I was reading 2 Nephi 31 today. Nephi spells out clearly the path back to God. In the last verse of the chapter (v.21) he says, "there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God". So, what he says before this must be very important.
The first step is to enter by the gate or at least know the gate. The gate is repentance and baptism. How do you know you have entered? Your sins are remitted (by fire and by the Holy Ghost). (v.17) This might take some time for most of us.
After you have taken the first step, "ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life". You know this because you have received the Holy Ghost. The Father has promised that anyone who enters by the gate will receive the Holy Ghost (v.18
The second step is to stay on the path. You can't just get on the path and think that all is done. It took believing in Christ and having unshaken faith in Him to get this far. You have relied "wholly upon the merits of Him who is mighty to save." The person who has made it this far has done a very impressive feat. He has grown to rely on Christ for everything. His faith has become unshaken. But, don't drop the fruit, there's still more! (v. 19)
To get the prize at the end of our lives on this earth, we have to press forward with a steadfastness in Christ. Through the thick and the thin all we have to do is be steady (Alma 5:48). We have a perfect brightness of hope - no pessimism here! We have developed a love of God and of all men. We have learned to feast upon the word of Christ (hear and do the promptings of the Holy Ghost) (v.20).
It looks to me that once we break out our state of unbelief (Ether 4:15) and start exercising some faith, our minds are enlightened and it becomes easy to stay on the path (don't be slothful because the easiness of the way (Alma 37:46)). But, to cast off the natural man, now that's the hard thing! Will God really be there for me? Will He do what's best for me? Can I rely on Him?
But this is what most be done, "this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost..."
There is no other way - but it looks like a good way to me!
