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Following Christ: The Parable of the Divers and More Good News
The groundbreaking book Believing Christ by Stephen Robinson has become a standard in understanding what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ and to be justified by faith in Him through the gospel covenant. Now, in Following The Parable of the Divers and More Good News, Brother Robinson explains what happens after we have entered the gospel covenant. He writes, "Where Believing Christ dealt with entering the covenant, this book will focus on staying in the covenant. If being truly converted is to accept Christ as Lord and to make Him the Lord of our lives, then this must somehow be reflected in our lives -- but how? How does being born again translate into behavior after our conversion?" In the same clear, readable style of his first book, Brother Robinson explains what is means to be a member of Christ's kingdom, the relationship between faith and works, what it means to endure to the end (it does not mean "being perfect"), the nature of mortality, hazards we may encounter as we seek to endure in the Lord's service, and, finally, the importance of serving others in love.
167 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
63 people are currently reading
1634 people want to read
About the author
Stephen E. Robinson
22 books40 followersStephen E. Robinson has taught at Brigham Young University since 1986. He received a B.A. from Brigham Young University in 1971 in English Literature and a PhD from Duke University in 1978 in Biblical Studies. He and his wife, Janet, have six children.
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October 24, 2019'As Christ loved and served those who could never repay him, so I must love and serve those who will never repay me...'
'[We] mistakenly suppose... [that we] are working to be saved. But Christ has already done that work; now we work to become as much like Him as we desire to. '
'... without exception we mortals are converted long before we can be perfected. That means all of us must limp along for a considerable period of time in which our commitment and desire are not matched by our actual performance, and in which we must simply trust God to take care of us...'
'In the Old Testament, the words for faith, faithful, and faithfulness all come from the Hebrew 'aman (to be firm or reliable) and imply primarily qualities of loyalty and determination rather than qualities of belief. The words for security, certainty, and guarantee all come from the same Hebrew root. Thus being faithful does not have as much to do with our belief or even our activity in the Church as it does with whether we can be trusted to do our duty in the earthly kingdom of God.'
'If we restore that original nuance (that faith is active commitment to an idea - faithfulness - rather than just passive mental acceptance of it), we largely resolve the false either/or of faith versus works.'
'[We] mistakenly suppose... [that we] are working to be saved. But Christ has already done that work; now we work to become as much like Him as we desire to. '
'... without exception we mortals are converted long before we can be perfected. That means all of us must limp along for a considerable period of time in which our commitment and desire are not matched by our actual performance, and in which we must simply trust God to take care of us...'
'In the Old Testament, the words for faith, faithful, and faithfulness all come from the Hebrew 'aman (to be firm or reliable) and imply primarily qualities of loyalty and determination rather than qualities of belief. The words for security, certainty, and guarantee all come from the same Hebrew root. Thus being faithful does not have as much to do with our belief or even our activity in the Church as it does with whether we can be trusted to do our duty in the earthly kingdom of God.'
'If we restore that original nuance (that faith is active commitment to an idea - faithfulness - rather than just passive mental acceptance of it), we largely resolve the false either/or of faith versus works.'
February 20, 2008
This book is the companion book to Believing Christ; while Believing deals with passing through the gate (or the first four principles of the gospel: faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost), Following discusses staying on the path (enduring to the end).
There’s a lot of good material in here, and I know that a short review can’t share everything I’ve learned — not that it was really anything new, but it was presented in a way that shifted my perspective.
Some thoughts Brother Robinson expounds upon:
~ What does it mean to endure? It does not mean to suffer — it’s simply to remain faithful. We have already passed through the gate of the kingdom of God (we are not on the way to the kingdom, we are already IN it), we are already saved. We just need to keep ourselves from doing something that would remove us from the kingdom.
~ Natural consequences of the fall: they are physical (e.g., death and disease) and spiritual (as we are removed from God’s presence). They are also mental (our logic and reason does not always point to truth; we must rely on the Holy Ghost), emotional (things “bug” us and our impulse is to lose control), and moral (our carnal self is programmed to gravitate toward “pleasure,” not “right”). Because these are natural consequences that we have no control over, we are not condemned for them. That means if we get annoyed at that guy who cuts us off in traffic in the heat of the moment, we have not sinned; it is only if we entertain those feelings and choose to continue them — or act upon them — that we transgress. This is a big relief to realize because I have not figured out how to love every person I see on sight.
~ The faith and works “debate” (the super-short answer: there should be no debate, as both are necessary. Now, I knew this, but it was still enlightening to read.)
~ Pitfalls to beware of while on the path of enduring, particularly false prophets, “spiritual rumors,” and the like.
Finally at the last chapter, Brother Robinson arrives at a discussion on what I thought the whole book was about: the commandments we need to keep in order to return to the kingdom of God. I figured there would be only a few big commandments — but Brother Robinson simplifies it down to one principle: love.
This book and its predecessor, Believing Christ, have really helped me understand the gospel as a whole. Additionally, Brother Robinson’s writing is very readable and includes plenty of interesting stories to illustrate his point. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good “self-help” book — complemented with the scriptures, of coure. ;-)
There’s a lot of good material in here, and I know that a short review can’t share everything I’ve learned — not that it was really anything new, but it was presented in a way that shifted my perspective.
Some thoughts Brother Robinson expounds upon:
~ What does it mean to endure? It does not mean to suffer — it’s simply to remain faithful. We have already passed through the gate of the kingdom of God (we are not on the way to the kingdom, we are already IN it), we are already saved. We just need to keep ourselves from doing something that would remove us from the kingdom.
