We don’t have to have a knowledge of the intricacies of the Atonement, a knowledge of every last detail of Jesus Christ’s life, or a perfect knowledge of the scriptures to be saved in God’s kingdom.

God is the author of our faith. He knows the very next step in our progression, or our development into becoming more like Him. As mentioned, we do not have to know every deep doctrine from the complicated to the profound to the esoteric to the hidden. We don’t even need to understand every last detail of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

We just need to focus on what is in front of us.

God has orchestrated our lives perfectly so that the challenge or the opportunity directly in front of us is perfectly calculated to enable our very next step in progression.

The most important thing is our life right now is this very next step. No amount of knowledge can compensate and outweigh this step.

In short, this next step is calculated it magnify our intelligence, or our ability to “give life” more fully.

Earth life is simply a lab. Our current situation in life and the people around us (both easy to live with and hard to live with) are our lab material that enable us to apply what we have (1) learned up to this point, and (2) take the next step in developing Godlike love so that we can lift and serve and grow in our ability to give grace.

In the school of life, we are not getting a grade so that we can compare ourselves to those around us. It is not about being better than another. Rather it is about progressing so that we can become more like our Father. It is about potential. All children – whether sons or daughters – possess the potential to become like their parents.

What we need in this journey – or this earthly lab – is the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, an actual member of the Godhead.

Obviously we need to do our best to pray regularly and with full purpose of heart, to study the scriptures with true desire, and to keep the commandments so that we might have the Holy Ghost in our lives more fully.

But the point is it is the Holy Ghost that is the key factor that ultimately changes, perfects, and saves us.

More precisely, Heavenly Father has orchestrated our lives perfectly so that we are provided with the following two:

(1) The material we need so that as we reflect over our lives we have what we need to make changes.

(2) Our lives are orchestrated so the very next step we need to take has those trials and decisions immediately in front of us.

Remember, the Lord is redemptive and not punitive in nature.

Furthermore, all things are calculated to either redeem or to endow us, and more often than not, to do both.

NOTES:

(1) One issue the Jews had against Christ was he told them that God was His father … thus making Himself equal with God (see John 5:17-18). This had to do with his “potential” a child has to become like his or her parent. Not that Christ was equal to God the Father in that moment, but what He could become in due time.