As Lehi prepared to die, he counseled his sons for the last time. He spoke to Jacob, his fifth son, about salvation.
“…And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.
And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.
Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.
Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.” 2 Nephi 2:4-7
Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently explained this scripture in general conference:
“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, “Salvation and Exaltation,” Ensign, May 2008, 7–10
We can see that everyone will be saved, good or bad, regardless of choices made here on earth or lives lived. There is no need to say they believe, no need to act in accordance to the laws of God. This gift God gives to each of His children as a gift of pure love. We all agreed to come here to be tested and to try our best to return home, and in return for making the correct choice initially, we’re all guaranteed the right to live forever.
Living forever, however, isn’t what most Christians want most. It’s a wonderful gift, but those of us who love God and the Savior want more than mere life that never ends. We want to be with our Heavenly Father and Jesus for eternity. God cannot be where evil is, and so, this higher gift is one that must be earned. We can’t send evil into God’s presence.
This higher gift is known as exaltation. Exaltation allows us to return all the way home, back to the presence of God. It allows us all the greatest gifts God has to offer his children. There is no curve. Everyone could make it there if he or she chose to do what is required. Jesus repeated again and again during his mortal ministry that we must obey the commandments.
“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your ajoy might be full. .”—John 15: 10-11
In order to experience the fullness of joy, we want to abide in God’s love—in His very home when the time comes. How can we proclaim that we love Him and are worthy of spending eternity with Him if we’re not trying to live as he asked us to live? Love involves work, and working for God should not be a hardship. The greater our love, the easier obedience is.
Exaltation is a personal responsibility. No one can exalt you. You must be do the work yourself, over time and often on your knees, building a relationship with God and the Savior.
Some of the steps to exaltation include:
1. Faith in God. Believing in God and learning to trust Him to guide you, rather than any man you might encounter, is the first step.
2. Repentance: We all sin. Part of returning home is to repent of those sins and move closer to perfection. This must be true repentance, not just going through the motions.
3. Baptism: Baptism by full immersion, and by someone given true authority from God is required in order to be exalted. Baptism removes all previous sins from your history—God completely erases them—and allows you to start over, being held accountable for your new knowledge, but not for what happened in the past, before you know what was required of you.
4. Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost can come to stay with you all the time, guiding and comforting, and helping you get through life successfully. Again, this must be given by one who has true authority from God.
5. Living the gospel to the best of your ability all your life.
The Book of Mormon offers a tremendous guide to the subjects of salvation and exaltation. A careful study of the book will give you a clear understanding of both the Savior’s part and your own in this process.
8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.
9 Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.
10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—
2 Nephi 2:6-10
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
