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Alma’s Conversion, What is a Man Worth?

In an age when human life is so little valued, and cheaply tossed aside like refuse, I ask, ‘what is a man worth?’ Of what value is a human life, a human soul? This story will illustrate.

Alma was the son of a prophet. He had known the truth and felt the power of the word of God, but chose to fight it. His was not a gradual dwindling away from the faith. Rather, his was outright rebellion. “He became a very wicked and an idolatrous man…. “, a great hinderment to the prosperity of the Church of God.” (Mosiah 27:8-9) He was among “the very vilest of sinners.” (Mosiah 28:4)

One day while he was going about to destroy the Church, he was met by an angel who showed him the power of God,and commanded him to stop his wicked quest or he would be “cast off.” (Mosiah 27:16)

The words of the angel so overpowered Alma that for three days and nights he could not speak nor move. He remembered all his sins for which he was tormented with the pains of hell. He saw himself as a spiritual murderer of God’s children, and the very thought of coming into the presence of God did torture his soul to the utmost extreme. He wanted to become extinct rather than face the Almighty whom he had offended.

And then, in the midst of despair, those long-forgotten teachings of his father about the Son of God, the atoning One, came back to him, and Alma cried out in the anguish of his soul, “Oh Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me.” (Alma 36:18)

At that moment a miracle occurred – the greatest of all miracles – the miracle of forgiveness. The Savior looked down upon this man who had hated Him, fought Him, and sought to destroy His people. And then the merciful compassionate Christ forgave the repentant undeserving Anti-Christ.

“Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” (DC 18:10)

How much is great? What are you actually worth to your Heavenly Father?

The answer: “For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore He suffered the pains of all men that all men might repent and come unto Him.” (DC 18:11)

Alma, the Anti-Christ was of sufficient value to Christ that he was saved and not cast off. You, and all men, are worth the agony, blood, and life of a God. You are worth as much to Christ as Christ was worth to the Father.

And as for what Christ can do with one such as you, Alma the Anti-Christ became Alma the Prophet of Christ. From him came a line of prophets that lasted for the next four hundred years. So righteous was Alma, that like Elijah of old, he was taken to heaven without tasting death.

How can we not love a God who loves and values us so much?