Heavenly Gift

The Book of Mormon teaches that exceedingly many past inhabitants of the American continent entered into the Lord's rest and were made partakers of the heavenly gift during their sojourn on earth. The did not look to the afterlife for the fulfillment of these blessings, but received these two great blessings while they lived on earth. Christ redeemed them from their fallen state and then presented them to the Father to be ordained under God's own hand into the Patriarchal Order, to become His eternal heirs.

The Book of Mormon also teaches precisely what we must do in order to receive these two gifts while we live. The greatest and most overlooked invitation within the Book of Mormon is the invitation to enter into the rest of the Lord today and to be made partakers of the heavenly gift in this life. We mistakenly believe this is meant to be an afterlife experience. Inasmuch as we believe this, we labor under condemnation, as taught by Ezra Taft Benson. Entering into the Lord’s rest is to do as the Brother of Jared and Enos did, as Nephi and Jacob did, as Alma did, and as exceeding many others did. It is to engage in a process that enables one to lay hold upon sufficient knowledge and faith to enter directly into the Lord’s presence today. 

Taking up our abode with Christ is to receive Him as our Second Comforter, wherein after learning all the Holy Ghost is to teach us, the Savior then becomes our personal comforter and guide as we complete the last leg of our journey back into the presence of the Father, or in other words, as we become redeemed from this fallen state. The Holy Ghost helps us to lay the proper foundation, to construct the edifice, and to create an acceptable offering unto the Lord (Christ), but like the finisher of a fine building, the Savior Himself does the finish work on us and with us until we can be presented by Him as an offering without spot unto the Father. We need his direct assistance to finish the journey.


From the Beginning to the Present 

When Adam found himself in the lone and dreary world, unlike you and I, he still had a recollection of the Garden of Eden, of being in the presence of the Lord, and of a paradisiacal condition wherein all sustenance needed for Adam and Eve came forth spontaneously and without the compulsory means involved in physical labor. Imagine the shock Adam must have felt upon entering the lone and dreary world. He immediately built an alter and began to call upon the Lord. And what do you think it was he wanted to know? He of all men who have lived upon this earth was most acutely aware of the reality of his fallen state and he did not like it one bit. He wanted to know how to get out of this fallen world and return to God to the heavenly presence from which he came. 

Joseph Smith taught that if we could remember where we have come from, as Adam did, we would kill ourselves to get back there. Ancient manuscripts teach that Adam did exactly this and that God restored his life more than once before Adam finally accepted the task to bare children with Eve and to teach them how to become redeemed. Similarly, my older brother Kerry died from cancer and during the last moments before he died he was given to see where he would be going. He then told my sister Jude that it was so beautiful he could no longer stay here. As much as he loved his wife and son, once he saw, he wanted to leave this lone and dreary wilderness and move on. 

Like my brother Kerry, Adam also wanted to leave this earth and get back to the more heavenly condition he enjoyed in the Garden. Thankfully he and Eve chose to do what was needed so that they could overcome their innocence and learn the difference between good and evil and to teach their children to do the same. We each come here perfectly innocent and are here to gain sufficient faith and knowledge that we may secure our exaltation. God’s cannot be ignorant, but must have a perfect knowledge of things if they are to possess an unchanging scepter of righteousness. God’s cannot be deceived or they cease to be Gods. We too must come to a knowledge of all good and all opposing evil. If we do not receive this knowledge, then our eternal progression ceases. Therefore, this earth life is designed as a vital learning ground for us. 

As Adam and Eve built an alter and offered sacrifice unto the Lord an angel appeared unto them and asked them what they were doing. They did not know for sure, only that God had commanded them to do so. The angel then explained to them the purpose of offering sacrifice and that it was in similitude of the great sacrifice God would make by offering up His Son unto the world in order that they might be lifted from this fallen state and be able to return to God to be made partakers of the heavenly gift of Eternal Life. 

The angel taught Adam and Eve God’s laws -- The Law of Obedience and Sacrifice, The Law of the Gospel, the Law of Chastity, and the Law of Consecration. He taught them that through faith they were to come to a knowledge of the fullness of truth, which is to know all truth and and all truth’s opposites and all that is between these extremes. God cannot be God in a state of innocence, or in other words, without knowing good from evil; neither can we progress to be like our Father in ignorance or in a state of innocence. God’s power depends upon His honor. The intelligences obey Him because they trust in His perfect ability to walk the razor’s edge of truth, which can only be done if one can navigate the eternities without becoming subject to deception and error. God has attained to a level of knowledge and understanding that enables Him to be perfect in all He does. This is our aim too. 

Therefore, the angel taught Adam and Eve that as they lived according to God’s Laws during their sojourn upon the earth, they would be faced with choices and would come to learn between good and evil, truth and lies, honesty and deception. They were taught that if they chose incorrectly it would bring condemnation upon them and they would fall under Satan’s power. They were also taught they could overcome that condemnation and rise above their mistakes and Satan’s power through a plan that was prepared for us by a wise and loving Father, which centered around the sacrifice of His Only Begotten Son. 

Therefore, we come to earth, we make our choices, we succeed, we fail, we pick ourselves up with the Savior’s help and through His atonement, and we turn continually to God for the greater light, knowledge, faith, and strength we need to become like Him in order that we may qualify to re-enter His presence to become Hia eternal heir -- endowed with all His power, knowledge, and other perfect characteristics and attributes. He offers us three lights to guide us in our journey to be made partakers of the heavenly gift of Eternal Life.


The Three Lights 

The first light is given at birth and is the light of Christ. By this light we are enabled to discern between good and evil. As we continually choose good over evil we qualify to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the second light we must attain unto. 