~ Natural consequences of the fall: they are physical (e.g., death and disease) and spiritual (as we are removed from God’s presence). They are also mental (our logic and reason does not always point to truth; we must rely on the Holy Ghost), emotional (things “bug” us and our impulse is to lose control), and moral (our carnal self is programmed to gravitate toward “pleasure,” not “right”). Because these are natural consequences that we have no control over, we are not condemned for them. That means if we get annoyed at that guy who cuts us off in traffic in the heat of the moment, we have not sinned; it is only if we entertain those feelings and choose to continue them — or act upon them — that we transgress. This is a big relief to realize because I have not figured out how to love every person I see on sight.
~ The faith and works “debate” (the super-short answer: there should be no debate, as both are necessary. Now, I knew this, but it was still enlightening to read.)
~ Pitfalls to beware of while on the path of enduring, particularly false prophets, “spiritual rumors,” and the like.
Finally at the last chapter, Brother Robinson arrives at a discussion on what I thought the whole book was about: the commandments we need to keep in order to return to the kingdom of God. I figured there would be only a few big commandments — but Brother Robinson simplifies it down to one principle: love.
This book and its predecessor, Believing Christ, have really helped me understand the gospel as a whole. Additionally, Brother Robinson’s writing is very readable and includes plenty of interesting stories to illustrate his point. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good “self-help” book — complemented with the scriptures, of coure. ;-)
September 9, 2021
2.5 stars. Honestly, I thought this book was very dry! I was looking forward to reading this book after hearing the parable of the diver. I really enjoyed that part of the book, but the rest I found myself tuning out (I listened to it and then tried reading a hardcopy). Maybe it was just me, but it was just OK. After reading Robinson's "Believing Christ", which was fantastic, I had high hopes for this one. Fell a little flat for me.
November 17, 2024
A simplified look at the Gospel of Christ. The author is really good at focusing on concepts that I’ve learned about my whole life and breaking them into smaller pieces and relatable examples to help me see things in a whole new, simpler way.
January 23, 2023
Another great installment on what it means to Follow Christ. Very inspiring and uplifting. Lots of great thoughts.
September 29, 2017
So much better than Believing Christ. I loved this book. Very inspiring.
October 27, 2021
Loved it! Keep it simple, love God and love your neighbor.
August 29, 2023
Loved everything about it. It all hit home. Simple and poignant. The Prime Directive.
February 10, 2026
I love this book. It perfectly follows his first book believing Christ and helps to expound on how we can follow Him!
June 30, 2012
Reading Believing Christ several years ago was life-changing. It inspired and filled me with hope. It brought about a huge paradigm shift for me.
In contrast, this book did little for me. It is fluffy, laced with quaint parables and anecdotes, but lacking in substance. Situating the topic inside an exploration of historical understandings of the topic and how the understanding of Salvation has evolved within Mormonism over the past 180 years would have been much more enriching.
Much of the rhetoric was too divisive, including what seemed like an entire chapter dedicated to attacking other members of the church who don't live his brand of Mormonism. However, I appreciated the final chapter, on the "Prime Directive", love. Love is the greatest commandment and ultimate force through which God interacts with the universe and his children.
I found his understandings of the nature of Revelation, distinctions between the Restored Gospel and the Church, or even Mormon Culture, to be problematic or disagreeable. Ultimately his treatment of God's plan for who will be or already is in the Kingdom was not compassionate, understanding, merciful, or considerate enough to accurately portray Our Heavenly Father's love for us. I believe God can account for many of the shortcomings, sins, follies and failings of his children in this life as matters of circumstantial conditions and challenges. I disagree with the manner in which Robinson believes this world and our experience in Mortality works.
Joseph Smith said, "Our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive...God does not look on sin with [the least degree of] allowance, but the nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs." I believe Robinson fell short of the mark by limiting the boundlessness of God's mercy and blessings.
God is Love, and salvation is freely given to all who are willing to live their lives in accordance with celestial law. Celestial existence is for those who are willing and ready to live it. We will not be coerced into Heaven, but Christ steadfastly waits until we are willing to accept him, however long that takes us into the eternities to be perfected and "receive all that our Father has."
In its stead, I would recommend "Odds Are You're Going to be Exalted" by Alonzo Gaskill, a BYU professor of religion.
In contrast, this book did little for me. It is fluffy, laced with quaint parables and anecdotes, but lacking in substance. Situating the topic inside an exploration of historical understandings of the topic and how the understanding of Salvation has evolved within Mormonism over the past 180 years would have been much more enriching.
Much of the rhetoric was too divisive, including what seemed like an entire chapter dedicated to attacking other members of the church who don't live his brand of Mormonism. However, I appreciated the final chapter, on the "Prime Directive", love. Love is the greatest commandment and ultimate force through which God interacts with the universe and his children.
I found his understandings of the nature of Revelation, distinctions between the Restored Gospel and the Church, or even Mormon Culture, to be problematic or disagreeable. Ultimately his treatment of God's plan for who will be or already is in the Kingdom was not compassionate, understanding, merciful, or considerate enough to accurately portray Our Heavenly Father's love for us. I believe God can account for many of the shortcomings, sins, follies and failings of his children in this life as matters of circumstantial conditions and challenges. I disagree with the manner in which Robinson believes this world and our experience in Mortality works.
Joseph Smith said, "Our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive...God does not look on sin with [the least degree of] allowance, but the nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs." I believe Robinson fell short of the mark by limiting the boundlessness of God's mercy and blessings.
