Question
Gramps,
Firstly, I would like to say I am so grateful for the effort & time you put in to helping everyone with their questions. It really is a blessing for us to go somewhere for help and receive the answers with scripture quotes attached. I have a question when you get time, please. Q) How many judgments are there, when do they occur, and when is the Millennium in regard to these judgments? Thank you.
Annie
Answer
Dear Annie,
Thank you for your kind words.
We experience multiple judgments in this life we just don’t often think of them as judgments. The Gospel Principles manual shares some examples:
Here on earth we are often judged as to our worthiness to receive opportunities within the kingdom of God. When we are baptized we are judged worthy to receive this ordinance. When we are called to serve in the Church or interviewed for a priesthood advancement or a temple recommend, we are judged.
Consider the example of priesthood advancement. As currently implemented, the majority of these interviews (judgments) happen at the end of the year in preparation for ordinations in January. From an administrative perspective, these happen largely at the same time. From an individual perspective, however, they happen when they are needed (prior to ordination). Consider the case of a newly-baptized convert. The bishop will not typically have him wait until December to be interviewed for the Aaronic Priesthood. Instead the interview happens as needed (prior to ordination).
Leaving mortality, there is another judgment which happens when we transition into the spirit world. We have very little information on the formalities of it. Alma taught his son that “the spirits of all men, … are taken home to that God who gave them life. And … the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, … and … the spirits of the wicked … shall be cast out.” And that is the extent of knowledge that we have for that judgment.
The judgment that most people think of when we discuss this topic is the Final Judgment. This is when our eternal glories are assigned to us based on our faith and works in this life. As with priesthood advancement, there is a temporal milestone when this judgment (accompanied by Resurrection) will occur. I go into more detail here, but what is termed the First Resurrection begins with the Millennial return of Christ. This is the Resurrection of the Just (Celestial and Terrestrial). At the end of the Millennium is the so-called Second Resurrection, or the Resurrection of the Unjust (Telestial). This timeline is something like the administrative scheduling of the Final Judgment. The focus of this judgement is the resurrection, so from an individual’s perspective it will happen when their sojourn in the world of spirits is done and their resurrection is at hand. I explore some scenarios in this previous answer. This judgment includes a stewardship interview where we will have to account for what we have done with the gospel of Jesus Christ restored to us.
Gramps
