When Heavenly Father presented The Plan of Salvation to His Heavenly Family, the scriptures tell us that we shouted for joy (see Job 38:7). We had been told that we would be given the opportunity to prove our faithfulness and devotion to God, and that we would be rewarded greatly when we chose the right way.
But, we would have temptations and we knew at times we would fall. We needed a Savior to pay for our sins and teach us how to return to our Heavenly Father. Our Father said, “Whom shall I send?” (Abraham 3:27). Jesus Christ, who was called Jehovah, said, “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27; see also Moses 4:1–4). Jesus Christ is our eldest brother, the most faithful of God’s children during the premortal existence. Even though he understood the great suffering that it would entail, Jehovah stepped forward and said he would pay for our sins through the Atonement.
There was another who stepped forward and proposed a way for God’s children to return and live with Him again. Satan, who was called Lucifer, also came, saying, “Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor” (Moses 4:1). Satan wanted to force us all to do his will. Under his plan, we would not be allowed to choose. He would take away the freedom of choice that our Father had given us. Satan was offering this other plan, a plan different than the Father’s because he desired the power and glory that would result.
Heavenly Father declared “I will send the first” (Abraham 3:27), and Jesus Christ was chosen and foreordained to be the Savior of the world (see 1 Peter 1:19–20).
Because our Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ to be our Savior, Satan became angry and rebelled, causing a war between those who chose the plan of God and those who chose the plan of Satan in heaven. The Savior’s followers “overcame [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11). Satan and those who chose to follow him were cast out of heaven. Those who were cast out were denied the opportunity to receive mortal bodies and use their free agency to choose to return to live with God again. They must realize now what a poor choice they made as they are working very hard to convince all of us to abuse our free agency and misuse our bodies.
Because we are here on earth and have mortal bodies, we know that we chose to follow Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Hooray! In our premortal life, we chose to follow Jesus Christ and accept God’s plan and we must continue to follow Jesus Christ here on earth. Only by following Him can we return to our heavenly home once again.
February 15th, 2010 on 10:38 am
So Mormons don’t believe in the Trinity — that Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit are three parts of one God?
Reply
Sophia Reply:
February 15th, 2010 at 11:39 am
From what I’ve been told- Jenna, correct me if I’m wrong- not in the traditional sense. They believe that they are three separate beings, but united in one purpose, so technically, they’re still a Trinity of sorts, but not three parts of one God. Here’s a quote I found-
“Latter-day Saints believe in the New Testament teaching that there is a Father, a Son, and a Holy Ghost, all three of whom are fully divine. However, Mormons do not believe in the definition of the trinity formulated by the councils of Nicea and Chalcedon and elaborated upon by subsequent theologians and councils–that God is three coequal persons in one substance or essence.”
I think it is *very* important to emphasize that part about the councils. Lots and lots and LOTS of Christian beliefs were literally debated and voted upon at the Nicene Convention, resulting in the Nicene Creed, and they were further expounded upon by theologians- and I don’t know about you, but I am very happy that a LOT of St. Thomas of Aquinas’ beliefs are not subscribed to today, because he had some particularly nasty things to say about the ladies
I have no dog in this fight to pick sides, but I think it’s crucial that we know where our beliefs come from. I’m not saying this invalidates them, but it helps us to understand where they come from.
Honestly, the Mormon perspective makes more sense to *me*, because I never understood how Jesus, in the Garden, could be praying earnestly to God… but praying to himself? Or on the cross, when he cries out “Father, Father, why have you forsaken me?” Is he talking to himself? Or all the references to Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father, or how Christ says the Father sent him, etc… or even just the fact that he actually *died*, descended to Hell, and rose again three days later. Not to be facetious, but…how does God die? And who was being God and running this whole show if Jesus is also God, but Jesus was dead and he descended to Hell? These questions, for me, are more logically answered via the Mormon perspective.
Of course, I wasn’t raised in a traditional Christian home- we learned the concepts and principles, but we weren’t raised Christian- so I’m perhaps less attached to the concept of three parts of one God.
Reply
Jenna Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Sophia did a great job answering, probably better than I would have.
To further clarify we believe that God and Jesus Christ are separate beings, and that the Father and Son each have a “body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). They are separate personages in every sense, but function with a perfectly united purpose.
Reply
February 16th, 2010 on 6:39 pm
Thanks for the reply! I find the Mormon faith really interesting.
Reply
Sophia Reply:
February 16th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Me too, as I’m sure you can tell, haha. I dated a Mormon guy for about three years, so I figured I should learn about it
Reply
February 18th, 2010 on 4:58 pm
I really don’t want to come across as trolly here… but you’ve outlined in this post why I don’t believe LDS are Christian. Just because things like the Nicene Creed and doctrines of the Trinity weren’t fully formulated for a little less than 300 years after Christ doesn’t mean that they are necessarily wrong. I believe that a true Christian believes in Jesus Christ as truly God, one of the three persons of the Trinity, not just as another (albeit perfect) human. R.C. Sproul, a Reformed theologian, has a series called “The I AM Sayings of Jesus” which I went through recently with my husband, and I felt it really outlines well Jesus’s own claims in the Gospels to being not just a human Messiah, but God Himself. Here’s the link if you’re interested:
http://www.ligonier.org/store/knowing-christ-the-i-am-sayings-cd-cd/
Again, I REALLY don’t want to come off as trolly or harsh, but I’ve seen you say here and on your Formspring page that you’re not sure why people say LDS aren’t Christian, and I wanted to share my reason why. That being said, I’ve never looked into the Book of Life, so I don’t know who God is saving or not saving. I hope that I’ll see you and your husband in Heaven someday.
Reply
Jenna Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:17 pm
But the doctrine of the Trinity came from a group of men, just like the LDS doctrine came from a group of men. The difference is, I believe the LDS leaders are inspired by God, you believe the men who gathered together for the Nicene creed were. We’re not that different in that respect.
I realize that there are different ways to interpret things though, such as the I AM statements. Is it possible though that Jesus could have been talking about his own divinity, without saying he was God the Father? Why does he have to actually be God to be divine? The difference here is one of monotheism and monolatry. You hold that there is only one God, and there will only ever be one God. I hold that we worship Heavenly Father, known as God, but that there exists the potential for us to become like God, literally, and that Heavenly Father intends for such a thing to happen for those who obey. It does not make God any more great, in fact, I think it makes Him even more so. He is so perfect, so benevolent, so charitable that He literally wants to share everything He has with His spirit sons and daughters. Can you not imagine yourself feeling the same way about your own children? I know I want my own children to have the very best in life, and I believe that our Heavenly Father wants the best for us as well. What could be better than becoming as He is?
Reply
February 23rd, 2010 on 2:17 pm
[...] touched several times on The Plan of Salvation, also know as The Plan of Happiness, presented to all of us [...]