Exaltation Analysis

1. What knowledge rises with you in the resurrection, and those who have gained more knowledge in this life will be so far the advantage in the next life (D&C)
2. Jesus learned obedience by the things he suffered (NT)
3. If we are to gain salvation, it is by the very same way that Jesus gained it: full obedience. (JS)
4. In the next life we will have a lot more learning to do before we reach godhood (JS)
5. learning and knowledge apply to more than book knowledge. (based on point 2)
6. Jesus has perfect empathy, knowing what it’s like to go through any given thing which any given person has ever gone through. (NT etc.)
7. We are to become joint heirs with Christ (NT)
8. Christ has received all his father has (NT)
9. We will receive all Heavenly Father has (based on point 7 and 8).
10.Heavenly Father has all power dominion glory knowledge empathy etc.
11. We will Gods become like Heavenly Father (based on points 7-10)
12. We get help from Jesus in getting salvation (NT), but we still must go through the needed things for attaining Godhood (point 3).
13. We can access grace for salvation, but when it comes to exaltation, we must earn that (LDS Prophet. See also point 3)
14. WE WILL BECOME LIKE GOD, KNOWING ALL, HAVING SUFFERED ALL, HAVING GONE BENEATH ALL THINGS, BEING JUST LIKE JESUS, ABLE TO RULE OVER ALL OUR CREATIONS, AND THE LEARNING FOR THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THIS LIFE OR THE NEXT. THE CRITICAL CRITERIA FOR ADVANCEMENT TO ATTAIN THIS IS SUFFERING. THE SUFFERING IS WHAT BRINGS THE KNOWLEDGE. ONCE YOU HAVE SUFFERED ALL, NOT FOR YOUR SAKE BUT FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS, YOU WILL HAVE LEARNED ALL EMPATHY, AND BECOME LIKE HEAVENLY FATHER.
15. We will see our spirit posterity through experiences akin to what we go through at this time (LDS Doctrines of the Gospel Manual)
16. Children have the capacity to attain what their parents have (common sense). We are the children of God (NT, OT, BoM, D&C, etc.). We can become the Children of Christ by covenant (NT, BoM, D&C, etc.). This covenant is valid unless we sin (Mosiah 4; 5).

here in this life is like getting the high school diploma; that’s what we need to focus on before going on for the college degree. You can’t even enter unto a college until you’ve obtained a high school degree.
You say “I’m not very excited about suffering, I’m not looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to the rest from all cares and sorrows as promised in the scriptures.” I say, very well! As you should! But recall, even God, weeps! (see the book of Moses relating the Enoch account).
Also, this life has suffering, doesn’t it? Yes. But before we came to this stage, we voted to come here, and we shouted for joy at the opportunity (see Job). We recognized it as the only path to becoming like our Heavenly Father.
This life is the main testing ground. MORTALITY IS THE POINT OF NO RETURN. THIS IS THE FINAL SHOWDOWN. THIS IS THE BIG LEAGUES. 1/3 of God’s spirit children didn’t make it this far. That’s a 1/3 leaving, and it wasn’t you that left! Remarkable! Remember what Joseph Smith said: when you climb a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and do one rung at a time before you can be able to step up the next wrung.
After this life, the test is over for this period. Then we go to the next period. After this life, we rest from all care and sorrow which applies unto this mortal life period. This is not to say that the next period won’t have it’s labors… indeed, prophets have said the contrary!
Remember Joseph Smith said that there is still much work to do, much knowledge to get, in the next life. And remember that the way we get knowledge is by suffering.
Another key to remember is thus: you will never have to do anything you don’t want to. You’ll always sign up for it. You’ll always be happy to do it. Why does an accomplished writer write another book? Doesn’t he know it will be painful? Why does a mother have another child? Same reason.
Also, upon the thought of enduring suffering, consider that suffering in increments is a viable way toward progression. Being tired after 7pm in this life is a form of suffering, and it thus refines and schools us. It is all part of the program, it is all for the master sculptor, critical though tiny lines carved into the mold of our souls.
Also, remember that you won’t do something you aren’t able to do. For us in this life, we do all we can. (“it is by grace we are saved after all we can do” 2 Ne. 25). Did Jesus do all he can do, and thus be saved? Yes! The Atonement pushed him to his max, and by doing this thing which pleased the Father, he inherited all the Father hath. We likewise will inherit all the Father hath as we do all we can do, however small that may be.
But what then, how will we attain unto Godhood, where we can relate to others (Jesus has perfect empathy from performing the Atonement, but we don’t)? Once we are in heaven by the grace of Christ, it’s time to further perfect ourselves; time to become Gods; time to use the new power that we will have received for passing this life’s trials (by being true to our capacities here).
As we pass one level, our strength grows, and so does our burden. Brigham Young said pray not for lighter loads but for stronger backs. How will you ever get a back strong as Gods if you never push against the same weight he has pushed against in order to gain his muscle? It can’t be done. Joseph Smith taught that we need to get salvation by the same way Jesus did: by obedience.
To clarify: Jesus gets us to heaven. It is not by our own merit that we are saved from OUR sins. Jesus saves us from OUR sins. Then, once saved, we bear the burdens of OTHERS, and thus become like God. You see, part of being a God is “learning”, aka developing, charity (how do we learn it? By suffering. Charity by nature is sacrifice).
Jesus proved his charity by saving us, thus he is exalted, and we are saved from our sins. Now what? Now (after this life), it’s time for us to learn (more) charity, and, as Joseph Smith said, go on, on to perfection! THAT is why it’s so key that the D&C says whatever we “learn” in this life, it rises with us in the resurrection and is so much the “advantage” to us in the next life!
“Every faithful man’s labor will continue as long as the labor of Jesus, until all things are redeemed that can be redeemed, and presented to the Father. There is a great work before us (DBY,378).” (Teachings of The Presidents of The Church: Brigham Young: Ch 38; https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-brigham-young/chapter-38?lang=eng)

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