Rhetoric: Alma is homing in on attempts by members to deceive themselves and Yahweh about the quality of their actions. Yahweh knows and will judge those actions. Alma accuses them of having “set at defiance the commandments of God.” While this accusation could certainly be leveled against any conscious sinner, in this context it should be read as an unsparing condemnation of those who promote the strife that Alma has given up the judgment seat to combat.
Scripture: The implication of Alma’s description of the judgment suggests that it is very personal. Our actions will come to our remembrance, and those actions will certainly be measured against our knowledge.
Paul indicated:
(For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another). (Rom. 2:13–15)
Simple membership (being a “hearer” of the law) is not sufficient; our actions must accord with that law. Alma also suggests that we will not be defending ourselves against an external accusation of guilt but rather remembering our guilty actions. We will no longer be able to deceive ourselves or rationalize our behavior. We will see our sins for what they are, and the guilt will be self-imposed.
This complex interaction between law and our own volition is further expounded in the Doctrine and Covenants:
And also they who are quickened by a portion of the telestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.
For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.
And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same.
That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still. (D&C 88:31–35)
Verses 34–35 in this modern scripture discuss the importance of law to our judgment while verses 32–33 expound the same theme as Alma’s personal understanding of guilt. Just as the guilt arises from internal recognition (not by the Lord’s external accusation), so in Doctrine and Covenants 88:32 the final judgment is also personalized. God does not assign or condemn people to a particular glory; rather they receive “that which they are willing to receive” (D&C 88:32; see also D&C 88:22–24).
Alma 5:19-20
19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?
20 I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?
Rhetoric: These two verses must be read together for the full impact of the contrast Alma is creating. In calling church-men to repentance, he must convince those who had fomented contention that they must return to appropriate actions. Vividly he contrasts two types of believers standing before Yahweh’s judgment bar. Those who have truly kept their covenant with Yahweh-Messiah and done righteous works (“pure heart and clean hands”) have, as a result, become like Yahweh (having his image on their countenances). In contrast are those who served a different master. While Alma does not complete the image by suggesting that they will have the image of the devil on their countenances, the close association is clear. It is equally clear that their final state will depend on their actions and who they followed.
Reference: Having the image of God engraven on the countenances of the righteous appears to be unique to Alma. Possibly he is expanding Benjamin’s image, since his context recalls the covenant made under Benjamin. Benjamin mentions the heart rather than the countenance, but the concepts are parallel: “I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you” (Mosiah 5:12).