Day 4: Alma 36:1–24 — How Can Sins Be Forgiven?

The Book of Mormon 21 Day Challenge

Day 4: Alma 36:1–24 — How Can Sins Be Forgiven?

Scripture Focus: Alma 36:1–24

LDS Quote:

“You may feel at times that it’s not possible to be redeemed, that perhaps you are an exception to God’s love and the Saviour’s atoning power… But I testify that you are not beneath the Master’s reach.” — Kristin M. Yee, The Joy of Our Redemption, October 2024

A Powerful Story of Repentance

Alma 36 contains one of the most moving accounts in the Book of Mormon. The language is familiar. Repentance. Being “born of God.” Atonement. Joy.

Alma recounts to his son Helaman how he once sought to destroy the Church. An angel confronted him. Fear overtook him. For three days and nights he was tormented by the memory of his sins.

In that anguish, he remembered his father’s teaching concerning Jesus Christ, who would come to atone for the sins of the world. He cried out for mercy. Immediately, the torment ceased. His pain was replaced with “exceedingly great joy.” He speaks of seeing God upon His throne. Strength returned to his body. He declares himself “born of God” and filled with the Holy Ghost.

It is a compelling story. But compelling narrative is not the same thing as doctrinal clarity.

The question is not whether forgiveness is mentioned.

The question is: how are sins forgiven?

Familiar Words — Different Foundations

When read quickly, this passage feels evangelical. Conviction of sin. Crying out to Christ. Immediate relief. Joy. New birth. Yet familiar words can rest on different foundations.

Within Latter-day Saint theology, the atonement of Christ includes Gethsemane, the cross, and resurrection. Through that atonement, all humanity will be resurrected. Beyond that universal resurrection lies a greater salvation — often described as exaltation — which depends upon covenant faithfulness, ordinances, and perseverance.

Within historic Christianity, forgiveness is not primarily framed as covenant progression. It is framed as justification — a legal declaration grounded in substitution.

Alma’s torment ceases. His joy begins. But the passage does not explain how divine justice is satisfied. It does not describe wrath borne. It does not articulate substitution. It speaks of relief — but not of imputed righteousness.

Even historically, explanations of the atonement within Latter-day Saint teaching have not always been articulated in the same way. Early sermons, including those of Brigham Young, introduced the concept often referred to as “blood atonement,” suggesting that certain sins might require the sinner’s own blood. While not emphasized today, its historical presence reveals that the sufficiency and scope of Christ’s atonement have not always been uniformly expressed within the tradition.

This is not said to inflame. It is a theological observation.

If Christ’s sacrifice is fully sufficient — completely satisfying divine justice — then no additional shedding of blood could ever be required. The cross would stand alone.

And that brings us to the centre of the gospel.

The Gospel according to the Bible

Scripture teaches that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags before Him (Isaiah 64:6). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

Forgiveness must address guilt before a holy Judge.

The New Testament does not present the atonement as a general enabling power within a broader plan. It presents the cross as the very heart of the gospel.

Paul writes that the message he proclaims is “the message of the cross” (1 Corinthians 1:18). He determined to know nothing among the Corinthians “except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). His only boast was “in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14).

The cross is not one component of salvation. It is the decisive act in which divine justice is satisfied and sinners are reconciled to God.

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Christ did not merely remove sin. He bore it. The sinless One was treated as sin itself, enduring the penalty justice demanded. In that act, wrath was satisfied. In that act, righteousness was secured.

And it is faith in this truth that saves.

When Israel was bitten by serpents in the wilderness, God commanded Moses to lift up a bronze serpent on a pole. Whoever looked upon it lived (Numbers 21:8–9). The healing was not earned. It was received by looking in trust. Jesus applied that image to Himself:

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:14–15)

The Israelites were healed by looking. Sinners are saved by believing — by looking upon Christ crucified with the eyes of faith. This is what we call salvation of justification through Faith alone. Something that Joseph Smith added to his translation of the Bible: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith alone without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3:28 JST)

Where True Joy Comes From

Christian salvation does not end at justification, but it begins there.

Through faith we are justified — declared righteous before God (Romans 5:1). This is not moral improvement. It is a legal standing granted because Christ’s righteousness is credited to us.

From justification flows sanctification — the lifelong work of the Spirit shaping believers into Christ’s likeness. And beyond that lies glorification — the future promise that we will be raised and perfected in His presence (Romans 8:30). But our growth does not secure our standing.

Our standing rests entirely on Christ.

Joy, therefore, is not merely the absence of torment. It is assurance — assurance that our sin has been fully dealt with at the cross, that Christ was raised on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4), and that we are reconciled to God because of His finished work.

“He was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” (Romans 4:25)

Faith does not make us righteous by merit.

It unites us to the Righteous One.

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

That is forgiveness.

That is justification.

That is the ground of lasting joy.

A Question Worth Asking

Alma describes the joy of forgiveness.

But what secures that joy?

Is it relief within a covenant system — or the finished work of Christ crucified and risen, received by faith, by which sinners are declared righteous before God?