God is Love, and salvation is freely given to all who are willing to live their lives in accordance with celestial law. Celestial existence is for those who are willing and ready to live it. We will not be coerced into Heaven, but Christ steadfastly waits until we are willing to accept him, however long that takes us into the eternities to be perfected and "receive all that our Father has."
In its stead, I would recommend "Odds Are You're Going to be Exalted" by Alonzo Gaskill, a BYU professor of religion.
March 11, 2010
This book was fantastic. Like C.S. Lewis, Robinson took abstract or complex doctrines and made them simple. His analogies were great. I especially liked his explanation of hypocrisy. That was my favorite part. Hypocrisy is having pretended values that one does not live by. This is very different from having values that one tries to live by but falling short or making mistakes every now and then. Weakness, he says, is not the same thing as hypocrisy. The entire theme of the book was that we are already in the kingdom of God. When we enter the waters of baptism we are not stuck in the external waiting room but are admitted. The real quest is whether we choose to remain or if we wish to leave. No on is thrust out or "pushed from the train". Instead people choose to get off at different stops before the actual destination. If you doubt your salvation when you've remained faithful or after you've repented, then you do not actually believe in the Atonement. His message really was a joyous one.
August 9, 2010
excellent! i really enjoyed how Brother Robinson explained exactly how our covenant relationship with Christ is like a marriage . . . i finally understand that analogy! this book gave me hope . . . and it will give YOU hope too! :)
April 19, 2008
A life changing book. I loved the parable about the divers!
March 21, 2010
I like his straight forward style. No secrets, no fancy words, just basic discussion of the gospel. Addresses faith & works, being saved, and diverse ways Saints are deceived. Inspiring read.
July 18, 2022
This was a fantastic book showing the love and simpleness of the plan of Christ. A fantastic followup to an excellent first book. I highly recommend them both!
January 2, 2020
This book is the follow-up to Believing Christ: The Parable of the Bicycle and Other Good News. In my opinion, this book, Following Christ, was even better than the first.
The following are some of my favorite parts of this wonderful book:
"Through faith, repentance, and baptism, we are incorporated into Christ and receive a new JOINT IDENTITY; we ARE NO LONGER JUST OURSELVES--WE ARE NOW CHRIST, AND HE IS US--just as husband and wife become one through the covenant of marriage. Just as a wife normally takes her husband's name and becomes heir to his property, so we take Christ's name upon us and become heirs of his kingdom through his death...we become a new, composite creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). Composed of a finite part (us) and an infinite part (Christ). Since Christ is infinite, it is HIS character that defines the nature of this new creature and determines the verdict to be pronounced upon us at the judgment. Therefore, as long as we remain one with Christ in this new joint relationship--in the covenant of the gospel--we are, for the time being, justified and redeemed on account of HIS righteousness (2 Nephi 2:3)" p. 5
"So the great divide between the saved and the unsaved, between those who inherit the kingdom and those who do not...isn't just who is "good" and who is "bad," for technically speaking we are ALL BAD in some degree. Rather, the great divide is whether we ACCEPT OR REJECT THE COVENANT WITH THE SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST...And this great divide is crossed when we first make the covenant and ENTER the Church of Jesus Christ. Since Christ is already in the kingdom of God, when we come unto HIM we also of necessity come INTO IT."
"For members of The Church...these critical steps, which are equivalent to entering into the kingdom, ARE ALREADY BEHIND US. They are history. Therefore we are not waiting to see what some future verdict will decide. If we are in the covenant, the verdict is already in, and so are we." p. 7
"The D&C makes a useful distinction in sec. 65:6 between "THE KINGDOM OF GOD" (the present kingdom of which we are members through baptism) and "THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" (the future political kingdom to be established in glory). however, these are not two different kingdoms but rather two aspects of the same kingdom.
I like the distinction made by the Topical Guide in listing the references to "KINGDOM" under two headings, "KINGDOM OF GOD, IN HEAVEN" and "KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH." This recognizes both the present and future aspects of the one, single "KINGDOM OF GOD." On the one hand, the kingdom is present here and now as the Church and as the fellowship of the Saints. On the other hand, as a political and geographical reality it must wait until the second coming of our Lord.
Just as the kingdom is here in one sense but in one sense not yet here, so on the one hand (since God's promise is sure and certain), my place in the coming kingdom is sure and certain (unless I choose to leave), but on the other hand, my glorification hasn't actually happened yet. though I am already redeemed from the Fall through Christ,, I must still suffer the effects of the Fall in this life. so in one sense I am already redeemed or "saved"--the atonement has been completed and the victory is won--but in another sense I am not completely saved YET, since I still struggle with mortality, will surely die, and will not be actually glorified until later." p. 10
"We MUST understand that CONDITIONAL SALVATION is a PRESENT REALITY--that we can be certain NOW of what God has promised for the future. After all, Latter-day Saints appropriately talk about "BEING SEALED" in the present tense even though we know these sealings are conditioned on our faithfulness and will not be fully actualized until later. Is suggest that BEING SAVED can be similarly understood. We are "SAVED"now in the same way that most of us are "SEALED" now-on condition of continued faithfulness. " p. 11
"Perhaps I can illustrate the ambiguous already-here-but-not-yet-here nature of the kingdom or of "being saved" with an example. I recently took my young daughter, Mary, fishing, and it was important to me that she catch a fish. so I cast the line in for her, and when I felt a bite, I solidly set the hook. Then I stripped some line off the reel and handed the pole to Mary. i waited a few seconds, then suggested that she reel in slowly. After a few turns of the handle she felt the fish tugging on her line, and shrieking with delight she hauled it to the bank.
