Tag: Glory

I Have Glorified the Father in Taking upon Me the Sins of the World

~ Richard Rowley

After descending from heaven to visit a group of Lehi’s descendants gathered at one of their temples, Christ reminds them of who He is and the relationship He has with God the Father.

“…I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father has given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning…I am the God of Israel and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.” (3 Nephi 11:11,14)

Questions:

-How did Christ’s life and Atonement (won through incomprehensible and eternally meaningful suffering) glorify the Father?

-Was Christ’s unflinching loyalty to the Father closely tied to his similar loyalty to us (those for whom He worked out the Atonement)?

-What would it mean to you to strive to be as loyal to Christ as He has been to you and God our Father?

They Are Their Own Judges

~ Richard Rowley

“…It is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good. And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame—mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption—raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other—The one raised to happiness according to his desires for happiness, or good according to his desires of good, and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh. And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness. These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.” (Alma 41:3-7)

Questions:

-Will the influence of Christ’s glory and pure intelligence at the Last Judgment, without Him having to speak a word, allow one to judge himself or herself?   

The Grave Shall Have No Victory

~ Richard Rowley

Aaron, a Nephite missionary, teaches the Lamanite king about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

“…Since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance…and…[Christ] breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory…” (Alma 22:14)

Questions:

-What can be merited through the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

-Can anything be merited without it?

-Is Christ’s Atonement an invitation to good works, since nothing can be merited without the Atonement, but much can be merited (your good works can be magnified by God) with it?

-Are you willing to accept the victory of the grave? Or, do you choose to believe in the testimony of Aaron that death isn’t the end, but has been conquered by Jesus Christ?

God Made Known unto Them the Plan of Redemption

~ Richard Rowley

God doesn’t make mistakes or run into issues accidentally. We are here in mortality because He planned it to be so. But when we came to this Earth we lost our memory of God’s plan and the eternal realms where we came from. Angels have been sent from the beginning to remind humankind of God’s plan of redemption.

“…[God] saw that it was expedient that man should know concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto them. Therefore he sent angels to converse with them, who caused men to behold of his glory. And they began from that time forth to call on his name; therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their faith and repentance and their holy works.” (Alma 12:28-30)

Questions:

-Is conversing with one of God’s messengers akin to conversing with God?

-Why does God usually send messengers instead of conversing with mortals directly?

-Are the angels that are sent to us always beings from the heavenly realms? Or, are they sometimes fellow mortals who are doing God’s work?

He is Full of Grace, Equity, and Truth

~ Richard Rowley

Alma describes the nature of the glory that fills and radiates from God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

“…The Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people and to answer their prayers.” (Alma 9:26)

Questions:

-Have you ever thought of God’s glory in terms of the intensity of His love and goodness towards His creations?

-Would God’s power be glorious (from the human perspective) if it was unaligned with His perfectly pure and generous intentions for our welfare?

Every Knee Shall Bow and Every Tongue Confess

~ Richard Rowley

Alma testifies that all will recognize Christ for who He is as our Lord and Redeemer.

“…Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall they confess, who live without God in the world, that the judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye.” (Mosiah 27:31)

Questions:

-What does it mean to live without God?

-It is a choice whether you live with or without Him?

-What choices can you make to draw closer to God?

-Do those who sincerely and diligently seek God, find God?

-Will those who never drew closer to the light of God during this life shake, tremble, and quake (i.e. be overwhelmed spiritually) when His full glory is revealed to them at the Judgment Day?

If You Do This Ye Shall Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins

~ Richard Rowley

King Benjamin teaches that humbly remembering the perfect goodness of God, calling on His name in prayer, and exercising steady faith are closely tied to being filled with the love of God and retaining a forgiveness of sin.

“…As ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith…And…I say unto you that if you do this ye shall always rejoice and be filled with the love of God and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge that which is just and true.” (Mosiah 4:11-12)

Questions:

-How does one come to a knowledge of the glory of God?

-Is it possible to do so without the influence of the Holy Ghost?

-How important is it to remember the impressions received from the Holy Ghost about who God really is?

-How is humility, prayer, and faithful action tied to retaining forgiveness of sins.

-Can a person shut out the purifying influence of the Holy Ghost by his or her thoughts or actions? Is it possible to retain a forgiveness of sins without the purifying influence of the Holy Ghost?