President Dallin H. Oaks
The Reality of Different Kingdoms
President Oaks highlights the doctrine that all children of God will ultimately inherit one of three kingdoms of glory, emphasizing the loving nature of God’s plan:
“From modern revelation we know that the ultimate destiny of all who live on the earth is not the inadequate idea of heaven for the righteous and the eternal sufferings of hell for the rest.”
Scriptural references for further study:
- Doctrine and Covenants 76:89: “And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding;”
- John 14:2: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.”
The Celestial Kingdom and Exaltation
President Oaks explains the focus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on exaltation in the celestial kingdom, emphasizing the significance of eternal marriage:
“God’s plan, founded on eternal truth, requires that exaltation can be attained only through faithfulness to the covenants of an eternal marriage between a man and a woman in the holy temple.”
Scriptural references for further study:
- Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20: “And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; … Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue.”
Becoming Through Conversion
President Oaks emphasizes the importance of conversion, explaining that the Final Judgment is not merely based on our deeds but on what we have become:
“The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.”
Scriptural references for further study:
- Ephesians 4:13: “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”
The Hope of Repentance
President Oaks assures that through repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, individuals can return to the covenant path:
“Because of Jesus Christ and His Atonement, when we fall short in this life, we can repent and rejoin the covenant path that leads to what our Heavenly Father desires for us.”
Scriptural references for further study:
- Doctrine and Covenants 138:57: “The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God, And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation.”
- Acts 3:19: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”
Eternal Blessings and Agency
President Oaks underscores that salvation is individual, but exaltation is a family matter, and Heavenly Father respects our agency:
“We have a loving Heavenly Father who will see that we receive every blessing and every advantage that our own desires and choices allow.”
Scriptural references for further study:
- Doctrine and Covenants 137:9: “For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.”
Calls to Action:
- “The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.”
- “Consider carefully how it works: During this mortal life you get to choose which laws you are willing to obey—those of the celestial kingdom, or the terrestrial, or the telestial—and, therefore, in which kingdom of glory you will live forever.”
- “The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.”
- “‘Salvation is an individual matter, but exaltation is a family matter.’”