The Pre-existence
The Pre-existence and Lucifer and Jesus are our Spirit Brothers
Lucifer and Jesus are our spirit brothers.
Ensign 1986, How can Jesus and Lucifer be spirit brothers when their characters and purposes are so utterly opposed?
Jess L. Christensen, Institute of Religion director at Utah State University, Logan, Utah.
On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some—especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel “who was in authority in the presence of God,” a “son of the morning.” (See Isa. 14:12; D&C 76:25–27.) Both Jesus and Lucifer were strong leaders with great knowledge and influence. But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer’s older brother. (See Col. 1:15; D&C 93:21.)
Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood: Basic Manual for Priesthood Holders, Part B, Jesus Christ, Our Sure Foundation Lession 27, page 228 online
To help us return to His presence, Heavenly Father appointed a Savior to redeem us. This Redeemer is our eldest spirit brother, Jesus Christ, who volunteered to come to earth and be our Savior. In volunteering He said that the glory for our salvation would belong to our Father in Heaven. (See Abraham 3:27; Moses 4:2.) Lucifer, another spirit brother of ours, also desired to be our Savior. But he wanted to force us to be saved and wanted to retain the honor for himself. (See Moses 4:1.) Heavenly Father rejected his offer and foreordained Jesus to be our Savior (see 1 Peter 1:18–20). In doing so, our Father in Heaven preserved our agency.
The pre-existence
A Biblical Pre-mortality online
Overview
Premortality refers to our life before we were born on this earth. In our pre-earth life, we lived in the presence of our Heavenly Father as His spirit children. We did not have a physical body.
In this premortal existence, we attended a council with Heavenly Father’s other spirit children. At that council, Heavenly Father presented His great plan of happiness (see Abraham 3:22–26).
In harmony with the plan of happiness, the premortal Jesus Christ, the Firstborn Son of the Father in the spirit, covenanted to be the Savior (see Moses 4:2; Abraham 3:27). Those who followed Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ were permitted to come to the earth to experience mortality and progress toward eternal life. Lucifer, another spirit son of God, rebelled against the plan and “sought to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3). He became Satan, and he and his followers were cast out of heaven and denied the privileges of receiving a physical body and experiencing mortality (see Moses 4:4; Abraham 3:27–28).
Throughout our premortal life, we developed our identity and increased our spiritual capabilities. Blessed with the gift of agency, we made important decisions, such as the decision to follow Heavenly Father’s plan. These decisions affected our life then and now. We grew in intelligence and learned to love the truth, and we prepared to come to the earth, where we could continue to progress.
Your Pre-Earth Life, p.1
To understand why you are here, you must first understand your beginnings. At birth you did not suddenly flare into existence out of nowhere. You have always lived. Before you were born to your earthly parents, you lived in the presence of God. You, in fact, belong to the lineage of God. In pre-earth life you had identity, personality, and a spirit body in the likeness of the mortal body now housing that spirit. In that life with your Heavenly Father, who is the literal Father of your spirit, you advanced in knowledge and obedience until you were ready to come to this earth. Your pre-earth life ended when you were born to your mortal parents.
Your Pre-Earth Life, p.5
To the end that you might further progress, God, in pre-earth life, presented his plan of salvation whereby you would be permitted to come to earth, to gain a physical body, and to mature in righteousness so that you could prepare to someday dwell again with him. You would be born into this earthly existence without memory of your pre-earthly past so that you could live by faith and have freedom to choose between good and evil.
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.589 PRE-EXISTENCE
Pre-existence is the term commonly used to describe the pre-mortal existence of the spirit children of God the Father. Speaking of this prior existence in a spirit sphere, the First Presidency of the Church (Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund) said: "All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity"; as spirits they were the "offspring of celestial parentage." (Man: His Origin and Destiny, pp. 351, 355.) These spirit beings, the offspring of exalted parents, were men and women, appearing in all respects as mortal persons do, excepting only that their spirit bodies were made of a more pure and refined substance than the elements from which mortal bodies are made. (Ether 3:16; D. & C. 131:7-8.)
