Who was Joseph Smith the Prophet?

Christianity had existed for about 1800 years when Joseph Smith was born.  History shows that Christian beliefs and doctrines  transformed in many ways during those years. Philosophers, scholars and theologians have formulated their study and opinions into a multitude of religious concepts and doctrines. Before and after the Bible was canonized, councils and think tanks of religious leaders have been held to formulate official doctrines and creeds in the early centuries and continue to do so today.

The evidence of the falling away from the doctrines taught by the Savior in the New Testament is evidenced by the current slate of thousands of different bible based churches. They all have a professed teaching based on the Bible and a message of salvation in Jesus Christ.  How could they all be right if each is a law unto itself? From any reasonable standpoint God would need to be a an obscurantist and subscribe to a theme of dissension and division.


Many if not most of these religious teachers claim the word they have from the Bible is inerrant and yet fail to agree on its content, what it says and what it means. To try and give some semblance of unity in the modern Christian society, some evangelists and apologists have declared that a person can only be a Christian if certain fundamental beliefs are adhered to.  Yet in spite of all the divisions that exist in modern churches they declare that the church is an invisible body and it is not really necessary to agree on every account.

The evolution of these teachings has grown to include widespread declarations that certain churches that include the Bible as a teaching source and believe in Christ are not to be included in the family of current Christian faiths. An interesting observation is that most of the current protestant and evangelical movements are the result of divisions or splitting off from the Catholic church during the period of what has been called the reformation and subsequent splitting from each other.  It always seemed strange to me that there were so many churches.   If there is only one true God, then there should only be one true church.

Some Christian apologists even teach that the Catholic church is not really a Christian organization.  Some other groups teach that Jesus was a real person but not the savior. Distinct from all other Christian churches is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Its teaching includes the Bible as a primary scripture and source of teaching. The church proclaims that Jesus is the Son of God and that eternal salvation comes only in and through him.

When Joseph Smith sought to know which church was the correct one in his day in 1820, he declared that he had seen God in answer to prayer.  Subsequent developments from that event set on edge the professors and teachers of the traditional theologies. 


He taught of salvation through Jesus Christ and spoke of an infinite atonement instead of the limited atonement that traditional theology held.  He taught that man's spirit was a literal child of heavenly parentage sent to earth for an eternal purpose of spiritual development.  He dispelled the notion that man is merely an inferior creation spoken into existence simply to provide fellowship and worship of his superior creator.

He introduced additional scripture, even a confirming testimony of the Bible and new revelations that answer age old questions about man's destiny.  All other religious leaders and groups have denied that any scripture could exist outside of the Bible.  He was persecuted and defamed.   Yet he persisted in his declaration that God had called him to restore the Church of Jesus Christ to the earth with the authority to establish doctrine and ordinances.  


The Book of Mormon was a direct translation of an ancient record that clearly demonstrates the nature of the saving grace and the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.  He taught of the divine role of family relationships and that they could endure beyond the grave while his counterparts taught that all family relationships formed on earth are end at death.

From his declaration that God had spoken to him in a direct revelation he learned that the religious institutions of the earth were founded on the creeds and philosophies of men and not the revelations of God.  It was true.  History does confirm how councils of men were convened to create doctrines and teachings. The scriptures were then "wrested" to fit those teachings.  

The doctrines of LDS theology have been accepted throughout the world in almost every country and clime.  Some 15 millions of people at this time have at accepted them with differing levels of commitment as members.  Like most religious groups we are all learning line upon line and precept on precept as we study, live and teach.  At present some 28,000 congregations exist throughout the world, all with a volunteer lay clergy meet on a weekly basis.

Joseph Smith was killed at the age of 38 along with his brother Hyrum when a mob of his critics and enemies stormed the jail where he was being held on questionable charges.  From the age of 15 when he first declared to have seen God till the time of his death he was steadfast in his testimony and calling as a prophet.  


My personal pondering of the fact that a 15 year old boy could make such a profound declaration, to say he had seen God and then remain faithful to it.  Subsequently building on his testimony and then establishing something so unique in organization that it parallels the church described in the New Testament so perfectly.  That is why it has endured.  It is not his work.  His was the call to reestablish that which had been lost.

His life was filled with opposition and trials.  To this day some 166 years after his death his critics still abound.  Why?  Because even though histories have been slanted by some and used to slander and accuse him of every conceivable wrong doing his work stands and attests to its divine foundation.  No matter how the critics twist his story and try to condemn him the work he started it continues undaunted by adversarial forces human or otherwise. Why?  Because it was not his work.  He was and is an instrument in the hands of the Almighty.

Those that accused him on false charges and character defamation can't account for the goodness and growth of what he was a part of. It is not only a unique theology but it is the practical application of everything Jesus and the prophets of old have taught in order that we might live joyful and full lives.   There are many typical fallacies that are used to mislead uninformed individuals and groups about the church and its doctrines.

He was called of God was to restore the doctrines and truth that had been lost or corrupted through the centuries.  His was to declare the living Christ which he did.   His teachings are explained in modern canon and scores of writings in journals.  They cover many of the topics that I have mentioned and detail a profound understanding of God's eternal nature, the supernal sacrifice of the Savior and man's eternal destiny.

He truly was and is a prophet of the Living God, called in the latter days to restore the organization and priesthood authority that had been lost and to reveal truths both old and new to prepare the world for the second coming of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=9649d7630a27b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

http://josephsmith.net/josephsmith/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=041579179acbff00VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD

Comments, observations and articles are the author's opinions from his perspective as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  The opinions expressed are my own and do not officially represent the church's position.  In most cases links are included to official church materials or other articles of interest.

Free Will and Moral Agency

Why has God endowed mankind with the power to direct their actions and make choices?


It is a self-evident truth that mankind does in fact have such a power.

What doctrinal teachings and philosophical ideas regarding the subject have developed by trying to explain it?  How do we resolve the conflicts of injustice and suffering and still believe in an all knowing, merciful, loving and all powerful creator?

