|
Explorations Class #17
Jesus and Lucifer: Brothers !
The Mormon Plan of Salvation, Part 1
As we studied the Mormon doctrine of Progression,
many details were left out in laying our foundations. At this time,
we will retrace some steps to fill in the details which are necessary
to understanding the Mormon plan of salvation.
The first thing to note is that "the true gospel
was lost from the earth." Mormonism is supposed to be its restoration
(Bruce R. McConkie, LDS Apostle, Mormon Doctrine, p.635). This allows
Mormonism to contain doctrines not found in the Bible. These begin
with the very foundation of the universe. The Mormon god merely fashioned
existing matter into its current form. Yet the Biblical account states
that God "created" the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). The
Hebrew word bara' translated "created" carries the meaning
of de novo creation, not of fashioning. So the Bible writer intended
that we understand God to be more than a mere craftsman.
1. Which member of the godhead actually carried
out the task of creation? (John 1:1-3)
"All men and women are in the similitude
of the universal Father and Mother., and are literally the sons
and daughters of Deity." (Bruce R. McConkie, LDS Apostle, "Man:
His Origin and Destiny")
"Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father
in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers." (Bruce
R. McConkie, LDS Apostle, Mormon Doctrine, p. 547)
"In that existence men and Jesus were
the same order of beings, of the same race, nature, and essence.
Jesus is literally our Elder Brother, the Firstborn of the Father." ("The
Restored Church", William E. Berrett)
"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 . . . But as Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was
Lucifer's older brother." (Ensign Magazine, June 1986, p.
25)
2. According to LDS doctrine, what is the relationship
between Jesus and Lucifer?
3. What are the scriptures and who are the prophets
in the statement above? What would you expect the LDS Church to say
when interpreting Isaiah 8:20?
4. What is Lucifer's heritage according to the Bible?
(Ezek 28:11-14, John 3:16) Was he born or created?
"There were many meetings, conferences,
councils, and schooling sessions held among the Gods and their
spirit offspring in pre-existence . . . the Father made formal
announcement of his plan of redemption and salvation . . . And
it was then that the Father sent forth the call which said in substance
and effect: Whom shall I send to be my Son in mortality? Who will
go down, be born with life in himself, and work out the great atoning
sacrifice by which immortality will come to all men and eternal
life be assured to the obedient?
"Two mighty spirits answered the call
and volunteered their services. Christ said, in effect: Here I
am, send me; I will be thy Son; I will follow thy plan; and 'thy
will be done, and the glory be thine forever.' But Lucifer sought
to amend the plan of the Father and to change the proffered terms
of salvation. "Behold, here am I, send me,' he said, '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 4:1-4) When the Father said, 'I will send the first,' then
Lucifer was angry, kept not his first estate, rebelled, and he
and one-third of the hosts of heaven were cast out down to the
earth to become the devil and his angels. (Abraham 3:25-28; D&C
29:36-40)" (Bruce R. McConkie, LDS Apostle, Mormon Doctrine,
pp.163-164)
5. Compare the stated difference between Lucifer
and Christ (in LDS doctrine) with the end results of Progression.
Are they consistent?
6. What does the Bible say was Lucifer's sin? (Jer
17:12, Is 14:12, Ezek 28:12-15ff)
"In the pre-existent eternity various
degrees of valiance and devotion to the truth were exhibited by
different groups of our Father's spirit offspring. One-third of
the spirit hosts of heaven came out in open rebellion and were
cast out without bodies, . . . The other two-thirds stood affirmatively
for Christ; . . .
"Of the two-thirds who followed Christ,
however, some were more valiant than others. . . Those who were
less valiant in pre-existence and who thereby had certain spiritual
restrictions imposed upon them during mortality are known to us
as the negroes. Such spirits are sent to earth through the lineage
of Cain, the mark put upon him for his rebellion against God and
his murder of Abel being a black skin. (Moses 5:16-41; 7:8, 12,
22.) Noah's son Ham married Egyptus, a descendant of Cain, thus
preserving the negro lineage through the flood. (Abraham 1:20-27)
. . .
"Negroes in this life are denied the priesthood;
under no circumstance can they hold this delegation of authority
from the Almighty. (Abraham 1:20-27) The gospel message is not
carried affirmatively to them . (Moses 7:8, 12, 22) . . .
