what does the end product—immortality and eternal life— in heavenly father’s plan look like?

GOD’S WORK AND GLORY:THE IMMORTALITY AND ETERNAL LIFE OF MAN

What does the end product—immortality and eternal life—in Heavenly Father’s plan look like?

HEAVENLY FATHER’S WORK AND GLORY

Having twice been shown a vision of the earth “and the ends thereof,” Moses asked the Lord—

“For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:30, 39)

“Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so?”

The Lord responded saying,

What is the difference between immortality and eternal life?

Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) President

Immortality is to live forever in an assigned kingdom. Eternal life is to gain exaltation in the highest heaven and live in the family unit. (Ensign, Nov. 1978, p. 72)

Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917-2008) Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Immortality is about quantity. Eternal life is about quality. To use a metaphor, immortality is how long the dinner lasts. Eternal life is what is on the menu and who is with us at the table. (“What is the Difference Between Immortality and Eternal Life,” New Era, Nov. 2006)

The Visions of the Kingdoms of Glory and PerditionD&C 76

Before we examine what these visions reveal on the kingdoms of Glory and perdition, we need to understand something about final judgment.

The Celestial KingdomD&C 76:50-70, 92-96

D&C 137:9 For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts. (see also Alma 41:3-7)

Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said this of “Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts--what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts--what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.” (Ensign, Nov. 2000, p. 32)

John Taylor (1808-87) President

"God is interested in the whole of the human family. He cannot take them all into the celestial kingdom, for they are not all prepared to go there, and you cannot prepare them and He cannot, because they have to be governed by certain laws and certain principles and certain feelings, and if they are not governed by these and will not be governed by a celestial law, they are not prepared for a celestial glory. There are some that may be governed by a terrestrial law, and may be prepared for a terrestrial glory, but not for a celestial glory. Still, they are God's children, and He is doing the best by them He can." (Journal of Discourses, 24:195)

John Taylor (1808-87) President

"God is interested in the whole of the human family. He cannot take them all into the celestial kingdom, for they are not all prepared to go there, and you cannot prepare them and He cannot, because they have to be governed by certain laws and certain principles and certain feelings, and if they are not governed by these and will not be governed by a celestial law, they are not prepared for a celestial glory. There are some that may be governed by a terrestrial law, and may be prepared for a terrestrial glory, but not for a celestial glory. Still, they are God's children, and He is doing the best by them He can." (Journal of Discourses, 24:195)

Let’s look at vss. 51-53.

Let’s look at vss. 51-53. At first this may look like a prescriptive list of things one must do to get into the celestial kingdom. But the first two words of vs 51 suggest this is a description what what celestial beings are like!

51 They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given— 52 That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power; 53 And who overcome by faith,

Verses 51-53 describe those who have been spiritually born again. Those who have been spiritually born again have received remission of their sins—they have overcome spiritual death. This is one of the meanings of salvation.

“To be saved—or to gain salvation—means to be saved from physical and spiritual death. Because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected and saved from physical death. People may also be saved from individual spiritual death through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, by their faith in Him, by living in obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel, and by serving Him.”

Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“The development of faith in the Lord is an individual matter. Repentance is also an individual matter. Only as an individual can one be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. Each of us is born individually; likewise, each of us is “born again” individually. Salvation is an individual matter..” (“Salvation and Exaltation,” Ensign, May 2008)

Verses 51-53 reveal that each of those who have gained entrance into the celestial kingdom have been saved from their individual sins through the atonement of Jesus Christ. The next several verses reveal that they also have been exalted in that kingdom.

To what does exaltation refer?

“To be exalted—or to gain exaltation—refers to the highest state of happiness and glory in the celestial realm.” (“Salvation and Exaltation,” Ensign, May 2008)

Exaltation in the celestial kingdom and eternal life refer to the same thing.

What does exaltation in the celestial kingdom look like?

54 They are they who are the church of the Firstborn.

WHAT IS THE CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN?

President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876-1972) said: "Eternal life is life in the presence of the Father and the Son. Those who receive it become members of the 'Church of the Firstborn' and are heirs as sons and daughters of God. They receive the fulness of blessings. They become like the Father and the Son and are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ" (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:9).

The sacred ordinances performed in the temple are essential in becoming a member of the Church of the Firstborn. This was made clear by Joseph Smith. On May 4, 1842, the day the Prophet introduced the temple ordinances of the washing and anointing and the endowment in this dispensation, he wrote:

I spent the day in the upper part of the store . . . in council with General James Adams, of Springfield, Patriarch Hyrum Smith, Bishops Newel K. Whitney and George Miller, and President Brigham Young and Elders Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, instructing them in the principles and order of the Priesthood, attending to washings, anointings, endowments and the communication of keys pertaining to the Aaronic Priesthood, and so on to the highest order of the Melchizedek Priesthood, setting forth the order pertaining to the Ancient of Days, and all those plans and principles by which any one is enabled to secure the fullness of those blessing which have been prepared for the Church of the Firstborn, and come up and abide in the presence of the Eloheim in the eternal worlds. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.237; emphasis added)

In line with this, Brigham Young who was in attendance on this occasion later stated: "The ordinances of the house of God are expressly for the Church of the Firstborn" (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 397).

54 They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. [i.e., the church of the Heirs]

. . . Being heirs . . .

55 They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things—

55 They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things— 56 They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory;

57 And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son.

57 And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. 58 Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God—

57 And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. 58 Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God— 66 These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all. 67 These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn.

“church” “priests” “kings” “city” “zion” “assembly” “gods” “sons of god” “city of Enoch”

These words all refer to community. And that community is called Zion.

What is Zion? “Zion is the city of our God,” a people who have become “the pure in heart” (D&C 97:19, 23).

“And the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.” (Moses 7:18)

The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805-44) taught: “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; but they died without the sight; we are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory; it is left for us to see, participate in and help to roll forward the Latter-day glory.”

The Cause of Zion

“Anyplace where the Saints gather is Zion, which every righteous man will build up for a place of safety for his children.” “There will be here and there a Stake [of Zion] for the gathering of the Saints. ... There your children shall be blessed, and you in the midst of friends where you may be blessed. The Gospel net gathers of every kind.” “... We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object. ... The time is soon coming, when no man will have any peace but in Zion and her stakes.“ (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], p.91)

God’s work and glory—His overall goal—is to bring to pass a community of people who have individually become pure in heart, having received a remission of sins through the process of spiritual rebirth, and have become a assembly or community of saints who are of one heart and one mind, who dwell in righteousness, and are completely self reliant (i.e., “no poor among them”). They have become “gods, even the sons of God.”

what does the end product—immortality and eternal life— in heavenly father’s plan look like?

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