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THE NEXT STEPIS ESSENTIAL
The plan of salvation can be likened to a route of a specificJourney. For an example: it might stretch from the west coast to theeast coast passing through the many states, cities, hamlets, valleys,deserts, farm lands, mountains, etc. Along the way the traveller would come in contact with many different kinds of situations, people, environments, climates, and conditions.Certainly it would not be practical to imagine that everytraveller begin his journey at the exact spot that he did the day before. Why? Because many advancing along the path may already be much farther along. They may be hundreds of miles from theuttermost point of beginning.The one thing that is important to understand is the fact thateveryone must continue his journey from where he is. It is notnecessary to back track to the beginning (say Los Angeles) if hehas progressed to any given point along the way (like Salt LakeCity). The traveller continues from where he is along the route,step by step.In the plan of salvation (as in the simulated trip) thatuttermost point of beginning is faith. No journey can begin withoutthe traveller possessing the ‘Faith’ and ‘belief’ that the route to befollowed will eventually lead the person to his destination. So‘Faith’ is the first and most important ingredient to begin any journey, regardless of the station he finds himself ... such as today,as each day, is another journey which is a very important segmentof the over all venture.It would be of little value for a person to worry about the problems to be encountered during the last few miles if he werestruggling to over come the problems of the first few miles. Hewould not even know if there would be problems and if there werehe’d have no way of knowing what they would be.All that is essential for anyone to know is: “That which willlead him to the next step” along his journey.Do you possess “Faith?” If you do you are ready tocontinue to the next step. In the plan of salvation it is understood
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that the terms ‘steps,’ ‘ordinances,’ and ‘principles’ aresynonymous. Hence we know that the “First (steps) principles andordinances of the Gospel (the plan of salvation) are: 1. Faith, 2.Repentance, 3. Baptism, 4. Laying on of hands for the gift of theHoly Ghost.” But what comes next? Will these 4 principles aloneassure a person of his exaltation? Is all that is required of now is tolive a good life and learn all we can without ‘doing’ anything else(just believing) without receiving any additional ordinances?Only a fool would believe so. As that would no more assurea person of his exaltation than taking the first four steps on the journey from west to east and expecting to reach the destination attheir conclusion. Every step is necessary. The traveller cannotleave out the last half and make it. He cannot bypass the middle portion and still reach his destination.The Prophet Joseph Smith was approached on manydifferent occasions by good people who felt the ordinances thatGod had revealed for the exaltation of man were non-essential . . .that a person could attain 'Godhood' by believing in principles onlyand not having to give up the worldly false traditions and abide bythe laws there-to appertaining. Be it well understood thatrationalising away, offering excuses, justifying failure to live theselaws as God commands can never be reason enough to reverse therequirements Joseph Smith explained it by asserting that “All (not just a few, but all) ordinances are necessary.”“The question is frequently asked, ‘can we not be savedwithout going through with ALL those ordinances?’ Iwould answer, NO, not the fullness of salvation . . . any person who is exalted to the highest mansion has to abide acelestial law, and the whole law too.”
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 331)
The words of President Joseph Fielding Smith reiteratesthese same requirements for mankind during this lifetime, that …“To enter the celestial and obtain exaltation it is necessary that thewhole law be kept.” ... there are certain definite covenants we mustkeep in faithfulness, living by “every word that proceedeth forthfrom the mouth of God.” The following page he states:
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“Do you desire to enter into the celestial kingdom andreceive eternal life? Then be willing to keep all of thecommandments the Lord may give to you. Baptism andconfirmation are the ordinances by which we come into thekingdom of God. But these ordinances of themselves willnot grant us a place of exaltation. The man who is baptisedand confirmed, who pays his tithing, keeps the Word of Wisdom and attends to the ordinary duties required of members of the Church, is entitled to enter that kingdom.Yet he may be merely a servant there. If that is all he iswilling to do, he cannot be exalted. He will not become anheir and receive the fullness of that kingdom. Other ordinances and obligations will be required of him if heobtains exaltation and becomes in every sense of the wordan heir, possessing “all that the Father hath.”
(The Way To Perfection pg. 207)
Is it possible to wait until the next life to live God’srequirement? No, not the commandments God gives us in this lifeas they are meant for this life and are essential.“For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meetGod; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labours.If ye have procrastinated the day of your repentanceeven until death, behold, ye have become subjected to thespirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his.”
(Alma 34: 32,35)
The restoration of the ‘pure’ Gospel of Jesus Christ was noeasy task. Joseph Smith seemed to be tireless in his efforts to teach people the requirements of God. Some would accept and then,finding the task more difficult than just drifting along with thewhims of a wicked world, would fall by the wayside. Even theSaints were slow to understand and many unwilling to learn thehigher, but essential ways and laws of God. Really, no differentfrom people today ... being so duped in tradition and false opinions
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