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"A Zealous and Beloved People, a Highly Favored People of the Lord," Alma 27:27-30

Alma 27:27-30

This description of the Ammonites or the people of Ammon at the end of this chapter causes me to consider a couple of awesome facts:

First, that when repentance and the Atonement of Christ has full sway on an individual or community, their final state is more pure, more refined, and more improved than had they never sinned at all. Don't get me wrong in thinking that I'm excusing sin of any degree in the least by making this statement, but the reality is that, we all need to be cleansed and improved upon in this life, sinners and saints alike.

But as I read this description of discipleship in these verses, I cannot help but think that this people sound to be among the most choice of God's people to have ever walked the earth.

Second, even though His name appears three times in these four verses, I some how am still glossing over the reality that this is the effect that Jesus Christ and faith in His name can have upon me. Perhaps it alludes me because of this complimentary reality: I have my agency to choose to accept it or not, and to what degree and how completely I want to be converted to His word. It is entirely up to me.
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