The Apex of Exaltation: Building Our Lives Toward the Fulness of the Father

Brothers and sisters, when we speak of the highest calling—the pinnacle of our mortal existence—we are not speaking of mere earthly success, or even the highest accolades of this life. We are speaking of the very nature of God, the Father. To understand the promise of eternal life, we must first grapple with what that life *is*.

The teachings of the Prophet McConkie, drawing deeply from the revelations, compel us to look beyond the temporal and anchor our entire understanding of purpose in the eternal structure of the family and the divine nature of our Father. It is a doctrine that requires not just assent of the mind, but a profound, covenant-keeping realignment of the heart.

The Nature of Eternal Life: More Than Just Immortality

The key distinction, which we must never allow to become blurred in our study, is the difference between merely being *immortal* and achieving *eternal life*. Immortality, as 1 Corinthians 15:22 testifies, is the prerequisite—the rising body—but eternal life is the *quality* of existence, the glorious inheritance. As McConkie taught, this life is characterized by two inseparable components: the continuation of the family unit into eternity, and the inheritance of the fulness of the Father’s glory.

This is not an abstract theological concept for the casual inquirer. This is the operational blueprint for the Latter-day Saint disciple. Our covenants, our temple endowments, our very commitment to the ordinances, are all geared toward making us participants in that divine state.

The Family: The Cornerstone of Exaltation

The revelations, particularly those concerning the Law of the Church (D&C 121:31, though the context here points to the broader principles), make it abundantly clear: the family unit is not merely a social construct; it is the primary mechanism through which exaltation is achieved. We are called to build a pattern after the Father's own family. This implies covenants that bind us not just in spirit, but in an eternal, unbreakable bond.

Consider the beautiful echo found in the words of Ruth, applied through the lens of our doctrine: “thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” This sentiment, when applied to the covenant relationship between husband, wife, mother, and child, becomes the scaffolding upon which our eternal progression is built. We are building a unit that, in its perfected state, mirrors the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son.

The work of God the Father was Creation; the work of Christ the Son was Redemption. Our assigned work, as diligent disciples, is to build upon that foundation. It requires us to "accept and believe the law," to be clean, baptized, sealed, and to walk in truth. This is the active participation required to inherit the glory.

Discipleship in the Spirit

We are not to approach this doctrine with mere intellectual assent. We are to be moved by the Spirit, to feel the weight of this sacred obligation. The scriptures call us to do all things the gospel requires. The Spirit guides us to understand that the greatest love, joy, peace, and serenity are found within the covenant bonds of the celestial order. This understanding must refine our study, our service, and our daily walk.

Fellow disciples, let us treat this doctrine with the reverence it deserves. Let us approach our scripture study not as a recitation of facts, but as a deep, prayerful excavation of eternal truth, preparing our hearts to receive the fullness of the Father’s glory. The Lord requires diligence, and the Spirit promises revelation to those who diligently seek it.