{"id":314,"date":"2006-11-28T13:09:48","date_gmt":"2006-11-28T20:09:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newcoolthang.com\/index.php\/2006\/11\/my-fairness-obsession\/314\/"},"modified":"2020-01-09T06:15:39","modified_gmt":"2020-01-09T13:15:39","slug":"my-fairness-obsession","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.newcoolthang.com\/index.php\/2006\/11\/my-fairness-obsession\/314\/","title":{"rendered":"I stupidly said judgment would be fair"},"content":{"rendered":"

I walked right into it by using the word fair in the same sentence as judgment<\/a>. It was a rookie mistake. That led eventually to the following assessment <\/a>from LXXLuthor:<\/p>\n

Like Mogs, it scares the hell out of me to think that I and everyone else will get exactly what they deserve, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t deserve anything. And ultimately, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not convinced that anyone else does either. In the Book of Mormon, there is definitely a consistent thought that God will judge, maybe has to judge people by their works (1 Ne. 15:32, etc) but there is also the idea that absolutely no one can merit anything but only through Christ\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s merits are we able to be reconciled to God (Moro 6:4). …The Mormon obssession with works and fairness is real, and if it appears I may have flipflopped from my previous position in the post, I probably have. In a lot of ways I hope that Paul\/Mogget are right. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Almost nothing tires me more than the unending debate over the role of faith and works. Honestly, it makes me want to stack arms. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not that I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have an opinion, or that I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think it is important, but I feel like those debates almost always get lost in semantic equivocation. Thus, I broach the subject with some trepidation.<\/p>\n

Most of the time, the argument has to do with what we are \u00e2\u20ac\u0153saved\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by. Are we saved by faith, or saved by works? Let me sidestep all the usual arguments for a moment and suggest one distinction that is helpful to me. Maybe it will be helpful to you, or (more likely) you can tell me where I am going wrong. <\/p>\n

I believe there is a significant difference in what is required of us here in this life<\/em> and what is required of us at some point in the future eons after this life<\/em>. Thus, there is a constant tension between the high expectations God has for us eventually as compared to the low standards we are actually able to conform to here on earth. On one hand, we are told that we are less than the dust of the earth (Mosiah 2:25-26<\/a>), and we know from introspection that there is a lot of truth to that. On the other hand, we are told that heaven has some pretty high standards. For instance, D&C 88 tells us we must be able to live the law of the celestial kingdom if we are to live in celestial glory (D&C 88:22<\/a>).<\/p>\n

So, which is it? Do we have to become celestial (saved by works) or can we be make it to the celestial kingdom based our love and trust of Jesus, relying on his goodness despite our relatively terrible performance in this life (saved by faith)? For me, the answer is a big \u00e2\u20ac\u0153yes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to both questions. Yes, we must rely on Jesus to save us because we are all unworthy and sinful. Yes we must eventually<\/em> become genuinely celestial in order to be like God and live the kind of existence he lives. <\/p>\n

Ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. (Mosiah 4:11<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

36 All kingdoms have a law given;
\n 37 And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom.
\n 38 And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions.
\n 39 All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified. (D&C 88<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Some see an intractable conflict between these scriptures\u00e2\u20ac\u201dtwo competing views of how we are saved and what is expected of us. To me, it seems quite easy to reconcile them. I expect to do a mediocre job in this life, trying my best at times, but mostly tripping and falling on my face. God, knowing my current weakness, is not going to judge me at the end of this life based on whether or not I achieved celestial status, but on the desires of my heart (D&C 137:8-9<\/a>). And yet, it remains true that to live in celestial glory I must become a celestial being, capable of abiding by a celestial law. There must be some opportunity for continued progress after life. And behold, I find that such opportunities are nicely accounted for by a millennial reign and then various degrees of glory where we can be “sanctified by law” (D&C 88:21,34-35<\/a>) and ministered to by angels of a higher order (D&C 76:86-88<\/a>). Despite my current weakness, I have confidence that if I will stick with it, he will eventually help me become celestial. <\/p>\n

So, is that distinction useful? Is it obvious? Is it worn out from over-use? What do you think?
\n