GRADUATION UNTO ETERNAL LIFE 4

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:7)

By the time we reach the point where we think we are ready for the graduate courses on Level Three of Heavenly Father’s Eternal Life curriculum we will have worn out many robes as we continually put them on and take them off. We may have even screamed out in our minds for aid in breaking the vicious cycle we seemed to be treading upon. In all probability we have not entered into the post graduate curriculum of Level Three because we have a mistaken idea or in fact no idea what that curriculum is all about.

Like so many of the really important advancements we make in life, the curriculum of Level Three – Receiving the Attributes of Celestialness or Becoming like Heavenly Father through His Grace seems to come to us as a gift once the Master has seen our willingness to submit to all the conditions we have learned as we struggled in the classrooms of Level one and Level two.

A few of His revealed words might help us better understand what Level Three is all about:

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled.

For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ, and know for what end the law was given. And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away. (Book of Mormon – 2nd Nephi 25: 23-27)

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. (Book of Mormon – Moroni 10: 32, 33)

And we heard the voice, saying: Write the vision, for lo, this is the end of the vision of the sufferings of the ungodly.

And again we bear record—for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just—They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given—That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;

And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true. (Doctrine and Covenants 76: 49-53)

It would probably be appropriate to add another word of caution. There are many of us who might fall into the telestial mind trap of thinking that because we have been true and faithful in our learning and practicing the principles taught in the classrooms of Level One and Two we are owed a reward for our faithfulness. If we succumb to this heresy pontificated by the philosophies of men, we have indeed failed to understand the meaning of the word gift and have not even begun to understand the principle of Grace.

Elder Russell M. Nelson, an Apostle of the Lord in a recent General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints told of a study he had done in the scriptures of our Lord and Savior by searching all the references to Jesus Christ found in the Topical Guide and prayerfully studying them. A wonderful activity for sanctifying and making the Sabbath a delight might be to do a similar searching of the principles of Grace and Gifts.

May the blessings of Heaven shower us with the desire to be diligent in our efforts to Shed ourselves of our Telestialness and Clothe ourselves in Terrestrialness and be ready to graciously and gratefully Receive gift of the attributes of Celestialness or Becoming like Heavenly Father through His Grace.

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:7)

THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY