15 Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby.
“Since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us”....
What does he mean by this? It feels like he is speaking to the effectual struggle it took within themselves to repent of their sins, which sins were as serious as any sins could be with the only exception being the unpardonable ones, and which repentance process must have been painful, and painfully difficult. It was “as much as we could do”, perhaps meaning it was all they could do to repent of their abominable sins which were as serious and wicked as sins can be without being unpardonable. Sins which they associated with murder. For they did kill innocent people. Not just innocent people who had committed no offense, but the very people of God.
Oh, how their consciences must have burned! Surely, even though their exceeding sorrow and repentant pain was turned to joy as exceeding as was their sorrow, as was the case with Alma, surely they experienced the pains of hell in that process. It seems to me that justice required that.
Yes, the Atonement pays the ultimate price for our sins. But does that mean we pay no price? Would we ever repent and change if we did not suffer in part for our sins? That suffering being separation from God and all that is good. Love, joy and peace. Our suffering being a burning, gnawing, relentless conscience, or consciousness of our guilt— even if it is not yet a perfect recollection of all of our guilt and is muffled to allow us agency.
If we did not experience the consequences of sin, what motivation would we have to change? If all we had to do when sinning was to say you’re sorry, but no other price was extracted, wouldn’t we all simply continue to sin and offer those empty words?
If for every time we broke the speed limit and were pulled over by a policeman for so doing we were given a warning and no fine, what are the chances we would stop speeding? Practically none. For the minor inconvenience would be a welcome price to be able to break the law with impunity.
No, there is a price to pay for sin. Yes, it is a pittance compared to the infinite price paid by the Savior. But there is a price we must pay, else we would never learn from this mortal experience. Whom the Lord loves he chastises. If he did not chastise us, he would be a neglectful and unloving parent.
But oh what a price the Savior paid!
15 Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.
20 Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit.
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