Blessed is he that keepeth my commandments – Doctrine and Covenants 58:2 – Come, Follow Me Ponderize Commentary

Doctrine and Covenants 58:2

For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

There are really 3 parts to this scripture that I would like to discuss. 
1. blessed is he that keepeth my commandments
2. whether in life or in death
3. he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven

Blessed is he that keepeth my commandments

Commandments are divinely given rules to follow. And why do we even have them in the first place? For sure we will be judged by them at the great and last day. But surely, there is more to it than just a list of rules to follow just to follow them?

If you follow the footnotes it takes us to Psalm 19:9–11

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

The fact that the judgments or the commandments being judged upon are desired more than fine gold or sweet honey, is very instructive. If we back up just 2 verses, we get some amazing insights into this.

Psalm 19:7–8
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Wow! No wonder they are desired more than gold or honey, for by the keeping of them we are literally changed more and more into the celestial being we are trying to become.

Whether in life or in death

The effect of keeping His commandments transcends the veil of death, because they are eternal rules. After we die, we will continue to be changed to become more and more like the Savior and our Father in Heaven. But keep in mind that this does not, by any means, give us an excuse to procrastinate our repentance. If anything it should further show us why we must not procrastinate, because this process of becoming like Christ, does not happen over night or even in a lifetime, and the further we progress here, how much the advantage we will have in the world to come.

Doctrine and Covenants 130:18–19
18 Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.
19 And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.

Joseph Smith in the King Follett Sermon said it so well:

Here, then, is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power.

He that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven

How much easier is it to be nice to someone that is being nice to you? The answer is obvious, but the same thing goes for lifting weights. If you only lifted weights that were easy and gave little to no resistance, you could not expect the same muscle growth as someone that only lifted weights with a great deal of resistance. You have heard the common phrase, no pain, no gain, and unfortunately that applies to both physical growth and spiritual growth.

This makes it abundantly clear that there is a tie or connection to tribulation and overcoming that tribulation through faith. The chapter that comes to mind is Hebrews 11. Paul gives us such a powerful testimony of men and women overcoming tribulations and hardships of all kinds by faith. Every time I read it, I get shivers and I desire to one day be on this list. For sake of time, I will not go through the whole chapter, but please go and study it on your own, it is just so powerful. Let’s start in verse 6:

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

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11 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
JST says “the first resurrection”
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
JST says, “God having provided some better things for them through their sufferings, for without sufferings they could not be made perfect.”

There it is in the most plain speech as possible: greater rewards are given, or will be given, to those who overcome greater sufferings or tribulations by faith.

So, to sum this all up, let’s not just take the easy road, but instead let’s take the road that will provide us the greater growth and eventually greater rewards in heaven as we are obedient to the commandments of God and overcome by faith.

Craig

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