The promise of eternal life
Two reliable aspects of human nature are the desire to get something for less than it costs and the desire to be done. Both desires are wrapped up in ideas held by some regarding the promise of eternal life, otherwise known as making your calling and election sure. There are people who believe that there are shortcuts to receiving eternal life that do not involve becoming more like Jesus, or that you can reach a point where you no longer have to labor to live as you believe he would in your place.
There is no shortcut to receiving eternal life. Eternal life isn’t gained through rite or ritual. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the conditions, content, and outcomes of salvation.1 There is no way to receive eternal life except by becoming like Jesus.2 Anyone who is like him will have eternal life,3 because to be like him is the very meaning of eternal life.4 If you are reconciled to Jesus, you have eternal life, and will continue to until and unless you cease to remain reconciled with him.
Much confusion has resulted from the assumption that the promise of eternal life is unconditional. The promise of eternal life, like all of God’s promises,5 is conditional.6 The conditions of eternal life have been set since the foundations of the world; they are to fully reconcile yourself to your understanding of Jesus and to maintain this reconciliation as you learn all you can about him until you die. There is no cessation to the labor salvation requires except for death. Until then, your salvation is at risk.7 The promise of eternal life demands the continuous sacrifice of everything required to remain true and faithful to the Lord’s example in spite of every obstacle.8
Rather than see the promise of eternal life as a special accomplishment of the privileged few, we should see it as an invitation unto all. When God mentions it to individuals, it isn't to grant them an unconditional outcome specific to them, but to remind all people of what is available for them, and inspire them to faithfully live by the conditions upon which it depends.9 The promise of eternal life is extended to all people because of his impartiality. Anyone who fulfills its conditions will receive the promised result. As long as you do everything you can to learn more about Jesus, and live up to everything you learn, you qualify for eternal life. As long as you do anything less, you don’t.
Footnotes
- 1. Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; (3 Nephi 27:21) ↩
- 2. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) 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) ↩
- 3. But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come. (D&C 59:23) ↩
- 4. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3) ↩
- 5. I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise. (D&C 82:10) ↩
- 6. ...if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. (2 Nephi 31:20) Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:24-25) ↩
- 7. Many who believe that God can irrevocably promise you eternal life will cite D&C 88:3-4: “Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John. This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;” They will omit the rest of the section, which clearly and repeatedly states that you cannot receive and keep the glory of the celestial kingdom unless you receive and keep that law throughout the duration of your life: And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom. For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory....That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still....And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified. (D&C 88:21-22, 35, 38-39) ↩
- 8. Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me. (D&C 97:8) ↩
- 9. For example: “And again, verily I say unto you, it is wisdom and expedient in me, that my servant John Johnson whose offering I have accepted, and whose prayers I have heard, unto whom I give a promise of eternal life inasmuch as he keepeth my commandments from henceforth—” (D&C 96:6) “Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life; and thou shalt serve me and go forth in my name, and shalt gather together my sheep.” (Mosiah 26:20) “And the Lord said unto Mosiah: Let them go up, for many shall believe on their words, and they shall have eternal life; and I will deliver thy sons out of the hands of the Lamanites.” (Mosiah 28:7) ↩