Can eternal life both refer to the other side in the Spirit World of paradise where the righteous go? And the Celestial Kingdom? What about the scriptture that talks about in 1 John 5 where you can know that you have eternal life. I know that I have eternal life which is Jesus Christ. I already know I have eternal life in the heavens
One Response to “Can eternal life both refer to the other side in the Spirit …”
Ricardo Duarte
2010-09-27 06:40:39
A statue of Jesus Christ at temple square in Salt Lake City.
Hi John. Your question is really about semantics. When Mormons talk about "Eternal Life," they are usually referring to exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom. However, many people probably think of "Eternal Life" as immortality, resurrection, and eternal happiness in some kingdom of glory (i.e., what Mormons would call "salvation"). It really just depends how you define the terms.
Mormons believe that salvation is nearly universal. With the exception of the Sons of Perdition (very few people), pretty much everybody is going to be resurrected and enjoy eternal happiness. In this sense, I think we can say for certain in this life that we are "saved."
Exaltation is another matter. It requires a sustained dedication and a greater commitment. Christ will decide who will be exalted, and for most people that decision will be made at the final judgment. Most people are not assured of their exaltation in this life.
However, I personally doubt that God is anxious to keep people out of the Celestial Kingdom. He wants to see as many people there as possible. If we accept Christ as our Savior, try our very best to follow Him and keep His commandments, repent of our sins when we make mistakes, attend our church meetings and honor our priesthood, and partake of the saving ordinances like baptism and temple worship, I think we can be pretty confident that God will choose us for exaltation. God is definitely on our team, and He is definitely rooting for us. :)
Mormons believe that salvation is nearly universal. With the exception of the Sons of Perdition (very few people), pretty much everybody is going to be resurrected and enjoy eternal happiness. In this sense, I think we can say for certain in this life that we are "saved."
Exaltation is another matter. It requires a sustained dedication and a greater commitment. Christ will decide who will be exalted, and for most people that decision will be made at the final judgment. Most people are not assured of their exaltation in this life.
However, I personally doubt that God is anxious to keep people out of the Celestial Kingdom. He wants to see as many people there as possible. If we accept Christ as our Savior, try our very best to follow Him and keep His commandments, repent of our sins when we make mistakes, attend our church meetings and honor our priesthood, and partake of the saving ordinances like baptism and temple worship, I think we can be pretty confident that God will choose us for exaltation. God is definitely on our team, and He is definitely rooting for us. :)
Hope this answer helps!