They Are Their Own Judges
David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Elder Bednar elucidates that the Final Judgment will reflect what we have become through our choices.
Open talk in Gospel LibraryContents
Topics
Embrace the Father's Plan of Happiness
Elder Bednar explains the Father's Plan of Happiness, which provides us with opportunities to receive a physical body, learn from mortal experiences, and progress eternally. Moral agency, or the ability to choose and act, is central to this plan.
The overarching purposes of the Father’s plan are to provide His spirit children with opportunities to receive a physical body, learn "good from evil" through mortal experience, grow spiritually, and progress eternally.
Moral agency is the divinely designed "power of independent action" that empowers us as God’s children to become agents to act and not simply objects to be acted upon.Key Points:
- The Father's plan includes receiving a physical body and learning from mortal experiences.
- Moral agency is central to God's plan and involves choosing and acting in ways that are good and virtuous.
- The exercise of agency should align with loving one another and choosing God.
- Reflect on a time when you had to make a difficult choice and how your understanding of moral agency guided you.
- Consider how the concept of the Father's Plan of Happiness has influenced your life decisions.
- Share an experience where choosing to follow God's commandments brought you closer to Him.
Understand Doing and Becoming
Elder Bednar highlights the importance of not just knowing the gospel but becoming something through the righteous exercise of moral agency. The Final Judgment will be based on what we have become as a result of our actions and desires.
The gospel of Jesus Christ invites us both to know something and to become something through the righteous exercise of moral agency.
The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become.Key Points:
- The gospel invites us to both know and become through righteous choices.
- Final Judgment is about what we have become, not just what we have done.
- Our transformation is the result of the choices we make and the desires of our hearts.
- Think of a time when you felt a change in your character because of living gospel principles.
- How have your actions and desires shaped who you are today?
- Share an experience where you felt you became more Christlike through service or obedience.
Rely on the Savior’s Atonement
Elder Bednar emphasizes that our works and desires alone cannot save us. It is through the Savior’s Atonement that we are reconciled with God. True repentance and faith in Christ are essential for salvation.
After all we can do, we are reconciled with God only through the mercy and grace available through the Savior’s infinite and eternal atoning sacrifice.
How grateful we should be that our sins and wicked deeds will not stand as a testimony against us if we are truly "born again."Key Points:
- Our works and desires alone cannot save us.
- The Savior’s Atonement is essential for reconciliation with God.
- True repentance and faith in Christ are necessary for salvation.
- Reflect on a time when you felt the Savior’s Atonement working in your life.
- How has your understanding of the Atonement deepened your relationship with God?
- Share an experience where you felt the power of repentance and forgiveness.
Cultivate Godly Fear
Elder Bednar distinguishes godly fear from worldly fear. Godly fear is a reverence for the Lord that brings peace and assurance, helping us prepare for the Final Judgment with confidence.
Godly fear invites into our lives peace, assurance, and confidence.
Righteous fear encompasses a deep feeling of reverence and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ, obedience to His commandments, and anticipation of the Final Judgment.Key Points:
- Godly fear is different from worldly fear; it brings peace and assurance.
- It involves reverence for the Lord and obedience to His commandments.
- Godly fear helps us prepare for the Final Judgment with confidence.
- Consider a moment when you felt godly fear and how it influenced your actions.
- How does godly fear differ from the fears you experience in daily life?
- Share an experience where reverence for the Lord guided your decisions.
Be Your Own Judge
Elder Bednar explains that ultimately, we are our own judges. In the presence of the Lord, we will acknowledge what we have chosen to become and know where we should be in eternity.
Ultimately, then, we are our own judges. No one will need to tell us where to go.
In the Lord’s presence, we will acknowledge what we have chosen to become in mortality and know for ourselves where we should be in eternity.Key Points:
- We are our own judges based on what we have chosen to become.
- At the Final Judgment, we will know for ourselves where we belong in eternity.
- Our choices and desires determine our eternal outcome.
- Reflect on how your daily choices are shaping your eternal destiny.
- Consider a time when you had to make a choice that impacted your spiritual growth.
- Share an experience where you felt a clear understanding of your standing before God.