Traditional Christianity has several different ideas about man's freedom to choose and most call it free will.  It has come about as the theologians of mainstream Christian philosophy have tried to reconcile the suffering and injustice that occurs in the earth with a good and loving creator.  Their efforts have been to find a conclusion that somehow removes the responsibility for man's evil actions from God.


If however man had no prior existence and was created out of nothing by God speaking then he, God, is the cause of the reasoning power of all things that exist, whether good or evil.

For God to not be the creator of evil would mean that it would exist outside of his control. Traditional theology  seems intent on keeping God's all powerful nature a mystery through supernatural speculation and superstition. It is possible however and stands to reason that those theologians have erred in their conception of who and what the powers of deity are. 


It is not complicated reasoning to see that in order for man's decision making powers to be independent from God or truly free, they must in some way exist separate from their creator and yet be co-eternal with him.   For man to be able to make choices requires that opposites exist.  Do they exist because God created them or naturally in the framework of eternal existence?

Traditional Christian theology usually identifies free will as something that God instilled in humans so they would not be "robots" and could somehow choose to love God or reject him. It is easy to observe that mankind does indeed make decisions that stand in opposition to the revealed word of God. 


Observation clearly indicates that there can be no true free will if God is the originator of all of a person's capacities and reasoning abilities along with good and evil.  The long standing doctrine that creation occurred out of nothing confirms that observation.  


The question comes up as well as to why create at all and give man freedom if God knows the outcome and actions ahead of them being performed?  Life would be nothing more than a chess match if this were true. 


When the idea of God being all good and all powerful is considered and still allowing the evils of life to occur, traditional doctrines simply have little reasoning to explain this contradiction. Their answer is along the lines that man cannot understand such a deep mystery.  One or two biblical scriptures are invoked to show that man's ways are not God's ways and thus excuse the lack of understanding in mainstream theology.

The traditionalist ideas are attempting to exculpate God so that he is a GOOD God.  For this to be so he cannot be responsible for the evil that people do.  If however, he created them out of nothing and gave them free will then he did give them the power to do evil and no other power can be the originator of their evil.  Under this scenario the creator is responsible for everything that happens no matter who does it both good and evil since it would not exist without his power and action to create it.

In order for a person to truly act with freedom and not have their actions attributed to God would mean that part of their eternal soul must indeed have an element in its reasoning power of a self-existent eternal nature.  This is contrary to the traditional idea that God created all things out of nothing.  

Since the death of Jesus and his apostles, religious doctrines developed under unauthorized leadership that shrouded God the Father in mystery and contradiction.  The idea that man was not able to comprehend the nature of an eternal all knowing being or his purposes in bringing about a creation such as the earth  has been used to maintain the mystery. If God does love us perfectly then there is no reason to make his purposes a mystery.

The traditional creeds devolving from the councils of men through the centuries are that such a being as God can do what ever he sees fit, and needs no reason or logic or law that man might understand his action.  Such a thought is based on superstition. If everything is done at his will and pleasure then he would be a whimsical being and not a being of laws, justice and order. 


The doctrines revealed in the latter days with regards to the eternal nature of man and his ability to choose or self direct is known as Moral Agency.  Latter day doctrines teach that God placed man in the Garden of Eden to establish this life on earth and it is a mortal probation and a time of learning.  We are here to make choices based on exposure to the knowledge of good and evil. In this manner we gain experience and demonstrate our disposition.


God gives us opportunity to gain knowledge and holds us accountable according to our knowledge. The consequences that come about are a direct result of the choices that we make based on our knowledge of good and evil.  We must be exposed to both in order to have real freedom.

Choices have consequences because there are laws that exist.  These laws are eternal, even co-eternal with God as they are part of his unchanging truth and nature. They determine what is good or evil.  We often are either obeying or breaking laws with our decisions and choices. The consequences of broken laws that we associate with moral behavior is called sin. 


The purpose of moral laws is to prepare us to live with God again.  We did live with him prior to our mortal birth.  This life is a step in an eternal process designed to bring us eternal happiness. 

When a person sins they decline in spiritual power.  It is a decline that cannot be restored through any power of their own.  As we choose to follow God according to the power of our moral agency we can maintain our connection to God's spirit and the power of repentance. If we don't a spiritual degeneration will take over our life. 


The power that brings salvation and spiritual healing on our behalf is the atonement of Jesus Christ. It has the power to heal every injustice, overcome every sin and eventually all evil when we are willing to submit our will to him. Our will is the only thing that we truly have at our disposal to give.

The fact that a person's soul is eternally existent and the fact that good and evil  also co-exist eternally create the purpose for our mortal experience and moral agency.  This is why God created the world. This life is the ultimate test of our willingness to choose good and forsake evil.

To sum the ideas of this discussion is to see that there are really only two basic theologies as to the existence of good and evil.  There is either infinite eternal self-existing matter and intelligence or only God existed and then made everything out out of the nothingness.   Some teachers of this doctrine will also say that God knew every person in his mind for all eternity before their existence.  There is much fallacy in this idea.


The reasoning of the two concepts is not beyond our ability to understand. The concept of infinite matter is before our very eyes  in comprehending infinite space.  The creation out of nothing is a superstition. The idea of endless time and infinite space can be pondered and imagined.  If we had a beginning then we can have an end.  If we do not have a beginning then we likewise cannot have an end.  What difference is there if there are infinite kingdoms of infinite dimensions or one kingdom of infinite duration?

The words used to describe creation in the Hebrew language are most accurately words that describe organizing from existing matter.  God's power is to order the creation of worlds out of chaotic matter that has its own eternal existence. While element and matter respond to God's power, the intelligence of which mankind's soul is derived has this element of agency or the power to act. 


This may be a new doctrine to many yet it eliminates the contradictions of God's perfect love for his children and the fact that suffering and all manner of unfairness exist in the world because man truly is free to choose his actions without restriction.  The choices of one may have a negative impact on another and this can be the cause of what would be considered unjust suffering.  Every person will one day stand accountable for their choices.

