The Day of Judgment Can Be Glorious

2 Nephi 9:46 - "Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment, that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained to exclaim: Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but I know my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine; and the devil hath obtained me, that I am a prey to his awful misery."

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin - "As leaders of the Church, as servants of a compassionate Father in Heaven, we likewise want each of you to return to His presence. We love you and desire with all our hearts to see you rejoice with your Father in Heaven and with your parents, your children, and other loved ones in that great day of judgment. So we ask you, 'Are you true?' And, therefore, we admonish you, as did Jacob, to 'prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment, that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember your awful guilt in perfectness.'” 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Welcome to Speak This Feel. A daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps.

SPEAKER_02 0:30

Many people think of the final judgment as something frightening. We may picture standing before God with fear, shame, and regret. Because of that, some people avoid thinking about judgment altogether. But the scriptures teach something very different. For those who have turned to Jesus Christ, repented, and stayed on the covenant path, judgment is not meant to be terrifying. It can be a day of joy, peace, and even anticipation. Jacob understood this. He had spent much of Second Nephi nine teaching about the fall, the atonement, death, resurrection, and the mercy of Jesus Christ. He knew that every person would stand before God one day, but he also knew that through the Savior that day did not have to be filled with fear. It could be glorious. Jacob wanted his people to prepare now so they could stand confidently before the Lord later. Second Nephi nine forty six states and prepare your souls for that glorious day, when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment, that you may not shrink with awful fear, that you may not remember your awful guilt and perfectness and be constrained to exclaim, Holy holy are thy judgments, O Lord God of Mali, but I know my guilt. I transgress thy law and my transgressions are mine, and the devil hath obtained me that I am prey to his awful misery. As we study this verse today, along with teachings from Elder Joseph B. Worthlin, we will consider what it means to prepare for the day of judgment and live with hope in Jesus Christ. One of the most important words in this verse is glorious. Jacob does not describe the day of judgment as terrible, dreadful, or hopeless. He calls it a glorious day. That word changes how we view everything. Judgment will be glorious for the righteous because it is the day when all wrongs are made right. It is the day when faithful disciples are welcomed into the presence of God. It is the day when the promises of the gospel are fulfilled. It is the day when we can be reunited with loved ones, receive eternal blessings, and stand before the Savior who redeemed us. Jacob knew that because of Jesus Christ, judgment could be something to look forward to instead of something to fear. That does not mean judgment is casual or unimportant. It matters deeply how we live. Our choices matter. Our obedience matters. Our repentance matters. But because of the Savior, we do not have to face that day alone. The purpose of mortality is not simply to avoid punishment. It is to become the kind of people who feel comfortable in God's presence. When you are striving to follow Christ, judgment becomes less about fear and more about reunion. We are not approaching a harsh stranger, we are approaching a loving Father and a merciful Savior. This is why Jacob urges us to prepare our souls. Preparation is not about becoming perfect overnight, it is about steadily turning toward Jesus Christ. It is about repenting daily when we make mistakes, keeping our covenants and staying close to the Lord. The more we do that, the more glorious that future day becomes. Jacob also teaches the opposite side of this truth. Those who refuse to repent will not experience that day as glorious. They will shrink with awful fear, and remember their guilt in perfectness. That phrase is powerful because it teaches that sin does not simply disappear on its own. If we do not repent, guilt remains. We may ignore it for a time, we may justify it, excuse it, or bury it. But one day, every soul will stand before God in complete honesty. The good news is that Jesus Christ made it possible for guilt to be removed before that day ever comes. We do not have to carry our sins forever. We do not have to live with constant shame. Through sincere repentance, we can be cleansed. Repentance is what changes judgment from a day of fear into a day of peace to a day of glory. If we are repenting regularly, we do not have to dread standing before God. We can know that the Savior has already paid the price for our sins. We can know that his grace is already working in our lives. Elder Joseph B. Wortland Todd.

SPEAKER_00 5:32

As leaders of the Church, as servants of a compassionate Father in heaven, we likewise want each of you to return to his presence. We love you and desire with all our hearts to see you rejoice with your Father in heaven, and with your parents, your children, and other loved ones in that great day of judgment. So we ask you, are you true? And therefore we admonish you, as did Jacob, to prepare your souls for that glorious day, when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment, that ye may not shrink with awful fear, that ye may not remember your awful guilt and perfectness.

SPEAKER_02 6:13

That question, are you true? Is an important one. Are we true to our discipleship? Are we true in private as well as in public? Are we true in our efforts to follow Christ even though we are imperfect? The Lord does not ask us to never struggle, he asks us to keep turning back to Him. We live in a world where many people avoid accountability. We may be tempted to believe that choices do not matter, or that there will never be a final reckoning. But Jacob reminds us that there will be a day when we stand before God. The good news is that we do not have to wait until then to prepare. We prepare for judgment every day. We prepare when we repent quickly instead of delaying. We prepare when we prepare when we pray sincerely. We prepare when we keep our covenants, study the scriptures, forgive others, and try again after we fail. Preparing for judgment is not something reserved for the end of life. It is part of daily discipleship. Every act of faith, every honest prayer, every effort to follow Christ is helping us become ready for that glorious day. When we live that way, the thought of judgment begins to change. Instead of feeling panic, we can feel hope. Instead of fear, we can feel peace. Instead of wanting to avoid the subject, we can look forward to the day when we will finally stand before the Savior we have tried to follow. So here is today's challenge. Take a few minutes today to ask yourself honestly. Am I preparing my soul? Think about one area of life where repentance, greater obedience or more consistency is needed. Then act on it today. Offer the prayer, make the change, repair the relationship, or return to the habit that brings greater closeness to Jesus Christ. The more we prepare now, the more glorious that future day will become. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. As we open the scriptures for ourselves, the Spirit will teach us things no podcast ever could. If you are exploring the truths of the Book of Mormon for the first time, you can receive a free copy using the link in the description found in every episode of Seek This Jesus. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you stay focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.