As with Jacob, so with every Latter-day Saint: “thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God.” Lehi knew that Jacob would be exalted and have eternal life, and all this because of the Redeemer, who would come both in the meridian of time and in the fulness of time to provide salvation. Notice the emphasis: Christ’s righteousness is what redeems Jacob (and all of us). We do not, actually we cannot, redeem ourselves. The apostle Paul made a similar point: sometimes in our zeal to be righteous (certainly a worthy aspiration) we forget that it is God’s righteousness that makes salvation possible, “and going about to establish [our] own righteousness, have not submitted [our]selves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3).
From the Fall, the way to salvation has been prepared; that is, from the beginnings of mortality the plan has been in place to save all who will. Salvation is free in two senses. First, the Atonement, which makes salvation possible, is a free gift. As Paul taught, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). Salvation cannot be earned; it comes only through the merits, mercy, and grace of Christ, as Lehi explained. By definition, mercy is unearned, unmerited. Second, redemption has been provided for all humankind from the consequences of the transgression of Adam and Eve: death and hell. Death is totally overcome and immortality guaranteed for all by Jesus’ resurrection. Jacob later described how resurrection itself is redemption (2 Nephi 9:6–10). In addition, sin and hell may be completely overcome by repenting and keeping His commandments.