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.590 PRE-EXISTENCE
Every form of life had an existence in a spirit form before being born on this earth. (Moses 3:5-7.) In each instance the spirit creation was "in the likeness of that which is temporal; ... the spirit of man in the likeness of his person, as also the spirit of the beast, and every other creature which God has created." (D. & C. 77:2.)
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.3, PRE-EXISTENCE (PRE-EARTHLY EXISTENCE)
[The term "pre-existence," or more accurately, "premortal existence," refers to a period of individual conscious and accountable life before birth into mortality on this earth. It is Latter-day Saint doctrine that living things existed as individual spirit beings and possessed varying degrees of intelligence in an active, conscious spirit state before mortal birth and that the spirit continues to live and function in the mortal body. The revelations teach that premortal spirit bodies have general resemblance to their physical counterparts.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.3, PRE-EXISTENCE (PRE-EARTHLY EXISTENCE)
Articles pertaining to the premortal existence are Animals; Birth; Council in Heaven; Devils; First Estate; Foreordination; God the Father; Intelligences; Jehovah; Jesus Christ: Firstborn in the Spirit; Mother in Heaven; Premortal Life; Soul; Spirit; Spirit Body; War in Heaven.]
PHILOSOPHICAL BASIS OF MORMONISM, By JAMES TALMAGE, P.9
We, the human family, literally the sons and daughters of Divine Parents, the literal progeny of God our Eternal Father, and of our God Mother, are away from home for a season.
GOSPEL THROUGH THE AGES, By MILTON HUNTER, P. 98
The stupendous truth of the existence of a Heavenly Mother, as well as Heavenly Father, became an established fact in Mormon Theology.
A Biblical Response
Jer. 1:5
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Jer 27:5
I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.
Gen. 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Zach 12:1
The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
Psalms 139
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Isaiah 44:24
Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
Isaiah 49:5
And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
John 3
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
John 8
23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Romans 4
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Lucifer and Jesus are our spirit brothers.
Ensign 1986, How can Jesus and Lucifer be spirit brothers when their characters and purposes are so utterly opposed?
Jess L. Christensen, Institute of Religion director at Utah State University, Logan, Utah.
On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some—especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel “who was in authority in the presence of God,” a “son of the morning.” (See Isa. 14:12; D&C 76:25–27.) Both Jesus and Lucifer were strong leaders with great knowledge and influence. But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer’s older brother. (See Col. 1:15; D&C 93:21.)
Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood: Basic Manual for Priesthood Holders, Part B, Jesus Christ, Our Sure Foundation Lession 27, page 228 online
To help us return to His presence, Heavenly Father appointed a Savior to redeem us. This Redeemer is our eldest spirit brother, Jesus Christ, who volunteered to come to earth and be our Savior. In volunteering He said that the glory for our salvation would belong to our Father in Heaven. (See Abraham 3:27; Moses 4:2.) Lucifer, another spirit brother of ours, also desired to be our Savior. But he wanted to force us to be saved and wanted to retain the honor for himself. (See Moses 4:1.) Heavenly Father rejected his offer and foreordained Jesus to be our Savior (see 1 Peter 1:18–20). In doing so, our Father in Heaven preserved our agency.
The pre-existence
A Biblical Pre-mortality online
Overview
Premortality refers to our life before we were born on this earth. In our pre-earth life, we lived in the presence of our Heavenly Father as His spirit children. We did not have a physical body.
In this premortal existence, we attended a council with Heavenly Father’s other spirit children. At that council, Heavenly Father presented His great plan of happiness (see Abraham 3:22–26).
In harmony with the plan of happiness, the premortal Jesus Christ, the Firstborn Son of the Father in the spirit, covenanted to be the Savior (see Moses 4:2; Abraham 3:27). Those who followed Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ were permitted to come to the earth to experience mortality and progress toward eternal life. Lucifer, another spirit son of God, rebelled against the plan and “sought to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3). He became Satan, and he and his followers were cast out of heaven and denied the privileges of receiving a physical body and experiencing mortality (see Moses 4:4; Abraham 3:27–28).
