We know that the Lord has been given the responsibility to judge us and I have, many times, wondered how He will accomplish that humongous task: Sheep on the right hand and the goats on the left. What an image one can conjure up thinking about that event, especially when we try to put ourselves into the image. The scriptures tell us that, “ … all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23). We all started out as infants, innocent, and we all finish our life’s work as sinners. Depending on how a person may interpret the following scripture found in Alma, it may cause one to go into a state of deep depression or feel somewhat elated that they, at least, haven’t hardened their heart.
“Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have hardened our hearts against the ‘word’, insomuch that it has not been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall be condemned. For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence. But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his judgments are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance.” Alma 12:13 – 15)
To know that not only our actions through life but our very thoughts could condemn us, could cause many of us to lose all hope because even though our thoughts may have been generally, Christian in nature, there are times most all of us have thoughts that are less then sterling. Alma’s statement is a real incentive for us not to harden our hearts toward the word. if we actually have to stand before the master and have to recount each and every thought as well as our deeds, most of us, would in fact, fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us.
Thank goodness for the principal of repentance and a loving and merciful judge. Thank goodness, also, for wise and prophetic church leaders today, who give us a better and more insightful picture of what that time will be like. Elder Dallin H. Oaks has taught, “The final Judgment is not just an evaluation of the 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… With justice and love he will judge us on who we are and what we have become.”
The ‘word’ that Alma referred to is, of course, the Gospel of love. Let the ‘word’ be found in our hearts and may we be softened by it. May we all live such that the cumulative effect of our acts and our thoughts has led us to become good people. Good people who have attributes that mostly mimic those of our Redeemer. Let our hearts be turned to our ancestors as well, for what we do for them will also be reflected in the Master’s judgment of us.