In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints one can reach the status of having his calling and election made sure. This means that you can reach a point in life where you are sealed up unto eternal life. Most people in the church have not been sealed to eternal life. But the most faithful and true who diligently follow after Christ and sacrifice most all evil can, through the priesthood of God, be sealed up unto eternal life by having their calling and election made sure.
Calling and Election
Righteous followers of Christ can become numbered among the elect who gain the assurance of exaltation. This calling and election begins with repentance and baptism. It becomes complete when they “press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end” (
2 Ne. 31:19–20). The scriptures call this process making our calling and election sure (
2 Pet. 1:4–11;
D&C 131:5–6).
- Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, Ex. 19:5–6 (Rev. 1:6).
- God hath from the beginning chosen the elect for salvation, 2 Thes. 2:13.
- Give diligence to make your calling and election sure, 2 Pet. 1:10.
- The Lord may seal you his, Mosiah 5:15.
- I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life, Mosiah 26:20.
- Faithful priesthood holders become the church and kingdom and the elect of God, D&C 84:33–34.
- The more sure word of prophecy means knowing that one is sealed up unto eternal life, D&C 131:5–6.
- I seal upon you your exaltation, D&C 132:49.
2 Peter 1:4–11
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to
make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
When one makes his calling and election sure, he is sealed up unto eternal life. Eternal life is to have an eternal existence like God himself. It is not simply immortality. All mankind will gain immortality. It is a gift of God. But those who learn to become perfect, even as God is perfect and become one with him, will gain eternal life. They will live with God eternally and will become like Him.
Matthew 5:48
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
John 17:20-23
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
2 Peter 1:19
19 We have also a
more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day
dstar arise in your hearts: