Second and Third...and Fourth Chances

Today I am in Alma 44, and I love how it starts with a merciful Moroni, giving the Lamanites a chance to change, to avoid death, to make a pact of peace, and ultimately, to REPENT.

First, he identifies the Nephite and Lamanite motives: "...we do not desire to slay you.  Behold, we have not come out to battle against you that we might shed your blood for power; neither do we desire to bring any one to the yoke of bondage.  But this is the very cause for which ye have come against us; yea, and ye are angry with us because of our religion."  Satan always tries to warp motives.  In the Lamanites mind, they were so convinced that they were in the right.  That the Nephites had wronged them somehow.  That it was fine to want to put someone else in captivity or kill them.  Moroni pierces through their warped perspective with the truth: here are our motives.  You can easily see them.  Now take a look at yours,.  Why does he do that?  Because it is the first step to true repentance (recognize your error!).  

Second, he shows them the reason behind Nephite success: God!  "But now, ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold that he has delivered you into our hands.  And now I would that ye should understand that this is done unto us because of our religion and our faith in Christ."  He tells them, "Look! God is here.  Open your eyes."  

Third, he affirms his faith and trust in God.  God always keeps his promises: "ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him...and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith."  God keeping His promises is an evidence of the fact that He exists.  

Fourth, he commands Zerahemnah to give up their weapons of war.  Essentially, he commands them to repent, "by all the desires which ye have for life." Moroni not only had their temporal life in mind but also their spiritual.  By guiding them through the repentance process, he wanted to give them a chance to receive eternal life. 

As Zerahemnah was so hardhearted, he tried to half-change: give them his weapons of war without the real intent to actually change his ways.  He knew he would be back to trying to kill the Nephites in a jiffy.  People do this now.  They think that laying down their weapons is enough, but true repentance takes a change of heart and change of motives.  It takes a pact of peace.  Zerahemnah was also not willing to see the truth.  He told Moroni that he doesn't believe that God is the reason.  It was only because of their armor and cunning.  

After denying the truth and being unwilling to fully repent, Zerahemnah didn't take Moroni's opportunity and tried to kill him. But after a good Zerahemnah scalping, a group of his Lamanites decided to lay down their weapons of war, make the pact, and leave.  Yet again, Zerahemnah stirred his people to anger, but after some deaths, the remaining Lamanites decided to repent, make the covenant, and leave..  

How merciful was Moroni!  After seeing the hardheartedness and ugly motives of Zerahemnah, wouldn't it have been hard to keep fighting for his eternal salvation?  Wouldn't it have been hard not to angrily react and just kill him on the spot?  Yet, Moroni gave them more than one chance to change throughout this chapter, even after they got angry and tried to kill the Nephites.  Moroni is obviously in control of his emotions and natural man unlike Zarahemna who incites his people to anger and keeps them from the only option that will let them LIVE.

I want to be like Moroni by fighting for the eternal life of man, even when it is hard.  I want to forgive people, and never be afraid to speak the truth.  I want to trust in the promises of God, that He will never let me be destroyed as the only way to true destruction is sin and denying the faith.  I know that if I keep my covenants and lead others to repentance, that God will support, and keep and preserve me so long as I am faithful unto him.  And I plan on it.

Rachel