The greatest paradox of all is aspiring to greatness. Lucifer became Satan because he conspired to be like God:
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." (Isaiah 14:12-15)
Ironically, though, we are commanded to seek these same things for which Lucifer was struck down. We are ordered by Jesus Christ to become like God:
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)
"Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?" (John 10:34).
Paul added,
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:17)
The most explicit scripture was given by God to Joseph Smith in regards to Eternal Marriage:
"Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them." (D&C 132:20)
So how is it that Lucifer could be fallen because he aspired to be as God, and yet we are commanded to aspire to become like God? Indeed, the whole purpose for our existence is to grow up to become like our Father in Heaven.
It seems the difference between good and evil is not in the object, but the means. We are told, and are sure, that "the ends justify the means." However, this is totally false -- and not only false, but actually the converse is true -- the means justify the ends.
Means and Ends
The end result of what you do can be forgiven, if you learn the lesson from it. Repentance is the process of change. One who is completely outside of the will of God can become a servant to Him only through this process. It requires faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, because it is only through Him that sins can be forgiven. Those who think they can fake or buy their way into Heaven without going through the gate of repentance and baptism will be bounced out. Jesus explains:
"And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 22:11-13)
In other words, if we somehow show up in Heaven unprepared because we get there by some way other than faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism, we will be kicked-out. It will be obvious that we don't belong, there's no way to fake it. When one is escorted out of Heaven he is cast into outer darkness, not into another kingdom of Heaven.
It isn't how you end up, but rather how you get there. The process of learning and growth is what creates the ends. You cannot get to Heaven by any other means than doing good. The sacrifice must be made. The lessons must be learned through experience. Each must take the Holy Ghost for a guide through the process. Those who want to take shortcuts may find a way, but, as Lucifer, in the end will not endure.
Thus, we can end up with everything, or nothing, depending on the process we go through to get there. Lucifer wanted to force everyone to "be good" by taking away their right to choose. He thought the end result of everyone going back to Heaven would justify this breech of the greatest law of life -- agency. Without choice, there is no life. So, instead of being the hero, he was cast into outer darkness. The ends certainly do not justify the means.
Justified by Him
To aspire to greatness in the Kingdom of God only requires following Him who "marked the path, and led the way." When we do it in the way that He did it, doing the will of God, He can let us into Heaven and make us gods. We become like our Father in Heaven in the same way we become like our father on Earth. We submit to His will and do as He says. Jesus said, "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38) We must do as He did.
We cannot breech a single Eternal law and still go to Heaven. If we do break a law of God, or disobey even once, we are unworthy, unfit, and unprepared to be with Him. This is the miracle of what Jesus Christ has done for us. Through His awesome atonement we are able to repent of all our sins and still return to God. Not only that, we are able to be received into Exaltation and become like our Father in Heaven. We cannot justify ourselves, we must go through Him. It is the wonderful Atonement that allows us to choose, make errors, correct those errors and be washed clean again.
Becoming Great
The choice is to live or die. Actually, life requires that we aspire to greatness! Those who aren't exalted die, or end. They are no longer growing. They are damned, meaning "stopped." Jesus tells us that "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14) The paradox is that if we look to become great as a leader, telling others what to do, or not do, we lose the possibility. The true way to leadership is just the opposite -- it is to be humble and to serve others.
"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:4)
"But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant." (Matthew 23:11)
Greatness comes from submission and service because everyone is free to choose. Nobody can be forced in the slightest degree, if so everyone will cease to obey. A true leader must have influence that is never force. This is where Lucifer lost everything; by removing choice, he removed life . Life is all about agency so true leadership requires humble submission to the agency of others, as well as being able to provide a benefit. The leader must have something others want. God presents a plan to His children and asks them to accept it. The plan is: "If you do what I tell you, I can show you how to become more than you are." Those who don't want to grow simply stay where they are, whereas those who do what He says become greater eternally. Everyone can choose.
Thus, aspiring to greatness, or Eternal Life, requires two qualities:
- Desire
- Humility
Why do so few find the way to Eternal life? Most choose death out of laziness. "Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." (Matthew 7:13) Destruction refers to not fulfilling their purpose. Most of the children of God don't aspire to greatness, and are content with staying as they are. They don't want to change. They don't want to grow. They only want to do as they are told, and be able to rest. They don't want the difficulty of growth nor the pain of leadership. It's a battle they don't want to fight and are thus willing to give up their freedom for security and predictability.
Those who desire greatness, but are not willing to submit their will to God become as Satan, trying to destroy as much freedom as possible. These aspire to greatness in their own way and in their own eyes. They are filled with pride so they refuse to submit to the will of God. "These, having not the law, are a law unto themselves." (Romans 2:14) Thus, they are limited to what they can do by themselves and their coercive tactics. As Satan has ends and boundaries they are blocked by walls as in a prison.
The "few" are those who have both a desire to grow, and are willing to submit to the will of God. If we take God as our Life Coach to teach us each step on the straight and narrow way, and do exactly as He tells us, we end up where He is. The means by which this happens is not by force or by will, but through desire, humility, submission, and obedience. These means justify their end, which is to live forever in the full sense of the word, LIFE. Those who choose life continue to grow, learn, build, reproduce, improve, and add influence. They direct others to do their work. They experience the height of joy, and the depth of sorrow so they feel all things. They know all things so all things are subject to them. When done in the right way, through humility and sacrifice, this is the potential of every person born into this world. Thus, every son and daughter of Adam can aspire to greatness by fulfilling the greatest commandment -- to love God; every child of God can "be like the Most High."
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