Doctrinal Mastery

Immortality and Eternal Life

“For behold this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

Moses 1:39.

This is my work and my glory

The purpose of Heavenly Father’s plan is to help us become like Him and obtain immortality and eternal life. Heavenly Father finds joy and is glorified as we progress and become like Him.

Immortality

Immortality is to live forever as a resurrected being. Because of the resurrection, our spirits and bodies will be reunited, never again to be separated. Every person born on earth will be resurrected because Jesus Christ overcame death (see 1 Corinthians 15:20–22).

Eternal life

Eternal life is:

• Also called exaltation.

• God’s greatest gift to His children (see Doctrine and Covenants 14:7).

• To live like God, in His presence as families (see Doctrine and Covenants 131:1–4).

• Like immortality in that it is possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

• Unlike immortality in that it is conditional and requires our “obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” (Articles of Faith 1:3; see also 2 Nephi 31:17–20), including:

  • Faith in the Lord.

  • Repentance.

  • Baptism.

  • Receiving the Holy Ghost.

  • Remaining faithful to the ordinances and covenants of the temple.

    (See Articles of Faith 1:4; President Russell M. Nelson, Apr. 2008 general conference ([Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 9].)

“If you truly believe the great mission of our Heavenly Father is to exalt and glorify His children and that He knows best how to do it—doesn’t it make sense to embrace and follow His commandments, even the ones that appear difficult? … By choosing Heavenly Father’s path, you lay a divine foundation for your personal progress as a [child] of God.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, “Living the Gospel Joyful,” Oct. 2014 general conference (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 121).