Now, my question is this: At what point in time was the fish actually caught? Did I catch it, or did Mary catch it. A case can rightly be made either way. Similarly, when do we inherit the kingdom--when we are "saved"? Is it when the hook is set--that is when the determinative events have taken place that make the final outcome certain on the single condition of endurance (the atonement of Christ and my entering the covenant), or is it when we actually rise in celestial glory and receive what was so certainly promised? A case can rightly be made either way." p. 12
Several years ago some friends of mine adopted an older child from the Third World whohad lived a very difficult life before coming to the US. For a long time their greatest frustration in dealing with their new daughter was her crippling insecurity; she couldn't believe she was safe. She paid slavish, obsessive attention to every word her new parents uttered for fear she would make a mistake and be sent back "there" because of it. She was so terrified of what her parents might do if she weren't "good", if she weren't PERFECT, that she could not for a long time enter into the relationship of love and trust they desired to have with her. They couldn't make suggestions for her improvement, or constructively criticize, or show any kind of irritation or impatience with her whatever without sending the poor girl into a panic, tearfully begging for forgiveness and for "just one more chance." It was heart-wrenching to see. Over and over they tried to reassure her that she could have all the "chances" she needed; that their decision to adopt her was eternal, irrevocable, and no longer open to reevaluation; that she was part of their family now and need not fear she would ever be sent away. "Please trust us," they would plead. "Don't you know that only YOU can break the bond that now holds us together? It will never be severed on our side. Your place with us is secure. As long as you want to stay, this is your home." Still, it took years for her to fully realize that she wasn't being evaluated for possible deportation every time she made a mistake.
Well, spiritually some of us are just like her. We've been so traumatized by our experiences in the world that we have a hard time accepting the love of God and believing we could possibly have a place in his family. ALREADY recipients of his love and ALREADY adopted his sons and daughters, some of us are still trying to earn his affection and get into the family. Our inability to accept his merciful gifts and tender mercies gets in the way of the better relationship we might have with God if we only know our proper place in his love and in his kingdom and then progressed from there. p. 14
It is important to remember that the gate of the kingdom of God is entering the covenant of faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. If this has already happened t you, then the gates are behind you, and you stand, while faithful, in the kingdom of God. That part of the judgment is already past. Nothing that happens subsequently can be understood as helping you get into the kingdom, or earning your way into the kingdom, or contributing to your getting to the kingdom--because you are already there. It logically follows that for those who have been born again, the critical question is not one of GETTING INTO the kingdom but of STAYING in the kingdom--of enduring to the end. For we must choose on an ongoing basis to remain, and that choice ust be reflected in what we love and in what we seek. THAT IS WHY ENDURING TO THE END IS THE FIFTH PRINCIPLE OF THE GOSPEL. Daily, our questions shouldn't be "Have i made it to the kingdom yet?" but rather, "Do I still want to stay?" p. 17
2 Nephi 33:9: "Be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and CONTINUE in the path UNTIL THE END of the day of probation". Notice that those who have come to christ have ALREADY entered into the narrow gate. Now they ust continue. thus to endure means that once we have found the strait and narrow path, we continue in that path (which we adopted at baptism) by keeping our commitments to Christ. First we come to Christ--then we stay put. STAYING PUT in the Church and covenant is "enduring." The "end" is the end of our mortal probation. TO ENDURE TO THE END MEANS WE DON'T LET GO OF CHRIST; WE DON'T QUIT THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OR LOSE OUT TESTIMONY BECAUSE OF LIFE'S DIFFICULTIES OR TEMPTATIONS--WE STAY PUT. p. 23
in The Old Testament, the words for FAITH, FAITHFUL, AND FAITHFULNESS all come from the Hebrew 'AMAN (to be firm or reliable) and imply primarily qualities of loyalty and determination rather than qualities of belief. The words of SECURITY, CERTAINTY, and gUARANTEE all come from the same Hebrew root. Thus BEING FAITHFUL DOES NOT HAVE AS MUCH TO DO WITH OUR BELIEF OR EVEN OUR ACTIVITY IN THE CHURCH AS IT DOES WITH WHETHER WE CAN BE TRUSTED TO DO OUR DUTY IN THE EARTHLY KINGDOM OF GOD...Unfortunately, due to denominational influence in modern English, the word FAITH has come to be associated primarily with WHAT WE BELIEVE and largely ignores its ORIGINAL ASSOCIATION WITH FAITHFULNESS. Thus the modern word FAITH renders only part of the sense of Hebrew original. If we restore that original nuance (that faith is ACTIVE commitment to an idea--faithfulness--rather than just passive mental acceptance of it), we largely resolve the false either/or of faith versus works. To have SAVING FAITH IN CHRIST IS TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST AND TO BE FAITHFUL TO CHRIST. IT IS TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT OF OURSELVES IN CHRIST. IT IS NOT ENOUGH MERELY TO HAVE A MENTAL CONVICTION THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD WITHOUT LETTING THAT CONVICTION HAVE ANY RELEVANCE TO HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES. p. 25
..Enduring to the end is more than just "being active" in the Church. Enduring to the end requires a personal awareness of covenant obligations and a personal determination to keep them faithfully. While the tern ACTIVE describes visible behavior, ENDURING FAITHFUL TO THE END describes an INNER COMMITMENT to the gospel and church of Jesus Christ. Of course it's better to be active than inactive, but just being active doesn't guarantee much about our spiritual commitment--even YEAST CAN BE "ACTIVE." We can be active for the wrong reasons, or for trivial reasons. Having a conscious awareness of our covenant obligations and a determination to keep them to the end is being active for the right reasons. p. 26
According to the scriptures, besides remaining faithful to our baptismal covenants, other component parts of enduring faithful to the end include:
1. Looking unto Christ (3 Nephi 15:9)
2. Continuing to take upon us the name of Christ (3 Nephi 27:6)
3. Feasting upon the words of Christ in steadfastness, hope, and love (2 Nephi 31:20; Moroni 8:26)
4. Offering our whole souls to Christ in fasting and prayer (Omni 1:26)
5. Following the example of Christ (2 Nephi 31:16)
6. Worshipping the Father in the name of Christ (D&C 20:29)
7. Keeping the commandments (1 Nephi 22:31; Alma 38:2; D&C 14:7)
8. Seeking to bring forth Zion with patience and humility (1 Nephi 13:37; Alma 32:15; D&C 24:8).
NOTICE THAT THE COMMON FOCUS OF ALL OF THESE SCRIPTURAL EXHORTATIONS TO ENDURANCE IS NOT PRIMARILY SUFFERING BUT LOYALTY TO CHRIST. p. 29
Perhaps you can imagine a second-string goalie who has average ability but who isn't as good as the fellow who plays in front of him. So most of the time he just sits on the bench. Is he off the team because he doesn't start? No, he's on the team he just isn't the most talented member at that position right now. Now suppose that because of injuries to the one who plays in front of him, this second-string goalie gets into the big game, where he does an okay job, and his team wins--even though he allowed three goals. Is he on the OTHER team now because he allowed the opposition to score three times and a better goalie wouldn't have? When the game is over, should his teammates treat him as a traitor for his errors? Because his limited talent worked in their favor, does the other team owe him something? OF course not. Our second-string goalie may lack talent, but there is no question about his loyalty or about which team he's on. Playing our best game and making mistakes does not put us off the team. We may sit on the bench for our mistakes--but we aren't the enemy.
Similarly, in the church and kingdom of God some players have more talent at soe positions than others; soe have more strength or experience than others. Not everyone can be relied upon to perform well at every position or in every circumstance. that does not make the unfaithful, and it doesn't mean they are off the team. They are merely the second string right now. p. 33
Only the Latter-day Saints understand that the purpose of God's grace is to take us all the way to himself and make us--quite literally--what he is. Now that is grace indeed! For Latter-day Saints the focal point of THIS life must be coming to Christ and beginning the process, but we also look forward to that greater moment in eternity when we shall finally be like him (1 John 3:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18). And toward that glorious day as faithful sons and daughters we consecrate ourselves in the everyday unfolding of our lives, that by our labors we might close the gap between us. When we use the term COMING TO CHRIST in describing conversion, it is a figure of speech that describes our intent and our desires. But the ultimate realization of coming to Christ is in actually closing the distance between us by becoming what he is through doing what he does. p. 70
I believe there is an indisoluble link between labor and happiness, a law that says something like "you can have only as much joy as you are willing to sweat for." Our eternal nature as children of God may be such that our CAPACITY for joy is increased by work (opposition in all things). After all, couch-potatoes miss a lot of happiness in THIS life; perhaps in the eternities spiritual couch-potatoes like wise miss something that might otherwise have been theirs with more effort. p. 74
In Matthew 24:9-13 the Savior's wonderful promise to those who will endure includes a warning against three specific things to watch out for. These specific hazards are weakness in affliction...
The following are some of my favorite parts of this wonderful book:
"Through faith, repentance, and baptism, we are incorporated into Christ and receive a new JOINT IDENTITY; we ARE NO LONGER JUST OURSELVES--WE ARE NOW CHRIST, AND HE IS US--just as husband and wife become one through the covenant of marriage. Just as a wife normally takes her husband's name and becomes heir to his property, so we take Christ's name upon us and become heirs of his kingdom through his death...we become a new, composite creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). Composed of a finite part (us) and an infinite part (Christ). Since Christ is infinite, it is HIS character that defines the nature of this new creature and determines the verdict to be pronounced upon us at the judgment. Therefore, as long as we remain one with Christ in this new joint relationship--in the covenant of the gospel--we are, for the time being, justified and redeemed on account of HIS righteousness (2 Nephi 2:3)" p. 5
"So the great divide between the saved and the unsaved, between those who inherit the kingdom and those who do not...isn't just who is "good" and who is "bad," for technically speaking we are ALL BAD in some degree. Rather, the great divide is whether we ACCEPT OR REJECT THE COVENANT WITH THE SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST...And this great divide is crossed when we first make the covenant and ENTER the Church of Jesus Christ. Since Christ is already in the kingdom of God, when we come unto HIM we also of necessity come INTO IT."
"For members of The Church...these critical steps, which are equivalent to entering into the kingdom, ARE ALREADY BEHIND US. They are history. Therefore we are not waiting to see what some future verdict will decide. If we are in the covenant, the verdict is already in, and so are we." p. 7
"The D&C makes a useful distinction in sec. 65:6 between "THE KINGDOM OF GOD" (the present kingdom of which we are members through baptism) and "THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" (the future political kingdom to be established in glory). however, these are not two different kingdoms but rather two aspects of the same kingdom.
I like the distinction made by the Topical Guide in listing the references to "KINGDOM" under two headings, "KINGDOM OF GOD, IN HEAVEN" and "KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH." This recognizes both the present and future aspects of the one, single "KINGDOM OF GOD." On the one hand, the kingdom is present here and now as the Church and as the fellowship of the Saints. On the other hand, as a political and geographical reality it must wait until the second coming of our Lord.
