Plan of Salvation

The plan of education; the plan of knowing God and the principles of godliness.¹ The finest explanation of the plan of salvation was given by the Lord in the first dispensation to Adam. And I have given unto you another law and commandment, wherefore teach it unto your children: that all men everywhere must repent or they can by no means inherit the kingdom of God; for no unclean thing can dwell there or dwell in his presence, for in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name. And the name of his Only Begotten is the Son Ahman, a righteous judge who shall come in the meridian of time. Therefore, I give unto you a commandment to teach these things freely unto your children, saying that by reason of transgression comes the Fall, which fall brings death. And inasmuch as you were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit whom I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so, you must be born again into the kingdom of Heaven of water, and of the spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of my Only Begotten, that you may be sanctified from all sin and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory. For by the water you keep the commandment, by the spirit you are justified, and by the blood you are sanctified. Therefore, it is given to abide in you: the Record of Heaven, the Comforter, the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, the truth of all things, that which quickens all things — which makes alive all things, that which knows all things, and has all power according to Wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment. And now behold, I say unto you,this is the plan of salvation unto all men through the blood of my Only Begotten who shall come in the meridian of time (Genesis 4:9).

The plan of salvation is covenantal and familial.² The purpose of the plan of salvation is not just to have man rise from the grave in some kind of resurrected body (whether it’s telestial, terrestrial, or celestial), but the purpose is to permit man to continue on in the journey to exaltation. Everything in the plan of salvation is designed, ultimately, to bring about the celestial exaltation of all of the Father’s descendants.³ The plan of salvation is an integrated whole. It works equally for all, without regard to family, calling, station, or position in life. However, it requires of all a willingness to accept truth and follow it. Each person determines the outcome. It is offered to all equally.⁴ God uses every means available to save His children, and in His mercy He visits us by His angels, teaching the plan of salvation to us as well as to future generations (Alma 14:8 CE).

“The greatest gift you can [receive or] give to another is eternal life. All those who have such a promise from God want everyone else to have a similar promise for themselves. They teach, preach, exhort, and write to share with everyone that same opportunity to gain hope in God. They understand how rare a thing it is to bring a soul to salvation. But they’re not interested in merely making a bad-person good or a good-person better, nor are they content to move souls from a Telestial destiny to a Terrestrial destiny. Those who have such promises for themselves long, hope, pray, and preach to bring every other soul back to God to dwell with Him in Celestial glory. They seek the eternal life of all mankind. They participate with God in His great work.”⁵See also REDEMPTION; SALVATION.