THE PLAN OF SALVATION
Pre-existence
All mankind are the offspring of God.[1]
We are literally made in his image. We lived with Heavenly Father as spirits
before we were born.[2]
Our body now looks like our spirit did then. In the pre-existence we saw that Heavenly
Father had glorified, perfected, immortal body of flesh & bone,[3]
and had a fullness of joy. We desired to become like him.
Heavenly Father presented a glorious plan which
would enable us to progress & become more like him. We shouted for joy when
the plan was presented.[4]
His plan called for a world to be made, and for us
to be completely free to choose between right and wrong.[5]
Those who choose to keep Heavenly Father’s commandments will qualify to return
to live with him. He promised that everyone that was born on earth would
eventually receive a perfected immortal body.[6]
Heavenly Father explained that keeping each and
every one of his commandments qualifies us for a blessing or positive
consequence. If we choose not to keep any commandment, the promised blessing
will be withheld and there will be a negative consequence.[7]
Heavenly Father explained that we could not be
completely free to choose for ourselves if we were able to remember our
previous life with him. So a temporary veil of forgetfulness would come upon us
when we were born into earth life. Our memory of the pre-existence will
eventually be restored to us.
"Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,
Hath had
elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in
entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing
clouds of glory do we come
From God,
who is our home.
Brigham Young said that after this life, the thing
that will surprise us the most is how well we know our Heavenly Father.
Before leaving our pre-existence, Heavenly Father
promised us that at some time before the final judgement, each and every single
one of all the billions of his children would have an opportunity to learn
about Jesus Christ and his glorious plan for our salvation and advancement.
Heavenly Father also explained that we would all make
mistakes when we were on earth. He explained that unless we were freed from the
consequences of our mistakes, we could not be perfected sufficiently to dwell
with him. We needed someone else to pay the price and suffer the consequences
of our mistakes and sins.
Jesus offered to be our saviour, redeemer, and to
teach us by his example how to live. When we buy back, at a price, something
that used to belong to us (eg in a in a pawn shop) we are “redeeming” it. Jesus
is our redeemer. He has promised never, ever, to force us to make right
choices. If a choice is truly ours, then we (and not someone else) can be
rewarded for it. Jesus offered to pay the price for our mistakes. He asked for
no reward for doing this and said “Father, the glory be thine.”[8]
Lucifer also offered to come to earth and be our
saviour, but he did not agree with Heavenly Father’s plan. He had a different
plan, which was to force us to choose the right. He promised that not a single
one of the many billions of us would be lost. As a reward for doing this, he
wanted to become equal with Heavenly Father in glory.[9]
Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ. This caused a
tremendous disagreement, which is referred to in the scriptures as a “war in
heaven”. This was because we realised that with Jesus’ plan, some of us might not be able to return to
our Heavenly Father’s presence. Everyone had to take sides. One third of all
the spirits thought that Lucifer’s plan was better and sided with him.[10]
Two thirds accepted Jesus Christ’s plan and sided with him.[11]
Lucifer and his followers rebelled against God and
were cast out of heaven, and sent down to the earth. At this time Lucifer
became known as Satan.[12]
He and his followers were prevented from receiving mortal bodies, and will
never receive a body.[13]
Satan and his evil spirits hate us because we have
been blessed with mortal bodies. They know that if we keep the commandments we
will eventually receive glorified perfected bodies like our Heavenly Father’s.
They influence and encourage mortal men to make wrong choices and do evil
things, to prevent them qualifying to return to live with Heavenly Father.[14]
Our Heavenly Father’s entire plan depended on Jesus
making an atonement,[15]
and paying the price (suffering the consequences) for our mistakes and sins.[16]
If it were not for this, we could never be forgiven and be regarded as clean in
the sight of our Heavenly Father.[17]
Earth Life
Every single person that is born into this life
accepted Jesus Christ’s plan in the pre-existence and chose to follow him
rather than Lucifer.
The essential purposes of earth life are -
1) To
receive a temporary mortal body, which will eventually become perfected in the
resurrection.
2) To
be tested and tempted.
How
badly / strongly do we really want to obey God’s commandments and choose the
right? What will it take to stop us
choosing the right? Will it be something little, something big, or is it a case
of any excuse will do?
3) To
learn how to develop Faith.
Faith is the power that
Heavenly Father uses to do things like create worlds and do miracles. “Without
faith, you can do nothing”[18].
One definition of faith is going ahead and keeping the commandments as if we
knew all things for certain, even though we don’t.[19]
When we exercise faith in this way, Heavenly Father quickly blesses us with a
sure knowledge that what we are doing is right.
