I recently read a scripture in the Book of Mormon that warned that in the last days, many would "teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance" (2 Nephi 28:4). Sometimes I worry that my writings will come off as being too scholarly, but I don't know any other way to write. Like Moroni would later write, although I can have great gospel conversations with people, I worry that it does not translate very well to writing (Ether 12:25). Hopefully you can still be edified by what I write.
Of all the parts of the plan of salvation, mortality is the one we know the most about, because of our experiences, but the one that so often confuses people, because it does not have a pre-defined outcome. Whereas we know exactly what happened in the pre-existence, and we know what will happen after we die (to be covered later), this life is an enigma. Our choices, and the choices of those around us interact in such complex ways that we never know what will happen next.
For those of you who are familiar with the missionary guide Preach My Gospel, you will recognize that I am following (for the most part) the outline of the plan of salvation contained therein. In my experience as a missionary, people were more interested in learning about what happens after we die than about what is happening now. However, it is our actions in the present that will affect our future state of existence. That is why I believe this is the most critical part of the plan of salvation to understand. Also because it encompasses the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
This life is a chance for God to "prove [us] herewith, to see if [we] will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us]" (Abr. 3:25). The promise being first, that "they who keep their first estate shall be added upon" in that we would be allowed to be born onto the earth with physical bodies, and "they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever" (Abr. 3:26). That's sounds pretty good, right? Having glory added to us forever and ever. So how is this accomplished? How do we keep our "second estate"?
Recall that the overarching purpose of the plan is to bring all mankind back into the presence of God, that we can have immortality and eternal life (Moses 1:39). Let us review the obstacles that face us as we try to achieve this lofty goal.
1. Physical death. God the Father and Jesus Christ both possess bodies of flesh and bone (D&C 130:22), and if we are to be like them, we must have this also. Our physical death, the separation of spirit and body, removes that blessing from us.
2. Spiritual death, or sin. We know that "no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven" (Alma 11:37), so what hope have we?
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
With these two major obstacles in mind, we are now ready for an understanding, and hopefully an appreciation as well, of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. To "atone" means to "make or become united of reconciled." Since we are estranged, as it were, from God, there must be some way for us to be reconciled to him for us to have any hope of living with Him again, and for His plan to succeed.
Since resurrection occurs later along in the plan of salvation, after the spirit world, suffice it to say for now that through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, He overcame physical death, not only for himself, but for all of God's children born on to the earth.
There is also a specific way set forth for us to be able to overcome spiritual death; this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the Book of Mormon so much, and especially because of its clear teachings of the gospel. In 2 Nephi 31, 3 Nephi 27, and other places, we learn that the gospel consists of 1) having faith in Jesus Christ, 2) repenting of our sins, 3) being baptized, 4) receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and 5) enduring to the end.
It is easy to say that this is what we must do, but much harder to live it. I know from experience, and from the examples in the scriptures, that living the gospel of Jesus Christ is the key to happiness and eventual salvation. But what if it seems like life is trying to beat you down? Joseph Smith taught: "All your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection, provided you continue faithful. By the vision of the Almighty I have seen it."
(Teachings of Joseph Smith, Ch. 3, p. 45–56)
God affirmed this teaching when he spoke to Joseph when he was himself in a very low point in his life. While stuck in Liberty jail under false pretenses, suffering from cold and illness, the prophet asked "O God, where art thou?" In response, we hear these marvelous words:
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high...
"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
Therefore, hold on thy way,... Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever."
(D&C 121:7–8, 122:7–9)
Bruce R. McConkie also said something on the subject of facing trials in mortality. It is a slightly longer quotation, but it is nonetheless very poignant, and it gives me great hopes for the future.
"We don't need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. You don't. There's only been one perfect person, and that's the Lord Jesus, but in order to be saved in the Kingdom of God and in order to pass the test of mortality, what you have to do is get on the straight and narrow path – thus charting a course leading to eternal life – and then, being on that path, pass out of this life in full fellowship. I'm not saying that you don't have to keep the commandments. I'm saying you don't have to be perfect to be saved. If you did, no one would be saved. The way it operates is this: You get on the path that's named the "straight and narrow." You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that's called eternal life. If you're on that path and pressing forward, and you die, you'll never get off the path. There is no such thing as falling off the straight and narrow path in the life to come, and the reason is that this life is the time that is given to men to prepare for eternity. Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you're working zealously in this life – though you haven't fully overcome the world and you haven't done all you hoped you might do – you're still going to be saved. You don't have to do what Jacob said, "Go beyond the mark." You don't have to live a life that's truer than true. You don't have to have an excessive zeal that becomes fanatical and becomes unbalancing. What you have to do is stay in the mainstream of the Church and live as upright and decent people live in the Church – keeping the commandments, paying your tithing, serving in the organizations of the Church, loving the Lord, staying on the straight and narrow path. If you're on that path when death comes – because this is the time and the day appointed, this is the probationary estate – you'll never fall off from it, and, for all practical purposes, your calling and election is made sure."
(See also a general conference talk he gave on this subject)
As I think about what we have been given in this life, what we have to face and overcome, and what reward we have waiting for us at the end, I am often filled with a sense of the vast distance between where I am now and where God wants me to be. However, as I try to think more about the love that Jesus Christ has for me, and the help and blessings he has promised me, I am given a feeling of peace that, although difficult, it is possible to return to live with God. I hope that through reading these things, and through your own personal prayer and scripture study, you are also able to have this hope (Moroni 7:48).
