus; yea, I am commanded to stand and testify unto this people the things which have been spoken by our fathers concerning the things which are to come.
Sounds a lot like prophecy, doesn’t it? But of what things, specifically, do people who belong to this “order” testify? This is important because…well, I think that most people expect someone who has the spirit of prophecy to come along making fantastic claims about every little detail of the future. I mean, so many people have itching ears, you know? They want to hear all about the minutia of the future, so that’s what they look for. And, just to be clear, members of this “order” have been known to accurately foretell events that later came to pass. They can, and sometimes do, make many prophecies. But I find it fascinating (and very disheartening, quite honestly) that, most of the time, people completely miss these individuals because they dismiss the most important prophecy that all members of “the holy order of God” are called to declare to the people.
Members of this “order” preach repentance. Like, actual repentance. Not some watered-down version of repentance where all you have to do to repent is profess a belief that Christ has “saved” you or one where you “try your best” to stop sinning but you actually don’t.
True repentance requires you to live in a state of sinlessness, and for more information on how to reach and maintain that state, I will, once again, recommend the book, “Repentance: Making Straight the Way of God.” Actually, I highly recommend both the book and the state. Both are very good. :)
Why do they preach repentance? What does repentance have to do with prophecy? Well, they actually go hand-in-hand.
Members of “the holy order of God” preach repentance because they can accurately predict what will happen if people do not repent. They preach against sinfulness and wickedness because, without repentance, those things will inevitably be testified of at some point:
22 And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you?
23 Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and also that ye are guilty of all manner of wickedness? (Alma 5)
In order to correctly preach repentance, members of “the holy order of God” also testify of Christ, through whom a state of redemption and sinlessness is made possible:
48 I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name. (Alma 5)
How was Alma able to testify of Christ? How did he know of these things himself?
45 And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?
46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me. (Alma 5)
This knowledge of Christ’s coming was not a result of his previous repentance. Verse 46 tells us that this knowledge came “by the Holy Spirit of God” as a result of his fasting and prayer. To have the spirit of revelation is to have the Lord manifest things to us so that we know of ourselves that certain things are true, and members of “the holy order of God” will always have this spirit because it is what enables them to testify.
Alma corroborates all prior prophecy regarding these things because he has had these things revealed to him, directly, through the Spirit of the Lord:
And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me, which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God. (Alma 5:47)
I think that I will stop discussing these characteristics here for now. I need to move on to the next post. Even though this post has focused on Alma 5, testimony, the spirit of revelation, and the spirit of prophecy are mentioned plainly in other chapters of the book of Alma and not-so-plainly all throughout scripture. I’ll leave it to the reader to get some extra credit by studying these things further, independently.