The Bible, Early Christianity, and the Three Kingdoms of Glory
"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 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." (1Cor. 15:40-41) AV
Ang Three Kingdoms of Glory ay isang revelation given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon in D&C 76 where it tells us where mankind will go after the Ressurection and the last judgement at kung anong magiging kanyang gatimpala based on the life that he lived. here it describes that the Celestial Kingdom as compared to the glory of the sun—was inhabited by people who overcome with faith in Jesus Christ and by children who died before the age of accountability (vv. 50-70, 92-96), and the Terrestrial Kingdom as compared to the glory of the moon—of those who did good pero hindi naging valiant sa kanilang testimony (vv. 71-30, 91, 97), and the Telestial kingdom as compared to the glory of the stars—for people who did not do any good and the generally wicked masses of people in the world (vv. 81-90, 98-112).
The words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 often cited by Latter Day Saints to support the doctrine ng Three Kingdoms of Glory in the chapter where the Apostle Paul teaches about the Ressurection, critics would say na ito ay patungkol sa ressurected bodies and therefore does not refer to the three glories, but however ay this misses the whole point of the text and what it says about ressurected bodies. may pupuntahan sila. the Bible makes it clear in parallels and how early Christians interpreted it. based on the description of how the three kingdoms of Glory work being based on how someone lived his life, the Bible in the same way teaches that every individual will be judged and rewarded according to their own works (Rom. 2:6; 1Cor. 4:5; 2Cor. 5:10; Col. 3:25; 1Pt. 1:17; Rev. 20:12). Jesus Christ in John 14 told his disciples that in his Father's house, "....there are many mansions" (Jn. 14:2), and the Apostle Paul taught that a man's good work may add to his reward and burned up pero either way ay maari parin na maligtas ito (1Cor. 3:14-15). Paul also when writing to the same people in Corinth—said na nagkaroon siya ng vision of the "....third heaven" (2Cor. 12:2).in 1 Corinthians 15:40-41, Paul shows here ang variations ng glories being given to ressurected individuals at mapapansin dito as said ay naiiba. naiiba ang glory and rewards being given to them. hindi ito simply isang comparison ng earthly at heavenly bodies but Paul also shows different levels of glory na kung saan ay maaring maressurect ang isang body, with using the sun, moon, and stars as images to describe these three levels. it is also important to know how early Christians understood this verse, and so, Irenaeus of Lyons said:
" And as the presbyters say, Then those who are deemed worthy of an abode in heaven shall go there, others shall enjoy the delights of paradise, and others shall possess the splendour of the city; for everywhere the Saviour shall be seen according as they who see Him shall be worthy. [They say, moreover], that there is this distinction between the habitation of those who produce an hundred-fold, and that of those who produce sixty-fold, and that of those who produce thirty-fold: for the last will be taken up into the heavens, the second will dwell in paradise, the last will inhabit the city and that was on this account the Lord declared, "In My Father's house are many mansions." For all things belong to God, who supplies all with a suitable dwelling-place, even as His Word says, that a share is allotted to all by the Father, according as each person is or shall be worthy. And this is the couch on which the guests shall recline having been invited to the wedding. The presbyters, the disciples of the Apostles, affirm that this is the gradation and arrangement of those who are saved, and that they advance through steps of this nature; also that they ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father, and that in due time the Son will yield up His work to the Father, even as it is said by the Apostle, "For He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."" (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.36.1-2)
Origen also wrote the following:
" Our understanding of the passage indeed is, that the Apostle, wishing to describe the great difference among those who rise again in glory, i.e., of the saints, borrowed a comparison from the heavenly bodies, saying, "One is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, another the glory of the stars." (Origen, De Principiis 2:10:2, in Ante-Nicene Fathers 4:294)
" And some men are connected with the Father, being part of Him, and next to these, those whom our argument now brings into clearer light, those who have come to the Saviour and take their stand entirely in Him. And third are those of whom we spoke before, who reckon the sun and the moon and the stars to be gods, and take their stand by them. And in the fourth and last place those who submit to soulless and dead idols." (Origen, Commentary on John 2:3, in Ante-Nicene Fathers 10:324-325)
For church members, we should strive na sa Celestial Kingdom ang atin destiny. It is where God and Jesus Christ lives and in there, great blessings waits, and that includes being with our God our Father and our Savior Jesus Christ, and with our family for eternity. becoming worthy for those and keeping the commandments and our covenants must be done and I hope that you all live worthily brothers and sisters.
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