"Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters... (Mosiah 27:25 emphasis added).
Becoming "his sons and daughters" is an exalted state, and is not the same as being God's children, as all of the family of Adam are God's children. Let me explain. According to Isaiah, there is an ascension into heaven whereby we move either up this ladder or down. The higher we ascend, the closer we get to God and the more like Him we become. Conversely, the lower we descend, the farther away we get from God and the less like Him we become. I do not like the term ascend as it may imply that it is through our own efforts, but it is definitely a movement upward as we receive and become more. Each rebirth on a higher level is like an awakening from sleep to a deeper awareness, as in more intelligence or more light and truth as we become more like Him.
The levels he describes are:
Seraphs
Sons-Daughters/Servants
Zion/Jerusalem
Jacob/Israel
Babylon
These are listed in order with Babylon being the lowest, keeping in mind that at the endtime, Babylon and everything and everyone in it will be destroyed. Over time we grow ignorant of anything but Babylon, and by choosing falsely or by aborting life's tests, we forfeit being reborn on higher levels. Isaiah characterizes Babylon as saying: "I exist, and other than I there is nothing!"
People can't imagine that the end of their world draws near. They have lost touch with the source of salvation, and they put themselves out of reach of deliverance. By rejecting the true God, who gave us the ability to choose for ourselves, in the end they fall into the hands of a false God, or one who wants to be God, the King of Assyria/Babylon.
Jacob/Israel is a beginning point on Isaiah’s ladder to heaven. Ancient Israel's exile from the Promised Land sets the stage for modern Israel's return. In an endtime setting Jacob/Israel comprises people of all nations whom God seeks to reclaim. For us as Ephramite Gentiles who have been gathered in, most still remain in the Jacob/Israel category, having entered into the covenant, but who, while religious, are not repenting, are not coming to Christ. We will, however, have to move, in one direction or the other, from the Jacob/Israel category. We will either receive more or receive less as we are captured in Babylon. It is better to be ascending now than to wait for the endtime.
In the endtime, the Jacob/Israel category ceases to exist. These make up those who believe in God, but who have not yet turned to Christ, are not yet repenting. God challenges Jacob/Israel to cease clinging to the false idea of him, to do more than merely believe that He exists. They must choose between the true God--the Savior--and the false gods who cannot save.
Even the earth will ascend to the Zion/Jerusalem level as it enters the millennial age. At the end of the world, God destroys Babylon and delivers Zion/Jerusalem. Jacob/Israel disappears into the categories above or below.
According to Isaiah, "Israel" represents those who have renewed the covenant but who are not repenting. "Jacob" represents those who believe in God but who have not yet entered into the covenant or have not yet been baptized. Both groups can, however, ascend to the next level by keeping God's commandment to repent and turn to Him, and then by entering into the new and everlasting covenant.
Simply calling ourselves God's covenant people will not decide our destiny at the end of the world. A person may confess that he is committed to God but at the same time pursues antichrist activities, while not even recognizing these activities as being antichrist.
Zion/Jerusalem consists of those who are repenting, who do more than just believe. These have passed the test and recognize that whatever invites them to love God--to covenant with Him to keep His law and word (are repenting)--is of God, and whatever entices them away from God, to break faith with Him, is evil. But these have chosen God.
When we reach the Zion/Jerusalem awareness, we have received His grace, and He has lifted us up through His power beyond the Jacob/Israel stage. We have repented, and continue to repent, and can now accept God's covenant because we come to know that He only covenants with those who are repenting. We are returning to God, relying wholly upon His merits, putting our faith in Him. Having entered into His covenant, we can find forgiveness of sins and the beginning of a spiritual journey (grace to grace) that eventually brings us into God's presence.
Being in a state of grace and not under the bondage of sin, these move from grace to grace as they ascend to a higher level (D&C 93). In an endtime scenario these are they who are gathered out of the world in an endtime exodus to their lands of inheritance where Zion will eventually be established.
According to Isaiah only a tenth of all the people in the world will make this exodus, even though there will be others who will later desire to return, even though the time will be short.
Because these being gathered, as opposed to the Ephramite Gentiles who have already been gathered, are just babes, the Lord's Servant will act as their Lord to gather them from throughout the earth to their lands of inheritance, either to the old or new Jerusalem. For us who should not be babes, having been given the word of God, and who should know better, being still at the Jacob/Israel level is precarious at best.
The Lord says it best:
"Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation" (D&C 93:31-32 emphasis added) .
Sons-Daughters of God are those who choose to serve god by serving their fellow human beings. They minister spiritually to levels below their own, while they are ministered to by those above. God makes a covenant with his 'Sons' and 'Daughters' individually, not just collectively as He does with those of Zion/Jerusalem. That individual covenant is first conditional--dependent on the person's accepting completely the terms of the covenant--then unconditional. When it becomes unconditional, God himself ministers to his 'Sons' and 'Daughters.' This means that these levels are not static as we continue to receive more grace and intelligence. It is actually God who does the creating. What we become when we are reborn and ascend is His doing, not ours.