Just as the kingdom is here in one sense but in one sense not yet here, so on the one hand (since God's promise is sure and certain), my place in the coming kingdom is sure and certain (unless I choose to leave), but on the other hand, my glorification hasn't actually happened yet. though I am already redeemed from the Fall through Christ,, I must still suffer the effects of the Fall in this life. so in one sense I am already redeemed or "saved"--the atonement has been completed and the victory is won--but in another sense I am not completely saved YET, since I still struggle with mortality, will surely die, and will not be actually glorified until later." p. 10
"We MUST understand that CONDITIONAL SALVATION is a PRESENT REALITY--that we can be certain NOW of what God has promised for the future. After all, Latter-day Saints appropriately talk about "BEING SEALED" in the present tense even though we know these sealings are conditioned on our faithfulness and will not be fully actualized until later. Is suggest that BEING SAVED can be similarly understood. We are "SAVED"now in the same way that most of us are "SEALED" now-on condition of continued faithfulness. " p. 11
"Perhaps I can illustrate the ambiguous already-here-but-not-yet-here nature of the kingdom or of "being saved" with an example. I recently took my young daughter, Mary, fishing, and it was important to me that she catch a fish. so I cast the line in for her, and when I felt a bite, I solidly set the hook. Then I stripped some line off the reel and handed the pole to Mary. i waited a few seconds, then suggested that she reel in slowly. After a few turns of the handle she felt the fish tugging on her line, and shrieking with delight she hauled it to the bank.
Now, my question is this: At what point in time was the fish actually caught? Did I catch it, or did Mary catch it. A case can rightly be made either way. Similarly, when do we inherit the kingdom--when we are "saved"? Is it when the hook is set--that is when the determinative events have taken place that make the final outcome certain on the single condition of endurance (the atonement of Christ and my entering the covenant), or is it when we actually rise in celestial glory and receive what was so certainly promised? A case can rightly be made either way." p. 12
Several years ago some friends of mine adopted an older child from the Third World whohad lived a very difficult life before coming to the US. For a long time their greatest frustration in dealing with their new daughter was her crippling insecurity; she couldn't believe she was safe. She paid slavish, obsessive attention to every word her new parents uttered for fear she would make a mistake and be sent back "there" because of it. She was so terrified of what her parents might do if she weren't "good", if she weren't PERFECT, that she could not for a long time enter into the relationship of love and trust they desired to have with her. They couldn't make suggestions for her improvement, or constructively criticize, or show any kind of irritation or impatience with her whatever without sending the poor girl into a panic, tearfully begging for forgiveness and for "just one more chance." It was heart-wrenching to see. Over and over they tried to reassure her that she could have all the "chances" she needed; that their decision to adopt her was eternal, irrevocable, and no longer open to reevaluation; that she was part of their family now and need not fear she would ever be sent away. "Please trust us," they would plead. "Don't you know that only YOU can break the bond that now holds us together? It will never be severed on our side. Your place with us is secure. As long as you want to stay, this is your home." Still, it took years for her to fully realize that she wasn't being evaluated for possible deportation every time she made a mistake.
Well, spiritually some of us are just like her. We've been so traumatized by our experiences in the world that we have a hard time accepting the love of God and believing we could possibly have a place in his family. ALREADY recipients of his love and ALREADY adopted his sons and daughters, some of us are still trying to earn his affection and get into the family. Our inability to accept his merciful gifts and tender mercies gets in the way of the better relationship we might have with God if we only know our proper place in his love and in his kingdom and then progressed from there. p. 14
It is important to remember that the gate of the kingdom of God is entering the covenant of faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. If this has already happened t you, then the gates are behind you, and you stand, while faithful, in the kingdom of God. That part of the judgment is already past. Nothing that happens subsequently can be understood as helping you get into the kingdom, or earning your way into the kingdom, or contributing to your getting to the kingdom--because you are already there. It logically follows that for those who have been born again, the critical question is not one of GETTING INTO the kingdom but of STAYING in the kingdom--of enduring to the end. For we must choose on an ongoing basis to remain, and that choice ust be reflected in what we love and in what we seek. THAT IS WHY ENDURING TO THE END IS THE FIFTH PRINCIPLE OF THE GOSPEL. Daily, our questions shouldn't be "Have i made it to the kingdom yet?" but rather, "Do I still want to stay?" p. 17
2 Nephi 33:9: "Be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which leads to life, and CONTINUE in the path UNTIL THE END of the day of probation". Notice that those who have come to christ have ALREADY entered into the narrow gate. Now they ust continue. thus to endure means that once we have found the strait and narrow path, we continue in that path (which we adopted at baptism) by keeping our commitments to Christ. First we come to Christ--then we stay put. STAYING PUT in the Church and covenant is "enduring." The "end" is the end of our mortal probation. TO ENDURE TO THE END MEANS WE DON'T LET GO OF CHRIST; WE DON'T QUIT THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OR LOSE OUT TESTIMONY BECAUSE OF LIFE'S DIFFICULTIES OR TEMPTATIONS--WE STAY PUT. p. 23
