The day began with our reading our companion study of the Book of Mormon. We take turns reading (in German), doing two chapters per day. Today we read Alma, chapters 40 and 41. As we were reading, I felt a deep impression of how powerful the concept of resurrection really is. In our Gospel teachings, I believe that we, as church members, gloss over the fact that all people will be resurrected and focus mainly on the power of the Atonement in our individual work for salvation. Though the power of the Savior's atonement in bringing us back to God through his indescribable sacrifice for us, the sheer magnitude of power of the resurrection in unfathomable. Before the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the only destiny of mankind was to be disembodied spirits, forever in a state of misery. Having experienced the joys and sorrows - the depth and range of emotions, the power that comes with having a body - and then to lose it forever, with no hope of ever progressing, would be devastating to comprehend. Then, with that one powerful moment, Jesus Christ brought about the resurrection of every child of God, an indescribable act of His Holy Priesthood.
I realized as we read those powerful words of Alma, that I had trivialized that powerful blessing of all mankind. The fact that everyone will be resurrected does not make the resurrection merely a bullet point in our list of the steps of the plan of salvation. It is the pivot point that is absolutely necessary for the whole plan to make sense.
Alma saw the power of this wonderful concept of the resurrection as he counseled his son, Corianton, and gave us a much deeper understanding of it as it pertains to all of us.
May we not take it for granted, but give deep thanks to God for the Grace that Jesus Christ made possible for all mankind.
No comments:
Post a Comment