"We are eternal beings. Without beginning and without end"
--- Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)
If you watched the video above, you'll know that the Plan of Salvation answers the questions of the soul, namely: Where do we come from? Why are we here? What happens after death? Understanding that God has a plan for us and is mindful of us should encourage us as we do our best to live the gospel. Because of revelation, we know that life has meaning and that death isn't the end of the journey. We know that immense eternal blessings await the faithful after we die and that our time on Earth is a time to prepare to return to Heavenly Father.
**NOTE: If you wish to get in contact with missionaries of the Church to learn more, you can do so at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/requests/missionary-visit
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Consider reading more about Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness in my mini-series, "Return of the King"
In order to understand the Plan of Salvation, we might first consider, "What does it mean to be saved?" You might be surprised by the vastly different perspectives different churches have on the matter. You would think it would be a unanimous concept since it's common to Christianity but it continues to be a debatable doctrine for many.
SALVATION
On multiple occasions people, namely Baptists, came up to my companion and me and asked, “If you died today, are you sure you’d be saved?” or something of the like. “Have you accepted Jesus in your heart?”. That felt rather redundant and rhetorical. Of course, we believed in Jesus! (If that’s what they meant). We were after all serving missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints sharing His gospel. However, for them, accepting Jesus meant pinpointing a moment in their lives where everything clicked—an epiphany so to speak, where they felt dependence on God. By this understanding, Jesus had saved them from a bad path and led them to a better one.
Anyone could vocally say "I accept Jesus as the Savior of the World" (although I don’t know entirely what people mean by "accept") but I’ve always considered my faith and testimony as an infinite process, rather than a single verbal profession that's said and done with (See "Testimonies and Trainers"). For me, it’s something that grows inch by inch, and not overnight like a magic beanstalk.
Nevertheless, I can’t help but remember the prophet Alma from the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ who paraphrased this same idea:
“Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?” (Alma 5:27)
Alma’s question was rhetorically retrospective and I prefer it that way. Too often self-righteous people belittle the humble efforts of others. But there can be good derived from asking ourselves where we each stand and “what lack we yet?” (Matt. 19:20). We best be like the Apostles, slow to undermine others and quick to look inward so as to say, “Lord, is it I?” (Matt. 26:22)
So, besides inspiring wholesome change, in what ways does Jesus Christ save us? It could be appropriate to ask for specification when asked, “Are you saved?” by asking, “Saved from what?”
The Jews looked forward to the Messiah whom they believed would save them from political oppression and reign as a literal monarch (Jer. 23:5) and military victor, a descendant of King David. They still do. True to the prophecies spoken of the Messiah, Jesus did come the “Son of David” (Matt. 9:27; Luke 18:38), the stem of Jesse who was the father of David (Isa. 11:1), but they did not understand that “[His] kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). His mission was not to be one monarch among many but to be the King of Kings and Savior of all. Jesus did not save the Jews from their corrupt politicians as they had supposed Him to do, but He is the Savior of the human race in a much greater and more eternal way. He does not save us in our sins but saves us from permanent residence in sin and death.
A peer at BYU described salvation as “being healed”. I think that poetic definition is profound. The gospel is like a salve supplied by the master healer. Like the miraculous balm from the Hunger Games, when applied, there won’t be so much as a scar left. For some, salvation means being in heaven. For some, salvation means living forever. For others, salvation means escaping hell. Of all these ideas, I like “being healed” the most. In this sense, it is more than anything physical or a place or a prize. It is a state of being.
But I suppose that salvation is a conglomerate of all these different ideas. Is salvation free? Yes, if you take salvation to mean being rescued from death and hell. Everyone will live again and everyone will inherit a "glory" (See, "Redeeming the Dead"). But to be saved in the sense of obtaining a celestial reward where God dwells is a higher goal for which we should all strive. Let me explain more.
HEAVENLY FATHER'S PLAN
The Plan of Salvation is known by many names: The Plan of Happiness, the Plan of Redemption, etc. God’s plan answers the deepest questions of the soul: where did I come from? What is the meaning of life? What happens after death? Will I see my loved ones again?
God is the Father of our spirits and we are His children. He loves us and has prepared a plan to help us to grow and become as He is (See "Eternal Life: As He Is"). This plan was prepared before the creation of the earth, meaning that we existed as spirit children of God before birth (Jeremiah 1:5; Alma 13:3-7) in the pre-mortal life or what is sometimes referred to as the "pre-existence". Knowing that life would be challenging, Jesus Christ was chosen to be our Savior (1 Peter 1:20). God granted unto man agency (the ability to choose for his or herself) from the beginning, and everyone who has ever been born on the Earth used that agency to choose God’s plan in the pre-mortal life. (Alma 13:3)
ADAM & EVE
When the world was first created, God put the first man and woman on it: the one named Adam and the latter called Eve because she was the mother of all living (Gen. 3:20). At first, they lived immortally in the Garden of Eden knowing neither good nor evil (2 Nephi 2:23). Although they were commanded to not partake of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God understood it would happen eventually, otherwise, He would not have previously prepared a Savior. It was necessary that they chose for themselves to eat of the fruit for it was necessary to obtain knowledge and eventually pass on from this life into the next. Agency meant that Adam and Eve could choose for themselves but they could not exercise agency unless an opportunity to choose was given, such as to partake or not to partake. It is significant to note that God did not cause them to transgress but He did know it was imminent, just as a weatherman sees the storm coming tomorrow does not mean he personally is responsible for it being. Partaking of the fruit put the plan of happiness into motion, just like a car shifted from neutral into drive. Partaking meant that they could have children, be tested, and still receive the blessings of Christ’s atonement. Thanks to Adam and Eve and their decisions, we are here (2 Nephi 2:23), thus, the fall is not all inherently evil like many Christians take it to be. But without the knowledge the restoration gives us, I can understand why many would feel that way; the Old Testament makes it sound like that.
