The Atonement is infinite. It covers all men unconditionally by bringing them back into his presence (v. 10). The condition of the atonement is whether or not they can remain in his presence. “No unclean thing can dwell with God” (1 Nephi 10:21). This doctrine is taught throughout the Book of Mormon. Alma taught that those who are unclean at the judgment bar shall suffer “even a second death, which is a spiritual death … he shall die as to things pertaining unto righteousness” (Alma 12:12–16), or not remain in God’s presence. Samuel the Lamanite warned:
17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.
18 Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness. [Helaman 14:17–18]
We add Moroni’s testimony:
13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death.
14 And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still. [Mormon 9:13–14]
When men come back into the presence of God, they will be judged according to the truth and holiness of Christ and God (v. 10). Truth alone is not the criteria for judgment, but the truth and the holiness or sanctification the judgment brings is the criteria.
A third principle of agency is that there must be an opportunity to choose. The wrong choices, or breaking the law, brings a punishment which is affixed (absolute) to the law. The right choices, or keeping the law, brings happiness which is affixed (absolute) to the atonement. Lehi calls this final state the ends of the law, or the ends of the atonement (v. 10). If the atonement is accepted through repentance and righteous living with eternal happiness. If the atonement is rejected through unbelief or wrongful living there will be eternal misery. In the pre-mortal council it was resolved:
25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
26 And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever. [Abraham 3:25–26]
Having opposition in all things helps determine one’s eternal nature. One must choose righteousness or wickedness, holiness or misery, good or bad. One cannot live eternally in both conditions. A person becomes righteous, holy, and good or a person becomes wicked, miserable, and bad. Thus he or she becomes “a compound in one” of these conditions (v. 11). The purpose of the creation was to make us happy eternal beings (v. 12). Lehi equates law with righteousness, happiness, and God. God is an eternal, righteous, happy being. Through obeying the law his children become like him. Without the law there would have been no God, and thus no creation, no earth and no children (v. 13). Thus Lehi equates God with law, making them both eternal and co-equal.