A Rational Theology, as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SaintsWidtsoe, John Andreas
Religion
A Rational Theology, as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Widtsoe, John Andreas
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines; Theology
**Nothing Temporal.** God has never given a temporal commandment. All
God's creative works are first spiritual, then temporal. That is, they
were first begotten of the intelligent mind, and must represent some
necessity in the Great Plan. Whatever, therefore, is brought into
operation on earth for the good of man, must represent great, eternal,
spiritual realities. In conformity with this thought, every task,
however apparently humble, however apparently remote from fundamental
principles, has a spiritual counterpart, and is necessary for the
completion of the plan under which man works. It matters little,
therefore, whether man devote his life to the tilling of the soil, the
making of shoes or the writing of books, so that the work be well
done. All such tasks are proper, dignified and necessary parts of the
Great Plan, and will lead man along the path of eternal progression.
This means that, no matter to what work a man may give himself,
providing it is honorable and he do it with all his might, he may rest
secure that on the last great day, the work will be transmuted into
spiritual values, and as such will be written into the eternal record.
The quality and not the kind of work is the final test of man's
achievements.
Man knows relatively little. He accepts his part without knowing its
meaning in the full economy of God's plan for his children. Wise is
the man who spends his strength, with a full heart, in the
accomplishment of the nearest work. He will find his work transmuted
into things glorious beyond his dreams. More than that: Man need not
wait long for the transmutation of his honest work. Strength comes to
the man of honest and full endeavor, irrespective of the kind of work,
and on this earth his efforts are transmuted into a great and noble
joy. All work is holy, and, well done, will bring its own reward, here
and in the hereafter.
Without question, men should seek the work they think they love best,
or for which they are best fitted. Yet,' the majority of men can do
most work in a satisfactory manner. The work that we finally must do,
we should accept in the light of its eternal value.
**Subjection of Self.** Nevertheless, to accept a place in
society--not always the place one desires; to do well the work that is
near at hand--not always the work one wishes; to love and to cherish
the work, and to forget oneself in the needs of others, all that is
not always easy. Such a life means a subjection of self which can be
accomplished only if there is a clear understanding of the plan of
salvation.
CHAPTER 35.
THE HOPE OF TOMORROW.
Time is unceasing. There was a yesterday, there is a today, and there
will be a tomorrow. The Gospel plan encompasses all time. Tomorrow has
a great place in the eternal plan.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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