In 3 Nephi 24: 1-4, in the Book of Mormon, Jesus shares Malachi’s words below (emphasis added):
And it came to pass that he commanded them that they should write the words which the Father had given unto Malachi, which he should tell unto them. And it came to pass that after they were written he expounded them. And these are the words which he did tell unto them, saying:
Thus said the Father unto Malachi:
[Quoting Malachi 3:]
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.
But who may abide the day of his coming,
and who shall stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire,
and like fuller’s soap.
And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;
and he shall purify the sons of Levi,
and purge them as gold and silver,
that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord,
as in the days of old, and as in former years.
According to this site, "the refiner's fire, [was when] someone would bring a lump of gold or silver and the refiner would use fire to burn off the dross and purify the precious metal." This metaphor is used to describe Christians being born again and transforming into holy ones so they can abide in God's radiant presence. To understand how the term saints means holy ones and what that really means see the Naked Bible Podcast Transcript of Episode 226: Colossians 1:1-13 (July 28, 2018) Teacher: Dr. Michael S. Heiser (MH). Host: Trey Stricklin (TS).
The refiners fire is thus process of transforming into a son of God, it is the transforming power to obtain eternal life. As we read in D&C 45: 8-9 (emphasis added):
... as many as received me gave I power to do many miracles, and to become the sons of God; and even unto them that believed on my name gave I power to obtain eternal life.
And even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me.
We also have D&C 66:2:
Verily I say unto you, blessed are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant, even the fulness of my gospel, sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life and be made partakers of the glories which are to be revealed in the last days, as it was written by the prophets and apostles in days of old.
This is the higher glories through a body of glory explained in D&C 76. This is referring to being partakers of the divine nature so that when this is combined with the Fifth Lecture on Faith, we see that the glory and fulness of the Father is in the Son and is in the Saints (LDS holy ones), which is the divine nature (the divine DNA).
The "broken heart and contrite spirit" in D&C 59.8-11, basically makes one receptive to the spirit/nooma of God, compared to those who are in an "awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind" (Ether 4.13-15). So the refiner's fire is the process of inner transformation of the "heart" and partaking of the divine DNA. In other words, like a caterpillar in Chrysis, the process of being born again is like undergoing a "refiner's fire, [when] someone would bring a lump of gold or silver and the refiner would use fire to burn off the dross and purify the precious metal. Similarly people would bring their wool to the fuller and he would use soap to clean the wool and remove the impurities so that what is left is pure wool." This is a metaphor for an actual process of undergoing God's refinement and basally burning away the natural man (Adamic-body) and one one transforms fully into a glorified celestial body (see below for more details). So if you sacrifice your pride and your natural man proclivities and truly receive the sacred nooma, your Adamic-body begins to burn away, as we read in 3 Nephi 9:20:
And you shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso comes unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost ... because of their faith in me ... were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost ...
This is your sacrificing your old "natural man" self (Adamic-body proclivities) for a new noomatic body through a change of heart, as we read in D&C 59.8:
Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
This begins the process of being born from above with a celestial-body developing within you, as explained in D&C 76: 51-61, 70 and why Paul says, "Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16 RSV). God's noomatic power is dwelling within you in a process like a refiner's fire. It is a process of a change of heart and sacrificing selfish impulses for the greater Good and putting/taking off the natural man to be cloaked in (putting on) righteousness (see JST Mathew 3:34) and becoming like pure wool as in a pure bright star-like being, glowing in joy as if a shining light. See:
The refiner's fire is the process of antifragility as well, as we see in Helaman 3:34-35:
Now this was a great evil, which did cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through much affliction. Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.
