No Ladder Required to Reach Heaven – by Bilyana de Soto
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Jun 6, 2015 4394
It is only the gospel of Jesus that puts an end to beggarly pitiful ladders that aspire to reach eternity. We have no such ladder-climbing ability whatsoever. The gospel knows of no climbing skills required by you and me. It only knows of the ladder whereby Jesus Christ came down to earth to do it ALL for you and me. Jesus has nailed to the cross every human ladder that there ever was or will be. He alone stands on offer – it’s a very intimate and personal relationship or nothing. God has forgiven all of your sins, past, present and future. No payment ever required says your God.
He did that so that you wouldn’t relate to him out of guilt, or shame, or out of burdensome duty, but out of love. God knows how awesome He is and He wants you to know that about Him. Until you have felt that tug of love on your heart, you haven’t begun to know the joy of the gospel.
– Bilyana de Soto
Adam Seilbach
Dec 13, 2017
Christ did suffer and Atone for our sins, but He still expects us to LIVE HIS GOSPEL. He did die so we could be saved, but He will only save us when we "come unto Him." This is climbing the ladder. “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel” (History of the Church, 6:306–7).
Eliezer Gonzalez
Dec 17, 2017
Thank you for your comment, Adam, and for your quote by Joseph Smith of the Latter Day Saints. Respectfully, I have a different understanding, because I do not believe that we can ourselves "live the gospel" because the gospel is by definition something that Christ has already done for us. So we accept the gospel as a gift. We don't live it. That's why the phrase "live the gospel" is not in the Bible, and is foreign to the thinking of its writers. The gospel is how we accept salvation, but we don't accept it through our own works. However, I would agree with you inasmuch as that after we have accepted the gospel, then God sends his spirit into our lives for our sanctiification, so that there is a ladder to be climbed in this way. But this is always the result of salvation and never its means.