We learned in yesterday's priesthood lesson about the degrees of glory we may receive when we are resurrected. The teacher asked if those who did not receive celestial glory would forever be in torment. I suggested they would not. I believe that everyone will receive the glory, and corresponding existence, they truly want. As Moroni said concerning those who did not believe in Christ, "Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell."
I believe we will receive the glory of the law we are willing to live.
It is true, we may torment ourselves in this life and in the next, as we prepare for judgement and consider the joys we may have attained and the Father we rejected. But come judgement, I believe everyone will be satisfied with their final lot.
In church, I gave a much shorter answer than that, but that was the gist.
Then another guy raised his hand, who likes ice cream a lot more than I.
"Hank," he asked. "What's your favorite ice cream?"
"I don't know. Maybe chocolate."
"With hot fudge?"
"I guess."
"How would you feel if I was sitting here eating chocolate ice cream with hot fudge, and you had plain old vanilla?"
And I thought to myself, "I wouldn't care, no, not one bit. But you shouldn't be eating ice cream in the primary room."
The judgement of God is not like ice cream. The atonement is not like a pickle.
My weakness is that I don't appreciate these types of simple analogies, while those who are newer to our faith and struggle with the concepts find them very helpful. While I was rolling my eyes, a gentleman at the front of the class said, "What that brother said, that was right on." And I knew he wasn't talking about me.
Good points. We had a discussion on whether spirit prison was the same as Outer Darkness. I say who cares? They share a common attribute - there is no glory in either. But there are some blanket statements and analogies that need to be disposed of properly.
ReplyDeleteReally, if it comes down to trying to figure out how people are going to react, lets look at ourselves now. In general we are very satisfied with our lot in life and feel we earn what we get.
Examples: How often do we say congratulations to a person for an achievement they worked for that will elevate them above their peers? We may not have done the same, and we're fine with it. Bob got a doctorate in awesomeness, so he deserves awesomeness. He worked for it. I in turn have not, so I am content with my lot of just being cool. That's the effort I put in. That is all I can expect out.
Resentment in rewards usually comes from feeling we've been short changed. I do not believe that we will feel short changed on judgment day.
"Resentment in rewards usually comes from feeling we've been short changed. I do not believe that we will feel short changed on judgment day."
ReplyDeleteAmen.
I really liked this post Adam. For some reason learning about the different kingdoms and the spirit world has been one of the most intriguing subjects to me. I think you are exactly right. AND I SOOOOOOO hate analogies too. Although, I do have to admit that joining the church at age 16, the dumb analogies did help me back then. I really don't like them now though for some reason. I heard some doozies at the MTC, missionaries would make up weird ones all the time.
ReplyDeleteI also am probably apostate but I really don't like the one about the little boy and how he took a "lickin" for the other little boy, or whoopin whatever it was....
And the one about the father whose son runs onto the train track and the father lets him die so that a train full of people can live...
ReplyDeleteAlthough I don't like the simplistic or contrived analogies, I am learing to be more tolerant of them. They have a purpose, and they do help some people grasp gospel principles.
Elder Talmage explains this doctrine well in Articles of Faith as well. D&C 19 explains it well too. There will be no envying of someone else's ice cream in heaven.
ReplyDelete