In
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe in 3 kingdoms of
glory as referred to in 1 Corinthians 15:40-42, one compares to the glory of
the sun, another the moon and the least compares to the glory of the stars.
Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial. All are Kingdoms of God’s glory. Think
of God’s glory in terms of giving and receiving, gratitude and blessings.
The
lesser glories (terrestrial and telestial) do not have eternal family
relationships (aka family relationships do not extend past death). It’s not a
condemnation, simply a choice; rather, the consequences of mortal choices.
For
example, a divorced man I know (we’ll call him Kevin) has more opportunities
than he takes to spend time with his children (his family). It is his choice.
He could choose to use those opportunities to be with them, but he chooses not
to, he chooses something else in their place.
So
it is with heaven, we are not condemned to live in lesser glories, it is our
choices of where we spend our focus, thoughts, and time. (Refer “To Do Lists of
Marriage” blog post).
Just
as Kevin misses his children at times, so it is in heaven of a lesser glory.
Those feelings do not leave us. It is what we choose in this life, however,
what we receive in the next. Consequences are not condemnation of God. They are
simply the effects of our causes (choices). We cause/choose what we receive
(the effects).
Think
of the immense power and joy there exists in the Kingdom of God, His fulness of
glory, the celestial glory.
…the
power we receive from all the choices we continually effectuate.
Our
choices causing the effect (consequence) of receiving the highest of God’s
glories. Of course, any glory received is all made possible through Christ’s
perfection and sacrifice.
…because
clearly, not one of us perfectly makes choices leading to perfection in
mortality…
The
Only Way to escape the justice that hell calls us by is our Savior, who reached
down beneath us to pull us up into a fighting chance of receiving glory. There’d
be no hope of glory without him.
Pride
is self-focus and can never effectuate glory of God. We have the opportunities
within our marriages and families to set aside pride, our self-focus, and
replace it with giving and receiving, with gratitude and extending blessings.
This is God’s love and glory and it can work in us as we work with others.
God’s glory can ONLY work in us as we work with others.
God’s
glory does not make a complete cycle (like an electric circuit) with a single
person. If a person is only focused on self, there is no cycle of giving and
receiving…only expectations and taking. Just like the electric circuit, if
there is only a single cord and no connections, there is no light. However, if
the single cord is connected to a power source (God), it will have a charge
(God’s power) running through it. Why have a charged cord with nowhere to use
the power? Connect the single charged cord to another single charged cord, and
now you are able to create light because the circuit is complete. The amazing
thing is though, more connections can be made with other cords to create even
more light!
This
picture demonstrates simplistically how God intends a constant flow of His
glory (giving and receiving, gratitude and blessings) to work among us, His
children…His family.
Working
God’s glory together is the way (Christ taught) to learn of and receive his
glory.
He
extends his love to all of us every family member, living and dead, to do his
work…working together.
Christ
opened the way for us and showed it to us.
Everything
Christ taught and teaches points to the unification of His family. He gave us
(gives us) the steps to understand His ways which will unite us.
Pride,
self-focus, will never unite anyone. It only destroys. It stops the circuit
flow. It pokes holes in the relationship fabric until (if not mended)
eventually completely separates, tearing, ripping, destroying the beauty God
intended us to create by His Son’s hand.
Beware
of pride. “Oh be wise, what can I say more?” (Jacob 6:12).
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