Final Judgment - Matt 19:28-30; Mark 10:29-31; Luke 10:29-31

Even though it appears that Jesus’ response to Peter might be a rebuke, he still recognizes the need for reassurance and in kindness gives it. But what he says might seem counter to what the gospel teaches, saying, “and every one that hath forsaken house, or brethren, or sisters, of father, or mother, or wife, or children, of lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” Surely Jesus can’t be shaming the idea of family responsibilities. Reading this would make it easy to justify never marrying or having children or working to take care of your parents or even just taking care of yourself. Erroneous interpretations of this verse surely have contributed to a paid, single clergy, I wonder if that was on purpose. But what could Jesus have meant? Again, let’s look at it from a physical standpoint to a spiritual one. Surely he does mean abandoning all your responsibilities, but what if your family and comforts and even responsibilities are made priority over God? What if we skip church to work an extra shift every week to make more money? What if we refuse Church callings because we don’t want to spend time away from our family? What if we refuse to get baptized because our parents don’t approve of the Church? These are ways that we choose all those things listed by Jesus over him.

It’s a delicate balance, and I’ve heard that our priorities should be family, work, then the Church, but we have to know where to draw the line. Should we spend every single night out with the missionaries while our children and spouse stay home and do everything? No, at that point we are not full-time missionaries and are to put other matters at the forefront. But is it ok to go out with the missionaries a couple of times a month? Sure. Is it ok to work on Sunday to make a little extra money? That’s up to you and the Savior to work out. I have worked almost every Sunday for my whole adult life, but I have been blessed with the fact that I have never had to miss Church because of it, and I’ve always worked at the hospital so there’s that. Will it be difficult to go against your parents wishes and advice to join the church? Yes, but many people do it, and historically have done it, and their testimonies can be launched from there into a thing of beauty. And Jesus assures us, if we walk this fine line and learn to balance our family and responsibilities with what’s required of us in the kingdom of God that we “shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”

It’s important to remember that the next life will be a time of compensation and healing. The IM quotes Elder M. Russell Ballard as teaching, “We often hear of those suffering and the sacrifices those early Saints endured, and we ask ourselves, How did they do it?... those early Latter-day Saints had made covenants with God, and those covenants burned like unquenchable fire in their hearts. Sometimes we are tempted to let our lives be governed more by convenience than by covenant. It is not always convenient to live gospel standards and stand up for truth and testify of the Restoration. It usually is not convenient to share the gospel with others. It isn’t always convenient to respond to a calling in the Church, especially one that stretches our abilities. Opportunities to serve others in meaningful ways, as we have covenanted to do, rarely come at convenient times. But there is no spiritual power in living by convenience. The power comes as we keep our covenants.”

Matthew records Jesus’ statement explicitly for only the Apostles saying, “Verily I say unto you, that ye which have follower me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” I believe that this refers to the final judgment where the Twelve Apostles will oversee the twelve tribes of Israel in their final settlement. The word “judging” cross references Mormon 3:18 which says, “yea, behold, I write unto all the ends of the earth; yea, unto you, twelve tribes of Israel, who shall be judged according to your works by the twelve whom Jesus chose to be his disciples in the land of Jerusalem.” I don’t remember if it was this verse in Mormon specifically, but some statement in the Book of Mormon similar to this one really upset me because I only want to be judged by Jesus, I don’t want some old guy who doesn’t know me or that has his own issues tell me where I’m going to spend eternity. I have since learned a lot more about the final judgment and how everything is going to play out and I’ve calmed down about it.

I’ve learned that entrance into the Celestial Kingdom is our choice, not God’s. He will want us there desperately and beg us to repent so we can be with him. If we don’t go to the celestial kingdom then it will be because we actively chose not to be there. I’ve learned that those who choose to spend eternity somewhere else will be judged by Jesus Christ himself. To me, this means that the Twelve Apostles will be in some sort of leadership capacity in helping us become perfected through Christ. The Spirit has taught me these things and put my heart and mind at ease concerning my eternal existence. Viewing the final judgment in this manner has freed me from anxiety and fear and guilt. I know that if I am willing to try to be better, if I believe that Jesus can help me be better, then he will work with me to become perfect over time, and I am grateful for the opportuninty.