in The Old Testament, the words for FAITH, FAITHFUL, AND FAITHFULNESS all come from the Hebrew 'AMAN (to be firm or reliable) and imply primarily qualities of loyalty and determination rather than qualities of belief. The words of SECURITY, CERTAINTY, and gUARANTEE all come from the same Hebrew root. Thus BEING FAITHFUL DOES NOT HAVE AS MUCH TO DO WITH OUR BELIEF OR EVEN OUR ACTIVITY IN THE CHURCH AS IT DOES WITH WHETHER WE CAN BE TRUSTED TO DO OUR DUTY IN THE EARTHLY KINGDOM OF GOD...Unfortunately, due to denominational influence in modern English, the word FAITH has come to be associated primarily with WHAT WE BELIEVE and largely ignores its ORIGINAL ASSOCIATION WITH FAITHFULNESS. Thus the modern word FAITH renders only part of the sense of Hebrew original. If we restore that original nuance (that faith is ACTIVE commitment to an idea--faithfulness--rather than just passive mental acceptance of it), we largely resolve the false either/or of faith versus works. To have SAVING FAITH IN CHRIST IS TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST AND TO BE FAITHFUL TO CHRIST. IT IS TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT OF OURSELVES IN CHRIST. IT IS NOT ENOUGH MERELY TO HAVE A MENTAL CONVICTION THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD WITHOUT LETTING THAT CONVICTION HAVE ANY RELEVANCE TO HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES. p. 25
..Enduring to the end is more than just "being active" in the Church. Enduring to the end requires a personal awareness of covenant obligations and a personal determination to keep them faithfully. While the tern ACTIVE describes visible behavior, ENDURING FAITHFUL TO THE END describes an INNER COMMITMENT to the gospel and church of Jesus Christ. Of course it's better to be active than inactive, but just being active doesn't guarantee much about our spiritual commitment--even YEAST CAN BE "ACTIVE." We can be active for the wrong reasons, or for trivial reasons. Having a conscious awareness of our covenant obligations and a determination to keep them to the end is being active for the right reasons. p. 26
According to the scriptures, besides remaining faithful to our baptismal covenants, other component parts of enduring faithful to the end include:
1. Looking unto Christ (3 Nephi 15:9)
2. Continuing to take upon us the name of Christ (3 Nephi 27:6)
3. Feasting upon the words of Christ in steadfastness, hope, and love (2 Nephi 31:20; Moroni 8:26)
4. Offering our whole souls to Christ in fasting and prayer (Omni 1:26)
5. Following the example of Christ (2 Nephi 31:16)
6. Worshipping the Father in the name of Christ (D&C 20:29)
7. Keeping the commandments (1 Nephi 22:31; Alma 38:2; D&C 14:7)
8. Seeking to bring forth Zion with patience and humility (1 Nephi 13:37; Alma 32:15; D&C 24:8).
NOTICE THAT THE COMMON FOCUS OF ALL OF THESE SCRIPTURAL EXHORTATIONS TO ENDURANCE IS NOT PRIMARILY SUFFERING BUT LOYALTY TO CHRIST. p. 29
Perhaps you can imagine a second-string goalie who has average ability but who isn't as good as the fellow who plays in front of him. So most of the time he just sits on the bench. Is he off the team because he doesn't start? No, he's on the team he just isn't the most talented member at that position right now. Now suppose that because of injuries to the one who plays in front of him, this second-string goalie gets into the big game, where he does an okay job, and his team wins--even though he allowed three goals. Is he on the OTHER team now because he allowed the opposition to score three times and a better goalie wouldn't have? When the game is over, should his teammates treat him as a traitor for his errors? Because his limited talent worked in their favor, does the other team owe him something? OF course not. Our second-string goalie may lack talent, but there is no question about his loyalty or about which team he's on. Playing our best game and making mistakes does not put us off the team. We may sit on the bench for our mistakes--but we aren't the enemy.
Similarly, in the church and kingdom of God some players have more talent at soe positions than others; soe have more strength or experience than others. Not everyone can be relied upon to perform well at every position or in every circumstance. that does not make the unfaithful, and it doesn't mean they are off the team. They are merely the second string right now. p. 33
Only the Latter-day Saints understand that the purpose of God's grace is to take us all the way to himself and make us--quite literally--what he is. Now that is grace indeed! For Latter-day Saints the focal point of THIS life must be coming to Christ and beginning the process, but we also look forward to that greater moment in eternity when we shall finally be like him (1 John 3:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18). And toward that glorious day as faithful sons and daughters we consecrate ourselves in the everyday unfolding of our lives, that by our labors we might close the gap between us. When we use the term COMING TO CHRIST in describing conversion, it is a figure of speech that describes our intent and our desires. But the ultimate realization of coming to Christ is in actually closing the distance between us by becoming what he is through doing what he does. p. 70
I believe there is an indisoluble link between labor and happiness, a law that says something like "you can have only as much joy as you are willing to sweat for." Our eternal nature as children of God may be such that our CAPACITY for joy is increased by work (opposition in all things). After all, couch-potatoes miss a lot of happiness in THIS life; perhaps in the eternities spiritual couch-potatoes like wise miss something that might otherwise have been theirs with more effort. p. 74
In Matthew 24:9-13 the Savior's wonderful promise to those who will endure includes a warning against three specific things to watch out for. These specific hazards are weakness in affliction...
February 14, 2022
As a follow-up to his very popular book "Believing Christ," Robinson again delivers a fantastic and thought-provoking take on what one can do to follow Christ. The chapters on what it means to endure to the end, faith and works, hazards to endurance and what he calls "The Prime Directive" (love) are loaded with instructive concepts put forth in his wonderful, yet sometimes direct style which reminds me a bit of another favorite author of mine, Joseph F. McConkie. For example:
-The process of refinement will last more than our lifetime.
-Mortality is the sorting shed. Here some of us will pursue light most of the time no matter what the cost; some will pursue light some of the time if it doesn't cost too much; and others will prefer darkness.
-Playing our best game and making mistakes does not put us off the team. We may sit on the bench for our mistakes, but we aren't the enemy.
