1. Alma the Younger experienced a profound spiritual rebirth after an angel appeared and chastised him for his wickedness. He declared that he had been "redeemed of the Lord" and "born of the Spirit." 2. True conversion involves being born again through faith, repentance, baptism by water and fire, and receiving the Holy Ghost. It is a process of becoming sanctified and pure through obedience to God's commandments. 3. Sanctification is a state of saintliness attained by conforming to gospel laws and ordinances, allowing one's will to be swallowed up in God's will. It involves overcoming all sin and bringing everything into subjection to Christ.

1. Spiritual Rebirth: Chapter 18
True Conversion
Introduction C. Sanctification is a state of saintliness and purity.
1. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ are
Sometimes we learn best by seeing the contrast commanded to become sanctified (see D&C 43:9,
between white and black, good and evil, sour and 11, 16; 88:68; 133:4; 39:18).
sweet. Alma the Younger appeared first in the Book 2. To be sanctified is to become holy and without sin
of Mormon as a wicked and an idolatrous man (see Moroni 10:32–33).
going among the Church members attempting to 3. Those who obtain eternal life in the presence of
destroy the work of his father. During Alma’s God must be sanctified (see 3 Nephi 27:19–20;
rebellion, an angel appeared to him and chastised D&C 76:20–21; 88:2, 116).
him, bearing witness of God’s purposes. Alma was 4. Sanctification is attainable because of the
so impressed by the visitation that for a time he was Atonement of Jesus Christ, but only if we obey
unable to move or speak. Finally, he stood upon his His commandments (see D&C 76:40–42; 43:9;
feet and declared, “I have . . . been redeemed of the 88:21; 133:62).
Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit” (Mosiah 27:24). 5. Sanctification comes by the power of the Holy
An experience such as the one that so Ghost (see Alma 13:12; 3 Nephi 27:20; 1 Peter 1:2).
transformed the life of Alma is essential to our
6. Those who are sanctified can fall (see D&C 20:34).
own development within the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Our experience may not, and probably will
not, take the same form as Alma’s, but its results Supporting Statements
can be the same. We will be able to declare with
Alma that we are “redeemed from the gall of A. All accountable persons must be born again of
bitterness and bonds of iniquity” and that our water and of the Spirit.
“soul is pained no more” (Mosiah 27:29). ■ “The Son of God came into the world to redeem
it from the fall. But except a man be born again, he
Doctrinal Outline cannot see the kingdom of God. This eternal truth
settles the question of all men’s religion. A man
A. All accountable persons must be born again of may be saved, after the judgment, in the terrestrial
water and of the Spirit. kingdom, or in the telestial kingdom, but he can
1. To receive salvation in the celestial kingdom, all never see the celestial kingdom of God, without
members of the Church must be born again and being born of water and the Spirit” (Joseph Smith,
receive the baptism of fire (see Mosiah 27:24–29; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 12).
John 3:3–8; Alma 7:14). ■ “Alma was trying to arouse his hearers at
2. To be born again is to be quickened by the Spirit Zarahemla to a realization that their being able
and receive a change of heart (see Moses 6:65–66; to look up ‘to God at that day with a pure heart
Mosiah 5:2, 5–7). and clean hands’ would depend upon their
3. Our rebirth begins at baptism and is completed experiencing the mighty change wrought in men’s
when we receive the companionship of the Holy hearts by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
Ghost and are cleansed from sin (see 3 Nephi “Reminding them that his father had accepted
12:1–2; Alma 36:24; Mormon 7:10). the words of Abinadi and that ‘according to his
4. Being born again is a continual process (see Alma faith there was a mighty change wrought in his
5:14–31; 1 Peter 2:2). heart. . . .
“‘And [that he had] preached the word unto
B. Justification is being forgiven by the Lord and
[their] fathers, and a mighty change was also
set upon the path of righteousness.
wrought in their hearts,’ he continued,
1. Being born again justifies us before the Lord and “‘And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of
puts us on the road to sanctification (see D&C the church, have ye spiritually been born of
20:29–31; Moses 6:60; 1 Corinthians 6:11).
