Helaman 14:14-31
14:14-18 -Samuel has given us the signs of Christ’s birth but he also continues with the signs of His death, and an explanation of why He must die for “he surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord.” How does the Savior dying give us the resurrection and bring us back into the presence of God? The answer is the Atonement, and deals with all three deaths that we experience in our existence. First, the resurrection, the physical death that befalls all men because of the fall of Adam. Adam was immortal in the garden of eden and would have remained so without sin, but because Adam and Even partook of the forbidden fruit, which ironically both allowed them to have children but only mortal children, children who were subject to death, as I believe that their immortal bodies were not capable of having children, so we all were born into mortal bodies that must die, through no fault of our own and God wouldn’t be just if there wasn’t any plan made to make amends for that. In fact, just the opposite would be true, we “earned” the right to have our bodies because we kept our first estate, so if we came to earth, lived, then died and never got to keep our bodies, that would be robbery and unacceptable. But there was a plan made, from the beginning. In “Jesus the Christ” James E. Talmage teaches “As the penalty incident to the fall came upon the race through an individual act, it would be manifestly unjust, and therefore impossible as part of the divine purpose, to make all men suffer the results thereof without provision for deliverance. Moreover, since by the transgression of one man sin came into the world and death was entailed upon all, it is consistent with reason that the atonement thus made necessary should be wrought by one. ‘Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned… Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.’ So taught the apostle Paul; and further: ‘For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” The resurrection and the physical death is pretty straightforward, but in verse 16 Samuel talks about the first spiritual death, which is similar to the physical death in that because Adam sinned, he was not only subject to physical death but he was also not worthy to live in God’s presence anymore, thus his expulsion from the garden. This is how we came to be born into this life outside of the presence of God. Was it our fault that we were born without the physical presence of God? No, it was Adam and Eve's fault, so in order to remain just, the Atonement had to make it so that we could be permitted back into the presence of God, like in verse 17 when Samuel says "But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord." Back into his presence forever? No, the IM quotes President Spencer W. Kimball as teaching "Our first parents, Ada. and Eve, disobeyed God. By eating the forbidden fruit, they became mortal. Consequently, they and all of their descendants became subject to both mortal and spiritual death (mortal death, the separation of body and spirit; and spiritual death, the separation of the spirit from the presence of God and death as pertaining to the things of the spirit.) For us, this spiritual death occurred when we left God's presence and were born into mortality. Samuel the Lamanite called being cut off from His presence 'the first death.' Samuel the Lamanite taught that all of Heavenly Father's children who lived in mortality will overcome physical and spiritual death through the powers of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Many other scriptures attest to this fact." So we will be brought back into the presence of God, and in the Infinite Atonement the author quotes Brother Robert J. Matthews as teaching "There is a prevailing idea that although the resurrection is free, only those who repent and obey the gospel will ever return to the presence of God. Those who adhere to this idea, however, seem to have missed a very essential point and fundamental concept of the Atonement, and that is that Jesus Christ has redeemed all mankind from all the consequences of the fall of Adam. The scriptures teach that every person, saint or sinner, will return to the presence of God after the resurrection. It may be only a temporary reunion in his presence, but justice requires that all that was lost in Adam be restored in Jesus Christ. Every person will return to God's presence, behold his face, and be judged for his own works. Then, those who have obeyed the gospel will be able to stay in his presence, while all others will have to be shut out of his presence a second time and will thus die what is called a second spiritual death." The second spiritual death is referred to by Samuel in verse 18 when he says "whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness." Of this second spiritual death, the IM teaches "The second death is an ultimate or final spiritual death that comes not because of leaving God's presence to be born into mortality, but comes because of unrepented personal sin. The Savior has also provided help to overcome this second spiritual death. By suffering for our sins, He offers us the opportunity to repent. But to those who do not repent, there 'cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea a second death, for they are cut off again as to the things pertaining to righteousness.' This means that a person with unresolved sin cannot remain in God's presence after he or she is brought back to Him for judgment.' Elder Russel M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described this condition: 'If physical death should strike before moral wrongs have been made right, the opportunity for repentance will have been forfeited. This 'the (real) sting of death is sin.' Even the Savior cannot save us in our sins. He will redeem us from our sins, but only upon condition of our repentance. We are responsible for our own spiritual survival or death.'" It all seems pretty complex, and maybe it is, but it's really a beautiful plan, very just, very merciful, it's incredible. In an incredibly powerful and moving explanation of the plan of salvation and the Savior's role in it James E. Talmage in "Jesus the Christ" wrote "What other man has been without sin, and therefore wholly exempt from the dominion of Satan, and to whole death, the wage of sin, is not naturally due? Had Jesus Christ met death as other men have done- the result of the power that Satan has gained over them through their sins- His death would have been but an individual experience, expiatory in no degree of any faults or offenses but His own. Children absolute sinlessness make Him eligible, His humility and willingness rendered His acceptable to the Father as the atoning sacrifice where by propitiation could be made for the sins of all men. What other man has lived with power to withstand death, over whom death could not prevail except through his own submission?... Through the atonement accomplished by Jesus Christ- a redeeming service, vicariously rendered in behalf of mankind, all of whom have become estranged from god by the effects of sin both inherited and individually incurred- the way is opened for a reconciliation whereby man may come again into communion with God, and be made fit to dwell anew and forever in the presence of his Eternal Father."
