10 Key Concepts of Near-Universal Salvation

In an effort to condense and clarify my views on the subject of near-universal salvation, I’ve created the following list of concepts that are central to my thesis. Certainly there are other concepts that could be included, but hopefully these ten will provide a simple overview of the beautiful symphony of salvational truths taught in the scriptures. I won’t elaborate on any of the following points in this particular post, just present them for the reader’s consideration:

1. God desires to save and exalt all of His children (and He’s very good at accomplishing whatever He desires!).1

2. In the aftermath of the Fall of mankind, the Atonement of Jesus Christ and wise use of our agency are necessary to make that glorious objective a reality.2

3. The sons of perdition are the only ones who put themselves, by choice, outside of the reach of the Atonement.  They refuse to repent and have faith in Christ.3

4. All others, whether in mortality or in the post-mortal spirit world, will come to accept and follow Christ (sooner or later they will repent...and sooner is always better than later!).4

5. By the Judgment Day, only two general classes of individuals will exist--the wicked (the sons of perdition) and the righteous (anyone who inherits a degree of glory).5

6. The righteous will be clean and will have continual help (i.e., the Holy Ghost, ministering angels, etc.) on the road to perfection.6

7. Our choices in this life do matter, and in the resurrection some will have advanced further on the path than others.7

8. However--wherever they are on that path (telestial, terrestrial, or celestial), that path has only one end--eternal life and exaltation, a fulness of the Father.8

9. The telestial, terrestrial, and celestial are inextricably linked and by their very nature imply a progression (i.e., Jacob’s Ladder, faith->hope->charity, the stages of the temple endowment, the seed of faith growing into a tree of life, etc.).9

10. Obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel is essential to obtaining eternal life.  God’s kingdom is a kingdom of order.  The burden and blessing of the seed of Abraham is to ensure that the gospel and its associated ordinances are made available to everyone.10


Notes:

1. Mark 10:26-27; John 3:16-17; Moses 1:39; Abr. 3:17.
2. 2 Ne. 2:25-29.
3. Alma 12:12-18.
4. Alma 12:33-35; D&C 138:58-59.
5. D&C 29:26-28.
6. Alma 5:21; D&C 76:86-88.
7. D&C 130:18-19.
8. 2 Ne. 31:18-20; JST John 1:16.
9. Gen. 28:12; Alma 32:26-43; Moro. 10:20-22.  See also “Rooms in the Temple” at the Church-sponsored website: Mormon Temples. (http://mormontemples.org/eng/articles/rooms-in-the-temple)
10. A of F 3; D&C 132:5-8; Abr. 2:8-11.