Site talk:SS lessons/DC lesson 20
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These verses are an explanation of what the gospel is (see exegesis). After reading these verses a few times, I think what it all comes down to are the words 'glad tidings.' The atonement is central to the entire plan of salvation because the atonement was the most exciting thing that ever happened for us - and it brings us happiness. We know that 'men are that they might have joy.' The purpose of life is to be happy, and to learn to live to be happy. As we seek for happiness, we stumble, we fall, we sin, we forget why we are here on earth. But the 'glad tidings' of the gospel - that God himself actually came down from heaven to not only visit the earth, but also live a 33-year life on the earth as a man. He not only taught us, showed us the example of how to live, but he allowed himself to 'bear the sins of the world' and 'be crucified for the world.' Because of this, our unhappiness that results from sin can be turned to happiness. We should be overjoyed that someone loves us enough that he proposed a way and carried out that plan that essentially can wipe away what happened in our past, and allow us to be completely guilt-free and happy - forever. These are the glad tidings, the good news of the gospel. He came to the earth. He already did all this. We only need to remember it, to repent and take advantage of what he already offered us, gave us, and taught us. It's so simple compared to the wonderful happiness we will experience by being saved in the Kingdom of God. Not to mention the peace that we will have in this life - as we prepare for that eternal kingdom. --67.107.199.189 |
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With regard to the exegesis of verse 79 (which seems entirely plausible to me), I wonder what to make of D&C 46:13, where it says that to know Jesus Christ by the revelation of the Holy Ghost is a special gift of the spirit not given to everyone. Does this mean that entry into the Celestial Kingdom is contingent on a particular spiritual gift, not available to everyone? --Nathan Oman 03:22, 7 July 2007 (CEST)
Interesting question. What exactly is the connection between knowledge and testimony? D&C 46:13 talks about knowing that Jesus is the Son of God by power of the Holy Ghost. What does it mean to really "know" that and why might that testimony not come to everyone? I've always pretty much assumed that barring some sort of mental disability, a testimony that Jesus is the Christ would be available to just about anyone. Is that right? Makes you wonder.--Rob Fergus 02:39, 8 July 2007 (CEST) |
91-95[edit]An initial thought on the question: Verse 94 talks of those who dwell in the presence of the Father. I think, having attained a Celestial reward, we are able to see as we are seen by the Father. We have been purified through the atonement, and see as if through the Father's eyes because we have become like him. A few other scriptures to consider 1 Cor 13:12 and Moro 7:48. MJ 18:41, 13 Jun 2005 (CEST) In addition, I've wondered how much this has to do with the physical nature of eternity. If eternity and the dwelling place of God is more than a mere 4 dimensional space, we may have a very different perspective on this mortal 4 dimensional existence once we get there. --Rob Fergus 19:26, 13 Jun 2005 (CEST) 96-100[edit]I think that the Lord is really good and specific in his analogy of the glory of the stars. Some stars are brighter than other stars and some people will earn more glory than others in the Telestial Kingdom and I thought that was really interesting to figure out. People will earn the glory that they will work for. --Bhardle |
Pass By the Angels[edit]Brigham Young famously reported that the purpose fo the temple endowment was "to receive all those ordinances in the House of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the Holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell" (JD 2:31). While we often think of this as perhaps a literal passing of sentries at gaurded doors to the Celestial Kingdom, perhaps there is more to this statement than meets the eye. Perhaps it isn't so much that there are sentries that we have to satisfy with special "signs and tokens" in order to pass through their gaurded doors, perhaps the phrase "passing the angels" should be taken in the same way as the similar "pass by the angels" here in D&C 132:19--those who receive the "signs and tokens" of the endowment pass by the angels because they have received an ordinance or ordination to become more than mere angels. The ordained become gods by passing the station of angels to become "above all" with angels "subject unto them" (D&C 132:20). According to this view, the endowment described by Brigham Young, and the temple sealing as revealed here in this section, are perhaps a preliminary ordinations to godhood. Perhaps there are even different levels of exaltation implied by the various ordinances or ordinations entered into through these temple ceremonies.--Rob Fergus 14:36, 16 Nov 2006 (UTC) Good stuff, doesn't follow no quoting rule[edit]Recent work by an anonymous contributor in the exegesis section is interesting. It also happens to violate pretty strongly the rule against using quotes in the exegesis section which to date I've tried to enforce on this wiki. Because of this I'm going to move the information to the related links section. Rather than put it all in the related links section I will create a subpage and move most of it there. Hopefully this isn't interpretted as suggesting that the work is not good. That isn't the issue. Instead, the question is where work like this belongs. If anyone wishes to discuss, we can do so on this page. If someone would like to discuss the policy rule "Do not cite sources other than the scriptures in the questions and exegesis sections of the commentary pages," the best place would probably be the policy discussion page. Thanks, --Matthew Faulconer 06:39, 30 June 2008 (CEST) |
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