Alma 32:21 - 32:25

Alma 32:21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

Faith is defined as a hope that something you cannot see or feel does exist. You do not have a perfect knowledge of its complete makeup but you at least know it exists and that it is real.

My definition has been that I know a certain result will happen after a certain procedure. For example, if I drop a ball, I know it will fall to the ground. I cannot prove that it will fall to the ground before I drop it nor do I really know why it does (you might say it is gravity, but no one really knows what gravity is only the effects), but I know it will fall. I addition I know that if I will study the scriptures, I will receive revelation of some sort. I cannot prove that it will happen, but I know if I made the effort I will receive it.

Alma 32:22 And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his word.

God’s greatest desire is that all of us believe on Him and the plan He has for us all. So He wants us to believe Him and what He is trying to tell us in the first place.

Alma 32:23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned.

God has communicated this to us by angles. He has sent angles to men, women and children. These communications to children, who have told others what they have learned, have often confounds their parents or friends. How could these little children know such things when their parents asks themselves when they themselves know of such things.

Alma 32:24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of me what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out—now I do not desire that ye should suppose that I mean to judge you only according to that which is true—

Alma is going to try and answer their question about where they worship if they are denied access to their synagogues. But Alma want to assure them that he is not going to judge the people who are asking as to whether they are humble by compulsion or if they are naturally that way.

Alma 32:25 For I do not mean that ye all of you have been compelled to humble yourselves; for I verily believe that there are some among you who would humble themselves, let them be in whatsoever circumstances they might.

That is to say he recognizes not all have been compelled to be humble. He knows that there are some in the group who are humble by nature regardless of where they might find themselves.

This is the hope for all my descendants, that they are humble all the time and do not have to be compelled to be humble by circumstances.