Walking the Narrow Way
It’s a baptismal talk for a new convert and its interactive. (New converts haven’t always had the interactivity sluiced out of them.) So in the interaction a picnic comes up awhile back where the new convert and a bunch of us were there and one of the missionaries brought a tightrope thing to winch up between two trees. We spent most of the hours trying it.
The next thing in my talk is ‘strait is the gate and narrow the way’; so I liken it to the tightrope. But that’s bad, because none of us made it across the tightrope. So I add that the way may be narrow but we’ve got plenty of tries. Each and every sacrament. Then I move on.
But I keep thinking about walking that narrow tightrope and walking the narrow way of salvation.
Let’s analogize.
Walking that tightrope requires balance and strength. You need to quickly correct but without jerking or flailing; overcorrection is a common mistake. Be as upright as possible. Really important is you need to focus on your goal, not on the ground.
But the biggest key is practice. When you fall, get back up. There is no limit on the number of tries.
That is also how you walk the narrow way.
bruce charlton
October 19, 2020
My reading of Mormon theology is that it is pretty strongly against the ‘narrow way of salvation’ idea. Everyone goes to some kind of Heaven (better than this earth) except for those who refuse to repent/ choose Hell.
(Of course, some sins make non-repentance more likely, or tend-to lead-toward Hell – but this relationship between behaviour and salvation is more psychological and statistical than absolute; because of the infinite power of repentance. Jesus came to save sinners, after all.)
Back in the middle 1800s this would have meant almost everyone went to some kind of Heaven, because that is what they would have wanted. But nowadays, I suspect that the proportion of those who choose Hell and/or refuse to repent would ountnumber the rest – at least in The West.
But not because Heaven is difficult to reach; rather because of value inversion (of which only a single instance is sufficient to lead-away-from heaven) – which sadly seems as common in the CJCLDS as in most places – at least if some kind of socio-political Litmus Test idea is anything-like valid:
http://charltonteaching.blogspot.com/2020/10/in-2020-you-are-objectively-leftist.html
If someone is objectively fighting on the same side as Satan in the spiritual war of this world; then this choice is (sooner or later) at least as liable to corrupt a person as would be engaging in specific sins.
G.
October 19, 2020
Salvation isn’t narrow if you construe it to mean ‘not going to hell’; but the scriptures aren’t always that technical
Bookslinger
October 19, 2020
Per DC 76: There are 3 kingdoms, and infinite degrees of salvation.
“Exaltation” is the upper tier of the top (Celestial) kingdom.
Non-exaltation is the lower two tiers of the Celestial, and all of the lower two kingdoms – Terrestial and Telestial.
“Exaltation” differs both qualitatively and quantitatively from non-exaltation.
Exaltation transcends time — goes beyond the “end of time”. It is labeled “eternal” in scripture. I imagine it as multiple dimensions of time.
Non-exaltation is existence until the “end of time”. It is “immortal” but not “eternal.” I imagine it as one-dimensional time. What happens at the end-point, or if there is a recycle, I don’t know.
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There are two “Hells” in scripture – one temporary and one immortal. The temporary Hell is called “spirit prison” in LDS parlance, and the immortal one is called “outer darkness.” Again, mostly from DC 76. Our Spirit Prison is analogous to the Catholic Purgatory.
Those who end up in the Telestial have to go through the spirit prison (temporary hell) in order to get there. _Some_ of those of the Terrestial and Celestial Kingdom _may_ have to go through spirit prison first (DC 132).
“Salvation” in scripture can refer to several things. Elder Oaks gave a conference talk on 6 definitions.
Aside from Elder Oaks’ definitions, “Salvation” could be said to have 4 broad categories: Telestial, Terrestrial, non-Exalted-Celestial, Exalted Celestial.
Of those 4, only the Exalted-Celestial “saves” from whatever happens at the end-of-time. Only Exaltation gets you off the one-dimensional time-line and into “higher realms.”
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Aside to BC: In LDS theology, only those mortals who rebel against God after having Heaven opened up to them _in mortality_, can choose the permanent hell of “Outer Darkness.”
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That’s my understanding. Others may interpret scripture and modern prophets differently.
bruce charlton
October 19, 2020
I’m here using ‘salvation’ in the mainstream Christian way – which means (more or less) resurrecting and going to Heaven after death.
JRL in AZ
October 19, 2020
I think the tightrope analogy would be better if you put Jesus right next to you, holding your hand to help you keep your balance, as long as you are willing to ask Him to hold your hand.