What does redemption mean? A Thought from Alma Chapter 42

   I like how Alma and God's angels taught repentance and redemption. Our fallen state truly does not deserve salvation; unless, we repent. The Justice of God places us in bondage, a penalty for our unavoidable human inadequacies. If Christ had not come to redeem man, we should be cast out from the presence of God.

    Christ said "I have come … to bring redemption unto the world." Christ has paid the ransom for all man, but we need to choose to come to him according to his ways. "Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him."(D&C 45:3)

"But, behold, I say unto you that I, the Lord God, gave unto Adam and unto his seed, that they should not die as to the temporal death, until I, the Lord God, should send forth angels to declare unto them repentance and redemption, through faith on the name of mine Only Begotten Son." (D&C 29:42)

     I love that God has his representatives teach repentance and redemption because it is steeped in doctrine. Jesus Christ endured the price to ransom all man, satisfying justice. We do not deserve redemption from spiritual death; unless, we hearken to the word of God. We need to seek to do the will of God and emulate him, seeking the kingdom of God and to go about doing the work of the father. Let us pray for the assurances by revelation that we are following his way according to his will, receiving the guidance, if we are to repent.

 "Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink— Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men." (D&C 19:15-19)