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Sunday, June 23, 2019

Why would perfection make "his course [be] one eternal round"? Alma 7:20

Why would perfection make "his course [be] one eternal round"? Alma 7:20

Alma continues his sermon to the people in Gideon. He says this:
20 I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round.
Here is how I would simplify that verse:

I've noticed that you have been made to know by the power of God that God doesn't err. He doesn't lie. He doesn't make mistakes. [He is perfect]: therefore, his plan is perfect.

I find it kind of interesting that Alma uses the metaphor of a circle to symbolize perfection. There aren't corners in a circle. A circle is a good symbol of both kinds of infinity: containing (and not containing) infinite space, and being at least symbolic of an infinite line, although, I guess you do get back to the original starting point eventually...and maybe that's important in the symbolism. Also, you make a circle with a compass. There is a point of a circle that is the absolute center, and that point is also infinitely small. A circle reminds me of the act of gathering, or enclosing.

ANSWER:

A perfect plan for the salvation of humankind would have a lot of similar characteristics to a circle. It would not allow for spiritual favoritism by God towards people based on the circumstances of their birth. If we consider God's plan to be a path, and it goes around in a circle, no matter where we start on that path we will eventually get all the way around.



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