CHURCH DISCIPLINE AMONG THE NEPHITES--TREATMENT OF THE
UNREPENTANT--THE WORD OF THE LORD REGARDING TRANSGRESSORS--THE
TESTIMONY OF MORONI.
As in other things, the methods adopted in the Nephite church in the
treatment of those who turned from righteousness were identical with
those pursued in such cases in the church of God in other lands and in
other ages. The erring ones were first labored with by the officers
of the church in the spirit of love and reconciliation; they were
visited by the Priests and Teachers; and if they repented they were
continued in the fellowship of the Saints; but if they were obdurate
and impenitent they were severed from the communion of the church. This
course was pursued throughout their history from the days of Alma, the
elder, to those of Moroni.
In the land of Zarahemla, when Mosiah was king and Alma was high
priest, there was much hard-heartedness and evil doing in the midst
of the Nephites. It may be remembered it was at this time that the
sons of Mosiah, and the younger Alma, were leaders among those who
were opposing the church and persecuting its members. The iniquity
that existed with those who had made covenant with God, or were their
children, caused Alma much pain and anxiety. The Priests and Teachers
labored frequently in vain, and the presiding priesthood were in doubt
with regard to the best course to pursue with the wicked. They had no
precedents to guide them, for such a state of things had never before
existed among the Nephites.
Alma applied to the king, but he refused to judge the offenders. He
would not meddle in matters of church discipline, that he left to
Alma; and to him he returned those who had transgressed the law of the
Lord. In this dilemma Alma appealed with all his heart to the Lord,
and inquired what he should do in the matter: for he was most desirous
to do right in the sight of heaven. Then the voice of the Lord came
to him, blessing him, because of his sincere inquiries concerning the
transgressor, and instructing him that whosoever transgressed against
God should be judged according to the sins which he had committed; and
if he confessed his sins before the Lord and Alma and repented in the
sincerity of his heart he should be forgiven, and God would forgive
him also. The Lord adds: Yea, and as often as my people repent, will I
forgive them their trespasses against me.
And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say
unto you, He that forgiveth not his neighbor's trespasses, when he says
that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation.
Now I say unto you, Go; and whosoever will not repent of his sins, the
same shall not be numbered among my people; and this shall be observed
from this time forward.
The sacred historian continues:
And it came to pass when Alma had heard these words, he wrote them down
that he might have them, and that he might judge the people of that
church, according to the commandments of God.
And it came to pass that Alma went and judged those that had been taken
in iniquity, according to the word of the Lord.
And whosoever repented of their sins and did confess them, them he did
number among the people of the church;
And those that would not confess their sins and repent of their
iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of the church,
and their names were blotted out.
In this revelation we have the word of the Lord to guide the Nephite
church throughout all its dispensations.
The same spirit is manifested in the instructions given by the Redeemer
in his teachings to the Nephites.[34] They are full of love, mercy, and
patience. On the other hand, they show that the church of God must not
be defiled by countenancing iniquity or permitting that which is holy
to be handled by the unworthy. Nearly four hundred years later, Moroni,
speaking on church government, says:
And they were strict to observe that there should be no iniquity among
them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and three witnesses of
the church did condemn them before the Elders; and if they repented
not, and confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not
numbered among the people of Christ;
But as oft as they repented, and sought forgiveness, with real intent,
they were forgiven.
From these quotations we perceive that the spirit of the ancient church
on this continent, with regard to offenses and offenders, was uniform
in all its dispensations and identical in its methods with those of the
latter days.
[‡Illustration: Text Decoration.]
[‡Illustration: Text Decoration.]
FOOTNOTE:
[34] See Chapter xlvi.