"The present status of the negro rests
purely and simply on the foundation of pre-existence. Along with
all races and peoples he is receiving here what he merits as a
result of the long pre-mortal probation in the presence of the
Lord. . . (Bruce R. McConkie, LDS Apostle, Mormon Doctrine, pp.
527-528)
It should be noted that the priesthood is required
for a Mormon man to be saved, and to progress toward becoming a god.
7. When did man come into existence? (Gen 2:7) Is
there any scriptural evidence of any existence for man prior to this?
8. What is the foundation of the differing status
of white and black men in LDS doctrine? How does this compare with
Paul's description? (Rom 6:23: Rom 10:12, Titus 2:11. See also Acts
8:26-38)
"Now hear it O inhabitants of the
earth, Jew and Gentile, Saint and sinner! When our father Adam
came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial
body, and brought Eve, one of his wives with him. He helped to
make and organize this world. He is Michael, the Arch-angel,
the Ancient of Days! About whom holy men have written and spoken
- He is our Father and our God, and the only God with whom we
have to do. . . the earth was organized by three distinct characters,
namely, Eloheim, Yahovah, and Michael, these three forming a
quorum, as in all heavenly bodies, and in organizing element,
perfectly represented in the Deity, as Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost." (Brigham Young, 2nd LDS Prophet, Journal
of Discourses, Vol. 1, p.50-51)
"And the Lord appeared unto them,
and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the
prince, the archangel. And the Lord administered comfort unto
Adam." D&C 107:54-55a
"Wherefore I, the Lord God, caused
that he should be cast out from the Garden of Eden, . . . " D&C
29:41a
"You believe Adam was made of the
dust of the earth. This I do not believe, though it is supposed
that it is so written in the Bible; but it is not to my understanding.
. . I do not believe that portion of the Bible . . . I have come
to understanding, and banished from my mind all the baby stories
my mother taught me when I was a child." ." (Brigham
Young, 2nd LDS Prophet, Journal of Discourses, Vol.
2, p.6)
"We believe the Bible to be the
Word of God as far as it is translated correctly; We also believe
the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God". Article of Faith
#8
9. Who is Adam?
10. When did Eve have her beginning? (Gen2:21-23)
Did she exist as a spirit prior to this?
11. How valid is Article of Faith #8? (Note: The
JST makes no change in Genesis 2:7.) Is there any reason to take
it seriously?
"According to the foreordained plan, Adam
was to fall; . . . Adam was to introduce mortality and all that
attends it, so that the opportunity for eternal progression and
perfection might be offered to all the spirit children of the Father." (Bruce
R. McConkie, LDS Apostle, Mormon Doctrine, p. 268)
"This was a transgression of the law,
but not a sin in the strict sense, for it was something that Adam
and Eve had to do!" (Joseph Fielding Smith, 10th Prophet
of the LDS Church, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, p.115)
"The so-called 'fall' became a necessary,
honorable act in carrying out the plan of the Almighty." (LDS
Apostle John A. Widtsoe, Joseph Smith - Seeker After Truth, p.
160)
"And in that day Adam blessed God and
was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of
the earth, saying: Blessed be God, for because of my transgression
my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again
in the flesh I shall see God. And Eve, his wife, heard all these
things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression
we never should have known seed, and never should have known good
and evil, and the joy of our redemption and the eternal life which
God giveth unto all the obedient." Moses 5:10-11
"And if ye shall say there is no law,
ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no
sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there
be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness
nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things
are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither
the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither
to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished
away." 2 Nephi 2:13
"And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed
he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden
of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in
the same state in which they were after they were created; and
they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would
have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state
of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no
good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done
in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men
might be; and men are, that they might have joy." 2 Nephi
2:22-25
12. Because of the fall, some will be lost (even
in the Mormon plan of salvation). Is this in accordance with God's
plan? (2 Peter 3:9, John 12:32, Gen 2:16-17)
13. Was Eve present when the command regarding the
tree was given? (Gen 2:16-17)
14. What is sin? (1 John 3:4 KJV) Was the act of
Adam and Eve truly sin? (Rom 5:12) If Adam is the Father, what does
this say about the holiness of God?
15. Is sin the route to joy? (Rom 14:16-17, Gal
5:22, Phil 2:1-2, 1 Thess 1:6, 1 John 1:1-4, Jude 24-25)
 
|
