I was touched recently by an open and honest account of a lady who desired to know if the church would accept her despite her past. I believe we are each on a journey and along that journey we make mistakes. It can be challenging and frustrating and there are no quick fixes or easy promises but God offers us a chance to set things straight. We can choose to change our life by the way we live and behave in this world and that can be helped by having a personal relationship with God and a willingness to change. It takes time and I sincerely hope she finds the happiness and peace she seeks.

Could I ask another question about Eternal Life? Your response to a previous question has been Eternal life and exaltation is reserved for those children of our heavenly father who not only accept Christ and believe in him but who live righteous and worthy lives, who overcome the world, who take upon themselves the burdens of others and in essence, live a life that is Christ centered'. What I don't understand is Jesus' response in Luke chapter 14 verses 29-30 From east and west people will come, from north and south, for the feast in the Kingdom of God. Yes, and some who are now last will be first, and some who are first will be last'. What do you think he meant by this?

Here are some other scriptural passages that have the same statement:

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. (Matthew 19:29 - 30)

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. (Matthew 20:15 - 16)

And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. (Mark 9:33 - 35)

Then Peter began to say unto him, lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. (Mark 10:28 - 31)

I don't claim to be a scriptorian or theologian by any means, but it appears to me that there are two different meanings connected to this phrase:

1) One being the idea that the humble, relatively obscure followers of Christ who have sacrificed or suffered for the sake of the gospel will be acknowledged or chosen before some of those who may appear to be or wish to be first and foremost in the Lord's work.

2) The other has to do with the order of his personal ministry to the Jews and the Gentiles. It is clarified by the Savior's statement in New Testament times, "But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 15:24) This statement was clarified further in the Book of Mormon where it states, speaking of Christ, "And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 13:42) I believe the scripture in Luke 13:29-30 ("And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.") refers to the gathering of the House of Israel predicted numerous times in the Scriptures and the order of his ministry to them relative to the Gentiles. I believe that Christ's appearance to Joseph Smith and the restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the early 1800's is the beginning of the fulfillment of this prophecy. The gospel was restored to those to whom the prophecies referred to as Gentiles and the promise is that it will be given again to the Jews is an important part of the events surrounding the Second Coming of Christ, (to Christians) or the coming of the Messiah (to Jews).

I hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond


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