Established in the Ways of Righteousness (draft)

After Alma cleanses the church in the city of Zarahemla, he goes east across the river Sidon to the newly established city of Gideon. He tells the members in Gideon that he had ... great hopes...that [they] were found blameless... and were not in the awful dilemma that [their] brethren in were in at Zarahemla. Alma then expressed his joy that the [members of] church in Zarahemla ... are established again in the way of his [God's] righteousness. (Alma 7:3-4)

Alma contrasts the 'awful diilemma' in verse 3 with 'the way of his righteousness' in verse 4. What is God's righteousness to Alma? Alma tells what righteousness is not in the following verses. From these verses it also easy to interpret what it means to be established in the way of God's righteousness. Alma says that their brethren in Zarahemla were ... in a state of of so much unbelief... and trusts the the Gideon brethren are not in the same state. This state of unbelief caused the church in Zarahemla to be lifted up in the pride of their hearts, have their hearts set on riches and the vain things of the world, to worship idols. (Alma 7:6) Alma is trusting that Gideon brethren are not involved in same thing but that they are worshipping the living God and look forward for the remission of their sins with an everlasting faith in that which is to come. (v.6)

When our hearts are right our desires are right. When we have received a sufficient hope in Christ, our hearts change and we desire to do good. Those with these desires are then organized so that goodness is optimized. This united goodness comes from the righteous desires of each individual member. When this happens, something special happens. God pours out his blessing upon that organzed group of people.