Misunderstanding Baptism for Salvation Quote #1

This post is an explanation of the use of the first quote by Joseph Fielding Smith in my previous post, Misunderstanding Baptism for Salvation. To understand that post please first read, Understanding Baptism Line upon Line.

Who, among Latter-day Saints, is seeking a place in the telestial kingdom? Who, among the Latter-day Saints, is seeking a place in the terrestrial kingdom? With those kingdoms we should want nothing to do; it is not the intention of the man who is baptized into the Church, or ought not to be, to so live that he will not find a place in the celestial kingdom of God; for baptism, itself, is the way into that kingdom. Baptism is of two-fold nature; primarily for the remission of sins, and then, entrance into the kingdom of God, not the telestial kingdom, not into the terrestrial kingdom, but entrance into the celestial kingdom, where God dwells. That is what baptism is for; that is what the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands, is for—to prepare us that we may, through obedience, continue on and on, keeping the commandments of the Lord, until we shall receive the fulness in the celestial kingdom. (CR, Apr. 1922, 60–61)

The first part of this quote is absolutely correct. We ought to live to be worthy of celestial glory. Anyone who joins the church and remains faithful until he dies will likely receive the glory of that kingdom. Granted, every person will be judged according to their works, but the revelations imply that this will be his end.

The next part is not correct, "for baptism, itself, is the way into [the celestial] kingdom [of God]." In and of itself this quote is doctrinally correct; however, this implies that it is not necessary for the other kingdoms, then confirmed by the following statement. "Baptism is ... for ... entrance into the kingdom of God, not the telestial kingdom, not into the terrestrial kingdom, but entrance into the celestial kingdom, where God dwells." Again, he is correct to say baptism is for entrance into the kingdom of God. The scriptures testify of this all over the place. The whole flaw to this is his definition of the kingdom of God and his definition of God. He defines the kingdom of God as the celestial kingdom only and his implied definition of God is God the Father only.

He claims that the telestial kingdom is not the kingdom of God. He claims that the terrestrial kingdom is not the kingdom of God. He implies that God only dwells in the celestial kingdom only. By implying that God is God the Father only, he implies that Jesus Christ is not God and that the Holy Ghost is not God. He wouldn't have been an apostle or prophet if he believed that, yet his logic implies it. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one God.

He also stated, "the celestial kingdom, where God dwells." This implies that God does not dwell in the other two kingdoms. While this is true of God the Father, it is not true of God the Son or God the Holy Ghost. The scriptures tell us that God the Holy Ghost dwells in the telestial kingdom and that God the Son dwells in the terrestrial kingdom. The celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, and the telestial kingdom are one kingdom, the kingdom of God.

Taking the logic from the other side, if the telestial kingdom is not part of the kingdom of God, then it is not clean. If it were not clean then God could not dwell there, even God the Holy Ghost. If the terrestrial kingdom were not part of the kingdom of God, then it is not clean. If it were not clean then God could not dwell there, even God the Son or God the Holy Ghost. To enter these kingdoms a person must be spotless and clean. We cannot pay for our sins and become clean through the process. If we could pay for our sins, then they would be paid for, yet we would remain filthy without the blood of the Redeemer. No matter how much we suffer or how long we suffer, it is only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ that we can be washed clean and become spotless, and this comes through baptism.

The remainder of the quote is logically correct and very hope filling for those who have started the process. It is our goal to stand at the last day before the judgement seat of God and have Him tell us, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matt 25:21) (Please see my disclaimer about this topic)