By submitting to affliction one waxes stronger because the glory and power and divine fluid fullness of the Father and Son fills them/dwells in them: producing a noomatic/celestial (star-like) body through the baptism of fire. God's noomatic power is forming in them a new anti-fragile spiritual body, that Paul describes as being like a star that shines. Thus one has a remission of their sins because they no longer have the Adamic body (that can sin) that is subject to the demands of the Mosaic Law, but are perfected in Christ through his merits and having his Divine DNA; and so one is no longer subject to the Law because they are born anew with a new spiritual body that replaces the old Adamic body through the baptism of fire; as one's contrite spirit merges with the holy nooma and one undergoes a purifying and sanctification like molten metal molding into a new form (see image below):
(Source)
As these Bible Scriptures further explain it:
Zechariah 13:9 – “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, the Lord is my God.”
Isaiah 48:10 – “Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”
Proverbs 17:3 – “The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord tests the hearts.”
Psalms 66:10-12 – “For you, God, have tested us; you refined us like silver.”
1 Peter 1:7 - These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
(Source)
LDS Scriptures builds on this language by presenting the following where this fiery refinement is a real form of empowerment:
Helaman 5:43-45:
And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire. And Nephi and Lehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were encircled about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming fire, yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the walls of the prison; and they were filled with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory. And behold, the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could speak forth marvelous words.
3 Nephi 17:24:
And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.
3 Nephi 19:13-14:
And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire. And behold, they were encircled about as if it were by fire; and it came down from heaven, and the multitude did witness it, and did bear record; and angels did come down out of heaven and did minister unto them.
Moses 6: 64-66:
And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water. And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man, and he heard a voice out of heaven, saying:
Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever;
We see here that the sacred nooma is a real fire-like energy, which emboldens and makes one anti-fragile and capable of enduring to the end after one is born of the spirit, i.e. implanted via the sacred nooma with the divine DNA. This is important, for the fear of death is tied to the lack of security that when one dies one will resurrect and not decay like a bug. This belief gives one confidence in not just their resurrection-ability, but in becoming star-like with a celestial body one is able to enter the presence of God who is like the Sun in radiant fiery glory. This is why Moses' face shone (was radiant) in Exodus 34:29 after encountering God.
Note that above we read of becoming sons of God. This is not a mere metaphor. The Bible and LDS Scripture describes a literal DNA change. The LDS Christian is to become a literal child of Christ, as we read in Mosiah 5:7:
And now, because of the covenant which you have made you shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for you say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, you are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.
This covenant is explained in Mosiah 18: 10:
... if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that you have entered into a covenant with him that you will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
This is not metaphorical but literal in meaning. Jesus as the Only Begotten/Unique Monogene carries the divine DNA and so Jesus breathes His seed/DNA into LDS Christians as a fire-like fluid energy (as Parley Pratt put it): that literally changes one from a carnal/Adamic state to a state of permanent sanctification (i.e. deification) with a new noomatic body begotten/born of Christ, that begins being molded into a body of glowing righteousness. So that through being born anew with a new noomatic body forged within them via the sacred nooma, one is saved (delivered) from Death and the demands of the Mosaic Law. As we read in Mosiah 27:24-26:
For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me:
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; and thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
Being a new creature is not metaphorical but a literal state of being spiritually begotten (see Mosiah 5:7 above), so that just as Christ is the only begotten the unique kind/gene of God, the LDS Christian is spiritually adopted into the Divine Family by being implanted with the divine DNA (the seed/sperma of God), so they change, are quickened in their inner man and transformed into a new creature like a caterpillar beginning the process of becoming a butterfly; hence they are born again, born from above, and thus coded with God's DNA toward becoming a member of the divine species of Jehovah.
