"The gospel of Jesus Christ and the covenants we have made inevitably cast us as combatants in the eternal contest between truth and error. There is no middle ground in that contest."
-Dallin H. Oaks
*the picture that used to be here was deleted from it's source. I cannot remember what it said*
And there hasn't been since the beginning. Today, as predicted by ancient and modern prophets, the state of the world is getting both better and worse than ever before. Those who seek to live and be like Christ and have faith in Him, whether they realize it or not, are becoming so much more distinct from those who don't that it's extremely difficult to find anyone who isn't sure where they stand on any matter that is even remotely controversial. There is a divide that began before this life between all the children of God and that divide has never been bigger than it is today. Honestly, the difference in Christ's true followers and those who are not, as far as I have observed, is as great as the difference between this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekZTW2r4vb4
and this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOj8_bbL_F8
Or maybe more accurately, as great as the difference between this:
| neuron pathways (wallpaperaccess.com/) |
 |
| quasar (the largest known thing in the universe) |
Yes, there is a divide among the children of God today. I'm not talking about anything cultural, racial, social or anything like that although there are certainly radical divisions based on such today. This divide I'm talking about is a spiritual one. On one side are those who are truly conscious of truths that most of the public is either too afraid or too unwilling to recognize as reality because they are simply not ready for what is coming, be they members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or not. On the other side are those who, Latter-day Saint or not, have truly been paying attention - or are willing to believe those who are - to world wide social, economic, political and spiritual patterns predicted by ancient prophets and reinforced by modern prophets. Of course, I still hold to the truth that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only church that contains the fullness of the gospel of Christ, but being a member of it is just a small part of living that gospel.
Most of the world is completely oblivious to it, or even how big it really is. God is still working to bring as many as He can to the safe side with His Son Jesus Christ, but one truth every single human that has, does or will live on this earth must acknowledge at some point is that, as Neil A Maxwell said, "If in the end we do not choose Christ, it will not matter what we have chosen." Even considering how hard it is now to come to His side when you aren't already there, if you are not on His side of the divide now, it's only going to get even harder to climb to that point the more you wait. The longer we wait to join His ranks and separate ourselves as far as possible from Babylon (the world), the harder it will be. The gap is only going to get wider, more pronounced for those who are paying attention and harder to see for those who's top priority isn't coming to know Him and be like Him.
So how do you know which side you're on?
I'll turn first to the scriptures for what the Savior says about this matter. We know that those who are on His side are those who are sealed as His. As King Benjamin puts it, "I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you His." Said the Lord about those who do this: "They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized...who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true... they shall overcome all things... these are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people... who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all." Doctrine and Covenants 76:51, 53, 60, 63, 66
Those are some pretty powerful words. In the Bible, David also emphasized who these people are effectively when he said "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;..."
To me, the most simple description of someone who is on His side is someone who has, at the very core of their heart, a love for the Savior over and above all else, proven by action, a desire to do whatever He asks and a correct understanding of what that is.
I've said this before but it's worth mentioning it again. A big change is coming to the world soon. We don't have very long before the Lord comes to establish Zion and begin the final stages of gathering His faithful, those who have elected to turn to Him with their whole souls and be cleansed and perfected by His atoning blood. Quoting Jack R. Christianson for the umpteenth time "Satan don't kick no dead dogs." The path to Him, to eternal happiness, is not an easy one. It is littered with struggles and temptations that would and will completely crush those in the world who are without Christ, but the change of heart Alma so lovingly invited us to experience in the Book of Mormon, if welcomed with open arms and a humble heart, will be the very thing over time that brings us that joy incomprehensible to us in our weakened mortal state. A godly transformation of our very souls, accomplished by unapologetic and unwavering obedience to Christ, will put us everlastingly on His side of the divide.
Which side of the divide are you on?
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