There is no other way you can be saved, except through learning more about Jesus and living all you learn.5 You cannot be saved in spite of willful differences between you and God.6 These differences must be reconciled through your choice to follow his example.7 There are no backdoors or shortcuts to heaven—he is the gate and the way.8
Too many find comfort in the fact that they are doing better than they used to or they are doing better than other people they know, when they should be asking whether they are living up to Jesus, as far as they understand him to be. You shouldn’t judge yourself based simply on whether you are doing better than your worst. Your worst is not the standard you will be compared against—Jesus is.9 You shouldn’t judge yourself based on what others do.10 Your capabilities are not the same as those of others. Your accountability before God is based on what you know11 and could know,12 not what anyone else knows. God will hold you accountable for your own capacity and understanding,13 not that of others.14 The degree of blessing you receive from God is determined by the degree to which you are like him.15 Only judge yourself against others if you want to limit yourself to the blessings they have received.105
In the day of judgment, you will be judged for whether you lived up to your understanding of how Christ is.106 Jesus Christ—his works, his character, his sinlessness—is the standard of salvation.107 You will be judged by how well you live up to your present understanding of how God is.108 Everything about you and your life plainly demonstrates how much like him you have become, and by this you can know your standing with God at all times.
Footnotes
- 1. I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body—I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world. And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you. (Mosiah 4:6-8) ↩
- 2. And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still. (Mormon 9:14) ↩
- 3. O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect. Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness. (2 Nephi 9:13-14) ↩
- 4. For [God] is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him. (1 Nephi 10:18) ↩
- 5. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen. (2 Nephi 31:21) ↩
- 6. I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body—I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world. And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you. (Mosiah 4:6-8) ↩
- 7. Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved. (Helaman 12:23) ↩
- 8. ...I am the door of the sheep....He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (John 10:7, 1-2) ↩
- 9. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. (2 Corinthians 10:12-13) ↩
- 10. Don’t conform yourself to the present world, but be transformed by completing the process by which you obtain the mind of God; improving your idea of what is good, from your present understanding of what aligns with him unto the fullness of who he is. Judge wisely. We all differ in our present state of understanding of God. Therefore, do not judge yourself based on comparing yourself to others, but judge yourself against God as far as he has revealed himself to you. (Romans 12:2-3, Author’s Reflection) ↩
- 11. “For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.” (D&C 82:3) ↩
- 12. And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation. (3 Nephi 26:10) ↩
- 13. ....For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:48) ↩
- 14. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4) ↩
- 15. And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same. (D&C 88:34) ↩