What Happens After This Life: God’s Eternal Reward for You

You want the best for your children or future children. I think of my parents working so hard to provide, “the best.” They always wanted to reward us for listening and making correct decisions. Mom always liked to see a smile from a reward, rather than the opposite. God, our Heavenly Father works and feels the same way; He loves you and wants to reward you for making correct choices. He provided us with the proper tools and equipment for you to succeed in becoming like Him. We go through trials and tribulations that define us as individuals and mold us into more capable people. We choose whether to say in line with God’s teachings or go astray. We, through our Heavenly Father reach our grandest potential or the contrary. Heavenly Father is there, the only variable in the choice making equation is you.

At the conclusion of a race or competitive event come the awards to the top performers, each individual preformed to their fullest potential and excelled. God’s plan is no different: except, there is no limit to the number of first place finishers. Mainstream Christianity teaches that our final destinations after this life rest in either Heaven or Hell. We know that more destinations await us on the other side; are all people considered exemplary or the opposite, is there any middle ground? To start things out, when an individual passes on, they rest temporarily in a place called the spirit world. The spirit world consists of two sub-destinations: spirit paradise or spirit prison. This is where the misconception of Heaven or Hell comes into play. One waits in either location until the second coming of Jesus Christ. Once Christ comes again our Father in Heaven judges our deeds. Judgment is an opportunity to reflect on our lives and to see firsthand the atonement of Jesus Christ (He suffering for our sins and dying on the cross). We are saved in Christ. “Being saved” entitles us the opportunity to rise as Christ rose: a perfected being. We will be judged. Judgment analyses how we applied Christ’s sacrifice in our lives.

To get the full image of the judgment of God, think of rewarding a small child’s proactive behavior. The parent has the top reward for doing what, “mom asks.” If the child doesn’t pay full heed to the first request, but does as “mom told you:” a lesser reward follows.  Think of the child who simply chooses to do nothing. He or she receives no special reward, but mom still allows them to live under the roof she provided for all of her children. God wants to rewards he children in the same fashion. Like any parent, He wants to give us the top reward. It is our choice if we earn it or not.

There are three destinations, or “kingdoms” constituting God’s reward system. The bible explains in 1 Corinthians 15:40-43 KJV

40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

Verse forty one lists the three kingdoms in regards to the sun, mood, and stars. What are the qualifications for each?

Celestial Kingdom (Sun): Accepting fully the Gospel of Jesus Christ and making necessary covenants (a two way promise between you and God). Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ reside here. This is the kingdom where families live together forever; there is no limit on the number of people  who can live here.

Terrestrial Kingdom: A place for those who love Jesus Christ and lived honorable lives. They did not accept His full gospel.

Telestral Kingdom: A place for those children who did not do as the Father asks, by remaining voluntarily in sins and inappropriate action.

Despite varying individual/ cultural circumstances, all individuals will have the opportunity to learn of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel before judgment and have an equal chance to accept or decline.

To receive the magnitude of blessings Heavenly Father has in store for you comes sacrifice, dedication, prayer, and action. God has us do difficult tasks, and we see miracles as a result. His tasks pose more difficultly than Mom’s request to “clean your room,” or “take out the garbage.” God’s tasks have more reward than temporary gratification; God’s rewards are eternal. What would you do to receive all of his blessings? Are there some things to change? We pose as our only variable; God stands constant. What will you do?