One day we shall all approach the judgement seat - somewhat sheepishly guessing our final fate. The "Great Judge" will look us in the eye and just say, "how are you?". Your honest response of how you really are is all that will count. Deep inside, will you be feeling guilt or remorse? or will you be at total peace?; satisfied that you are without sin and feeling compassion towards all. There will be no talley of the good deeds you have performed or the troubles you might have caused. No numbering of the loaves of bread delivered to needy neighbors or number of poor children supported in foreign countries. There will be no reckoning of cigaretttes smoked or whisky drunk or the number of people you might have fleeced in your ponzzi scheme. No, it will be how you are feeling in your mind - your willingness to do good and commit no sin.
You might ask how fair is that ?
Jesus gave us a parable to teach the principle. In Matthew Chapter 20 it is written :
1For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his a vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the a labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house,
12 Saying, these last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
Does this sound fair? Most people, even professing Christians do not really believe in Jesus and that he saves us from our sins. They carry even in this life a burden of past sins and present shortcommings; harbouring feelings of inadequacy, depression and guilt which prevent them from carrying on with a clear concience, enjoying each day to the fullest. If a repentant person cannot answer to "how are you?" with a confident "through repentance and the Grace of God, I am a perfect man," then they don't really believe in Jesus and that he paid the price for our sins. The fact that he did so is called the Atonement an is integral to Christian doctorine. Through and because of it we are made clean and able enter God's prensence after the great judgement.
In the parable of the labourers we learn the esscence of Christianity being the Atonement of Jesus Christ, making it possible for all no matter what they have or have not done to enter the kingdom of heaven albeit with a few strings attached. The parable of the prodigal son teaches the same message. All religions require their proponents to do good in this life. The Buddists however require you to keep living other lives until you finally get it right and reach the state of Nirvanah. The Christian plan of salvation is so much simpler. Ever since the beginning it has been the plan that the "Good Householder" would be the benefactor of us all.
The basics of the Christian plan of salvation are these.
A) Each must come to the realization that he or she is a sinner. In Adam all men die a physical and spiritual death. The natural man is an enemy to God. There would be no need for a Savior if we were not blemmished.
B) Being a sinner, a man cannot return to God's presence on his own accord.
C) God provided a Savior in Jesus Christ who atones for all our sins and makes it possible to return to his presence.
D) If we have faith unto repentance and commit to it by baptism, the atonement has effect, all our sins are forgotten, we become pure and clean, the holy ghost becomes our constant companion and we can enter God's presence with an absolutely clear concience.
Let me expand on these four points.
A)None of us is perfet.
Alma 34:9 "...yea, all are hardened,yea, all are fallen and are lost and must perish except it be through the atonement."
Mosiah 2:25 And now I ask, can you say aught of yourselves? I answer you nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth.
B)Man cannot return on his own. 1 Nehpi 10:21 Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.
C) A savior was provided. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotton son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
D) Faith is required to take advantage of the atonement. Articles of Faith 3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ , all manknid may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. D and C 19-16 - For behold I God have suffered these things for all that they might not suffer if they would repent. But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I.
So my friends when asked "how you are" next time if you have repented of your sins, you could lift your head look you questioner in the eye and say "By the grace of God I am a perfect man.