14:19-31 - Samuel has covered the birth and mission of Christ, but now he talks about the signs that can be looked for indicating His death. Hugh Nibley doesn't go into much about these signs because he says that it will be covered in much greater depth later, and I'm good with that. The only thing that I want to mention here is that when we were reading this as a family, it occurred to me that Samuel was speaking very scientifically about the earth. He uses phrases like "rocks which are upon the face of this earth, which as both above the earth and beneath, which ye know at this time are solid, or the more part of it is one solid mass, shall be broken up." Interesting, he's talking about the varying layers of the earth's crust, and he continues talking about these rocks can be found in "seams and in cracks, and in broken fragments upon the face of the whole earth, yea both above the earth and beneath." While we were listening to this, it occurred to me that he was talking about plate tectonics! It's incredible. When the Savior is murdered, willingly sacrificing his life for us, the earth will grieve so violently that Nephi tells us "many of the kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God of nature suffers." Why is it so important that these events be so widely known "and this to the intent that whosoever will believe might be saved, and that whosoever will not believe, a righteous judgment might come upon them; and also if they are condemned they bring upon themselves their own condemnation. And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth is unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hat given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free. He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you." There are many examples that we see, there are many temptations and reasonings that can influence us, we know of the fall and the atonement, and because the atonement has set right the physical and first spiritual death, we can blame no one else for our actions, we reap the wages of the master whom we serve. In "The Articles of Faith" James E. Talmage teaches that "Thus it is plain that the effect of the atonement, as far as it applies to the victory over temporal or bodily death, involves the entire race. It is equally clear that the release from Adam's legacy of spiritual death, or banishement from the presence of God, will be similarly universal; so that if any man lose salvation, such loss will be due to himself, and in no way dependent upon the Fall." We are in this life with other people, they affect us and we affect them, we are in this life with a loving Heavenly Father, who we can choose to walk with or walk away from, the choices that we make are our own, we must become strong in our testimonies, we must become strong in our relationship with Jesus, because in the end, we stand alone to answer for our choices.
14:19-31 - Samuel has covered the birth and mission of Christ, but now he talks about the signs that can be looked for indicating His death. Hugh Nibley doesn't go into much about these signs because he says that it will be covered in much greater depth later, and I'm good with that. The only thing that I want to mention here is that when we were reading this as a family, it occurred to me that Samuel was speaking very scientifically about the earth. He uses phrases like "rocks which are upon the face of this earth, which as both above the earth and beneath, which ye know at this time are solid, or the more part of it is one solid mass, shall be broken up." Interesting, he's talking about the varying layers of the earth's crust, and he continues talking about these rocks can be found in "seams and in cracks, and in broken fragments upon the face of the whole earth, yea both above the earth and beneath." While we were listening to this, it occurred to me that he was talking about plate tectonics! It's incredible. When the Savior is murdered, willingly sacrificing his life for us, the earth will grieve so violently that Nephi tells us "many of the kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God of nature suffers." Why is it so important that these events be so widely known "and this to the intent that whosoever will believe might be saved, and that whosoever will not believe, a righteous judgment might come upon them; and also if they are condemned they bring upon themselves their own condemnation. And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth is unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hat given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free. He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you." There are many examples that we see, there are many temptations and reasonings that can influence us, we know of the fall and the atonement, and because the atonement has set right the physical and first spiritual death, we can blame no one else for our actions, we reap the wages of the master whom we serve. In "The Articles of Faith" James E. Talmage teaches that "Thus it is plain that the effect of the atonement, as far as it applies to the victory over temporal or bodily death, involves the entire race. It is equally clear that the release from Adam's legacy of spiritual death, or banishement from the presence of God, will be similarly universal; so that if any man lose salvation, such loss will be due to himself, and in no way dependent upon the Fall." We are in this life with other people, they affect us and we affect them, we are in this life with a loving Heavenly Father, who we can choose to walk with or walk away from, the choices that we make are our own, we must become strong in our testimonies, we must become strong in our relationship with Jesus, because in the end, we stand alone to answer for our choices.
Comments
Post a Comment