Pastor Jeff has put out his latest video commenting on the contents of the Book of Mormon, in which he discusses the book of Helaman. He doesn’t say too many controversial things, so it doesn’t require a lengthy reply. I will comment briefly on a couple of points. At around 20 minutes into the video he comments on a reference made in chapter 12 verse 15, about the “earth moving rather than the sun,” in the daily appearance of sunset and sunrise; or referencing the miracle in Joshua 10:12-13; and concludes that it is a “scientific” observation that was not known at the time; and ends it with the following statement:
“… but I also understand what Latter-day Saints will say is that this is part of the ongoing revelation, and maybe some of these specific details were in the Bible at one point, but they were lost.”
That would not be my conclusion. My conclusion would be that “science” has nothing to do with it. Science is one way of obtaining knowledge, but not the only way. Revelation from God is another way. God knows whether the earth is moving or the sun, and can reveal that information to his prophet at any time that he chooses to. It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that. And it needn’t have previously been revealed to anyone else in the Bible either. It may have been, but it needn’t have been. Then further down he comments on what is said in verses 25 and 26 of the same chapter as follows:
Helaman 12:
25 And I would that all men might be saved. But we read that in the great and last day there are some who shall be cast out, yea, who shall be cast off from the presence of the Lord;
26 Yea, who shall be consigned to a state of endless misery, fulfilling the words which say: They that have done good shall have everlasting life; and they that have done evil shall have everlasting damnation. And thus it is. Amen.
And asks how that matches up with the doctrine of the “three degrees of glory” taught in section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants? There are two answers to that question. The first is that many of those who end up in the telestial kingdom (perhaps all of them) spend some time in hell, as punishment for their sins, before being redeemed, and being assigned to a place in the telestial kingdom:
Doctrine and Covenants 76:
83 These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit.
84 These are they who are thrust down to hell.
85 These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work.
According to the Bible (Luke 12:47-48; Matt. 5:26), as well as modern LDS scripture, for most people hell is not permanent. Hell is permanent only for those who commit the unpardonable sin, or sin against the Holy Ghost. All the rest will eventually come out, after they have paid the full penalty for their sins; or the “uttermost farthing,” as Matthew 5:26 describes it; and will be assigned a place in the telestial kingdom. Hell doesn’t have to be permanent for it to be effective punishment. Just because it is not permanent, it does not mean that those who end up there have an easy time. The second answer to that question is found in Doctrine and Covenants 19:6-12, which explains that phrases such as “eternal punishment” and “endless punishment” is an indication of the nature of the judgments of God, or divine punishment; and does not necessarily mean that there shall be “no end” to this punishment.
No comments:
Post a Comment