God's creative powers have brought our pre-mortal spirit to a point where we can progress to our highest and greatest potential or prove ourselves unworthy of further light and development. It is us that chooses. He teaches us and invites us to do good yet will never force us.  We choose evil or good and suffer the consequences or the blessings.  

According to the eternal laws and truth in which God abides, mankind, his children, must pass through an experience where freedom of expression and accountability for our choices exists without compulsion.  

This is the law of Agency.  Perfect love dictates that there be a way to escape the full effect of negative consequences of our wrong choices. This allows us to show what is in our soul and yet not be condemned for our wrong choices when we recognize them and repent.  

Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, the Father can forgive our wrong actions and reconcile us to perfect eternal justice and not condemn us for our wrong choices.   We must however choose this merciful opportunity of our own volition. This is done in a covenant relationship that he extends to us and establishes with us when we choose it.

In order for us to have this broad range of choices between good and evil we had to live and continue to live in an environment of separation from God, where faith is the driving power of our development and there is nothing to impede the natural consequences of our choices. This is the reason for the creation of earth and laws that support it.  

This globe in the broad expanse of space and eternity provides everything we need to live in a time of happiness if we follow God's commandments. Sickness and other natural ailments are the processes that teach us the wonder of the resurrection that will come to us when we will have perfected bodies.

The misery, pain and unjust suffering that are the result of sin and other consequences of evil constitute a part of our test. God does not stop these negative events because to do so would interfere with our agency and violate his own laws.  Our test is not only to see if we will do good to those that do good to us but to also see how we act when treated unfairly.   

With a certainty that is undeniable we see that evil exists. Likewise we see that good exists. How is it that these two opposites come into play. It is because as I mentioned earlier that they both coexist eternally.  If they did not there were be no existence because there would be no choices to make.  If there are no choices to make there would be no reason to create people because there would be nothing to experience. There would be no good or evil and therefore no sin or righteousness.

Every choice is only possible because an opposite choice also exists. Why would God allow these things if they had no purpose or if he predetermined the end of all things. Creation would not be necessary and he could simply place people where he wanted them.  What would we be with no experience of our own? How could eternal life be comprehended if there were no experience of mortal death?

The wonder of the gospel is the fact that there is perfect eternal justice and at the same time infinite mercy.  Mercy however cannot rob justice and be administered by God according to random choice.  He made mercy available to us but we must choose it.  

Through repentance and relying on the Savior, every sin, misdeed, burden, unfairness and suffering can be overcome and understood to the point where we are able to bear them. All things will be reconciled with perfect fairness.  


Please read my post on why Jesus had to die for more discussion on this topic.

http://www.understandingmormonism.org/agency_larsen
Comments, observations and articles are the author's opinions from his perspective as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  The opinions expressed are my own and do not officially represent the church's position.  In most cases links are included to official church materials or other articles of interest.

Fatherhood

I have thought for many years about what it means to be called a father. My title thus far in life has been dad to small children that have now grown up.  I am not alone in my experience as countless men share the calling. I have a father, he has a father and so on.  While we have some of our family roots discovered we don't know them all yet each was an essential link in a chain of creation implemented by God in the Garden of Eden. It is about understanding who we are as individuals and human beings.

How important is this opportunity to share in creation? How does one describe the feeling of seeing their newborn child and thinking about the potential of their life?  What is the power or influence of a father or the lack thereof?  When viewed with an eternal perspective understanding begins to unfold and we see why God is our Eternal Father.

Our first born was a boy followed by more boys and girls and now grandchildren.  The wonder of this experience is shared with my companion.  Her divine nature as a mother and woman never ceases to amaze me.  Our time together has brought a seemingly endless opportunity to watch unique individuals grow and develop under our care as their parents.  It has been and is a learning experience beyond compare for us and them and still is.  While I set out to count my blessings as a father I have to ask the question.  What is fatherhood without motherhood?  Can it even exist without motherhood?

Raising children in this world can be such a consuming experience that it is possible to take it for granted while it is happening.   When the opportunity to reflect on a child's growth and achievements arrives it can be amazing.  If we try to make it a point to reflect often and also appreciate the moments when they are happening our lives will be filled with amazement.

I think perhaps the greatest calling in life is to raise the next generation of parents.  Whether as a parent, aunt, uncle or friend it is something that must happen to keep love at the center of our relationships. Our extended families provide support when shortcomings, unexpected death or other challenges enter the picture of life.  We try our best to teach and love but we are still learning and in the process ourselves. Why does God want us to have this experience?  He created the world. Why? So we could be partners in creation and learn on a small measure what he does.

Fatherhood is about creation and teaching and it is inseparably and eternally connected to motherhood.  I think and ponder on what it means to be eternally and inseparably bound in perfect union as co-creators with God.  An intimacy and relationship so vital to His process of creation that he places bounds and limits to be followed.  It is a perfect union not because of us but because that is how he designed it.   The imperfections of mortal life as we see it in society today have certainly given way to difficult and confusing circumstances and ideologies.  These can cloud the eternal perspective yet we must see the truth of our most intimate relationships.

What does fatherhood mean when speaking of God and His title "Father in Heaven"?  As I have asked that question in religious discussion I have heard from most traditional Christians that it is not a literal fatherhood.  It is only figurative because he is our creator and the title father is used only as a manner of speaking because such language is biblical.  Traditional Christian doctrines do not teach that God is a father in any literal sense.  It is wholly figurative.  The only christian religious group that recognizes God as the literal father of our spirit is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I always imagined and do believe that our relationship is personal and that Heavenly Father is a title that is very literal to both us and to Jesus Christ and that we are God the Father's spiritual offspring  in a divine and significant way.

Parenting and creation of life is naturally served and set forth in a pattern of an observable nature. It is taught in the first and fifth chapters of Genesis.  Our pattern of creation is set forth in the image of God, male and female.   Think about what that means.  It is to be a parents with children, teaching them truth and inspiring them to observe and learn the laws of life even the laws of eternal life.

