Lately I have been pondering a lot on the Plan of Salvation and the hope and peace that it gives me. Now let me start by being clear that everything I say is because I have accepted God's great plan of Salvation and the Savior's atonement but I am not perfect, I still am learning and I do not feel like I am or my thoughts are better than anyone else/s. I know that Heavenly Father loves each of his children and desires that they become all that they can become. I have been struggling in thinking about what other people think of our beliefs. Some people believe that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have not truly accepted the Lord's atonement which is needed alone for salvation. Continuing with logical reasoning, they then do not believe that we will be saved. They believe in a Heaven and a Hell. Heaven will be a wonderful place for those who are saved to live with God forever. Hell will be a place of fire and brimstone and wailing and gnashing of teeth void of any love of God or light of Christ. Does this then mean that I will go to a place of fire and brimstone and will be without any portion of the love of God or the light of Christ for eternity, even though I feel it strongly in my life right now? I believe that all people feel God's love in their life at some point, even if they do not fully understand it. And they desire it, even if they struggle to feel it or know who it comes from. Will some of my dear friends then be in Heaven basking in the Love and Glory of God, not thinking twice of me as I burn in pain and anguish for all eternity, just because I believe a little bit differently. This makes absolutely no sense to me.
Now I have read what the bible says on Heaven and Hell and I know of the vivid descriptions given. But my son Caeleb has been developing his own feelings on God, Heaven and Hell, and the plan of salvation and as I was tucking him into bed tonight, he mentioned something to me that really hit me in a positive way. He simply stated "what kind of Father (referring to Heavenly Father) would put his child into infinity time out!" What great wisdom coming from a small child. I agree full heartedly Caeleb! It makes no sense that a loving God would send his children to a place where none of his love is felt for eternity. I know what the bible says and I understand that the Plan of Salvation, as I know it, is not laid out word for word in the Bible. That is why God has provided us with living Prophets in our day to clarify scripture and receive more revelation for our sensitive modern day world. People may struggle to believe in Modern day prophets and revelation but are these concepts not just as believable if not more so than believing in a God that sends people to a place of eternal misery even if they are trying to do what is right?
I believe that the Savior has saved us from physical and spiritual death. We just need to accept his gift of the atonement and we do this by following his example. After all, faith without works is dead (James 2:17). One of those works is baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost (John 3:5 and Acts 2:38). There are other things that God would have us do, such as following other commandments (for example, there are the 10 commandments and others in the Bible), that draw us nearer unto him so that we may feel even more of his love and receive more understanding of his way of providing us with salvation. That being said, what does it mean to be saved? To go to Heaven? Am I going to Heaven? After all, I have accepted Christ's atonement. But people would still argue that I am not going to Heaven and that even though I am trying to follow Christ and build a relationship with him, I will be cast into Hell because I believe in MORE? Wait, What! It makes no sense to me. And are those who go to Heaven, are they ever going to be perfectly happy knowing that they have friends and family burning in eternal anguish and pain and suffering. I think that if I was in THAT Heaven, I would be eternally begging Heavenly Father to let me bring my family and friends away from that awful place called Hell.
Does it not make more sense that Heavenly Father intends to save his children and that only the very few evilest of persons, who fully reject all of the Gospel even as they feel the spirit, would go to a place where they cannot feel any of God's love. If I am so bold to say, they probably do not desire God's love and they desire to be with Satan. And if people can not accept fully the Savior in this life - due to circumstances or just because everyone thinks differently and some people have a harder time believing, does it not make sense that God would still offer the most that he can to them - some portion of his Glory and Love. Does he not love them at least that much? The gate may be narrow and few be that find it (Matthew 7:14) but do you not think that God intends to help all to find it eventually. At least to find the Gateway to some degree of his Glory and Love? Does he not love us that much?
I do feel God's love in my life and I believe that just because people do not think that I am right, it does not mean that after I die, that love will be taken away from me forever.
I believe in a loving Heavenly Father who has a perfect plan for his children. After we are resurrected to our perfected bodies, we will each be judged perfectly by our loving Savior. When we get to Heaven, however that may look like for each of us individually, we will all be able to feel of God's perfect love and we will know that we are where we need to be based on what we were willing to accept of the Fullness of the Gospel. It will all make sense then just as the Plan of Salvation does make sense now.
