Judgments of God
The scriptures teach that all of us will be judged according to our works: "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works" (Revelation 20:12; see also D&C 76:111; 1 Nephi 15:32; Abraham 3:25-28). We will also be judged "according to the desire of [our] hearts" (D&C 137:9; see also Alma 41:3).
In this scripture, John the Revelator is referring to the Final Judgment. This judgment is the last in a long series of judgments. In the premortal life all spirits who were judged worthy were allowed to receive a body and come to
earth.
Here on earth we are often judged as to our worthiness to receive opportunities within the kingdom of God. When we are baptized we are judged worthy to receive this ordinance. When we are called to serve in the Church or interviewed for a priesthood advancement or a temple recommend, we are judged.
Discussion
Our Words, Works, and Thoughts Are Used to Judge Us
Only through Faith in Jesus Christ
helps can we us be
prepared for the Final Judgment. Through faithful discipleship to him and
repentance of all our sins, we can be forgiven for our sins and become pure
and holy so that we can dwell in the presence of God. As we repent of our
sins, giving up every impure thought and act, the Holy Ghost will change our
hearts so we no longer have even the desire to sin (see Mosiah 5:2). Then when we are judged,
we will be found ready to enter into God's presence.
Discussion
We Will Be Judged by Records
"We are going to be judged out of the
things written in books, out of the revelations of God, out of the temple
records, out of those things which the Lord has commanded us to keep. . . .
There will be the record in heaven which is a perfect record" (Joseph
Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:200).
"Every one of you ... must stand before the 'judgment-seat of the
Holy One of Israel ... and then must ... be judged according to the holy
judgment
of God.' (II Nephi 9:15,) And according to the vision of John, 'The books
were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life:
and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works.' (Rev. 20:12,) The 'books' spoken of refer
to the 'records [of your works] which are kept on the earth ... The book of
life is the record which is kept in heaven.' (Doc. and Cov. 128:7)"
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 226-27).
There is another record that will be used to
judge us. The Apostle Paul taught that we ourselves are a the most
complete record of our life (see Romans 2:15; 2 Corinthians 3:1-3). Stored
in our body and mind is a complete history of everything we have done.
President John Taylor taught this truth: "[The individual] tells the
story himself, and bears witness against himself. . . . That
record that is written by the man himself in the tablets of his own
mind--that record that cannot lie--will in that day be unfolded before God
and angels, and those who sit as judges" (Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Latter-day
Prophets Speak, pp. 56-57;Deseret News, Mar. 8, 1865, 179).
Discussion
The Apostle John taught that "the Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). The Son, in turn,
will call upon others to assist in the Judgment. The Twelve who were with
him in his ministry will judge the twelve tribes of Israel (see Matthew
19:28; Luke 22:30). The Nephite Twelve will judge the Nephite and Lamanite
people (see 1 Nephi 12:9-10; Mormon 3:18-19). President John Taylor said the
First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles in our own dispensation will also
judge us (see The Mediation and Atonement, p. 157).
Discussion
Assignment to Glories
Inheriting a Place in a Kingdom of Glory
At the Final Judgment we will be assigned to
the kingdom for which we are prepared. We will be sent to one of four
places: the celestial kingdom (the highest degree of glory), the terrestrial
kingdom (the second degree), the telestial kingdom (the lowest degree), or
outer darkness (the kingdom of the devil--not a degree of glory). The
scriptures teach of three kingdoms of glory - the celestial kingdom, the
terrestrial kingdom, and the telestial kingdom (see D&C 88:20-32).
In Doctrine and Covenants 76, the Lord
described the ways we can choose to live our mortal lives. He explained that
our choices will determine which of the four kingdoms kingdom we are
prepared for. We learn from this revelation that even members of the Church
will inherit different kingdoms because they will not be equally faithful
and valiant in their obedience to Christ.
Celestial
Through the work we do in temples, all people who have lived on the earth
can have an equal opportunity to receive the fulness of the gospel and the
ordinances of salvation so they can inherit a place in the highest degree of
celestial glory.
Terrestrial
These are they who rejected the gospel on earth but afterward received it in
the spirit world. These are the honorable people on the earth who were
blinded to the gospel of Jesus Christ by the craftiness of men. These are
also they who received the gospel and a testimony of Jesus but then were not
valiant. They will be visited by Jesus Christ but not by our Heavenly
Father. (See D&C 76:73-79.) They will not be part of eternal families;
they will live separately and singly forever (see D&C 131:1-4).
Outer Darkness
These are they who had testimonies of Jesus through the Holy Ghost and knew
the power of the Lord but allowed Satan to overcome them. They denied the
truth and defied the power of the Lord. There is no forgiveness for them,
for they denied the Holy Spirit after having received it. They will not have
a kingdom of glory. They will live in eternal darkness, torment, and misery
with Satan and his angels forever. (See D&C 76:28-35, 44-48.)
Discussion
We Should Prepare Now for Judgment
Discussion
Additional Scriptures