Mosiah 27

SPIRITUALLY BORN OF GOD

In Mosiah 27: 25-26 it states, "And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they; do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God."

What does it mean to be born of God?

Alma somewhat answered this question in verse 29 by saying, "My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. my soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more. I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken of by our fathers...

However, I think Alma bests answers this question in Alma 5 when he asks a series of questions, which questions I believe we should ask ourselves all the time:

1. Have you spiritually been  born of God?
2. Have ye received his image in your countenances?
3. Have ye experienced a mighty change in your hearts?
4. Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?
5. 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?
6. Can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been works of righteousness upon the face of the heart?
7. Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?
8. If you 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?
9. Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God?
10. Behold are ye stripped of pride?
11. Is there one among you who is not stripped of envy?
12. Is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?

I love these questions. I want to re-evaluate them more often in my life.