4)
To
receive the ordinances of salvation such as baptism, confirmation and temple
endowments while we are on the earth.[20] For those who do not hear about and/or understand the fullness of the gospel
in this life, Heavenly Father will accept other people doing the ordinances for
them by proxy, in the Temples.[21]
This does not mean that those people are forced to accept what has been done
for them. They still have their freedom of choice and can reject it, if they so
wish. But if they do choose to accept it, someone else being baptised on their
behalf is acceptable to Our Heavenly Father. In the same way, Jesus Christ
offered himself as a sacrifice for and on behalf of our sins. Whether we accept
his sacrifice or not is up to us, but if we do accept it, it is acceptable to
Heavenly Father.
5)
To
grow in faith, ability and understanding while in this life.[22]
The areas in which we can do this are, (a) studying the scriptures[23],
(b) prayer[24][one of the
most frequently repeated commandments] (c) becoming perfect in obedience to the
commandments[25], (d)
following Jesus’ example of service to others,[26]
(e) helping to save others by sharing our knowledge and testimony of the gospel[27]
and (f) becoming “saviours on Mount Zion” by redeeming the dead.[28]
This last area involves identifying the dead through family history research
and standing as a proxy for them in the ordinances of salvation at the Temple.
6) To marry, to multiply and replenish the earth was one of the first
commandments Heavenly Father gave to men on the earth.[29]
When we bring children into the world they are pure spirits that have just left
Heavenly Father’s presence.[30]
His plan is for us to marry for time and for all eternity in the Temple[31]
and to raise up our (his) children unto him. Brigham Young taught that our
children are only on loan to us. If we are righteous and fulfil our duty to
them, the Lord will eventually give them to us for ever.
The Spirit World
When we die, our bodies decompose and return to the
earth, but our spirits continue to live.[32]
It is a bit like taking our hand out of a glove. The glove by itself has no
life in it. It is our spirits that give our bodies life. It still takes faith
to accept the gospel in the spirit world.[33]
The people there are still able to choose between good and bad, right and
wrong.[34]
However it takes less faith to accept the gospel in the Spirit world after
death because we keep our memory of life on earth. Therefore those who hear and
understand the gospel in this life, but do not accept it until they have passed
on into the spirit world will not qualify for the same blessings as either (a)
those who hear and accept the gospel in this life and (b) those who hear the
gospel for the first time in the spirit world and accept it there.
The spirit world after death is divided into 2
parts, paradise and prison. The righteous and the wicked are segregated.[35]
Until Jesus died on the cross, there was no movement between the two areas.[36]
Then, Jesus went for 3 days to the spirit paradise and opened the way for
righteous missionaries to go into the spirit prison to teach[37]
the people there (a) Faith in Jesus Christ, (b) Repentance from sin, (c)
acceptance of baptism and the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost
to be performed vicariously for them by faithful mortal proxies in Temples on
the earth. As quickly as the spirits in the prison area accept the Gospel and
their Temple work is done for them, they can be released from the prison and
receive all the benefits of Church Membership.
The Resurrection
All persons that have ever been born on the earth
will be resurrected, even the wicked.[38]
This means we will all be given a perfected eternal body of flesh and bone.
Jesus was the first person to be resurrected.[39]
After Jesus was resurrected, other righteous people
were resurrected.[40]
All the righteous that have not yet been resurrected will be at the time of the
Second Coming, at the beginning of the Millennium.[41] The Millennium is a period of 1000 years when Jesus Christ will reign on earth.
The Judgement.
Jesus Christ will be our Judge.” The Father judges
no man but has committed all judgement unto the Son”.[42]
The judgement will be perfectly fair and just and will take into account every
persons individual circumstances. Our lives will be played back to us like a
film, but also showing our thoughts and feelings throughout. There will be
blank spots in the film where the things that we have truly repented of will be
omitted. He who has repented of his sins the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord,
remember them no more."[43]
Something that one person has done in ignorance might be forgiven whereas
another person that has done the same thing might not be forgiven because of
their knowledge and understanding.
Baptism by an authorised servant of God is “for the
remission of sins”. When we join the true church and are baptised “for the
remission of sins”, we can start our lives again with a “clean slate” if we
have repented of all our previous errors. “Come now, and let us reason
together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Because
our Heavenly Father really is our Father and loves us as such, his greatest
desire is to forgive us and help us through the repentance process so that we
can return to him.” By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins--behold,
he will confess them and forsake them.”[44]
Those who qualify for mercy because of their true
repentance, obedience to the commandments and their acceptance of the atonement
that has been made for them, will receive mercy. Those who do not repent and accept
the atonement will have to pay the price for their own sins.[45]
The unrepentant wicked will be resurrected at the end of the Millennium.
“Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast
paid the uttermost farthing.”[46]
And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought
about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the
sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of
justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.[47]
Jesus taught that “In my Father’s house there are
many mansions”.[48] Our
resurrected bodies will reflect the degree of glory we have qualified for.[49]
Then will the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of God.[50]
There are 3 kingdoms of glory.[51]
The highest degree of glory is the Celestial Kingdom
where we can live in the personal presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
It is reserved for those who have kept the commandments and been valiant in
their testimony of Jesus Christ. Those who go here receive eternal life which
is much, much more than mere immortality.
