1. All things Denote There is a God
Alma 30-31 1

2. First half of the Book of Alma
What was Mormon teaching us here?
Alma 5-16
Alma’s missionary work
Alma 17-28
Ammon’s missionary work
Alma 29
Oh, that I were an angel…
Alma 30
Korihor, the Anti-Christ
Alma 31
The Zoramites
Alma 32-35
Alma’s missionary work
THE ADVERSARIES:
The Enemies of Christ

3. Alma 30:6,12 How would you define “anti-Christ”?
The word antichrist is the Bible term for the false teachers in the Church who taught a false Christ instead of a true Christ. the Greek preposition anti, roughly translated, means instead of.
It also carries the meaning of "face to face" or mirror image. The image in the mirror, looking back at you, is face to face with you. It looks like you. Yet it has no substance. It is a counterfeit of you, in a sense. It only appears to be you.

4. One who will oppose Christ and substitute himself in Christ's place
Jacob 7:5 Jacob contends with Sherem

5. As we read about faith shakers…
"The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ.  It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention.  It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. 
The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today.  God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat philosophical concepts of our time." 

6. to protect or strengthen against attack; surround or provide with defensive military works.
to furnish with a means of resisting force or standing strain or wear
to make strong; impart strength or vigor to
to increase the effectiveness of, as by additional ingredients
to strengthen mentally or morally
to confirm or corroborate
to set up defensive works; erect fortifications.
It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. 

7. We’ve got to look a little closer…
When we read about the anti-Christs of former days, we marvel at how perverted their thinking became and we marvel at how successful they were in deceiving men and women

8. We’ve got to look a little closer…
We also wonder why some of the people were so gullible—so easily misled. And with all this marveling and wondering, we tend to niche the anti-Christs in some corner of ancient history and go about our unguarded ways.

9. We’ve got to look a little closer…
This is dangerous. It could result in loss of faith; and, in a spiritual sense, it could put us out of existence.

10. We’ve got to look a little closer…
Many are still among us and have released new floods of lies and false accusations. These faith- killers and testimony- thieves use personal contacts, the printed word, electronic media, and other means of communication to sow doubts and to disturb the peace of true believers.

11. We’ve got to look a little closer…
Belief in modern prophets and continuous revelation is absent in the lives of many apostate or anti-Christ.
Carlos E. Asay, “Opposition to the Work of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1981, 67

12. Vs
Teachings of Korihor 12
There will be no Christ 13
No man can know of anything which is to come 14
Prophecies are foolish traditions of the fathers 15
Ye cannot know of things which ye do not see 16
Belief in the Atonement “is the effect of a frenzied mind” 17
Every man prospers according to his genius, and…every man conquers according to his strength
Whatsoever a man does is not crime 18
When a man is dead, that is the end thereof 23
Living the commandments is “bondage”

13. Do we hear Korihor teachings today
Do we hear Korihor teachings today? Quote in a magazine a few years ago:
Jesse Ventura, Playboy
"Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers. It tells people to go out and stick their noses in other people's business."

14. Bondage
One of Satan’s most frequently used deceptions is the notion that the commandments of God are meant to restrict freedom and limit happiness. Young people especially sometimes feel that the standards of the Lord are like fences and chains, blocking them from those activities that seem most enjoyable in life. But exactly the opposite is true… The gospel principles are the steps and guidelines which will help us find true happiness and joy.
Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings, 357

15. Some Christians carry their religion on their backs
Some Christians carry their religion on their backs. It is a packet of beliefs and practices they must bear. At times it grows heavy and they would be willing to lay it down, but that would mean a break with old traditions, so they shoulder it again.

16. Real Christians do not carry their religion, their religion carries them. It is not weight, it is wings. It lifts them up. It sees them over hard places. It makes the universe seem friendly, life purposeful, hope real, sacrifice worth while. Its sets them free form fear, futility, discouragement and sin… The great enslavers of men’s souls. You can know a real Christian when you see him by his buoyancy.
Harry Emerson Fosdick, quoted by James E Faust, To Reach Even Unto You, 118

17. Alma 30:18: Zarahemla How did Korihor’s teaching affect the people?
Lift up their heads in their wickedness

18. Dealing with modern-day Korihors
19-21
Be wise
31,34
Obey the prophets, Know the truth 39
Bear personal testimony 42
Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost 44
Teach the truth from the prophets and the scriptures

19. Alma 30:53 Korihor explains why…
“The devil hath deceived me”
“I taught [these things] because they were pleasing to the carnal mind.”
“I had much success . . .
Because of my success, “I verily believed that they were true . . .” For this cause I withstood the truth . . .”

20. Alma 30:54-56, 58-59 What was Korihor’s fate?

21. Alma 30:60 Support?
The devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell

22. Which path?
A criminal defense lawyer can sometimes win a case by leading jurors to suspect that any number of people – indeed, anyone but the accused – committed the crime in question. Similarly, the adversary succeeds when we choose any path but the strait and narrow path that leads to life. These alternate routes may lead in opposite directions from each other; but they fulfill Satan’s purpose as long as they lead us away from God.
Robert Eaton, Digging Deeper, 124

23. Two types of Anti-Christ
Non-Religious:
Korihor
Religious:
Zoramites

24. Alma 31:15-18 The Zoramite Prayer/Alma’s Prayer

25. Alma and the Zoramites Prayer requires…….?
Alma’s Prayer
Alma 31:26-35
Zoramite Prayer
Alma 31:15-18

26. Were they really that different?
Korihor Zoramites
foolish traditions
of your fathers
childishness of their fathers
I say ‘this people’ are in bondage
“Thou hast elected us to be thy holy children;”
every man prospered
according to his genius
every man prospered
according to his election
caused them ‘to lift up their heads in their wickedness,’
they did pervert the ways of the Lord

27. The Rameumptom,
Alma 31
13 For they had a place built up in the center of their synagogue, a place for standing, which was high above the head; and the top thereof would only admit one person.
14 Therefore, whosoever desired to worship must go forth and stand upon the top thereof, and stretch forth his hands towards heaven

28. None of these arguments is intended to appeal to everyone.
Clearly, the adversary crafts different arguments for different groups of people. If we are naturally lazy, he may lobby us to spend more time watching TV; if we are naturally ambitious, he pushes us to spend more time at the office.

29. If we are slow to recognize our mistakes (or have become numb to the Spirit), he will tell us we’ve done nothing wrong and have no need to repent. But if we begin to experience sorrow that leads to repentance he may try to convince us our sin is so great that repentance isn’t possible.

30. He can prey on lack of self- esteem as well as pride, self- righteousness as well as atheism, the theology of grace as well as an exclusive emphasis on works. In sum, Satan’s spin-masters are nothing if not nimble in tailoring their campaign speeches to different constituencies.
Robert Eaton, Digging Deeper, 125