What Does Faith Have To Do With Fruits and Seeds?

Alma chapter 32 has always been a special chapter of the Book of Mormon for me.  It played a significant role in helping me to understand faith and to be able to make decisions on when and how to move forward to pursue my faith. This chapter not only defines WHAT faith is, but also helps us understand HOW we develop our faith.

What Is Faith?

In Alma Chapter 32 of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma gives a very concise definition of Faith.  Often people seem to equate Faith to following a religion or a leader blindly; however, this is not Faith at all.  Faith is having hope in things that are not seen, but are TRUE.  Having faith by having hope in something that is not seen but is True is far different than following blindly.  This definition is supported in the following scriptures. 

Book of Mormon - Alma 32:21

21 And now as I said concerning faith—^afaith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye ^bhope for things which are ^cnot seen, which are true.

New Testament - John 20:29

29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Book of Mormon - Ether 12:6

6  And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

What is Truth?

However, how can we know if that “thing” that we are putting our faith in is TRUE?  Is that even possible?  I will say it is certainly possible.  President Deiter F. Uchtdorf gave an outstanding devotional in 2012 called “What Is Truth” on just this topic that not only helps us better understand how to find Truth but also teaches that we all have “an obligation to seek for truth.”  https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/ces-devotionals/2013/01/what-is-truth?lang=eng

How Do We Develop Our Faith?

In Alma Chapter 32, Alma continues to teach about Faith, he gives a very good outline for developing our Faith, testing for Truth by doing an “experiment upon the word,” and determining if that thing which is the subject of our experiment is worthy to continue to spend our time on and put our faith in.  He gives a beautiful analogy of comparing the Word of God to a seed which we must plant and nourish.  Only then will our experiment be effective as we see if the seed grows or not.  So many people in our world today want “proof” that things they can’t see are true.  However, as Alma teaches, no one else can prove Faith.  Is it something that each one of us must pursue individually and through our desire to learn, seeking, and experiments we grow and develop our own faith.

The following is an excerpt from Alma Chapter 32 in which Alma teaches this concept that Faith is Like A Seed:

Alma 32:26-43

26 Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.

 27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

 28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

 29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.

 30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.

 31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness.

 32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.

 33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.

 34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.

 35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect?

 36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.

 37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.

 38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.

 39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

 40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.

 41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.

 42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.

 43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.

I can say that I have experienced this growing of faith.  I have had times in my life that I found a teaching interesting, appears solid, and even intriguing, but certainly wouldn’t have been able to state it was true and wouldn’t have put too much faith in it.  However, as I have applied the principles taught by Alma and did my own experiment, time after time I have discovered for myself many truths.  I have learned that truly when a seed is good (i.e. when a principle is true) then by nourishing that seed we can experience it begin to grow and produce good fruit in our life.  When a seed is not good (i.e. when a principle is not true) then when we so the experiment and attempt to nourish it, we will see that it either does not grow at all or it does not grow in a way that produces good fruit.  Each time we discover another true principle, we are enriched in many ways – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Some key words however are in verse 42.  These things must be done with DILIGENCE and PATIENCE.  Often we expect to see results and obtain answers to our questions immediately.  But in my experience, we must be diligent and patient and often the answers and insights come to us at unexpected times and often much later than we originally were hoping for.  But in hindsight, they always come at the time we are ready to receive them.

In Matthew Chapter 7 in the New Testament, Jesus teaches this same principle:

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

I challenge all who read this to find a principle that you think is true but maybe aren’t sure if you should put your faith in it.  Follow Alma’s advice and “experiment on the word.”  Nourish the seed with great care, diligence, and patience.  Observe whether this seed begins to grow and then notice whether this seed produces good fruit in your life.