Alma 36:1 - 36:5

Alma 36: 1 My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land.

Alma is giving a few words to his son Helaman. He gives his testimony that if Helaman will keep the commandments that he will be have all his needs met while in the land of promise.

Alma 36: 2 I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions.

Alma wants Helaman to always keep in mind and always remember the captivity that his ancestors had had in the past and that it was God that delivered them from bondage.

Alma 36: 3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.

Alma wants his young son to listen and give heed to his words. Helaman needs to remember his father’s experiences in trying bring the gospel to others and how the Lord give him success because he had faith in the ability of God to accomplish what was needed if Alma would get in and work. In addition, the Lord would reward all who follow Him with eternal life.

Alma 36: 4 And I would not that ye think that I know of myself—not of the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the carnal mind but of God.

Alma wants Helaman to know that his commitment is not because of some intellectual argument he became convinced of, but that his conviction came because of God’s testifying to him.

Alma 36: 5 Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been born of God I should not have known these things; but God has, by the mouth of his holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any worthiness of myself;

His testimony is based solely on being converted by means of the Spirit which was bring to him by an angel. It was not because he was a worthy individual but that God wanted to change him into a person who could do some work for Him.