This morning I started out with my two-minutes of squats. Knowing that I did 45 last time, I wanted to beat this number, but still start out slow to not aggravate my knees. By the one minute mark I was well behind the pace I'd need to beat 45, so for the last minute I really had to keep those squats popping and managed to make 55 as the timer went off.
Then I moved on to putting dishes away and listening to scripture. I was still listening to Alma teaching his sons. In Alma Chapter 42 he explains two interesting possible outcomes from the Fall that are both similar and nearly opposite at the same time which could have occurred without God intervening on behalf of man. The first situation would be that Adam could have gone to the tree of life and partaken of the fruit resulting in him having an immortal body that was spiritually separated from God and would remain so forever. The other option would be that physical death would fall upon man and the spirit would live on forever being separated from God and the physical body.
Alma goes on to explain that we were gifted with a probationary period where repentance is possible and physical death is overcome through the Redeemer. This got me thinking what it is about the state of immortality Adam would have found himself in that would prevent repentance. Why couldn't he still turn to god with an immortal body and partake of the happiness and glory otherwise available to him through mortality? I can't say that I have a definitive answer. I can speculate that without the fear of death that Adam would become prideful and feel no need for further salvation, or reason that he transitioned into immortality with a telestial body that could not withstand a greater glory and that perhaps this could not be undone as he could no longer die to be brought forth in greater glory. In any event, Alma teaches that our mortality allows us a time to repent and prepare to meet God and I accept that and feel the witness of the spirit that while life comes with many challenges and pains and the loss of loved ones is hard, that this is the best way for us to develop into our potential that God sees in is and wants us to see in ourselves as well.
This makes me think that the rebirth that occurs in mortality, as conversion to the gospel really takes fire, is a type and shadow of the rebirth that occurs at the resurrection. When we are baptized we symbolically enter into death and rebirth with Christ. In the Jaredite account I was pondering the other day, crossing the great deep could also be symbolic of baptism and of death and resurrection as it was a journey to the promised land. While the physical resurrection of our bodies is a gift from the Lord to all, only those who have truly embraced Him will share in all that He hath in the most choice place in His Kingdom (the promised land). May we learn to be filled with his light as the Jaredite barges were and come forth into the fullness of His glory.
Be strong!
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