There's a difference between willingly following the Lord's direction down a path that one knows, intellectually, may include various unspecified but significant sacrifices, and starting the same path having thoughtfully reviewed the potential sacrifices involved, examined their details and consequences, and chosen to accept them. Although certainly the Lord wants a people willing to follow him whether or not they know what they're getting themselves into, the more educated choice may require greater faith.
We tend not to talk about stuff like this very much, but there's an interesting thought floating around the minds of at least some LDS believers out there, that once they get married in the temple, they're saved. it comes from D&C 132:26:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man marry a wife according to my word, and they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; In other words, they quietly claim, once they get sealed in the temple, they're saved. I should point out that as far as I know, those in positions to declare Church doctrine have not made that claim. This seems to be more of a cultural belief than an official one. Which is good, because as I see it, it completely misinterprets scripture. For instance, John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. You don't have eternal life until you know God. Period. Which kinda helps explain what the "Holy Spirit of Promise" might mean. Remember the rich man, who told Christ he'd kept the commandments from his youth and wanted to know what to do next? And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? On the theme of not-lost sheep, from the last post, I wonder just how many of us lifetime churchgoers remain convinced we've kept the commandments from our youth, don't quite get around to asking the Lord "what lack I yet?"
In Christ's parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7), what about the "ninety and nine" that weren't lost? It's sometimes nice to think of ourselves as Not-Lost Sheep, merrily cheering those prodigals who return while happy in our own status as "just persons, who need no repentance." But don't we all need repentance? Haven't we all fallen away from our shepherd into some corner of this telestial wilderness? And if we're so good at following the shepherd wherever he leads us, why didn't we not-lost sheep in the parable follow him looking for the one who was lost?
The process of salvation requires each of us to shed all other concerns and false faith, and depend on Christ only. That's what happens when the lost sheep finds himself alone in the wilderness, and it's what needs to happen to us. It will not serve us to tell ourselves that there are 98 other sheep grazing happily around us, so Christ must be somewhere nearby. We can rest only when we've determined we are indeed in his presence. |