The Resurrection
A Question
While at church a few weeks ago, the teacher asked a question to the effect of “What does it mean to you that Christ lives?” I have been a church-goer and a believer long enough to know that it means that we, too, will live again. I also know that it means there is a living God who plays a role in my life. Most of the class members gave answers similar to these. There is no doubt this is Christian doctrine, doctrine I believe in.
The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame. -Alma 40:23
The Problem
An intelligent reader (which clearly the two or three of you who read this are) is screaming,“You didn’t get the question!” (Of course, my readers are probably also patient and reasonable, so they probably aren’t screaming.) Indeed, we hadn’t fully grasped the question. It’s one thing to know a fact or doctrine, but it’s another for it to have meaning in your life. I commend the teacher for asking this question that now has me thinking.
Thinking about this at home, another question came to mind.
Do I live a life of faith?
Am I making decisions in a way that prioritizes the enduring? Do I have faith that my actions today have an influence on who I will become in the eternities? Am I frantically trying to make achievement in my trade or in the community? I am not saying such achievement is wicked on its own. In fact, it is usually good. But prioritizing those achievements over things such as quality time with family, loving, and service indicates that we don’t fully believe that there will be time (an eternity) to master many trades.
Of course, one might claim that we can just as easily learn to love and serve in the eternities. But I believe there is a time of testing, a mortal experience that is critical to the personality we will have in the eternities. And I believe in the judgments spoken of in scripture.
Conclusion
I have realized I need to find ways in which I can better focus on what matters most because Christ did rise from the dead, and He lives. I will not lack any good thing in the long run by doing what matters most today.
