What does it mean to have your Calling and Election Made Sure? I have seen some references that have said there is an actual ceremony in the temple for this called the Second Annointing and it is still practiced today. However, those few that receive this ordinance are under strict obligation not to reveal they have had this done.
Some have expressed once you have had your calling and election made sure, then if you commit great sins after this, it does not matter because you have been assured of exaltation. Others have said just the opposite. Once you have your calling and election made sure and then commit serious transgression, you become a Son of Perdition.
Any comments? Anybody know of anyone who has achieved this?
To have your Calling and Election made Sure is to have the Lord, Jesus Christ, come to you in person and seal you up into the Celestial Kingdom. According to the Doctrine and Covenants, only the unforgiveable sin will then stop a person from receiving a crown of glory.
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27 The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye commit murder wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after ye have received my new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord God; and he that abideth not this law can in nowise enter into my glory, but shall be damned, saith the Lord. |
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Joseph Smith defined the unpardonable sin at a General Conference address, Sunday, April 7, 1844: "All sins shall be forgiven [if you have been sealed up by the Holy Spirit of Promise-D&C 132:19. 26], except the sin against the Holy Ghost; for Jesus will save all except the sons of perdition. What must a man do to commit the unpardonable in? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against Him. After a man sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. ['For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fail away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him in an open shame.' - Heb. 6:4-6. Those who sin against the light and knowledge of the Holy Ghost may be said to crucify more than the body of our Lord, they crucify the Spirit.--Footnote] He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When a man begins to be an enemy to this work, he hunts me, he seeks to kill me, and never ceases to thirst for my blood. He gets the spirit of the devil--the same spirit that they had who crucified the Lord of Life---the same spirit that sins against the Holy Ghost. You cannot save such persons; you cannot bring them to repentance; they make open war like the devil and awful is the consequence." (Teachings. pp. 357-358; H.C. 6:313-315) |
I think the key to what Nighthawk has presented is just because the Church here on earth can't take disciplinary action such as ex-communication it doesn't mean you have a free ride to the Celestial kingdom. It just means man in his mortal state can't make that determination. The Lord will still hold this person accountable for their actions.
Once a person has received their Calling and Election, they are guaranteed entry into the Celestial Kingdom. I believe it also means that they are guaranteed exaltation within it.
Of course, this doesn't apply if they commit the unpardonable sin.
In order for a person to attain this blessing, they have already pretty much overcome all tendency to sin. They may still make mistakes and errors, or sin in ignorance, but there won't be deliberate sins. If there ARE, then that might actually BE the unpardonable sin.
There is a nice website where someone has gathered a lot of "official" information about the Calling and Election, as well as other subjects (Second Comforter, Baptism of Fire, Ministering of Angels).
https://home.comcast.net/~mevans41/greaterthings/
Obviously, not an official church source, but from what I can see, very official sources, including Ensign articles, writings by Apostles and Prophets, and scriptural examples.
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Once a person has received their Calling and Election, they are guaranteed entry into the Celestial Kingdom. I believe it also means that they are guaranteed exaltation within it. |
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Thus, as the prophet also said, "The more sure word of prophecy means a man's knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy through the power of the Holy Priesthood." (D. & C. 131:5.) Those so favored of the Lord are sealed up against all manner of sin and blasphemy except the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and the shedding of innocent blood. That is, their exaltation is assured; their calling and election is made sure, because they have obeyed the fulness of God's laws and have overcome the world. Though such persons 'shall commit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant whatever and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation." (D. & C. 132:26.) (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine) |
Interesting comments from everyone. I'll have to work on this. Do any of you know anyone who claims to have had their calling and election made sure? Can you be deceived into thinking you have received this when you have not?
I posted a link on the endowment thread to a web site dealing with the temple. The author got pretty specific with some of the teachings on the temple and he admitted that his Stake President told him to take down his site or he would be subject to church discipline. Well, it is still there so I emailed him and asked him if they did anything. He responded and said he was excommunicated in his absence but it didn't matter because he already has his calling and election made sure.