Exaltation (Mormonism)
Encyclopedia
Exaltation or Eternal Life is a belief
among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) that mankind can return to live in God's presence and continue as families. Exaltation is believed to be what God desires for all humankind. The LDS Church teaches that through exaltation believers may become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. The objective of adherents is to strive for purity and righteousness and to become one with Jesus as Jesus is one with the Father (God). In the Doctrine & Covenants is found a verse that states that those who are exalted will become gods
.
Some ordinances are performed in LDS temples
(all ordinances done vicariously on behalf of deceased persons; endowment
and sealings for living persons). Latter-day Saints are taught that they can become kings and queens in God's kingdom through performing ordinances such as the endowment
, and by doing their best to be faithful to the covenants that the ordinances represent. Celestial marriage, or sealing, is also part of the requirement for being exalted.
Members of the LDS Church perform ordinances vicariously on behalf of those who have died without the opportunity of hearing the LDS gospel. They feel obligated to perform ordinances so that all may have an equal opportunity to receive the blessings of the Celestial Kingdom if they choose to do so through their faith in Jesus Christ as their redeemer
. It is their belief that those who have died without these ordinances need them in order to progress beyond this life.
Acceptance of the ordinances by those who have died is entirely voluntary in the spirit world, and in no way takes away the agency of those individuals. Should an individual who is in the spirit world subsequently reject ordinances performed for them, it would be as if these ordinances were never performed. It is taught that some will accept them, and others will reject them.
distinct from, and of less glory, than the Celestial Kingdom: either the Terrestrial Kingdom or the Telestial Kingdom Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom is the ultimate goal of faithful LDS Church members.
In an LDS scripture, the book of Moses
1:39, God tells Moses
, "this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." God shows Moses a vision depicting some of His vast creations including a vast number of worlds created for other people—a sampling of what God created in the past and what he will continue to do forever. Each world was prepared and peopled by God for the purpose of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of all of His children. Immortality refers to personal resurrection
by which each individual can continue to enjoy a perfect, physical body forever. Exaltation refers to living in the presence of God and Jesus Christ; to becoming like God both in terms of holiness or godliness and sharing in God's glory.
It is commonly believed by members of the Church that, as God's children, mankind may, through the merits and mercy accorded all through the Atonement of Christ, become like God the Father. As Paul taught the Romans, "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Eternity will be spent in a process of eternal progression becoming more like the Father (God).
Latter-day Saints posit that not only does God have the power to exalt mortal man, but without the possibility, there is little reason for mortality. They also point to comments made by Christ and Psalmists among others that refer to the Divine nature and potential of humans as children of God. They include passages in the Book of Revelation that describe the joint heirship with Christ of those who overcome by faith in Jesus Christ.
Belief
Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.-Belief, knowledge and epistemology:The terms belief and knowledge are used differently in philosophy....
among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) that mankind can return to live in God's presence and continue as families. Exaltation is believed to be what God desires for all humankind. The LDS Church teaches that through exaltation believers may become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. The objective of adherents is to strive for purity and righteousness and to become one with Jesus as Jesus is one with the Father (God). In the Doctrine & Covenants is found a verse that states that those who are exalted will become gods
Apotheosis
Apotheosis is the glorification of a subject to divine level. The term has meanings in theology, where it refers to a belief, and in art, where it refers to a genre.In theology, the term apotheosis refers to the idea that an individual has been raised to godlike stature...
.
Ordinances
According to LDS beliefs, certain ordinances, such as baptism, are required of all those who hope to obtain exaltation. For those who have lived and died throughout history without having performed these ordinances, it is believed that exaltation will be available through LDS Church vicarious temple work. LDS doctrine teaches that all individuals will have an equitable and fair opportunity to hear the 'fullness of the gospel' as taught in this life, or in the life to come, and will subsequently have the opportunity to either accept the message of Jesus Christ and His gospel or reject it.Some ordinances are performed in LDS temples
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
(all ordinances done vicariously on behalf of deceased persons; endowment
Endowment (Latter Day Saints)
In the theology of the Latter Day Saint movement, an endowment refers to a gift of "power from on high", typically associated with Latter Day Saint temples. The purpose and meaning of the endowment varied during the life of movement founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
and sealings for living persons). Latter-day Saints are taught that they can become kings and queens in God's kingdom through performing ordinances such as the endowment
Endowment (Latter Day Saints)
In the theology of the Latter Day Saint movement, an endowment refers to a gift of "power from on high", typically associated with Latter Day Saint temples. The purpose and meaning of the endowment varied during the life of movement founder Joseph Smith, Jr...
