ALMA 32:17-43 : How Do We Develop Our Faith?
Alma's discourse on faith produces a clear view of the kind of faith every Latter Day Saint should have. Alma's approach is spiritually, intellectually, and scientifically appealing :
A. Hypothesis
1. There are unseen realities - things not seen but true (Alma 32:21)
2. "If ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true" (v. 21) pero wala kang perfect knowledge sa mga bagay na ito. By "perfect knowledge", Alma seems to mean knowledge gained through one's own experiences (vv. 17-18, 21, 26, 33-34). The person who tolerates the basis of faith is willing to accept a different kind of evidence than that gained through senses. sinabi ni Apostle Paul na "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1). ipinangako ni Alma na kung mageexpirement ang isang tao upon the word, magkakaroon siya ng special experience personally and thus magkakaroon ng perfect knowledge of its goodness (Alma 32:33-34)
3. Ang isang tao, at the first time, ay hindi pa sigurado kung may unseen realities. kailangan niya magsimula with faith and ang faith is not to have that perfect knowledge (v. 26)
4. A particle of faith, even a desire to believe, if planted in the heart and nourished properly, ay puwedeng mag-grow into knowledge of the unseen (v. 27)
B. Experiment
1. Compare the word of God to a seed (v. 28)
2. Itanim mo ang seed sa puso mo, not just in your head (v. 28)
3. Huwag mong itapon ang seed out of your unbelief or resist the Spirit of the Lord na ina-accompany ito (v. 28)
4. Kapag namamaga na ang seed within you, and enlarges your soul and enlightens your understanding, it is good; if it doesn't, it is bad at kailangan nang itapon (vv. 28-32).
C. Conclusions
1. Kung nagsisimula nang tumubo ang seed, faith in it's goodness becomes a dormant; alam mo na maganda yung seed (vv. 33-35)
2. Kung tumutubo na ang seed, kailangan na mas alagaan ang mga ito at kapag ginawa ito, it will cause the seed to become a tree that brings forth fruit (vv. 36-37)
3. Kung ang seed or tree ay napabayaan, matutuyo ito. hindi ibig sabihin na masama yung seed . it means your spiritual ground is barren and not productive. in other words, ang experiment ay hindi pumalpak; you failed the experiment, and you cannot enjoy the fruit (vv. 38-40)
4. Kung inalagaan ang tree with diligence, patience, and continuing faith, it will spring up "unto everlasting life" (v. 41) at ito enables you to "........pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst." (v. 42)
