All That I Must Do

All That I Must Do

by Don R. Hender


   "What must I do to gain Eternal Life?"

    "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." ~ Matthew 18:3

    — — — — — —

    " . . . except they humble themselves and become as little children, and believe that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent." ~ Mosiah 3:18

  The Faith of a Child, to believe without reservation, and be willing to do without question, all that our Father in Heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord has asked and given us to do. That is the first and basic requirement, to have such Faith in Jesus Christ. And to keep it simple, as a man of the age of accountability one must next do as Jesus explained to Nicodemus.

    " . . . Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. . . . Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." ~ John 3:3 & 5

To be born of water and of the Spirit is to be baptised and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Baptism, being submerged in water and brought forth again is the symbolic representation which even Jesus Christ submitted to of John in order to 'fulfill all righteousness'. That newness of being born again in Jesus is a determined commitment to walk in the ways of God and to become a new man in God. And the Holy Spirit is given to man as a constant companion to guide and lead him in those ways of God.

Now I turn to the prophet Nephi who asks the all important next question:

    "And now my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay, for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." ~ 2 Nephi 31:19-20

Now this is the way, and the way is simple that a child might understand it. A fuller discussion is to be found in that 31st chapter of Second Nephi. But this is the course, way and path which leads to eternal life. And those who are parents in Zion have but one additional item of consideration as explained in the Doctrine and Covenants.

    "And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, . . . that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents." ~ D&C 68:25

Ye Must Do Even As Jesus Did


Final Note: The truth of all things and what one must do is further revealed in and through the guiding power of the Holy Ghost. One might over simplify and speculate that such as the 'details' of living by the commandments and rest of the ordinances of God is not required. That would be the grossest error of all. The patern is set in simplicity, but all is to come line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little until one come unto the fulness and of the perfection of God in all things. But the course and way is set in simplicity, and it is strait and narrow and requisite of all men to follow and endure in to the end in order to obtain eternal life. Becoming even one with and as God is, is a matter of great advancement for God's ways are not the common lowly ways of man. And if man is ever to live and be with God in His Kingdom, man must conform to become even as God is.


rev. 7 January 2019