There is no other way you can be saved, except through learning more about Jesus and living all you learn.1 You cannot be saved in spite of willful differences between you and God.2 These differences must be reconciled through your choice to follow his example.3 There are no backdoors or shortcuts to heaven—he is the gate and the way.4
Too many find comfort in the fact that they are doing better than they used to or they are doing better than other people they know, when they should be asking whether they are living up to Jesus, as far as they understand him to be. You shouldn’t judge yourself based simply on whether you are doing better than your worst. Your worst is not the standard you will be compared against—Jesus is.5 You shouldn’t judge yourself based on what others do.6 Your capabilities are not the same as those of others. Your accountability before God is based on what you know7 and could know,8 not what anyone else knows. God will hold you accountable for your own capacity and understanding,9 not that of others.10 The degree of blessing you receive from God is determined by the degree to which you are like him.11 Only judge yourself against others if you want to limit yourself to the blessings they have received.12
In the day of judgment, you will be judged for whether you lived up to your understanding of how Christ is.13 Jesus Christ—his works, his character, his sinlessness—is the standard of salvation.14 You will be judged by how well you live up to your present understanding of how God is.15 Everything about you and your life plainly demonstrates how much like him you have become, and by this you can know your standing with God at all times.
Footnotes
- 1. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen. (2 Nephi 31:21) ↩
- 2. I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body—I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world. And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you. (Mosiah 4:6-8) ↩
- 3. Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved. (Helaman 12:23) ↩
- 4. ...I am the door of the sheep....He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (John 10:7, 1-2) ↩
- 5. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. (2 Corinthians 10:12-13) ↩
- 6. Don’t conform yourself to the present world, but be transformed by completing the process by which you obtain the mind of God; improving your idea of what is good, from your present understanding of what aligns with him unto the fullness of who he is. Judge wisely. We all differ in our present state of understanding of God. Therefore, do not judge yourself based on comparing yourself to others, but judge yourself against God as far as he has revealed himself to you. (Romans 12:2-3, Author’s Reflection) ↩
- 7. “For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.” (D&C 82:3) ↩
- 8. And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation. (3 Nephi 26:10) ↩
- 9. ....For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:48) ↩
- 10. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4) ↩
- 11. And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same. (D&C 88:34) ↩
- 12. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Psalms 45:7) ↩
- 13. And the day soon cometh that your mortal must put on immortality, and these bodies which are now moldering in corruption must soon become incorruptible bodies; and then ye must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, to be judged according to your works; and if it so be that ye are righteous, then are ye blessed with your fathers who have gone before you. (Mormon 6:21) ↩
- 14. And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement. (2 Nephi 2:10) ↩
- 15. Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you— that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works. And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world. (3 Nephi 27:13-16) ↩