The Book of Mormon uses the word "white" to refer to this refining fire burning away spiritual darkness and human error (sin) so that one is transformed into a white-lighted (star-like) noomatic body (for more details see my document Peeling Away Skins of Blindness & Putting on Skins of Brightness. So that the language of one's "garments made white" is a metaphor for a new noomatic body (becoming a new creature). Thus we read in Alma 13: 11-12; 36:24 (emphasis mine):
Therefore they were called after this holy order and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb. Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure [refined by fire] and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God. ... I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
The refiner's fire purifies by fire and the soul is made white, that is like "white light," radiant like a bright star and able to dwell in the presence of Jehovah like Moses did. Thus, like Moses whose face shone (was radiant) those who are born gain, quickened in their inner man and changed into a new creature have their soul washed/molten and made white/purified by the refiner's fire and they are transformed into a purified/refined soul and able to enter the presence of God and rest in his domain forever. Thus salvation and deification is not a pious works-based process of vain performances and thus earning sanctification/deification; but instead deification is the process of being literally born anew with a new body that is resurrect-able and star-like that can be in the presence of the Sun-like radiant Jehovah. Thus salvation and deification is the actual free gift, as grace means a gracious benefaction, see Patronage and Reciprocity: The Context of Grace in the New Testament David A. deSilva. The grace of God is gifting of the noomatic body itself, the Patron (God) benefacts his divine seed so one is reborn into his Divine Family: as God's grace (gifted generosity) is his freely gifted seed/DNA to all those who take upon them the name of Christ and commit to a change of heart and bearing each other's burdens, etc.
Note however, that whereas in many Evangelical circles, salvation is an individual affair, a "get out of hell free card," a hyper focusing on the individual getting saved (self-centered) and feeling superior to the lost and unsaved who they believe are tortured in eternal conscious torment, LDS Christianity is more humane, more Zion-minded and interdependent in its approach as a we-thinking salvation theology which is really about the salvation of God's People, which is more biblical. So it's really about the Ecclesia (Body of Christ/Assembly of Christ-Apprentices) and the formation of a Salvifc People/Society. As we read in the JST Genesis 9:22-23 (emphasis added):
21 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant, which I made unto thy father Enoch; that, when men should keep all my commandments, Zion should again come on the earth, the city of Enoch [see Moses 7] which I have caught up unto myself.
22 And this is mine everlasting covenant, that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and look upward, then shall Zion look downward, and all the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth shall tremble with joy;
23 And the general assembly of the church of the firstborn shall come down out of heaven, and possess the earth, and shall have place until the end come. And this is mine everlasting covenant, which I made with thy father Enoch.
Note the emphasis on generating a People through posterity. This is the growth of God's Garden via transformed souls with celestial bodies growing within them, quickened by the noomatic fluid fire. The celestial glory is the state of glorified bodies, who are purified in heart as we read in Moses 7. Thus we read in D&C 76 (emphasis added):
51They are they [with celestial bodies] who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given— 52 that by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed [refined like molten metal] from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit [sacred nooma] by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power; 53 and who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.
54 They are they who are the church of the Firstborn [assembly of the Monogene]. 55They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things— 56 they are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory [see Lecture 5 and 7]; 57 and are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son.
58 Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God— 59 wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s [seed], and Christ is God’s [seed]. ...
67 These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn. ...
70 These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical.
As we can see salvation and deification or exaltation is about becoming a radiant sun-like body and embodying the ideals of Zion, the pure of heart in Moses 7, that is becoming a Zion People. LDS Christianity is not about strict laws but God's grace growing a People (a Culture). So pure Mormonism is not about a works-based salvation, but God as Patron, benefacting his divine genes/seed which causes an inner quickening/transformation of souls into a Zion People. As Jesus said, to paraphrase him, by their fruits you will know them and my yoke is easy not burdensome and strict. The Book of Mormon echoes this by presenting the Doctrine of Christ which is extremely simple and easy to understand and follow as it is not about strict rules and such but committing to Christian lifestyle basically and being divinized with a celestial body through the merits of Christ and receiving his divine DNA enabling one to endure to the end; and living up to the gift benefacted us with loyalty and appreciation as explained by deSivla's article linked above. Thus we read in Mosiah 13:30-32 (emphasis added):
29And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very strict law; for they were a stiffnecked people, quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God; 30 therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances and of ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him. 31But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come.
32And now, did they understand the law? I say unto you nay, they did not all understand the law; and this because of the hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there could not any man be saved except it were through the redemption of God.
The redemption of God is the quickening of the inner man, being born of God, receiving his divine DNA via the noomatic fluid power of the refiner's fire.
