It is given unto many to\u00a0know\u00a0the\u00a0mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart\u00a0only\u00a0according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. \u00a0And therefore, he that will\u00a0harden\u00a0his heart, the same receiveth the\u00a0lesser\u00a0portion of the word; and he that will not\u00a0harden his heart, to him is\u00a0given\u00a0the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full. \u00a0And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser\u00a0portion\u00a0of the word until they\u00a0know nothing concerning his mysteries.<\/strong> \u00a0(Alma 12:9-11)<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve seen these principles in action. \u00a0To me, they\u2019re empirical realities, not mere articles of faith.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Specifically, I seen minds so darkened that they can no longer understand things that I personally know they once understood. \u00a0It\u2019s been more than a little unnerving to watch, frankly.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve also, unfortunately, had the experience of speaking too publicly about things that the Spirit had told me not to bring up. \u00a0It has never gone well. \u00a0It\u2019s always been unpleasant and I\u2019ve always felt that I had betrayed a trust.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
2.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall be condemned. \u00a0For our\u00a0words\u00a0will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains\u00a0to fall upon us to\u00a0hide\u00a0us from his presence. \u00a0But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting\u00a0shame\u00a0that all his\u00a0judgments\u00a0are just.<\/strong> \u00a0(Alma 12:13-15)<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tend to take the physical torments associated with Hell metaphorically. \u00a0But I can well imagine the agony of guilt and the consciousness of our betrayal, as well as the urgent but futile desire to hide from the Person that we\u2019ve wronged \u2014 and whom, we\u2019ll have realized by then, we had already known and even loved before we came into this mortal life. \u00a0Our Father won\u2019t need to send little imps to prod us with pitchforks. \u00a0We\u2019ll do that, and more than that, ourselves.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
3.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then, I say unto you, they shall be as though there had been\u00a0no\u00a0redemption made; for they cannot be redeemed according to God\u2019s justice; and they cannot\u00a0die, seeing there is no more corruption. <\/strong>\u00a0(Alma 12:18)<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even the release of death will be denied to them. \u00a0There will truly be \u2014 more truly than Sartre knew \u2014 \u201cNo Exit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not, anyway, as far as we now know. \u00a0However, I retain a quasi-universalistic optimism. \u00a0I hope that pain will come to an end for all, eventually.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve always liked the reply of Pope St. John Paul II, when he was asked whether a Christian must believe in Hell. \u00a0\u201cYes,\u201d the Pope replied, \u201cbut we can hope that it will be empty.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 Today\u2019s reading, Alma 12, contains far more than I will be able to discuss here. \u00a0But I want to comment very briefly on a couple of passages. \u00a0 1. \u00a0 It is given unto many to\u00a0know\u00a0the\u00a0mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart\u00a0only\u00a0according to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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