God? . . .
2. Justification comes through faith in Jesus Christ “‘Have ye experienced this mighty change in
and through individual righteousness (see JST, your hearts?’ (Alma 5:12–14).
Romans 4:16; Romans 5:1, 9; Isaiah 53:11). “It was against this background that he put the
3. All covenants pertaining to our exaltation must be question: ‘Can ye look up to God at that day with
entered into in righteousness and be justified and a pure heart and clean hands?’ (Alma 5:19).
sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (see D&C “This ‘mighty change’ wrought by the baptism
132:7; 76:53).
of fire and the Holy Ghost should and does, if the
proselyte is prepared to receive it, occur when he is
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2. Chapter 18
baptized by immersion for the remission of sins ■ “To be justified before God we must love one
and receives the laying on of hands for the gift of another: we must overcome evil; we must visit
the Holy Ghost—the two required ordinances for the fatherless and the widow in their affliction,
being ‘born of water and of the spirit.’” (Marion G. and we must keep ourselves unspotted from the
Romney, Look to God and Live, 269–70). world: for such virtues flow from the great
■ “The first birth takes place when spirits pass fountain of pure religion, strengthening our faith
from their pre-existent first estate into mortality; the by adding every good quality that adorns the
second birth or birth ‘into the kingdom of heaven’ children of the blessed Jesus, we can pray in the
takes place when mortal men are born again and season of prayer; we can love our neighbor as
become alive to the things of the Spirit and of ourselves, and be faithful in tribulation, knowing
righteousness. The elements of water, blood, and that the reward of such is greater in the kingdom
Spirit are present in both births. (Moses 6:59–60.) of heaven. What a consolation! What a joy! Let
The second birth begins when men are baptized me live the life of the righteous, and let my
in water by a legal administrator; it is completed reward be like his!” (Smith, Teachings, 76).
when they actually receive the companionship of C. Sanctification is a state of saintliness and purity.
the Holy Ghost, becoming new creatures by the ■ “To be sanctified is to become clean, pure, and
cleansing power of that member of the Godhead” spotless; to be free from the blood and sins of the
(Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 101). world; to become a new creature of the Holy Ghost,
B. Justification is being forgiven by the Lord and one whose body has been renewed by the rebirth
set upon the path of righteousness. of the Spirit. Sanctification is a state of saintliness,
■ “What then is the law of justification? It is a state attained only by conformity to the laws and
simply this: ‘All covenants, contracts, bonds, ordinances of the gospel” (McConkie, Mormon
obligations, oaths, vows, performances, Doctrine, 675).
connections, associations, or expectations’ (D. & C. ■ “When the will, passions, and feelings of a
132:7), in which men must abide to be saved and person are perfectly submissive to God and His
exalted, must be entered into and performed in requirements, that person is sanctified. It is for my
righteousness so that the Holy Spirit can justify will to be swallowed up in the will of God, that will
the candidate for salvation in what has been done. lead me into all good, and crown me ultimately
(1 Ne. 16:2; Jac. 2:13–14; Alma 41:15; D. & C. 98; with immortality and eternal lives” (Brigham
132:1, 62.) An act that is justified by the Spirit is Young, in Journal of Discourses, 2:123).
one that is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, or ■ “I will put my own definition to the term
in other words, ratified and approved by the Holy sanctification, and say it consists in overcoming
Ghost” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 408). every sin and bringing all into subjection to the law
■ “Justification is a judicial act, whereby God of Christ. God has placed in us a pure spirit; when
declares that the sinner who repents and by faith this reigns predominant, without let or hindrance,
accepts the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, and who is and triumphs over the flesh and rules and governs
baptized according to the Word of God, is acquitted and controls as the Lord controls the heavens and
and received into His Kingdom” (Hyrum M. Smith the earth, this I call the blessing of sanctification”
and Janne M. Sjodahl, The Doctrine and Covenants (Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses, 10:173).
Commentary, 104).
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