Gospel Cogitations

It is rather fortuitous that I have already covered the topic of the spirit world , because that allows us to segway directly to a discussion of the resurrection, a direct result of the Atonement of Christ, which was discussed last week. Because Christ rose from the dead, we also will rise.  "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" ( 1 Cor. 15:22 ).  Christ overcame one of the challenges keeping us from returning to live with God - physical death.  This blessing is granted to all who have ever or will ever live on the earth.  Even the wicked will be given back their bodies.  This resurrection is in preparation for eventual judgment.  These two events are often spoken of in connection with one another in the scriptures.  For example, Jacob said: "...and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be

When I began this detailed exploration of the plan of salvation, I knew that I would eventually need to talk about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Since then, I have prayed and pondered as to how to best approach this topic.  This is the most sacred event in all of history, and I hope that I will be able to represent it well. To atone means "to suffer the penalty for sins, thereby removing the effects of sin from the repentant sinner and allowing him or her to be reconciled to God" ( lds.org ).  As I mentioned last time, without external help, our position in mortality would be an exercise in futility.  We are subject to both physical and spiritual death, which keep us from entering the presence of God. The whole purpose of the plan of salvation is to bring mankind back into the presence of God and allow them to be partakers of eternal life.  Thus, a way was prepared so that this would be a possibility.  As revealed by Jesus Christ in this modern dispensation: "I, Go

I recently read a scripture in the Book of Mormon that warned that in the last days, many would "teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance" ( 2 Nephi 28:4 ).  Sometimes I worry that my writings will come off as being too scholarly, but I don't know any other way to write.  Like Moroni would later write, although I can have great gospel conversations with people, I worry that it does not translate very well to writing ( Ether 12:25 ). Hopefully you can still be edified by what I write. Of all the parts of the plan of salvation, mortality is the one we know the most about, because of our experiences, but the one that so often confuses people, because it does not have a pre-defined outcome.  Whereas we know exactly what happened in the pre-existence, and we know what will happen after we die (to be covered later), this life is an enigma.  Our choices, and the choices of those around us interact in such complex ways that we never know wh

On my mission I heard a very insightful talk from Elder Bruce R. McConkie that he gave at BYU called The Three Pillars of Eternity .   In it he said that the 3 most important acts in all of eternity are the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  As I continue my exploration of the Plan of Salvation, I will address the first 2 today. What we refer to as the creation of the world is recorded in multiple places in the scriptures, first in Genesis in the Old Testament, and also in the books of Moses and Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price.  However, the word "creation" itself is not entirely accurate.  Most Christians believe that God created the world, and mankind, " Ex Nihilo ", or "out of nothing".  However, we understand from modern revelation that "Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be" ( D&C 93:29 ), and that the earth was "organize