Well Done My Good And Faithful Servant

I think there is much more to using the gift of the atonement than simply accepting the forgiveness Jesus gives so freely.

If we all came here as sinless beings and the only sins we have to repent of are the ones that we commit while in this life; then it stands to reason that if we return home with nothing more than having been forgiven, we haven't really accomplished anything.

It is only in personal change that we realize the full purpose and potential of forgiveness.

Many make the mistake of thinking that perfection and the absence of sin are the same things.  They are not.

Perfection is when you have the opportunity and ability to commit sin; but you don't.  Just as the Savior had to give his life of his own free will, we must also give up our sins of our own free will.

King Lamoni's father prayed, "...I will give away all my sins to know thee..."  He is not talking about being "saved," he is talking about deciding not to commit those sins anymore as the price for knowing God.

We get this idea that if when we die we are not guilty of any major sins we will be whisked off to the celestial world and become celestial beings.  Sister Papa profoundly said, "If you want to make it to heaven, you have to take it with you."  That is why we are made to live in this world saturated with sin; so we can decide not to participate.  It is by not participating that we become celestial, not by arriving in a celestial place.

If we take our Father in Heaven as an example; He isn't God because He is hiding in a corner of Kolob not committing sin.  He is God because he has all power and only does good with it.

I believe that if we meet our Savior having nothing but the forgiveness he gave us; we will be viewed as the "wicked" and "slothful" servant was in the Parable of the Talents who returned to the Lord with nothing more than the one talent he was given.

All of the personal change in the world is worthless without the unparalleled gift of the atonement.  But, if we combine his gift with personal change then, "...when he shall appear we shall be like Him." (Moroni 7:48)

Mathew 25:20-21
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  21 His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee a ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.