One question to think about is when did our relationship with Deity begin?   It is a common belief that a part of our nature is spirit creation and united with a physical body.  To Latter Day Saints, this is the soul of man.  There is scriptural teaching to this effect. When did this creation of our spiritual nature come about?

I am only aware of  two basic beliefs regarding this subject.  One is that God created our spirit instantly out of nothing to give our body life with no significant eternal purpose.  The other is that our spirits and intelligence existed prior to earthly birth and have been enjoined for an important eternal purpose for spiritual growth through a pattern of natural and intimate creation.

If we are eternal beings on a journey that will be everlasting it makes more sense to me, that although we may not understand how, that the part of us that makes us unique and different from everyone else, our spiritual intelligence, has always existed.  Our spirit is a literal natural creation flowing from the eternal truth and from a divine and sacred relationship.  We have a spiritual DNA endowed from God that we should become aware of.

When we look at our creation and existence, a question about creation and fatherhood should be asked. What is it without motherhood and womanhood?  When the creation of the world was finished, they the Gods, (It says let us, plural, there were at least two and I understand that to be the Father and the Son) then created man in their own image and likeness.  That creation included both man and woman.  Based on this and other scripture passages the likeness and image of God cannot be a single man by himself.

The Genesis story makes the nature of our relationships perfectly clear. He, the man, is not complete without woman and neither is she complete without man.  The "image" of God is described as "male and female".  That is how we exist, now and forever.  Alone neither can create any living thing but together they can create after their own image and likeness.  This is an endowment from our creator. This is an eternal truth. It is his pattern.  It does not change.

Think of the greatest birth ever recorded that we celebrate and revere as Christians.  Our eternal hope is based on a sacred birth which never could have occurred without the divine power and gift of motherhood.

Links to Articles on Parenthood

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=bd0539e7e7a9b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=024644f8f206c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=54cf84d4a0a0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Comments, observations and articles are the author's opinions from his perspective as a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints regarding spiritual truth.  They look at the scriptural accounts, philosophical reasoning and revealed teachings about man's existence and purposes. The opinions expressed are my own and do not represent the church's position.  In most cases links are included to official church materials or other interesting articles.

Why are Families Important?

The apostle Paul exclaimed "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." Ephesians 3:14,15

The family is a divine institution. There is a family in Heaven and on earth.  God ordained it to be so and allows each of us to participate if we so choose. By observation it is his preferred pattern of human creation.  It is more important than any other organization on the earth and the most important in heaven.

Through family relationships our Father in Heaven carries out his plan for our eternal welfare and salvation.  That is where and how we learn to love.  Marriage is the way a family is formed and its design is for the eternal joy of its participants.  Marriage is a sacred relationship instituted in heaven and continued by God in the Garden of Eden.  It is his creation.  It is a law designed for our happiness on earth and in heaven.  I'm not sure how someone came up with the idea that it ends at death.

Jesus speaking:

Mathew 19:4,5,6 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which ^amade them at the beginning made them male and female,

  5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall ^acleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

  6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath ^ajoined together, let not man ^bput asunder.

Through proper courtship and a commitment to marriage we establish stable relationships with greater opportunity to bring children into the world to fulfill divine purposes and be raised in happy homes.   God allows us to participate in the continuing process of human creation. Forming a family under sacred covenants is a very important element in the worship of our Father in Heaven.

How could the love developed by a married couple and their family through the trials and sacrifices of life be removed from existence at death as if it were nothing.  This would not be the God of love that I am familiar with.  God has authorized his servants to perform sacred ordinances that allow those that desire and are worthy to have eternal family relationships.

The scripture describes in Genesis the creation of man, male and female, in the image and likeness of God.  With a significant misunderstanding of who God is, the creeds and ideologies of men have established the concept of a male deity as the eternal and single parent.  Making him of a mysterious and incomprehensible nature.  In the the New Testament we learn that "neither is the man without the woman nor the woman without the man in the Lord".  How have doctrines of men separated the great lawgiver from his laws?

The account in the book of Genesis, to be created in the image of God, male and female, teaches that there is a divine pattern of womanhood.  In the fifth chapter of Genesis it clearly teaches what it is to be created in the image of another in describing Adam's son Seth.   Everything about this creation bears witness to a divine order of creation relating to male and female.  "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:27) Whose is the image that woman is created after?  This is no mystery.  The Bible teaches the pattern that the image of God is male and female. Is God the Father a single parent? No he is not.

If we look at creation, the real question about creation and fatherhood should be asked.  What is it without motherhood and womanhood?  When God the Father and Jehovah, the pre-mortal Christ had finished creating the world, they then created man in their own image and likeness.  That included both man and woman. The likeness of God is not a single man by himself.  He is not complete without woman and neither is she complete without man.    Alone neither can create any living thing but together they can create after their own image and likeness.  This is an endowment from our creator. This is an eternal truth and it does not change.

While we don’t know the exact words that God spoke to perform the marriage of Adam and Eve, as immortal beings it would have been an eternal marriage.  There would have been no words of until death do you part, or as long as you both shall live defining its duration.   Through Jesus Christ, they and their posterity would be redeemed from the physical and spiritual death that came about by their choice. Christ would also redeem their marriage covenant as well.  After their fall into mortality they began to create after their image and likeness just as God did and does.

Why would God institute a relationship such as marriage if he had no prior familiarity with it and use it as a primary institution for filling his creation?   He married Adam and Eve and authorized them to multiply and replenish the earth.  They could not do this until after they had fallen from immortality.  Had their posterity been born as immortal beings as they were at the time their endless posterity would not fit on the earth as it was. The fall gave opportunity to all to participate in creation.  Laws and commandments were instituted for our protection and blessing.  Marriage is one of those divine laws.

This opened the door for us, the spirit offspring, literal sons and daughters of God to come to earth and form our own families patterned after the family of our Father in heaven.   Through this process we would learn to love as God loves and nurture as divine beings do.  As we live and choose by faith, God will judge our desires to follow him and see if we really do want to honor the family relationship as he does.  If we do then eternal life will include those relationships and the powers to have increase in family relationships will be given to the faithful.  The infinite heavens will be our home and there will be no lack of materials or power to create endlessly.