, and by doing their best to be faithful to the covenants that the ordinances represent. Celestial marriage, or sealing, is also part of the requirement for being exalted.
Members of the LDS Church perform ordinances vicariously on behalf of those who have died without the opportunity of hearing the LDS gospel. They feel obligated to perform ordinances so that all may have an equal opportunity to receive the blessings of the Celestial Kingdom if they choose to do so through their faith in Jesus Christ as their redeemer
Redeemer (Christianity)
In Christian theology, Jesus is sometimes referred to as a Redeemer. This refers to the salvation he is believed to have accomplished, and is based on the metaphor of redemption, or "buying back". Although the New Testament does not use the title "Redeemer", the word "redemption" is used in several...
. It is their belief that those who have died without these ordinances need them in order to progress beyond this life.
Acceptance of the ordinances by those who have died is entirely voluntary in the spirit world, and in no way takes away the agency of those individuals. Should an individual who is in the spirit world subsequently reject ordinances performed for them, it would be as if these ordinances were never performed. It is taught that some will accept them, and others will reject them.
Different kingdoms
Those who reject the ordinances are still believed to have the opportunity to inherit a kingdom of gloryDegrees of glory
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' theology, there are three degrees of glory which are the ultimate, eternal dwelling place for nearly all who lived on earth after the Spirit world.Joseph Smith, Jr...
distinct from, and of less glory, than the Celestial Kingdom: either the Terrestrial Kingdom or the Telestial Kingdom Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom is the ultimate goal of faithful LDS Church members.
In an LDS scripture, the book of Moses
Book of Moses
The Book of Moses is part of the scriptural canon of Mormonism dictated by founder Joseph Smith, Jr. It is an amalgamation of the "Vision of Moses," which Smith dictated in June 1830, the "Book of Enoch," dictated December 1830, and material deriving from Smith's revision of the Book of Genesis in...
1:39, God tells Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
, "this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." God shows Moses a vision depicting some of His vast creations including a vast number of worlds created for other people—a sampling of what God created in the past and what he will continue to do forever. Each world was prepared and peopled by God for the purpose of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of all of His children. Immortality refers to personal resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
by which each individual can continue to enjoy a perfect, physical body forever. Exaltation refers to living in the presence of God and Jesus Christ; to becoming like God both in terms of holiness or godliness and sharing in God's glory.
It is commonly believed by members of the Church that, as God's children, mankind may, through the merits and mercy accorded all through the Atonement of Christ, become like God the Father. As Paul taught the Romans, "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Eternity will be spent in a process of eternal progression becoming more like the Father (God).
Latter-day Saints posit that not only does God have the power to exalt mortal man, but without the possibility, there is little reason for mortality. They also point to comments made by Christ and Psalmists among others that refer to the Divine nature and potential of humans as children of God. They include passages in the Book of Revelation that describe the joint heirship with Christ of those who overcome by faith in Jesus Christ.
See also
- Divinization (Christian)
- King Follett discourseKing Follett DiscourseThe King Follett discourse, or King Follett sermon, was an address delivered in Nauvoo, Illinois by Joseph Smith, president and founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, on April 7, 1844, less than three months before his assassination...
- Mormonism and ChristianityMormonism and ChristianityMormonism and Christianity have a complex theological, historical, and sociological relationship. Mormons express the doctrines of Mormonism using standard biblical terminology, and have similar views about the nature of Jesus' atonement, bodily resurrection, and Second Coming as traditional...
- Plan of salvationPlan of salvationAccording to doctrine of the Latter Day Saint movement, the plan of salvation is a plan that God created to save, redeem, and exalt humankind...