Alma 32 and the Relationship of Doubt and Faith

"Consecrate Your Brain," part 3
Continuing series with Greg Smith.
See also the Introduction, and parts 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
  

LifeOnGoldPlates: Continuing from part 2, it has been said that where there is faith there cannot be doubt. Others argue that there cannot be faith without doubt. What are your views on the interaction of doubt and faith?

Greg Smith: I think Alma 32 is the best description of the dynamic. In that chapter Alma talks about planting the seed, and clearly, that is an act of faith (or trust—I've been inclined to use "trust" as a near-synonym for "faith" because I think it captures an essential aspect, and avoids the difficulties of thinking "faith" just means "belief"—it's belief coupled to action, based on trust on a relationship with God/Christ). It's also clearly got some doubt or uncertainty with it, since Alma argues that you can start with only "desiring" to believe (v. 27).

So, the seed begins to swell and grow, and this increases faith, but is not "a perfect knowledge," according to Alma, so it seems to me there are still some grounds for doubt or uncertainty at this point (v. 29).

Then, says Alma:

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. 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 (v. 33-34, emphasis added).

So, when you're having the experience of revelation—the fruit of your faith—doubt is really not on the table. Faith is "dormant"—an interesting choice of words, since it implies the faith is not (at that moment) active, yet it will be required again. Indeed, Alma says:

...after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect? 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 (v. 35-36).

After revelation, one can go back to doubt. You could doubt the experience. You could decide not to trust. So, you can't lay faith aside (in other words, cease trusting, cease acting upon what you knew). So doubt again becomes a viable option—during revelation one cannot doubt. Afterward—well, you have a choice. And, you have to persist in that—as Alma says, you look forward to the fruit of the tree "looking forward with an eye of faith" (v. 40), this requires "great diligence" (v. 41), "patience" (v. 42), and "long-suffering" (v. 43).

And, think Alma is perceptive in that we often get the boost to our faith fairly early in the process—and then, we are left to see what we will do with it.

As an aside, this seems to be a scriptural pattern—Moses gets his great theophany, and then "was left unto himself" (Moses 1:9), only to have Satan show up and offer doubt. And, Moses then makes the active choice to trust in what he had before experienced, and rely upon it, even though at the moment he is having no such experience—indeed the experience with Satan becomes terrifying and horrible, yet Moses continues to trust. 


FOOTNOTES
[1]
Image adapted from Jean-Galbert Salvage (anatomist; artist, 1770-1813), "Anatomie du gladiateur combattant, applicable aux beaux arts," Paris, 1812. Two-layer copperplate engraving, color. National Library of Medicine.