Lessons on the Plan of Salvation
Lesson No. Thirty-Nine
The Unconditional Aspect of the Atonement of Christ
The resurrection and judgment are the unconditional aspect of the atonement - 2 Nephi 9 is a profound doctrinal sermon on the atonement. It succinctly teaches the unconditional aspect of the atonement: “The bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel….then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God”(2 Nephi 9:12, 15).
The Prophet Joseph Smith also taught of the unconditional aspect of the atonement: “The doctrines of resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment are necessary to preach among the first principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” It is through the unconditional aspect of the atonement that everyone who ever lived, regardless of worthiness, will be resurrected and judged. The resurrection and judgment are essentially the same, and are unconditional gifts of grace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
The type of body we are worthy of determines our inheritance in the resurrection – The degree of righteousness achieved by our spirits in this mortal life and in the postmortal spirit world will determine the degree of glory to which our body will be resurrected.
“The Lord has declared: ‘for notwithstanding they die, they also shall rise again…They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive [a celestial] body…, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened’ (D&C 88:27-28).
“President Joseph F. Smith taught: ‘When we come forth out of the grave,…our spirits shall enter into [our bodies] again, and they shall become living souls….And then those who have…been subject and obedient to the celestial law will…be quickened by the celestial glory. And those who have…been subject and obedient to the terrestrial law will…be quickened by the terrestrial glory. And those who have…been subject and obedient to the telestial law, will…be quickened by a telestial glory’ (Gospel Doctrine, p. 450-51).
“President Spencer W. Kimball taught: ‘There will be a literal resurrection, when this live and conscious spirit will return to the earth to take up its reconstructed and resurrected body… and the soul, composed of the resurrected body and the eternal spirit,…will come before the great judge to receive its final assignment for eternity’ (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 46)” (Daniel Ludlow, The Final Frontier: The Spirit, p. 31-32).”
A celestial spirit and body capable of eternal increase is our greatest goal – In a celestial resurrection a celestial spirit and a celestial body are “inseparably connected” and “receive a fulness of joy” (D&C 93:33). Only those who inherit the highest celestial glory will have an eternal increase. “They are they who are priests and kings [and priestess and queens], who have received of his fulness, and of his glory….These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all” (D&C 76:56, 70).