Alma 1:1–18

The Evils of Priestcraft

We live in a world where people promote themselves and their ideas for personal praise and gain. Believing in these false practices causes many people to sin and reject their Savior, Jesus Christ. This was also true for the Nephites. A man named Nehor taught false doctrine that caused people in his day, and others in years to come, to reject their Savior. This lesson can help you recognize and reject false teachings that could turn you away from Jesus Christ.

Focus on Jesus Christ. Point students to the Savior and His gospel, and do not draw attention to yourself. Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Quorum of the Seventy observed: “If our teachers are free of priestcraft, the students will love them, but they won’t be dependent on them. They will love you, and they will be grateful for what you taught them, but they will be turned to the Lord” (Paul V. Johnson, “The Dangers of Priestcraft,” Religious Educator 9, no. 3 [2008]: 11).

Student preparation: Students could study the section “The word of God can help me recognize and reject false doctrine” in the outline “June 3–9. Mosiah 29–Alma 4: ‘They Were Steadfast and Immovable’” in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2024.

Possible Learning Activities

False teachings

Have students complete the following self-assessment activity privately. Display the statements or read them aloud and ask students to think about their answers.

• On a scale between 1 and 5 (where 1 is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree), how much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Why?

  Most of the information presented to me each day is true. (For example, on social media, in advertisements, from leaders and influencers in society.)

  The information I receive influences my faith in Jesus Christ.

  God has provided help for me to recognize truth from error.

We live in a world with many false messages that can weaken our faith in Jesus Christ. As you study Alma 1, seek the guidance of the Spirit to help you recognize false teachings in the world around you that could turn you away from Jesus Christ.

Before his death, King Mosiah established a new form of government. Instead of having kings, the people elected judges to enforce the laws. Alma the Younger was elected as the first chief judge, or governor (see Alma 2:16). He was also the high priest and leader of the Church (see Mosiah 29). The people began to keep track of time from when their government changed.

In the first year of the reign of the judges, a wicked man named Nehor began to influence the Nephites. Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about why Nehor’s story is included in the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon contains the account of a man named Nehor. It is easy to understand why Mormon, in abridging a thousand years of Nephite records, thought it important to include something about this man and the enduring influence of his doctrine. Mormon was seeking to warn us, knowing that this philosophy would surface again in our day. (D. Todd Christofferson, “The Divine Gift of Repentance,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 38)

Read Alma 1:2–6, looking for what Nehor taught the people. Make a list of Nehor’s teachings. Label them “True,” “False,” or “Mixed.”

To help engage students, you could have them list and label Nehor’s teachings on the board. Invite multiple students to share their thoughts.

You may have noticed that Nehor mixed his false teachings with true statements. This illustrates a tactic that Satan also uses. As we compare Nehor to Satan, we learn that Satan uses lies mixed with truth to deceive people and turn them away from Jesus Christ.

• What evidence do you see of this today?

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles illustrated how Nehor’s false ideas impact some people today:

[A false teaching that keeps us from repenting] is to think that our sins do not matter because God loves us no matter what we do. It is tempting to believe what the deceitful Nehor taught the people of Zarahemla: “That all mankind should be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor tremble, … and, in the end, all men should have eternal life.” [Alma 1:4] But this seductive idea is false. God does love us. However, what we do matters to Him and to us. He has given clear directives about how we should behave. We call these commandments. His approbation and our eternal life depend on our behavior, including our willingness to humbly seek real repentance. (Dale G. Renlund, “Repentance: A Joyful Choice,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 123)

Recognizing false teachings

Recognizing false teachings, like those of Nehor’s, can sometimes be difficult. Fortunately, you can recognize them. Mormon taught that if a message or teaching persuades us “to do evil and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God,” we can know that it is false and comes from the devil (Moroni 7:17).

• Which of Nehor’s teachings could make someone feel they don’t need the Savior?

  The following question can help students recognize false teachings. Encourage students to share their thoughts.

• What are other false teachings today that turn people away from Jesus Christ?

The following questions are intended for self-reflection and are not for class discussion.

Think about the messages you hear or read regularly. How do they influence you? Are any of them negatively influencing your faith in Jesus Christ?

If you are consuming false media messages that negatively influence your faith in Jesus Christ, turn off or remove the source of those messages from your life. Replace them with messages that will build your faith in Jesus Christ. For example, For the Strength of Youth and Liahona magazines, available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, have faith-building content.

It may be helpful to point out that Nehor’s teachings had a significant influence for evil. Throughout the Book of Alma, various groups of people rejected the Savior because of Nehor’s teachings. If you feel students could benefit from learning more about this, see “The impact of Nehor’s teachings” in the Supplemental Learning Activities section.