As we have seen, people who are ascending to Zion/Jerusalem are primarily concerned with repenting of their sins and returning to God. By passing tests of loyalty, which tests God orchestrates for them, they show their allegiance to Him. Persons who receive grace for grace to ascend to the Sons-Daughters/Servants level, are primarily concerned with things beyond the forgiveness of their sins. By tending to the spiritual and material needs of others, they follow God's example, developing His attributes and character traits as they receive more grace.
They become examples of righteousness by serving as God's agents of 'deliverance' and 'salvation' to those who are still in need of deliverance. They are willing to be in the world to bring others out of the world. They are in the process of 'sanctifying' their lives in the service of God. God's will is becoming their will. God's Sons-Daughters/Servants, both now and in the endtime, are those who do/will fulfill the role of deliverers and saviors to God's people. These include all those who thrust in their sickles and reap, being concerned for the welfare of the soul, and especially for the souls of their friends and family.
These have been born again and changed from their lost, fallen and carnal state, to a state of righteousness, and become His sons and daughters. Christ promises those who thrust in their sickle and reap while the day lasts, that He will give them power to become 'the sons [and daughters] of God" (D&C 11:30).
God cannot refuse His sons' and daughters' desire to deliver others as they prove loyal and comply with His will, His will being what is best for all.
As they become more like God, by learning to love and serve others, by receiving His love for others, they fulfill the role of deliverers and saviors to God's people. God's sons and daughters are not only no longer under the bondage of sin, but under grace, and eventually He will also overcome their iniquities. Because our iniquities impact others, they need to be reversed. Iniquities are the after-effects of sin. This will be done as we become more like God, and God responds to our prayers to turn the effect of our iniquities on others into good, as He has promised those who love Him and keep his commandments.
Those who make this transition in their lives completely change their thought processes. As they open themselves to the influence of God’s Spirit, God enlightens them to his truth, to things as they really are, different from their former, imperfect perception of the truth. They become aware of, and discard, fixed beliefs about themselves and others that have bound them to patterns of living below their potential. The gap between their beliefs and the truth no longer exists.
Isaiah is a perfect example of ascent to the son/servant level. When he saw the God of Israel, the seraph who ministered to him declared, “Your iniquities are taken away and your sins atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:7.) Isaiah had rejected the ways of his people and accepted God’s ways. (Isaiah 8:11–18.)
Isaiah introduces seraphim in Isaiah 6 and parallels their role with his own in Isaiah 40. Isaiah ascends, through grace to grace, from Son/Servant to Seraph.
When Jesus said, “He will send his angels…and they will gather together his elect from the four winds,” he surely meant those who would reach the Seraph level. (Matthew 24:31; emphasis added.) In Isaiah’s endtime scenario, gathering the elect is precisely the mission of God’s servant and his seraph-associates. They bring God’s “sons” and “daughters” to the place Zion or Jerusalem in a new exodus from the four directions of the earth.
Although their role resembles that of angels, it is more than that of “messengers.” As kings and priests to God—as proxy saviors on the Seraph level—they are more effective in their ministry than all others of God’s children. Their earthly missions are central to the fulfillment of God’s redemption of his people in the “last days.” Together with God’s servant, they labor in the world against evils greater than God’s people can overcome on their own. God has kept Seraphs in reserve as a power for good to all who rely on him. The “deliverance” and “salvation” they secure for others is second only to Jehovah’s.
Of course there is so much more in terms of scriptural types of each of these levels as identified by Isaiah. This very short version is given as both an incentive and a warning to the Ephramite Gentiles. You cannot and will not stay where you are. You will either be receiving grace for grace as you come closer to God, or you will find yourself remaining in Babylon.
We differ from God and angels only with respect to the light and truth we have received, or better said, only with respect to the light and truth we have become and are becoming.
In effect, “rebirth” on every level constitutes “re-creation,” as the person who is reborn assumes a new identity. God re-creates, or rather “de-creates” even those who descend, because they are now no longer what they used to be. God continues to “create” us spiritually, some male and others female, until we become like him—until we grow into his image and likeness.
As John bore record,
"And I, John, saw that he (Christ) received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace; And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness" (D&C 93:12-13 emphasis added).
This same promise is given to us;
"For if you keep my commandments* you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace" (D&C 93:20 emphasis added).
And no time to wait! We should begin to receive more and to become more, even now!
*"Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day" (3 Nephi 27:20).
For a more complete picture see Isaiah Decoded: Ascending The Ladder To Heaven, by Avraham Gileadi.