Next week I will address the beautiful blessing of the Atonement that makes all of this possible. Please share these quotes with anyone you know who may be having a hard time.
Of all the parts of the plan of salvation, mortality is the one we know the most about, because of our experiences, but the one that so often confuses people, because it does not have a pre-defined outcome. Whereas we know exactly what happened in the pre-existence, and we know what will happen after we die (to be covered later), this life is an enigma. Our choices, and the choices of those around us interact in such complex ways that we never know what will happen next.
For those of you who are familiar with the missionary guide Preach My Gospel, you will recognize that I am following (for the most part) the outline of the plan of salvation contained therein. In my experience as a missionary, people were more interested in learning about what happens after we die than about what is happening now. However, it is our actions in the present that will affect our future state of existence. That is why I believe this is the most critical part of the plan of salvation to understand. Also because it encompasses the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
This life is a chance for God to "prove [us] herewith, to see if [we] will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us]" (Abr. 3:25). The promise being first, that "they who keep their first estate shall be added upon" in that we would be allowed to be born onto the earth with physical bodies, and "they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever" (Abr. 3:26). That's sounds pretty good, right? Having glory added to us forever and ever. So how is this accomplished? How do we keep our "second estate"?
Recall that the overarching purpose of the plan is to bring all mankind back into the presence of God, that we can have immortality and eternal life (Moses 1:39). Let us review the obstacles that face us as we try to achieve this lofty goal.
1. Physical death. God the Father and Jesus Christ both possess bodies of flesh and bone (D&C 130:22), and if we are to be like them, we must have this also. Our physical death, the separation of spirit and body, removes that blessing from us.
2. Spiritual death, or sin. We know that "no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven" (Alma 11:37), so what hope have we?
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
With these two major obstacles in mind, we are now ready for an understanding, and hopefully an appreciation as well, of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. To "atone" means to "make or become united of reconciled." Since we are estranged, as it were, from God, there must be some way for us to be reconciled to him for us to have any hope of living with Him again, and for His plan to succeed.
Since resurrection occurs later along in the plan of salvation, after the spirit world, suffice it to say for now that through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, He overcame physical death, not only for himself, but for all of God's children born on to the earth.
There is also a specific way set forth for us to be able to overcome spiritual death; this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the Book of Mormon so much, and especially because of its clear teachings of the gospel. In 2 Nephi 31, 3 Nephi 27, and other places, we learn that the gospel consists of 1) having faith in Jesus Christ, 2) repenting of our sins, 3) being baptized, 4) receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and 5) enduring to the end.
It is easy to say that this is what we must do, but much harder to live it. I know from experience, and from the examples in the scriptures, that living the gospel of Jesus Christ is the key to happiness and eventual salvation. But what if it seems like life is trying to beat you down? Joseph Smith taught: "All your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection, provided you continue faithful. By the vision of the Almighty I have seen it."
(Teachings of Joseph Smith, Ch. 3, p. 45–56)
God affirmed this teaching when he spoke to Joseph when he was himself in a very low point in his life. While stuck in Liberty jail under false pretenses, suffering from cold and illness, the prophet asked "O God, where art thou?" In response, we hear these marvelous words:
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high...
"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
Therefore, hold on thy way,... Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever."
(D&C 121:7–8, 122:7–9)
Bruce R. McConkie also said something on the subject of facing trials in mortality. It is a slightly longer quotation, but it is nonetheless very poignant, and it gives me great hopes for the future.
"We don't need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. You don't. There's only been one perfect person, and that's the Lord Jesus, but in order to be saved in the Kingdom of God and in order to pass the test of mortality, what you have to do is get on the straight and narrow path – thus charting a course leading to eternal life – and then, being on that path, pass out of this life in full fellowship. I'm not saying that you don't have to keep the commandments. I'm saying you don't have to be perfect to be saved. If you did, no one would be saved. The way it operates is this: You get on the path that's named the "straight and narrow." You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that's called eternal life. If you're on that path and pressing forward, and you die, you'll never get off the path. There is no such thing as falling off the straight and narrow path in the life to come, and the reason is that this life is the time that is given to men to prepare for eternity. Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you're working zealously in this life – though you haven't fully overcome the world and you haven't done all you hoped you might do – you're still going to be saved. You don't have to do what Jacob said, "Go beyond the mark." You don't have to live a life that's truer than true. You don't have to have an excessive zeal that becomes fanatical and becomes unbalancing. What you have to do is stay in the mainstream of the Church and live as upright and decent people live in the Church – keeping the commandments, paying your tithing, serving in the organizations of the Church, loving the Lord, staying on the straight and narrow path. If you're on that path when death comes – because this is the time and the day appointed, this is the probationary estate – you'll never fall off from it, and, for all practical purposes, your calling and election is made sure."
(See also a general conference talk he gave on this subject)
As I think about what we have been given in this life, what we have to face and overcome, and what reward we have waiting for us at the end, I am often filled with a sense of the vast distance between where I am now and where God wants me to be. However, as I try to think more about the love that Jesus Christ has for me, and the help and blessings he has promised me, I am given a feeling of peace that, although difficult, it is possible to return to live with God. I hope that through reading these things, and through your own personal prayer and scripture study, you are also able to have this hope (Moroni 7:48).
Next week I will address the beautiful blessing of the Atonement that makes all of this possible. Please share these quotes with anyone you know who may be having a hard time.
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