The next Kingdom is the Terrestrial Kingdom. This is
for good people who have been honest but who have not wholeheartedly accepted
the gospel of Jesus Christ. This kingdom is administered by and visited by
Jesus Christ. Everyone, in all the kingdoms lives forever and is immortal.
The lowest Kingdom is the Telestial Kingdom. This is
where people who are basically dishonest go, such as habitual liars, cheats,
thieves, murderers, adulterers etc. However, this is also a kingdom of glory. [52]
This kingdom is administered by and visited by the Holy Ghost (who is a glorified man and a member
of the Godhead).
There is also a place called “Outer Darkness”, which
is a kingdom of no glory at. People that are very evil indeed end up here,
together with the 1/3rd of the hosts who were cast out in the pre-existence
because they rebelled against God whilst they were actually in his presence.
These people are active followers of Satan and have no joy or “light of truth”
at all in their bodies or their spirits.[53]
Our
Heavenly Father’s work and his glory is to bring to pass the immortality and
eternal life of mankind. However, it is an eternal truth that God will force no
man to heaven. As he told us in the beginning, there will be some that will not
(ie choose not to) be saved. However, eye has not seen nor ear heard nor yet
has entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for them
that love him. To be where God is and to enjoy what he enjoys, and to know what
he knows requires us to be or to become like him.
Dear Brother
Hast thou not been unwisely bold
Mans destiny to thus unfold?
To raise, promote such high desire
Such vast ambition thus inspire?
Still, 'tis no phantom that we trace
Man's ultimatum in life’s race:
This Royal Pathway has long been trod
By righteous men, each now a God
As Abraham, Isaac Jacob too
First babes, then men, to Gods they grew
As man now is, our God once was
As God now is, so man may be
Which doth unfold mans destiny
The boy like to his Father grown
Has but attained unto his own
To grow to sire from state of son
Tis not 'gainst natures course to run
A son of God, like God to be
Would not be robbing Deity
And he who has this hope within
Will purify himself from sin
Your right St John, supremely right
Who'ere assays to climb this height
Will clense himself of sin entire
Or else were needless to aspire. Lorenzo Snow
The Ladder of St Augustine
The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight
But they while their companions slept
were toiling upwards through the night.
One
of the most beautiful aspects of plan that was presented by Jesus Christ in the
pre-existence is that through HIS atoning sacrifice and THEIR repentance and
obedience, all mankind have exactly same opportunities available to them. The
prophet Nephi speaks of the greatness of our God, for he knows all things past
present and future, he has all power and wisdom, and is perfect in
administering justice and mercy. He has a fullness of joy, love and he has
provided this wonderful plan of salvation that all of us, his children, may
have the opportunity of possessing these things also through obedience and
sacrifice..
When the time comes that everyone fully understands these things, then every knee every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Christ, and that God is perfect, just and true and in all things
[1] Acts 17:29 , Hebrews 12:9
[2] Jeremiah 1:5.
[3] D&C 130:22
[4] Job 38:4-7
[5] Abraham 3:24-25
[6] 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, Alma 11:43-44
[7] D&C 130 20-21
[8] Moses 4:2, John 14:28
[9] Moses 4:2
[10] Revelation 12:4
[11] Revelation 12:7
[13] Moses 4:3-4
[14] Moses 4:4, D&C 93:39
[15] 2Nephi 9:7, Alma 34:12-16
[16] D&C 19:16-18, Alma 42:15
[17] Moses 6:57
[18] D&C 8:10
[19] Alma 32:21
[20] John 3:5, Matthew 7:13-14
[21] 1 Cor 15:29
[22] Matthew 5:48
[23] 2Tim 2:15, D&C 107:99
[24] 3Nephi 18:17-21
[25] Hebrews 5:9
[26] John 14:12, 3Nephi 21:12.
[27] D&C 16:6, 18:10-16
[28] Obidiah 1:21, Hebrews 11:40
[29] Genesis 1:27-28
[30] D&C 93:38-40
[31] D&C131:1-4
[32] Ecclesiasties 12:7
[33] 1 Peter 3:18-19
[34] 1 Peter 4:6, 1 Corinthians 15:9
[35] Luke 23:43
[36] Luke 16:19-31
[37] D&C 138:29:30
[38] 1 Corinthians 15:22, Ezekiel 37:3-14, Alma 40:23
[39] 1 Corinthians 15:20
[40] Matthew 27:52, Heleman 14:25, 3Nephi 23:9-13
[41]1Theselonians 4:16-17
[42] John 5:22
[43] D&C 58:42
[44] D&C 58:43
[45] D&C 19:17, Matthew 5:26
[46] Matthew 5:26
[47] Alma 42:15
[48] John 14:2
[49] 1Cor 15:39-43
[50] Matthew 13.43
[51] D&C 76:50-119
[52] D&C 76:89
[53] D&C 96:36-37, D&C 76:25-49