Priestcraft

Consider discussing Gideon’s faithfulness in defending Christ. You could highlight Alma 1:7. You could also point to Alma 1:8 and remind students of Gideon’s faithful actions in Mosiah 22:3–9.

One day Nehor encountered an elderly Church leader named Gideon. When Nehor tried to lead away the people of the Church, Gideon “withstood [Nehor], admonishing him with the words of God” (Alma 1:7). Nehor became angry with Gideon and killed him. Nehor was then taken before Alma and was put to death according to the law (see Alma 1:9–15).

Read Alma 1:12, looking for how Alma described Nehor’s teachings.

You may want to help students practice using footnotes. Students could share a variety of ways to learn what priestcraft is. If no one mentions it, direct students to footnote 12a.

Read Alma 1:16 and 2 Nephi 26:29, looking for a description of priestcraft.

• How do you see Nehor’s preaching as an example of priestcraft?

• Why do you think some false ideas are popular?

• Why do you think priestcraft is so dangerous?

Rejecting false teachings

Like Gideon, we can use the words of God to help us reject false teachings (see Alma 1:7, 9). Select one or more of Nehor’s false teachings or some you have heard from our day. Then find a scripture that corrects the falsehood. For example, you could counter Nehor’s teachings in Alma 1:3 with the Savior’s teaching in Matthew 23:11.

Some examples of scriptures that students could use include Matthew 7:15–23; 2 Nephi 26:29–31; Mosiah 18:24–26; Helaman 12:25–26; and Doctrine and Covenants 1:31–32.

1. Share the false teaching(s) you selected and the scripture(s) that you feel corrects it.

2. Share what you have learned from Alma 1 about how to recognize and reject false teachings.

Commentary and Background Information

What can help me recognize false teachings?

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency taught:

The companionship of the Holy Ghost makes what is good more attractive and temptation less compelling. That alone should be enough to make us determined to qualify for the Spirit to be with us always.

Just as the Holy Ghost strengthens us against evil, He also gives us the power to discern truth from falsehood. The truth that matters most is verified only by revelation from God. Our human reason and the use of our physical senses will not be enough. We live in a time when even the wisest will be hard-pressed to distinguish truth from clever deception. (Henry B. Eyring, “The Holy Ghost as Your Companion,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 104)

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

We cannot allow ourselves to be confused by popular messages that are easily accepted by the world and that contradict the doctrine and true principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of these worldly messages represent nothing more than an attempt of our society to justify sin. We need to remember that, at the end, all will stand before Christ to be judged of our works, whether they are good or whether they are evil (3 Nephi 27:14). As we encounter these worldly messages, great courage and a solid knowledge of the plan of our Heavenly Father will be required to choose the right. (Ulisses Soares, “Yes, We Can and Will Win!,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 75)

What is the Church’s stance on capital punishment?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regards the question of whether and in what circumstances the state should impose capital punishment as a matter to be decided solely by the prescribed processes of civil law. We neither promote nor oppose capital punishment. (See https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/capital-punishment-in-utah.)

Supplemental Learning Activities

False statements mixed with truth

It is common for false teachers to mix their false teachings with true statements. For example, Nehor incorrectly taught that “all men should have eternal life” along with the truth that “the Lord had created all men” (Alma 1:4). Students could identify other common false teachings mixed with truth. Consider sharing the following from President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency: “Satan is the great deceiver, the father of lies (see John 8:44). This is not because Satan tells only lies. His most effective lies are half-truths or lies accompanied by the truth” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Reading Church History” [address to Church Educational System religious educators, Aug. 16, 1985], 3).

Contrast the teachings of Nehor with the actions of Church members

Students could contrast the teachings and actions of Nehor (see Alma 1:2–6) with the Christlike actions of faithful members of the Church (see Alma 1:19–20, 25–30). Invite students to share examples of faithful Church members in our day. You could also emphasize the scripture study skill of compare and contrast.

The impact of Nehor’s teachings

This idea can help students see how Nehor’s teachings influenced many accounts in the Book of Mormon. Students could read one or more of the following accounts, looking at the negative impact of Nehor’s teachings: Alma 2:1–4; 14:8–18; 15:15; 21:2–12; 24:20–30. Students could do this in small groups, with each group reporting on selected passages.

Mosiah 29

To help students have an experience with Mosiah 29, you could summarize verses 1–25. You could then have students read Mosiah 29:26–27, 30–34, 37–39, looking for the people’s responsibility in the government proposed by King Mosiah. Students could discuss the benefits of making decisions by the voice of the people and the consequences that would come if the people chose iniquity. You could discuss one or both of the following truths: If the voice of the people chooses iniquity, then the judgments of God will come upon them (verse 27). Each person has a duty to uphold righteous principles, laws, and leaders.