Immortality and Eternal Life

Isn't it true that those who are blessedly destined (doomed?) to a telestial existence -- or to the state of existence we now enjoy -- receive this opportunity by simply looking unto Christ, believing in Him and being baptized? 

That's the "ticket" to “salvation”, is it not: the opportunity to continue in (or return to) this mortal endeavor, to experience physical existence, worlds without end?

To be "saved" -- or to have the chance to live again and "never die" -- only requires following God, the Creator, and the Son of God (or physical manifestation of God in this life) by looking unto Him who is the brazen serpent lifted up. The key to endless lives is to look unto Christ.

There are many who will not look. Like those in Moses' day who hardened their hearts, there are those, even today, who will not look unto Christ nor submit to His most basic requirement to continue to live: believe and be “born again” — be “baptized” in water, blood and spirit. It's a simple formula really. Follow it and you get to "re-matriculate" as often as you wish (until the end). This is "salvation" from death, in the physical sense. But no doubt each time you “matriculate”, you start from the beginning, growing as you do “from grace to grace”, until you are “received”.

This process is real and on-going, but very dangerous, for he who comes here and gets “lost”, committing sins and leading others astray, for him it would have been better to be drowned in the depths of sea rather than to commit such sin. For he once knew better…and condescended…and then lost it all. 

Does this not explain why the devil and his angels are incorporeal? They will not follow the Son. They do not have faith in Him. Consequently they cannot repent. They cannot be “baptized” unto repentance, neither in flesh nor blood nor spirit. Thus they cannot be saved. Worlds without end, because the spirit that hardens their hearts against Him persists with them still.

What of those who, given the chance, do not follow and obey Him here? Are they not also “doomed” to “hell”, until they learn the error of their ways, being “damned” until they “bow the knee” and “confess with their tongues” that Jesus is the Christ, the One who has power (or intelligence) to beget life and worlds? Once they exercise such faith, then follows for them an invitation to experience a telestial existence — where all murderers, adulterers and the unrepentant go — that they might “work out their salvation with fear and trembling”. (Do we not yet see who we really are? Or who we have been?)

That’s the promise.

Those who receive Jesus and repent here are promised greater “glory”, even a terrestrial existence (as they “climb”). But they, too, can be deceived, and fall short.

Why would anyone come to this world, or to a world such as this one, to suffer and mourn? Because intelligence is gained in no other way. Mastery. Self-control. Compassion. Charity.

Why would the disembodied — or those who dwell in glory — willingly come to a “hell” such as this? 

Because they need to!

What if they don’t come? 

Then they are damned (stopped in their progress and perfection). They would, in fact, become as “angels in heaven” who have “set up too many stakes” to reach the perfection of God. They would “rest on their laurels” and be content in their realm of existence, with their powers and glories, mights and dominions. It is condescension to come here…and few who have climbed so far are willing to make the sacrifice again and take the risk of falling — and, perchance, lose all that they have gained.

But he who will “save” his life (after the manner of the Son, and obtain the highest degree of existence) shall “lose” it, while he who “loses” his life for Christ’s sake shall “find” it.

We fall when we sin. And we sin by nature of being born into this world, gaining experience. By grace we are granted opportunity to reconcile our imperfection with God through the atonement of Christ (who is perfect), being made “perfect” again in and through Him. This is the power of the Son unto all those who will receive it. If we believe, are baptized, and continue to receive grace for grace, until the perfect day, enduring to the end, we will become one with God.

What is grace? Surely it is the dropping of rain on both the wicked and the righteous. It is also being lifted from the pit without any effort on the part of the one so rescued. We are commanded to show such grace, even seventy times seven, forgiving all who trespass against us.

But is grace not also the dropping of a ladder into the pit so that the soul otherwise doomed might escape? Cannot the “rescued” be required to climb the ladder by faith? Is not the provenance of the ladder grace itself, sufficient? Otherwise, would not God be unjust, saving some while condemning others? (Are we not all sinners? Then we must all repent.) Is it not justice with God that all who would be saved must receive grace by climbing up the ladder that has been provided?

Again, let us be reminded, what is “required” to be “saved”? From physical death, it is merely to believe and be baptized with water, blood and spirit. It requires exercising faith in Him. 

But to be saved from spiritual death — to become one with God and no longer be separated from Him — requires coming unto Christ, receiving Him, becoming inseverably attached to Him, be “sealed” to Him, while endeavoring to become like Him, taking up one’s cross and following Him.

It requires knowing Him and, ultimately, His Father.