Exaltation (Mormonism)
Exaltation (Mormonism) or Eternal Life, as a belief of Mormonism, is eternal life of the kind God lives -- God's promise to mankind of the opportunity to return to live in God's presence and continue as families. Mormons believe that God enables humans to return to live with Him forever as exalted beings and ultimately become gods or joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. In Mormon terms, sharing this position with Jesus would mean becoming like him, becoming god-like and developing in the eternities the power to create. Therefore, the Mormon objective is to strive for purity and righteousness; becoming one with Jesus, to the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), means becoming one with God.
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In the Mormon's Doctrine & Covenants, there is a scripture that describes how those who are exalted will become gods. It reads, "And then shall the angels be crowned with the glory of his might, and the saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive their inheritance and be made equal with him." (Doctrine and Covenants 88:107).
Though Mormons believe there are prerequisite ordinances before they can receive "their inheritance and be made equal with him," such as baptism and other temple ordinances, exaltation is believed to be open to all who have ever lived upon the earth through vicarious temple work.
Mormons believe that the millions who have lived and died throughout the earth's history without having received the saving ordinances will have them made available to them. That all individuals will have an equitable and fair opportunity to hear the 'fullness of the gospel' taught in this life, or in the life to come, and will subsequently have the opportunity to either accept the message of Jesus Christ and His gospel, or reject it.
