“The Justice of God in the Punishment of the Sinner”

George Reynolds, Janne M. Sjodahl

Alma perceived that there was still more in Corianton's behavior that his son seemed unable to understand, or that he was unwilling to admit even unto himself. Corianton had violated his missionary covenant by forsaking the ministry and going over to the Land of Siron after a harlot named Isabel. Corianton realized his mistake in so doing, but, nevertheless, he was inclined to excuse his actions by supposing that God, in keeping with all the facts, was unjust in consigning sinners to an everlasting state of misery. We may well conceive that Corianton's conclusions were based upon his own misconduct. (See v. 30)

Corianton's father, sensing his son's desire to repent, was quick in the attempt to smooth out any troubled apprehensions that perplexed Corianton's heart and mind. Let us not forget in discussing Corianton's misadventures that it is two of Satan's greatest devices to imbue transgressors with the idea that God is not just, and also that too much sin has already been committed by the transgressor that repentance and the forgiveness of sin is a forlorn hope. Notwithstanding Corianton's frame of mind, Alma, as a good and loving father, "offered to explain" these things unto him.

Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 4

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