THE SEED, THE TREE, THE FRUIT

 

Alma delivered an amazing discourse on faith when teaching the Zoromites, which is found in Alma 32. Most of us are familiar with this chapter as it is always referred to when we talk about faith. However, this discourse is not just about the principle of faith. This chapter is about faith in Christ.

Alma compared faith to a seed, which, when nourished, grows into a tree and eventually produces fruit. And not just faith in anything but in the word of God (v 28). Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explains what that word really is: “In the brilliant discourse of Alma 32, Alma moves the reader from a general commentary on faith in the seedlike word of God to a focused discourse on faith in Christ as the Word of God, grown to a fruit-bearing tree, a tree whose fruit is exactly that of Lehi’s earlier perception of Christ’s love….” (Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 169). See John 1:1 for clarification of the Word of God being Christ.

Alma compares faith to a seed because in the beginning it is something small, and really only just a belief, but this seed has the ability to produce something great, a fruit that becomes knowledge. Alma identifies this fruit as ‘most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet’ and those who have nourished the tree will eat of it and they shall not ‘hunger’ and also not ‘thirst’ (Alma 32:42). This is clear reference to Christ being ‘the fruit’ because Jesus is ‘the bread of life’ (John 6:31,51) which takes away hunger and He is ‘the living water’ which takes away the thirst (John 4:6-15; 7:37).

Again, in the words of Elder Holland: “Christ is the bread of life, the living water, the true vine. Christ is the seed, the tree, and the fruit of eternal life”. Elder Holland continues to say that “the profound and central Tree of Life imagery in this discourse is lost, or at least greatly diminished, if the reader does not follow it on into the next two chapters of the Book of Mormon” (Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 169). Alma mentions the Son of God 7 times in chapter 33 and Amulek speaks of Him 11 times in chapter 34, which makes it plain to see that Alma 32 is a discourse on faith in Christ. 

When our faith bears fruit, our belief in Christ becomes knowledge through the power of the Holy Ghost. We then have a sure witness of the spirit and not tangible proof of His existence. How many of us ‘know’ that He lives? Everyone in the Church who has a testimony. I hear it across the pulpit on Fast Sundays. This ‘knowing’ is acknowledged because of the spiritual witness of those who bear testimony. I have never heard anyone say, ‘I know Jesus Christ lives because I’ve seen Him’. That is not to say that nobody has, but we bear testimony because of the spiritual witness we have received.  This is knowledge that Alma spoke of.

We can have faith in many things but the ultimate faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the very first principle of the gospel. Why? Because He is the foundation of this Church, of the Gospel, of mortality, of eternal life, of all. Without Him we would not be. At what stage is your faith? Is it a seed, a tree or are you feasting on the fruit that is most desirable and delicious above all?

 

The fruit, so precious and sweet,

The Father laid at our feet.

No greater gift He had to offer

The broken, the lost and the weary

Than the tree springing into life,

Yielding fruit with endless supply.

He gathers the fruit spilt on the ground

That multiplies with each harvest of

penitent hearts.

The fruit, so precious and sweet,

Grows on the cross at Father’s feet.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: The Tree of Life by Annie Henrie Nader)