From this perspective we see the importance of safeguards and restrictions on the powers of procreation.   They are sacred and not to be used outside of marriage.   The ideas that society holds regarding marriage and procreation have a profound affect on the way children are treated and the way they learn values and virtues. 

The law of chastity or sexual purity is of the utmost importance.  Following Christ here on earth we learn to control the passions and ambitions associated with our sexual nature.  In loving relationships solidified by marriage, husbands and wives learn and grow by serving and not by seeking to fulfill every lustful thought or desire.  It also brings the opportunity to bear children if able to do so and this responsibility blesses our lives and the human race when done in committed relationships established in covenants to serve.

The adversary on the other hand seeks to establish the ideology that whatever a person wants to do regarding their sexual feelings is their business and has no effect on anyone else.  It just isn’t the case. Satan in his effort to destroy the family has swept the earth with a plague of pornography, defiling everything that is sacred to an unimaginable degree.  Media portrayals of self gratification in sexual relationships are the standard of the day to the uninformed and those that ignore God.   

The power of God’s eternal fatherhood is joined by eternal motherhood.  He is the Father of our spirits in a literal way.  Father is his most cherished title.  He desires that we understand these sacred opportunities.

Godhood is manhood and womanhood joined together in the highest and holiest of covenants to form eternal families, sanctioned and ordained by God through his everlasting priesthood and eternal laws.  This is the how the power to save us comes through mortal life and the atonement of Jesus Christ.  Such is our opportunity to grow as the spirit sons and daughters of eternal heavenly parents.  There is a family in heaven. God desires that we each have one and we do and will in fact always belong to a family.

http://www.lds.org/Static%20Files/PDF/Manuals/TheFamily_AProclamationToTheWorld_35538_eng.pdf

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,11-1-13-5,00.html

Why did Jesus have to die?

My interest in seeking spiritual knowledge began early in life with the loss of my mother when I was 8 years old.  Her death and the resulting questions caused me to wonder about spiritual truth.  As I searched, I found answers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What I also found was an unusual amount of opposition when I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.  I began to study the differences between the traditional Christian faiths and my faith when I was told how misguided I was.

The question that caused me to ponder the most was thinking about the reasons that Jesus Christ had to die.  He lived among us, he taught us, and we are told he suffered beyond our comprehension.  He died and was resurrected. To what end were these happenings on which the sum total of Christianity rests? 


Understanding the reasons why Jesus had to die is to understand principles that are of an eternal nature.  Historic Christianity has professed belief in a "Holy God".  Is he holy because he declared himself as such or is he holy by a standard of perfection?  Eternal truth is an unchanging body of laws and principles by which even God must exist.


Some have implied that if Jesus' death was a a requirement by God then he would be some type of vengeful God.  Why implement a system of justice that requires the death of his son?  While there are eternal laws that we perhaps won't fully understand in this life, we can begin to see how mercy and divine justice can exist on an eternal scale.  If divine justice does exist in such a fashion that it required a sacrifice of the Son of God that mercy would be the result of an infinite and perfect love.


I have yet to see the principles of eternal mercy and justice explained in modern Christian theology.  I hope that I can explain some of the teachings of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as I understand them.  Not in any official capacity but as part of my own effort to understand these concepts.


What did the death and suffering of Christ accomplish that God the Father could not do by decree because of his own all powerful nature? What is sin and where does it come from? Theologians in traditional Christianity, philosophers and scholars have contemplated these questions for thousands of years and failed to answer them with sound doctrine.  

What really took place in the Garden of Eden?  Much if not all of historical Christianity has adopted the idea that Adam's transgression was a mistake or even rebellion.  The earth and creation of man was not a random event nor was Adam's choice unanticipated by God. Our first parents and we ourselves lived with God before the earth was created in a pre-mortal life.  At that time Jesus was foreordained to be the Savior of the World.  Adam's transgression was necessary for the plan of salvation to be implemented.


Adam and Eve were chosen for the purpose of being the first to inhabit the earth.  Through an event dependent on their agency or freedom of choice, man fell from the paradise in the Garden of Eden.  Earth life was a necessary time period required by eternal law where mankind lives by the principle of faith.  Exposure to the knowledge of good and evil brings the opportunity to gain experience through making choices.    Without this life we would be as neutral knowledge-less creatures.  Through this process each individual is given time to prove their own desires.  It is through a mortal life like this one that God gives mankind the opportunity to develop their intellect and seek a most glorious eternal life.


Imperfection, suffering and seemingly random injustices exist in this physical world.  Why did God not create it it in a state of spiritual perfection without afflictions and opposition?  How do the injustices of mortal life reconcile to a loving God?  Here we see the importance of moral agency or our individual opportunity to choose.  It is so important that we choose and not have our choices infringed upon by even God that he chose to allow his Son bear the penalties that we would never be able to bear.  The collective weight inflicted and suffering caused on each other by poor choices is tremendous.

This creation and mortal existence attest to the nature and character of God.  If he is a being of order and reason, this creation and existence cannot be a random act of a whimsical nature or any type of experimental project.  There must be an eternal purpose for having a physical body and facing the challenges and opposition that exist in mortality.  We must be here to learn and accomplish something of immense importance.

The Eternal Nature of God's Plan

In a pre-mortal time period, Christ was chosen to be our Savior. The creation of our spirit occurred before our birth into mortality.  Prior to coming to earth all people lived together with our Heavenly Father and the Savior.   This step into mortality was fundamentally important for our eternal happiness.  Our very existence with mortal life here on earth attests to the necessity of this step.  Our challenge is to understand why. This plan of salvation is extended to us because of God's perfect and eternal love for us. 

The Fall of Adam

Was the state of paradise of existence in the Garden intended to be an eternal state for them and for us?  Some theologians think that man could have stayed in the Garden of Eden forever. With the scriptures clear that salvation comes through the blood of Christ, it would seem conclusive that the fall was a necessary event and not the beginning of something bad as many have thought.

