They Became the Children of God

Isn't that a great phrase of Mormon's?  He's describing how the people of Alma were taught by the priests he had ordained.  It's found in Mosiah 18, verses 18-30.

We need to remember that these people lived in the world of King Benjamin, a world of revelry and immorality and drunkenness.  We don't know exactly how long it had been since King Zeniff had died, but it was about 10 years before Abinadi appeared the first time, and then he hid for a couple of years before he came back to testify before his death.  So these people were probably pretty immersed in this wicked culture.  They may not have been partaking in it, but just lying low.  We do know that when Alma started preaching secretly, they responded and joined him eagerly.

Now they were carefully gathering to be taught.  They had clapped their hands for joy when he explained the baptismal covenants to them and they had been baptized.  ". . .and were filled with the grace of God".

Now Alma ordained priests to teach them and guide them.  I think his instructions to the new priests are notable:

• They should teach and preach unto them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
• They should only teach the things he had taught, and also the teachings of the prophets.
• They should teach only repentance and faith on the Lord.
• There should be no contention among them.  They should have unity of belief in one faith and one baptism, "having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another."

 It's at this point that Mormon tells us that they became the children of God.  Then he tells more of Alma's instructions:

• They should observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
• Every day they should give thanks to their Lord.
• The priests should support themselves by their own labors.
• They should try to meet together one day a week to worship and teach.
• The people should share their substance with one another and see to the temporal and spiritual needs of one another, of their free will.

If we could all do those things as wards and branches and neighbors, I think we would feel that we are becoming the children of God.  Really, as I rub shoulders with those wonderful people at church meetings, I feel that I'm privileged to associate with children of God already.