-The commandments are not a list of God's arbitrary demands or hoops we have to jump through to please him but a chart through the reefs of life compiled by someone who knows these waters.
This is a very short sample of the many passages I highlighted. Certainly a book to which I will refer and review in the future.
-The process of refinement will last more than our lifetime.
-Mortality is the sorting shed. Here some of us will pursue light most of the time no matter what the cost; some will pursue light some of the time if it doesn't cost too much; and others will prefer darkness.
-Playing our best game and making mistakes does not put us off the team. We may sit on the bench for our mistakes, but we aren't the enemy.
-The commandments are not a list of God's arbitrary demands or hoops we have to jump through to please him but a chart through the reefs of life compiled by someone who knows these waters.
This is a very short sample of the many passages I highlighted. Certainly a book to which I will refer and review in the future.
February 3, 2022
Really good book. Highly recommend. This book really puts religion, faith and our adherence to them in perspective. It shows the incredible fact that both faith and works are dead without each other - they are the two sides of the one coin - and we need them both. But mostly it really strikes at the center of it all by strongly showing the evidence that what truly mattes is not the we focus on how good we're being, nor how much we resist temptations, nor how much we sin and "fall short", but rather how much we continue to push forward without jumping ship. In other words, the big big lesson to learn here is this: It's all about choosing to endure in faith during this life till the day we die - It matters not how easy or hard the road. So long as we don't give up - that is what matters. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Some days, that's all we'll be able to do. But so long as we do it, we have the Lord's promise that we'll live with Him again.
December 16, 2024
In general I ended up really appreciating this book! However, I was very close to giving three stars on this one because, for me, it was very hot and cold at times. It felt split fairly even being that some of the content really resonated with me, while other parts didn’t at all. Those that didn’t typically felt pretty culturally influenced, and for lack of a better word, even preachy at times. However, the things that did resonate with me really stuck with me and helped me see some things in a completely different light than I ever have before and will likely stick with me for a long, long time! Has definitely changed the way I view my covenant relationship with the Savior in positive ways. Great overall principles, just some aspects of the tone at times were a bit of a turn off for me.
October 14, 2020
A really good book. The author had a little bit different perspective on several gospel subjects which I had never considered before that I considered very valuable and enlightening. The chapter on the Fall was particularly good and helpful for me, but there is a great deal of value here. I also liked very much what he had to say about the role of loyalty and integrity in keeping our covenants, and likening our covenant relationship with Christ to a marriage. That was very thought-provoking and valuable for me to consider. I highly recommend the book.
November 24, 2020
This book is not for the faint in heart. Robinson doesn’t cut corners or beat around the bush in his descriptions or “labels” of what different followers of Christ might look like. It didn’t bother me, nor do I think it would bother someone reading this book from a gospel scholar perspective. But if you are struggling with a faith crisis or with the culture/policy of the Church, this book may come across as traditional and narrow-minded. I enjoyed the book nonetheless, but this is not the one to read if you seek non-conforming gospel perspectives.
May 21, 2018
The first half of this book is not very new, interesting, or meaningful to me at this stage in my life. But the latter parts of the book begin to explore really important ideas particularly as it relates to aspects of religious culture that often (especially in my upbringing) impede spiritual growth, progress, and understanding. Some of the things discussed really resonated with me and I’ll likely explore this book again.
July 25, 2022
This takes off where Believing Christ ended. Believing Christ is about gaining God's Kingdom. Following Christ explores what we must do to insure that we remain in His kingdom. It lets us know that we do not have to be perfect in this life, but we must strive to obey God's commands. God knows that we will sin and allows us to repent through His Atonement.
There are many commandments given to God's children but the most important thing is living the principle of Love.
There are many commandments given to God's children but the most important thing is living the principle of Love.
August 25, 2024
The central message is how to not get blown off course once you've understood the gospel and committed to it. I particularly like the parable of the diver, the understanding that remaining Faithful to God is all we need to be fully in God's graces. I found the section about keeping personal revelations to ourselves very interesting, and of course how to deal with other peoples' "revelations". I like his friendly, not too formal tone, and his use of scripture to support his teachings.
April 13, 2020
The best chapter of the whole book was the last one! It gave information I can hold onto and implement. I can see more clearly the path my life has taken, where I am at right now, and where I need to go and improve. Not everything is clear, of course, but the book reminds me that I can live by its principles and follow Christ.
June 25, 2024
We Follow Christ by Loving Others
This is a wonderful book. Highly recommend it for anyone trying to figure out how to be more like Christ. Following Christ often seems confusing. This book will help clear it up. Most importantly I think it is to try to be like Christ and one way to do that is to try to love everybody and serve others in need.
This is a wonderful book. Highly recommend it for anyone trying to figure out how to be more like Christ. Following Christ often seems confusing. This book will help clear it up. Most importantly I think it is to try to be like Christ and one way to do that is to try to love everybody and serve others in need.
August 7, 2017
4 1/2 stars. I really love his books, however I felt there was more that was harder for me to understand. I didn't love it quite as much as the first book Believing Christ. Still a very good and uplifting read about how charity and love is what the gospel is all about.
December 8, 2025
It was an easy read. I didn’t have any problems with it.
In fact there’s some great information in it, but I gave it a lower rating because there wasn’t anything in it that would get me to read it again. I did love Believing Christ by the same author.
In fact there’s some great information in it, but I gave it a lower rating because there wasn’t anything in it that would get me to read it again. I did love Believing Christ by the same author.
January 15, 2018
Love this author and the simple way he helps the reader understand higher principles of the gospel. Recommend!
June 18, 2018
A followup to Believing Christ. Pretty good.
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