Since Jesus was chosen from before the foundation of the earth to be the savior, man's fall would be a prerequisite to receiving what He would offer.  If Adam did not fall then there would be no need to have a Savior.  Both roles are essential to man's spiritual progress.

While Adam had an immortal body not subject to death before his fall, his existence was not the fullness of God's eternal plan.  Through Adam’s fall and the foreordained resurrection of Jesus Christ, Adam’s body and that of all his posterity would be redeemed and perfected to a state of glory that was not achieved at his creation in the garden. 


The power of the Savior's atonement would bring an increase of spiritual power to us as resurrected beings.  It first required a descent into mortality by which our eternal spirit would become associated with a physical body where difficulties, sin and opposition existed, including mortal death.  Death and sin were consequences of Adam's choice and God made provisions to overcome both of them before Adam ever took the first bite of the fruit.


During our mortality we are subject to the temptations of the adversary.  Satan's punishment was and is that he was cast out of the pre-mortal heaven and will forever remain without a body or a chance to be resurrected.  He was cast out of the pre-mortal realm to the earth for his rebellion against the concept of man being responsible for his own choices.  Death releases us from his dominion and temptations. Because of our Redeemer, sin and the sting of death are eliminated and Satan is overcome.


Without this mortal life and the opposing forces and choices that are part of it, we could not progress in ways our Father in Heaven intended. Here on earth we have a comprehensive opportunity to learn of good and evil.  Which we follow is our choice. This life is a necessary step for eternal happiness. Here on earth we learn many important things as we form family relationships, experience the consequences of our choices and undergo a vast variety of opposition.


This life is a time for developing and living by faith and proving our moral agency by our choices in an environment of freedom from immediate consequences.  Adam did not die physically on the spot when he partook of the tree.  He was given a lifetime to repent and learn and began to have children in that same environment.


The means to overcome the spiritual death that Adam and Eve suffered was immediately implemented. They were taught about salvation through their Savior and Redeemer who was chosen when they were in the pre-mortal life. They also learned the principles of repentance and salvation and taught them to their children.  The Holy Ghost was also present in their lives.

Eternal Truth and the Laws of Justice and Mercy

God's sovereignty is according to the eternal truth which he upholds.  He is holy because he obeys all truth.  God is a being of laws and order. If this were not the case the alternative is a to be directed by whims of uncertain design or consequence.

My purpose here is not to consider every aspect of the divine justice and eternal law because I do not know them.  The point to be made is that the death of Jesus was required not by a whimsical Father but by a working of eternal truth.   This message is to see the obvious reasons why the demands of justice are so powerful and that they must coexist independently of God and not as his creation but as a principle of truth or eternal natural law.


God abides by the truth. Truth is comprised of all eternal laws, principles and facts. Theses laws are dictated by inexorable sources of perfect justice and govern the heavens and are the framework of eternal truth.  He does not create truth or eternal laws.  Just as He has always existed so too have they.  He is therefore a God of truth.


The importance of understanding the basis of perfect justice and eternal law is that chaos would exist if they did not.   Eternal laws are the foundation for the moral laws that God has given us.  If they did not exist there would be no basis for sin or condemnation or goodness and righteousness. They have been given to man in the form of commandments.  Sin is the violation of these eternal spiritual laws and principles. If the consequences of sin were allowed to continue unbounded chaos would take over the universe.


Through prophets like Moses and in other scriptural teachings man is taught something of the laws of heaven and the difference between good and evil.   No mortal person is capable of keeping them all and thus we sin.  To overcome sin and its effects requires a redeeming power.  That power is the atonement of Jesus Christ.  He lived the law perfectly and was qualified to be our redeemer.  Neither the laws of justice, spiritual death or physical death held power over him because of his perfect obedience and godhood.  He was subject to mortal death as the son of a mortal woman.


Eternal truth and law determine what is good and and what is evil.  Good and evil stand eternally opposed to each other. They are uncreated and constitute eternal truth. If this were not the case, God would be the creator of sin and evil. We learn this from the Garden of Eden.  After partaking of tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God said “the man has become as one of us to know good and evil.”


God knows the difference between good and evil and intended for us to know it. If such opposition did not exist, there would be no knowledge or understanding, no moral agency or free will because there would be no opportunity to choose anything.  There would be nothing to experience and therefore no purpose for existence.  To to make choices and learn the difference between good and evil are key purposes for coming to earth.  Jesus died to give us that freedom and opportunity. Because of him our poor choices need not condemn or destroy us or cause us unnecessary suffering.


Truth cannot change or it would cease to be truth.   If as a loving God, he held such power, then the concept of allowing any person to suffer, or to use death or sacrifice in order to have mercy would be unnecessary and extreme if not whimsical.  Under the justice of eternal laws, mercy can only be brought about by fulfillment of the penalties associated with the broken laws.  If this were not the case, God would not be perfectly just.


God the Father saves us from the punishment of sin and exercises mercy through the laws which he upholds.  These laws allow for an innocent and sinless being to suffer the penalties on behalf of those who break the laws.  In the case of man, the measure of suffering necessary to save him required that God send his son as the only begotten in the flesh.  Jesus was a being of infinite capacity, he was a God because of his Father and yet born of a mortal mother and therefore able to live or die as he chose.  Because he lived a perfect life he was free from the demands of justice and therefore able to offer himself for us and satisfy the demands of justice that otherwise would require our punishment.


We don't fully comprehend the manner in which Jesus was able to suffer in our place, give up his life and overcome death through the power of the resurrection.   This is however why Jesus died, to overcome and satisfy the demands of justice required as punishment for broken spiritual laws.


Jesus as our Savior

God the Father allowed the suffering and death of Christ and met the demands of eternal justice for our sins. Christ willingly accepted this mandate of the Father. He suffered to a degree that we will not comprehend in this lifetime. Neither do we yet fully understand the interaction of these laws which I have tried to describe yet they must exist in order for such sacrifice to be required. The Father did not sacrifice the Son to himself.


