Wickedness Never Was Happiness

Alma continues to speak to his son, Corianton, who while having gone off the path of righteousness, I guess you could say, also seems to have the most confusion about several religious topics. 

On a quick side-note, it seems like those two things could be related (sin and misunderstanding the gospel), but that is a discussion for another day.

As Alma talks to his son, he brings up the topic of "restoration", but he introduces it this way:

"And I perceive that thy mind has been worried also concerning this thing. But behold, I will explain it unto thee." (Alma 41:1)

Alma, who is a man of God and has been led by the Spirit ever since his miraculous conversion, understands what his son needs to hear.

On another quick side note, there is a whole potential topic for discussion here to say that parents are entitled to revelation about what their kids need to be taught or are struggling with. God is on the side of loving parents who want their kids to understand correct Gospel principles!

Anyway, Alma goes on to talk to Corianton about the term "restoration". I think the ultimate misunderstanding of this topic is based on sinners justifying their sin. One justification is that God is a loving, forgiving God and we can do whatever we want, and with maybe a little punishment, we can make it back to heaven to live in Heavenly Father's kingdom.

"Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness." (Alma 41:10)

Alma wants it very clear that you can't be both wicked and eternally happy. He is trying to point out that things are restored to the natural state of their being. He basically says "you get what you dish out". So he says it very clearly here--wickedness never was happiness.

In the context of his conversation with his son, this is a great phrase. I'm sure he doesn't want to disappoint his son, or make him lose hope. But it needs to be clear that as Amulek taught, we can't be saved in our sins. Only if we repent can we be saved FROM our sins. To say wickedness NEVER was happiness kind of sounds a little hopeless, but the point is true. In the grand scheme of things, you can't be wicked and eternally happy. They just don't go together. 

Luckily for us, we have the opportunity to repent and be happy, because once we've repented, we are no longer wicked. We are in a state of righteousness, which definitely leads to happiness in this life and also in the eternities.

So my takeaway from this conversation between Alma and Corianton is that I need to be as much the kind of person I hope to be in the eternities. Only then can I be restored to that same thing in the eternities.