We are all like Adam and Eve. Why they often receive criticism for the inevitable events that transpired is beyond me. Don’t we all find ourselves between a rock and a hard place from time to time? Don’t we all get tempted by the "serpent"? Fortunately, we have a redeemer to help us back on the strait and narrow path.
As the Old Testament puts it, the serpent (symbolic of the devil) persuades Eve to partake of the fruit saying, “Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:4-5). This is a cunning half-truth in that they would die but their eyes were opened, and they became "as gods", knowing good and evil. It was this ultimate enticing truth, that it was “a tree to be desired to make one wise…” (Gen 3:6), why Eve elected to partake. And their eyes were indeed opened (Vs. 7) and did become as gods (Gen. 3:22). And isn’t that God’s purpose?
THE FALL
As a consequence of partaking of the fruit, Adam and Eve experienced changes both physical and spiritual. We call this “the Fall”. Physically, they became mortal and susceptible to the weaknesses of the flesh and the earth fell from its glory (Vs. 17-18) but they were able to have children. Spiritually, they were separated from God’s presence. So salvation would be the reversal of death and removal from God's physical presence.
I again raise the question, “What are we saved from?” In one sense, salvation means being saved from the Fall of Adam and Eve. It is redemption from the bondage of sin and death. By this definition then, it is true that all mankind has been saved through the merits of Christ, so salvation is free (2 Nephi 2:4; See "More Than Good"). Man could never provide an Atonement, an ultimate sacrifice, that would redeem all mankind by the shedding of his own blood save he be “without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19; Lev. 1:3). Therefore, was a sinless Savior prepared to take upon Himself the sins and sorrows of humanity— to do that which no one else could do. Because of the atonement, we will be accountable only for our own sins and not for Adam’s transgression. (See "Christ's Ministry")
We know so much more about the doctrine of the fall and the Atonement largely in part because of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ but even just as much so because of modern-day revelation through living prophets (See "Prophets and Callings to Serve"). I would bet that most of the world, not necessarily everyone, considers “the fall” an inherently bad thing but we, who possess precious restored truths, know that the fall would be bad without Christ, but with Him, the fall is good. Why? Because it not only brought forth bad things, but it enabled all that is good and opened the door to growth. (See "The Return of the King -- Part 1")
When Christ was resurrected, He broke the chains of death which allows all of us to be resurrected one day. Why? Again, because we all accepted God’s plan in heaven as evidenced by being born (John 5:29; 1 Cor. 15:20-22). We are all saved from physical death.
However, as before mentioned, we each must work out our life in preparation to be in God’s presence, which I refer to as a fullness of salvation and is not without our desire and effort.
DEATH & THE SPIRIT WORLD
There is a place prepared after death referred to as the “Spirit World”. Those who chose to do good will go to paradise (Alma 40:6-12; Luke 23:43) and those who chose evil will go to “spirit prison” (which simply means they do not enjoy the peace of consciousness the others do). Both are temporary places until the resurrection. In that place, there are missionaries teaching those who did not have the opportunity to receive the gospel in life (1 Peter 3:19, Luke 4:18). There they have the opportunity to accept or reject the gospel. Therefore, all of God’s children will have an opportunity to join the Kingdom of God, for God is just and merciful.
**I'll talk more about the gospel for the dead in my next post blog about temples**
Death is rarely perceived as a good thing by most. Certainly, it is a trying time but death is only a temporary departure. Like all, we mourn but we mourn with hope. We understand that we will all be with our loved ones again. What is death? Well, sure it’s when you stop living, but what is death really? Death is the separation of the spirit from the body. That is all. Imagine taking a glove off of your hand. The glove serves as a shell similar to the hand but without the hand, it can do nothing. Such is the soul of man; the combination of body and spirit.
THE RESURRECTION
The resurrection is the permanent reunion of the spirit with its body, like putting the glove back on (Alma 40:18). That is why we should take care of our bodies because we will get to keep them forever. They are essential to our celestial inheritance.
Christ’s resurrection was literal. He took up His own body with the same scars as a monument to those whom He visited that it was Him who was killed and was resurrected (3 Nephi 11:14-15; Isa. 49:16). When He showed himself to the disciples, they were scared and “supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and feet that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:36-40). Jesus is not a spirit. The whole point of the resurrection was to forever reclaim our physical bodies. He was risen then. He is risen now. He is a living being who does not literally dwell in our hearts, for that is the purpose of the Holy Ghost, but He has a tangible frame like us though perfect. Should He will it, He could and does show himself to those He chooses. He did so back then, it is not hard to accept He could do so today.
THE JUDGMENT DAY
All will be judged by Christ, giving an account of their works (lives) on the judgment day (John 5:22,27). It will be just as it is written that “every eye shall see him” (Rev. 1:7). “All shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just” (Mosiah 16:1).
Everyone will receive one of three kingdoms of Glory (1 Cor. 15:39-42; See "The Return of the King -- The Final Part"), the highest of which we strive for where God lives is the Celestial Glory (2 Cor. 12:2). To be where He is, to have that fullness of salvation, we must have faith, repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. All components are of equally essential importance. That is my greatest definition of salvation.
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