With our own personal suffering we may be able to glimpse in a small degree what he did, yet because of what he did, he can console us in all of our burdens and suffering. There is no pain he is not familiar with.  Through the effects of suffering and physical death during this mortality we gain spiritual power in terms of eternal personal growth and the possibility of exaltation because of our Savior's mercy.


Why did Jesus have to die?   The eternal plan requires that the spirit sons and daughters experience a physical creation with mortal life. By means of a perfect redemption, which includes a physical resurrection we will receive eternal stations of glory according to how we loved and served God and expressed obedience to his laws. At a future time we will understand the full importance of passing through the tribulation of mortality with the opportunity to make choices.


Judgement and Accountability
Every person born on the earth will stand before God to give an accounting of their life and acknowledge his justice or receive his mercy and forgiveness.  Before they are judged each person will be given a just opportunity to know what Jesus did.  Those who choose to follow God by repenting of their sins and accepting Christ and his covenants will not suffer the penalty for their sins. They will receive an eternal reward that includes joy and happiness and eternal family relationships.


Those who reject the commandments and ignore his sacrifice subject themselves to the justice of the law and the penalties associated therewith and forgo the mercy that would have been available to them.  They will suffer for their own sins and will not be able to have eternal life in His presence. They will be "saved" but not exalted.  Their eternal life will be more than they had in mortality but short of what was available to them.  There will be some measure of eternal regret.  The Father constantly extends the invitation to come unto him and repent as he desires that all partake of his mercy knowing that justice cannot be denied.

I have experienced personally the effects of Christ's mercy and know it has power to lift every burden and remove the effects of sin and suffering from us as individuals.  It is life eternal, to know the only true God and his son Jesus Christ.  To know how they love each other and us and what they have done to bring about this marvelous gift on which we might have a perfect brightness of hope.

For more reading on the Atonement:

http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1207-24,00.html

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=03cd9527730eb010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=03cd9527730eb010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

http://emp.byui.edu/SATTERFIELDB/Quotes/Atonement%20Page/Justice,%20Mercy,%20Atonement.html

http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/christ/garden_gethsemane.html
http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/christ/index.htm

Eternal Law, Sin, Justice and Mercy

The purpose of a law or system of laws is to create or maintain order.  Laws do in fact have as a purpose to maintain freedom of action for a group or society.  The constitution of our country is a plan for government. The principles embodied therein act as an overarching body of ideology that are designed to govern society in America and protect freedom.  Their existence would indicate a rational mindset and process that would have for a purpose in their design to stop chaos or anarchy as well as a monarchy or oligarchy.  The founders of America and others identified something they referred to as natural law.  If God implements laws in the earth he must be doing so to stop chaos that would exist otherwise from the lack thereof.  God's moral laws given to man on earth, even though abused by many are still observed by many and this is a reason our societies do not self destruct into a state of chaos.

In a perfect system of order and justice there will be predictability of the outcomes of any action.  In other words a consequence.  Every wrong act will be punished and every right act will be rewarded at some point.  This can only  be the case if a system of laws exists to govern such actions.  The operative laws in God's heavenly kingdom are given to man in the form of commandments.  Sin is the effect of broken laws.  In order for sin to exist there must be a law that says that it is wrong to do something.  For a law to be in effect there must be a penalty or a consequence if it is broken.   Eternal laws determine the consequences for choosing good or evil. The existence of these two eternal opposites is the framework for the existence of moral agency.

If we defy the law of gravity, a known physical law, it must be done in a fashion of predictability and in accordance with other laws.  To simply leap off of a 10 story building would carry the penalty of severe injury or death to a human yet with appropriate understanding man can fly.  At the same time we see how God implementing this law maintains order in our solar system.  No system of gravity would result in uncontrolled movement of very large bodies of matter with no chance of life as we know it.

This is why the idea of God creating things out of nothing is an incorrect conclusion men have conceived from their wrong application of scripture and philosophy.  Just as God has always existed, so has all the matter and intelligence he will ever need to form his creations.  There is no contradiction in this.  The idea that he creates out of nothing is an example of how men from their lack of revelation and understanding have chosen to mystify God rather than know him. His sovereignty is only understood when the nature of his eternal laws is understood.

In relating understanding of law to inviolate eternal principles we can state that anyone unwilling to obey whatever law exists that pertains to living in a particular place or station cannot abide there.  If a person is not willing to obey the laws of the land they may be put in prison or receive some other penalty if caught violating them.  If a person is unwilling to obey the laws of God then he or she will not be allowed to live in His presence simply because they will not be prepared to live there.  It is our willingness to comply that determines our worthiness.  Perfect execution of the commandments in our fallen state will not be possible in our mortal life.  For this reason we have access to grace and mercy through the operation of a another law. The law of Christ.  We don't know fully what this entails.  We do have enough knowledge to give evidence for faith to exist.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve disobeyed a warning from God. They were safe from death as long as they obeyed.   They had to leave their garden paradise because they failed to heed it. While their choice had some negative effects in the short term, the long term outcome would be positive.   So too for us.   God has warned us of the consequences of certain actions and given us commandments to protect us that also help prepare us to live with him again.  If we fail to adhere to his law we cannot abide his presence.  He has designed a process based on eternal laws to help us do this, as our ability to keep all of his laws at the present time is limited by our fallen nature.  As we covenant with him through divine law we can overcome our fallen nature and eventually overcome the desire and tendency to sin.

Suffering exists in the world because freedom to choose called agency or free will is allowed a full expression on an individual basis.  That is why the world was created as a place for man to be tested as to their core values and willingness to follow the divine path.  If one person chooses evil or murder some other individual faces the possibility of receiving the effects of the evil act.  There will come a time when a full measure of accountability will be applied and each person given a just judgment based on the eternal laws.