Throughout our premortal life, we developed our identity and increased our spiritual capabilities. Blessed with the gift of agency, we made important decisions, such as the decision to follow Heavenly Father’s plan. These decisions affected our life then and now. We grew in intelligence and learned to love the truth, and we prepared to come to the earth, where we could continue to progress.
Your Pre-Earth Life, p.1
To understand why you are here, you must first understand your beginnings. At birth you did not suddenly flare into existence out of nowhere. You have always lived. Before you were born to your earthly parents, you lived in the presence of God. You, in fact, belong to the lineage of God. In pre-earth life you had identity, personality, and a spirit body in the likeness of the mortal body now housing that spirit. In that life with your Heavenly Father, who is the literal Father of your spirit, you advanced in knowledge and obedience until you were ready to come to this earth. Your pre-earth life ended when you were born to your mortal parents.
Your Pre-Earth Life, p.5
To the end that you might further progress, God, in pre-earth life, presented his plan of salvation whereby you would be permitted to come to earth, to gain a physical body, and to mature in righteousness so that you could prepare to someday dwell again with him. You would be born into this earthly existence without memory of your pre-earthly past so that you could live by faith and have freedom to choose between good and evil.
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.589 PRE-EXISTENCE
Pre-existence is the term commonly used to describe the pre-mortal existence of the spirit children of God the Father. Speaking of this prior existence in a spirit sphere, the First Presidency of the Church (Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund) said: "All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity"; as spirits they were the "offspring of celestial parentage." (Man: His Origin and Destiny, pp. 351, 355.) These spirit beings, the offspring of exalted parents, were men and women, appearing in all respects as mortal persons do, excepting only that their spirit bodies were made of a more pure and refined substance than the elements from which mortal bodies are made. (Ether 3:16; D. & C. 131:7-8.)
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.590 PRE-EXISTENCE
Every form of life had an existence in a spirit form before being born on this earth. (Moses 3:5-7.) In each instance the spirit creation was "in the likeness of that which is temporal; ... the spirit of man in the likeness of his person, as also the spirit of the beast, and every other creature which God has created." (D. & C. 77:2.)
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.3, PRE-EXISTENCE (PRE-EARTHLY EXISTENCE)
[The term "pre-existence," or more accurately, "premortal existence," refers to a period of individual conscious and accountable life before birth into mortality on this earth. It is Latter-day Saint doctrine that living things existed as individual spirit beings and possessed varying degrees of intelligence in an active, conscious spirit state before mortal birth and that the spirit continues to live and function in the mortal body. The revelations teach that premortal spirit bodies have general resemblance to their physical counterparts.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol.3, PRE-EXISTENCE (PRE-EARTHLY EXISTENCE)
Articles pertaining to the premortal existence are Animals; Birth; Council in Heaven; Devils; First Estate; Foreordination; God the Father; Intelligences; Jehovah; Jesus Christ: Firstborn in the Spirit; Mother in Heaven; Premortal Life; Soul; Spirit; Spirit Body; War in Heaven.]
PHILOSOPHICAL BASIS OF MORMONISM, By JAMES TALMAGE, P.9
We, the human family, literally the sons and daughters of Divine Parents, the literal progeny of God our Eternal Father, and of our God Mother, are away from home for a season.
GOSPEL THROUGH THE AGES, By MILTON HUNTER, P. 98
The stupendous truth of the existence of a Heavenly Mother, as well as Heavenly Father, became an established fact in Mormon Theology.
A Biblical Response
Jer. 1:5
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Jer 27:5
I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.
Gen. 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Zach 12:1
The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
Psalms 139
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Isaiah 44:24
Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
Isaiah 49:5
And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
John 3
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
John 8
23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Romans 4
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.