Merciful and Gracious Unto Those Who Fear Me

This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson about Doctrine and Covenants 76 asks this question: “Have you ever wondered—or worried—about whether or not you will qualify for the celestial kingdom?” Addressing this concern it gives the following suggestion: “When you read the description of those who receive this glory (see verses 50–70, 92–95), rather than looking only for a list of things you must do, look for what God has done—and is doing—to help you become like Him. Does reading the vision in this way affect how you feel about your personal efforts?” In the vision we do indeed see the grace and goodness of God extended to each of us. It declares, “Great is his wisdom, marvelous are his ways…. For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory. And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom” (v2,5-7). His desire is to honor us and give us a great reward and an eternal glory. To the righteous He will reveal all His mysteries, even the “wonders of eternity.” Though we may feel inadequate, He promises that our “wisdom shall be great” and that our “understanding reach to heaven” if we fear and serve Him (v8-9).

               Many other verses in this section also declare the great things that He has done and is doing for us. He promises to give us of His Spirit if we will qualify for it: “For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will” (v10). He offers the “Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power” and the Spirit He “sheds forth upon all those who are just and true” (v52-53). In the end of the vision Joseph also wrote of “the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him” (v116). The Lord wants to give us His Holy Spirit in mortality to guide and enlighten us, the greatest gift we can receive on earth. The vision also tells how the Savior “wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood” to be our “mediator” who will make us “perfect” if we will be “just” (v69). He has indeed prepared the way and made it possible if we will come unto Him. We see that even the “glory of the telestial” kingdom “surpasses all understanding” (v89). And we read this of the glorious blessings He will grant to those who inherit the celestial kingdom: “They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace; And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion” (v94-95). That He makes all those who dwell in His presence equal with Him shows the perfect love He has for us—He wants us to have every blessing and power He enjoys if we will receive them. The vision indeed testifies of the great and marvelous works the Savior has wrought so that we can inherit all the blessings He has, no matter who we are, if we will but receive Him. We need not worry whether we will be good enough to inherit the celestial ingdom; rather, we need only trust that He is good enough to perfect us as we are valiant in our testimony of Him.