for May 17
This week's reading: Mark 10, Luke 12, 14, 16.
In class we will focus primarily on two passages: the story of the rich young ruler (Mark 10.17-32) and the parable of Lazarus (Luke 16.19-31); and we will explore two questions:
1) What is heaven (and who goes there)?
2) What is hell (and who goes there)?
Remember from our discussion of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10) that the question (more or less) of who gains eternal life was asked by the lawyer. Notice that Christ's answer is very different to the rich young ruler in Mark 10.
A few verses from Doctrine and Covenants 76 to consider as you think about the two questions above:
Speaking of the celestial kingdom:
69 These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.
61 Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet.
Speaking of the telestial kingdom:
82 These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus.
84 These are they who are thrust down to hell.
85 These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work.
If you already have thoughts on these two questions, feel free to comment below.
One of the exciting teachings is that hell is not forever. The prisoners are set free after they have paid for their sins. One of our missionary contacts in NYC as senior missionaries was impressed by this doctrine. He had been told he was going to hell and be punished eternally. I told him he wouldn't hear that in LDS doctrine.
ReplyDeleteHell is redemptive? Are Mormons universalists?
DeleteWhat are we to understand when we learn "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord?" Phillipians 2:11
ReplyDeleteDoes this literally mean that everyone will eventually accept him? Or is this a declaration of a requirement of those who receive exaltation? - Jim H.
That passage in Philippians 2 is from what many consider to be the oldest Christian text in existence. It's part of a poem or hymn that runs from verses 6-11 and declares that Christ is God. What's interesting to me is that the verse in question implies that those in heaven and in hell will all recognize Jesus as the anointed king. Though confessing Christ as Lord certainly is a requirement for eternal life, I view this passage less as a declaration of a requirement and more as a statement that at the final judgment everyone will recognize Christ as the king and acknowledge his power and divinity. It reminds me of Alma 12.15:
Delete"We must come forth and stand before him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his judgments are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance."
Jesus never pursued wealth but was able to reach a lot of people. However, it seems easier to influence people and spread the gospel if I am wealthy, e.g., we like to point to the wealthy and famous Mormons in the church as examples for the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteI feel bad for the rich young man. I mean, how many of us would give away all our wealth right now if the prophet asked us to? I don't feel like the rich young man thought his money would get him into heaven, but maybe it was the one thing he was more focused on than his quest for eternal life. What is that "one thing" for the rest of us? Do I really have to be willing to forsake everything to be a true disciple? (As per the lesson), or just everything that I love more than God?
Interesting point about reaching people and using wealth to spread the message. I think Christ is most interested in the way we treat others... But yes, he also commands us to spread the message to all the world.
DeleteI don't think the young man thought he money would get him to heaven either. I agree. He does seem to connect his lifestyle ("I have kept all these since my youth") and his wealth. Christ suggests a different definition of what it means to be "good" and challenges him to give up his idol (both his wealth and his belief that prosperity and goodness go together).
I think we do have to be willing to forsake everything to be a true disciple. Not that he will ask all our wealth (Zacchaeus gives up half--not all--of his earnings and Christ subsequently proclaims that "salvation is come to this house"), but he will ask us to put him first. This young man idolized his wealth and reputation and could not give it up. Others idolize their work, family, education, appearance, love life, righteousness, status, etc. Christ demands we put him first...
We'll definitely have to discuss this some in class.
Thanks for the great comment!
Those two questions are so interesting and I have lots of follow up questions. But I think that after reading these passages I could say that for us to go to heaven and be with Christ, we need to have him be our priority. He and his work need to be our#1 goal. It's easy to focus on other things in this world and get caught up, but we need to remember why we're here and what our purpose in this life should be.
ReplyDeleteI also think that it is easy to be focused on the things of this world because we see the results right now, whereas with God's work we don't always see results right away and so it's easier to get discouraged.
DeleteIt's interesting, I think, that the young man thinks he is keeping all the commandments... And Jesus says to him, OK, let's just look at how well you keep the first one, having no other gods: sell everything you have, get rid of that idol. Making Christ our ultimate affirmation and object of worship is certainly "the way." Thanks for your comment!
DeleteExcellent point: immediate and obvious results for having wealth, fame, a perfect family... but Christian growth is slow, compared to growing fruit, and requires a good deal of "patience" (Alma 32).
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