Eternal Life

The Lord declared, “This is my work and my glory—to

bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses

1:39). Immortality is to live forever as a resurrected being.

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, everyone will

receive this gift. Eternal life, or exaltation, is to inherit a place

in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, where we will

live in God’s presence and continue as families (see D&C

131:1–4). Like immortality, this gift is made possible through

the Atonement of Jesus Christ. However, it requires our “obedience

to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” (Articles of

Faith 1:3).

Staying on the Path to Life Eternal

When you were baptized and received the gift of the

Holy Ghost, you entered the path that leads to eternal life.

The prophet Nephi taught:

“The gate by which ye should enter is repentance and

baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins

by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

“And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which

leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate;

ye have done according to the commandments of the Father

and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which

witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the

promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way

ye should receive” (2 Nephi 31:17–18).

Nephi emphasized that after we have entered this “strait

and narrow path,” we must endure to the end in faith:

“After ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I

would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye

have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ

with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits

of him who is mighty to save.

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness

in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of

God and of all men. Wherefore, 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 31:19–20).

Now that you have been baptized and confirmed, much

of your progress toward eternal life depends on your receiving

other ordinances of salvation: for men, ordination to the

Melchizedek Priesthood; for men and women, the temple

endowment and marriage sealing. When you receive these

ordinances and keep the covenants that accompany them,

you prepare yourself to inherit the highest degree of celestial

glory.

Within Your Reach

As you ponder your progress on the “strait and narrow

path,” be assured that eternal life is within your reach. The

Lord wants you to return to Him, and He will never require

anything of you that you cannot fulfill. All His commandments

are calculated to promote your happiness. When you

exercise faith and serve Him with all your might, He gives

you strength and provides a way for you to do whatever He

commands you (see 1 Nephi 3:7). Remember that as you give

your greatest effort and repent of your sins, the Atonement of

Jesus Christ will compensate for your weakness and for the

inequities, injuries, and pains you experience in this life: “We

know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can

do” (2 Nephi 25:23).

Additional references: John 3:16; 17:3; 2 Nephi 9:39; Moroni 7:41;

D&C 14:7; 50:5

See also Atonement of Jesus Christ; Grace; Kingdoms of Glory