The Holy Ghost is a divine teacher who leads and guide us just as quickly as we are able and willing to receive greater light and truth. He teaches us all things we must do to qualify to enter into the rest of our Lord, or in other words, to enter into our Savior’s presence in this lifetime. Through the gift of the Holy Ghost we may lay hold upon sufficient faith and knowledge to become sanctified, until like the Brother of Jared, we can no longer be held from entering into the presence of the Lord. 

Christ then becomes our Second Comforter, which is the third light we must attain unto in order to be made ready to be presented to the Father. As we enter into His rest or presence, He teaches and succors us and even washes and anoints us until we can be presented, without spot, to the Father. To receive Christ as the Second Comforter is what it means to enter into the Lord’s rest. The simple formula for entering into the Lord’s rest is spelled out fully in D&C 93:1. It is such a simple formula that many miss it or do not believe it to be literal.


Be Made a Partaker of the Heavenly Gift 

Entering into the rest of the Lord or taking up our abode with the Savior is not the endgame of our existence, but it is the last step of preparation before we can be presented to the Father. We require His personal help and guidance to complete the last phase of our journey back to the Father’s presence. As the author of our faith, we are guided and taught through His Spirit until we enter His presence to learn directly from Him what we must do to finish our faith. For Abraham, a part of the last part of his journey to the Father required a great test wherein he secured Eternal Life unto himself. So too will we receive a test that, if passed, will enable us to lay hold upon sufficient faith to enter into God's presence. 

It doesn’t require a lifetime to enter into the Lord’s rest or God's presence. King Lamoni did so rather swiftly; because his intent was utterly real. There was no fudge factor in him and he was willing to forsake and give up all sins to know God. As we become committed with utterly "real intent," we too progress at much more a rapid pace. 

What are we to do? Just as D&C 93:1 instructs. Each day we are to forsake all sin, come unto the Lord offering our whole heart and soul while holding nothing in reserve. In such an attitude of prayer, we are to call upon His name and learn what it is He would have us do today. As He makes His will known through His voice, we are to take up our cross straightway, leave our nets, and go do His will. As we do His will daily, His will leads us along a customized path that enables us to secure greater light, knowledge, and faith. This is a sweet journey and we will come to know when it is time to meet our Lord. We are always aware of our many imperfections, which keeps us humble, yet He encourages us and whispers hope to us. 

He has caused me to reflect upon the great love I have for my children. For example, one night as I shared my insecurities about entering into His rest, I was immediately prompted to go and lay by a son who was very ill recently. As I held my youngest son, who I am grateful to still be able to hug, I reflected upon my insecurities about entering into the presence of my Savior. As I pondered my love and gratitude for my young son my Savior asked me if I believed His love for me is any less than that which I have for my Son? 

I know my Savior’s love is infinitely greater than even the great love I feel for my son, and He assured me that entering into His rest, while frightful, turns into rejoicing over His infinite love for us and that such love casts out all initial fear. We then wax confident in His glorified presence. Without entering into His rest and securing the added faith and light we need, we cannot be washed clean without spot and anointed by our Savior to be presented by Him to the Father. And, we cannot receive the heavenly gift. 

St John 14:6 teaches the following: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. We cannot come unto the Father to be made partakers of the heavenly gift until we enter into the presence of the Lord, as did Enos, the Brother of Jared, and exceeding many other Lamanites and Nephites. And we are to seek and attain unto this gift in this lifetime by following His formula as outlined in D&C 93:! (See also "Prayer".) 

We must be washed clean and without spot and qualified by the Savior to enter God’s presence. Anyone so qualified is then ordained under God’s own hand to become His heir within the Patriarchal Order, which is to receive the heavenly gift of Eternal Life. This ordination under God’s own hand secures our exaltation and gives to us the same power by which Christ did all things (Study carefully Alma 13). As we read about the exceeding many people in the Book of Mormon who entered into the rest of our Lord and who also were made partakers of the heavenly gift, is it any wonder that they were able to raise the dead and do all other thing Christ did and wrought many mighty miracles among the children of men? 

While it is true that we do much good with the Melchizedek Priesthood today, can we really say that we do "all things Christ did and even greater" and that we thereby qualify as the disciples of whom He prophesied would come after him? If we are not yet those disciples, then do we only lack entering Christ's presence to be "finished" and then to be presented to the Father to become a partaker of the heavenly gift? After being ordained into the Patriarchal order -- the highest level of the Melchizedek Priesthood, might we then be endowed with the power of which Christ prophesied? 

If we believe ourselves to already possess such power, then let us ask, can we yet walk on water, turn water into wine, move mountains, raise the dead, cause the blind to see, the deaf to hear, restore a perfect body to the maimed and so forth? If not, why not? Is such power possible only to those who possess an unchanging scepter of righteousness, whereby the intelligences of the universe honor and obey us and use their agency to do our wills? Is such power only ordained upon our heads by God directly? Is Christ alone the only one who can prepare us to receive this blessing? (see Alma 13). Will exceeding many today enter into the Lord's rest and be made partakers of the heavenly gift? 

As we consider God’s laws, as they are given in scripture -- The Law of Obedience and Sacrifice, the Law of the Gospel, the Law of Chastity, and the Law of Consecration, each of these laws are critical to the Path of Holiness, wherein we day-by-day overcome the natural man and this fallen state to be made perfect in Christ. The sum purpose of the gospel is this -- to be redeemed from this fallen state and to enter into Christ’s presence to be made a partaker of the heavenly gift. We best qualify ourselves as we forsake all sin, come unto the Lord, call upon his name, obey His voice and keep His commandments. As we do His will daily we lay hold upon sufficient knowledge and faith to become redeemed and to enjoy these sacred blessings in our very lifetimes.