In a system of laws ruled by perfect justice whatever penalty is affixed is carried out without fail and without any opportunity for mercy.  There is no chance of not getting caught for committing a sin because all action is observed.  Every wrong act is noted and recorded.   For example, God says do not steal.  Ignorance of the law is no excuse.  However if the thief has no knowledge of the law how can he be held accountable for its observance?  What happens if a person steals?   If the penalty is to cut off one of his fingers; how long before he stops stealing and never does it again?  There is a very good chance that it will never happen again. There is no trial necessary because there is no doubt about the purpose or perfectness of the law and the enforcer who is perfectly just and honest knows without doubt that the offender is guilty. He likewise knows how accountable each individual is.

In the case of inviolate eternal law, once it is broken it is eternally offended.  We have no reservoir of righteousness from previous obedience.  The offense cannot be ignored nor will it be.  The offender is banned and sentenced to eternal punishment.  It is worse than prison because it is eternal damnation.  Nothing the offender can do will make him or her worthy of returning to God.  Can't the person return something they have stolen?  Yes, but it is too late.  They already proved their lack of obedience to the law.  Under the law of repentance, restitution is required but for it to be effective it also requires the penalty to be paid.  Only an infinite being can do that. The only way to have the penalty paid and the effects thereof removed is through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

If God was the enforcer of temporal law there would indeed be very few law breakers after the first time. Now lets say the law to not steal is not something God invented on a whim just to see if he could teach men not to do it.   It is based on a law in heaven that says if a mortal person steals he can never enter heaven because heaven does not allow thieves to enter.  For the reason that the person chose to steal they are condemned whether or not they can repay the item.  They simply are not allowed because the beings in heaven do not want to live with thieves.

We could say the same about any of the commandments.  If the person committing the offense is an eternal being, put in a temporal, earthly, mortal existence for a time and breaks any of these laws he will be banished from heaven forever.  They will have to live with other like minded sinners.  God out of his infinite goodness creates a place for these all people to live determined by the laws they are willing to obey.  Even it is a kingdom of glory however much below that of the Eternal God.

The justice we are familiar with here on earth is very different from perfect justice.  First the laws of men are sometimes created for unjust reasons and second you only get punished when you get caught. There is a possibility that a person can break a law and never be punished.  Men make laws supposedly with the goal to create an orderly society.  Laws in many nations have traditionally been patterned after the laws of God having a moral foundation designed to protect individual rights.

With mortal law makers subject to greed and other imperfections there will be many imperfections in their system of laws.   However they are what they are and they still include a penalty to discourage breaking it.   Once you are caught because the system is imperfect there will be a tribunal or trial to determine if you really broke the law and the circumstances in which you broke it and what the penalty should be.  The offender will either be determined guilty or innocent.  Within the sentencing guidelines the judge has some allowances for exercising clemency as well.  Judges are chosen because they are supposedly experienced and wise.   In certain situations and matters the judge even has the authority to forgive the defendant and waive the penalty. Just as the enforcement of these laws is inconsistent in catching offenders so to is the system of judging them when they are caught.

Other man imposed laws have a good purpose yet find a society unwilling to fully live them.  We have laws against sexual abuse that dictate an age when intimate relations between two people are deemed acceptable.   To go against these laws is considered rape and punishable whether married or not.  Society however chooses to continually promote relationships based on situational opportunities not taking into account the natural consequences that casual sex that destroys families and hardens hearts to real opportunities of lasting enjoyment based on principles of virtue and kindness in intimate relationships.

We are certain that God has given commandments or laws to men on earth.  We are also certain that there seems to be no immediate punishment at least physical in nature that causes us to stop the behavior that is wrong.   A person can continue a behavior until some natural consequence appears and threatens some physical or emotional enjoyment they do not want to lose. This is natural psychology.

Take the natural law of health.  Eating right in most cases brings a longer healthier life but no one is absolutely certain early on.   Smoking in most cases brings disease but not right away and not every time.  It takes some time for the effects of the habit to take effect.  In some cases it is too late to do anything about them.   Medical professionals advise us of what they know and we are free to follow their advise or not.  Doctors can only perform surgery because the outcome is predictable based on the science or natural laws of how the body heals.

Another example is the 7th commandment, not to commit adultery.  It is really a law to observe certain boundaries regarding sexual intimacy.  God gave it to us to protect us and to bring us ultimate happiness in our relationships.  Satan twists this idea and says that God is trying to deny us pleasure.  In the world there are many risks associated with sexual promiscuity.  Some of them are potentially fatal.  There are also emotional consequences people face when their relationship is broken and they separate after having been physically and emotionally bonded.

People are willing to take the risks and break this commandment because of an element of pleasure associated with it.  They will do it again and again since they are not struck by lightning or seem to bear no immediate outward infliction for having done it.  Some may violate it their entire life without any apparent physical consequence.  It will however register in their countenance and keep them separated from the presence of the Holy Ghost in their life.  Lack of obedience to this principle will deny those disobedient souls enjoyment of its use in the eternal worlds.

Protecting this sacred privilege requires understanding, discipline, virtue, modesty and knowing that if you honor it God will honor you.  The laws of heaven are about creation and this is a large part of how God teaches us what it is to create.  Having an eternal family is what the laws of heaven are about.  A society of heavenly hosts exists and govern in complete and perfect righteousness.  They are inviting us to join them.  This includes God our Father, his Son Jesus, our Christ.  God is not alone in this endeavor.  He too abides by the principles of an eternal family and such tells us that we do have a heavenly mother.  Eternal marriage is a law of heaven. We are created in their image and through our choices and their grace we can become like they are.  This is infinite power and unlimited love that motivates their every act.  To lift us and love us and have us live with them forever.

The eternal laws of heaven are taught to men on earth.  Many influences and occurrences have caused that many will never know them while they live in mortality.  Gods perfect justice will not allow them to be judged and condemned in ignorance nor will they be held accountable for their wrong doings in such ignorance, culture or false traditions.   Christ the perfect law giver, holds in his power all judgment for our actions.  He knows every situation and the desires of every persons heart.  The final judgment he passes on all will be just and we will each know it with absolute certainty.

http://emp.byui.edu/SATTERFIELDB/Quotes/Atonement%20Page/Justice,%20Mercy,%20Atonement.html