I am sure that we have all spent much time in pondering what it means to come unto Christ, or to follow Christ, or to have His countenance shown in ours.   What is it to be born again or to be spiritually begotten?   There are many who will mingle scripture and philosophy together to tell the world what Jesus would do, or how we should be to satisfy some social or political end that a group or individual may aspire to.  The truth is more easily found in faith and simplicity.

Coming to Christ is doing things His way, singing His song.

In Alma 5:14-15 we read, “And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God?  Have ye received His image in your countenances?  Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?  Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of Him who created you?  Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?”

A “mighty change of heart” is clearly a sign of knowing if we are standing with Christ, doing things His way, singing His song.  The question is, “How do we get there, how do we get our mighty change of heart and keep it?”  President M. Russell Ballard urged that we regularly self-examine on our Savior following path.  “I need to regularly take time to ask myself, ‘How am I doing?’ It’s kind of like having a personal, private interview with yourself. …As a guide for me during this private, personal review, I like to read and ponder the introspective words found in the fifth chapter of Alma.”

I think some of my favorite words in the fifth chapter of Alma is his reminding plea in verse 26 to continue on after once having sung the song of redeeming love.  “And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?”  What a sweet reminder is this, that once we have received a witness in our hearts, a mighty change, that we can nurture that, even if our heart has hardened, we can sing the song again and have it restored to us.

But, even as Christ was submissive to the Father, and humble in all things unto working out the salvation of all mankind, we too need to be humble and submissive to Christ that we might partake of His redeeming gift.  “And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.  And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.” (Alma 7:23-24) It will be then that His countenance will show forth in our eyes, and our works will be His works as we do things in His way.  That indeed is the “mighty change,” and we will sing a “song of redeeming love” as patterned after and in complete harmony with His own voice, and extend His voice in a beautiful choir that others might hear and sing as well.

In that day Alma’s question recorded in Alma 5:19 will be answered in the affirmative.  “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?”  As we invite the “mighty change“ into our hearts, do as He does, and meekly allow that our garments and hands be made pure and clean in the willing blood of our Savior, our countenance will reflect His countenance, His ways will be our ways, His song we will be singing, and we will be sealed His.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.