Tuesday, October 14, 2014

D&C 132:7 -- On Building rather than Burning

"And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead."
Doctrine and Covenants 132:7


This section is talking about the new and everlasting covenant, and these are the conditions of it.  Basically God is saying that the only agreements or associations that will survive death are ones that God has approved and sealed.  This seems to make sense... death is a huge change, just as birth was.  When we come to earth the veil is drawn, and we can't remember who we used to be.  At death, theoretically, that veil is removed and we once again will remember who we were before this life, and combined with who we have been here, we might have a different outlook on a lot of things.
We learn elsewhere "And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy." (D&C 130:2).  Sociality seems to mean that we'll be able to interact and still have friends and discourse, but that additional expectations and former relationships that weren't formalized through temple sealings will have an end at death.  This sounds somewhat unfair to people who haven't had the chance to hear the gospel, but the idea behind temple work is to establish all of those links for everyone, right?  If we find in our genealogy that a couple was married, then we make sure that work is done, so that they can take advantage of that bond if they so choose after this life.  It's still a little bit scary, just because the obligation is on us to establish permanent relationships if we want them.  Most of what we do in this life is temporary.  We burn bridges behind us a lot.  We establish friendships based on proximity or common tasks, and when those are gone, then often so is the relationship.  God gives us this chance to make certain kinds of relationships last (marriages, adoptions), but we have to be sure and careful with them, because we're establishing something eternal in the midst of our mess of temporary.  Today, let's make sure that we are building rather than burning.  And let's try to be more careful and loving with everyone.

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