A Thoughtful Gospel Principles. Chapter 3: Jesus Christ, Our Chosen Leader and Savior

(Note: repeating a couple of quotes as we didn’t use them last week in class)
http://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-3-jesus-christ-our-chosen-leader-and-savior?lang=eng

Elder Neil A. Maxwell, in Oct 1985 General Conference gave examples of other people who, throughout history, have considered this pre-life existence. 

“Everything in our life happens as though we entered upon it with a load of obligations contracted in a previous existence … obligations whose sanction is not of this present life, [which] seem to belong to a different world, founded on kindness, scruples, sacrifice, a world entirely different from this one, a world whence we emerge to be born on this earth, before returning thither.” (Marcel Proust, in Gabriel Marcel, Homo Viator, New York: Harper and Row, 1963, p. 8.)

Last week we read from Elder Uchtdorf’s talk on how our choices today are influenced by our choices before we were born. (Re-cap on pre-earth spirit existence if new people attending).

This story begins a very long time ago, long before the earth began spinning in its orbit, long before the sun began to reach its fiery arms into the cold of space, long before creatures great and small had populated our planet. At the beginning of this story, you lived in a faraway, beautiful place. 

We do not know many details about life in that premortal sphere, but we do know some. Our Heavenly Father has revealed to us who He is, who we are, and who we can become. 

Back in that first estate, you knew with absolute certainty that God existed because you saw and heard Him. You knew Jesus Christ, who would become the Lamb of God. You had faith in Him. And you knew that your destiny was not to stay in the security of your premortal home. As much as you loved that eternal sphere, you knew you wanted and needed to embark on a journey. You would depart from the arms of your Father, pass through a veil of forgetfulness, receive a mortal body, and learn and experience things that hopefully would help you grow to become more like Father in Heaven and return to His presence. 

In that sacred place, surrounded by those you knew and loved, the great question on your lips and in your heart must have been “Will I return safely to my heavenly home?”There were so many things that would be out of your control. Mortal life would be hard at times, filled with unexpected bends in the road: sickness, heartbreak, accidents, conflict.

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-young-women-meeting/2013/03/your-wonderful-journey-home?lang=eng#9-10785_000_64uchtdorf

In the talk we’ve just read Elder Uchtdorf he refers to several stories about journeys: Wizard of Oz; Christmas Carol; a Chinese classic, Journey to the West and the story of Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit. My daughter loves Harry Potter. She relates lots of life-applicable principles from these stories. In one scene in Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince (p.532 in my edition) Dumbledore needs to drink a large bowl of dangerous potion and asks Harry to make sure he completes the task. Dumbledore says:

"...this potion... might paralyse me, cause me to forget what I am here for, create so much pain I am distracted, or render me incapable in some other way. This being the case, Harry, it will be your job to make sure I keep drinking... do I have your word that you will do all in your power to make me keep drinking?"

Harry makes Dumbledore drink the potion, even when Dumbledore pleads for the pain to be removed. "I don't want to... make it stop..." to which Harry can only reply "You've got to keep drinking, remember? You told me you had to keep drinking."

Sometimes in life, we’re faced with experiences where we might think “I don’t want to, make it stop.”

Jesus Christ was perfect, without sin, but even he understands what it feels like to want a difficult experience to stop, if possible.

Right before Christ’s atoning agony in the Garden of Gethsemane followed by his death on the cross he said these very understandable and human words:

Luke 22:42 “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me…”
Mark 14:35-36 “And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me…”

After Jesus expressed a desire that, if possible, he might be able to avoid such a challenging experience to come, he used a short phrase that we could all learn:

Luke 22:42 “…nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
Mark 14:36 “…nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.”

As we read last week, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, in Oct 1985 General Conference,

“We agreed to come here and to undergo certain experiences under certain conditions.Elder Orson Hyde said, “We have forgotten! … But our forgetfulness cannot alter the facts.” (Journal of Discourses, 7:315.) Yet, on occasions, there are inklings. President Joseph F. Smith observed how “we often catch a spark from the awakened memories of the immortal soul, which lights up our whole being as with the glory of our former home.” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1939, p. 14.)

So what have we forgotten? When Jesus said in prayer to Heavenly Father: “not my will, but yours” he was also saying “not my will here, but my will before.” Like all of us, Jesus Christ chose to come to earth. It was his choice and expressed willingness to go through everything needed to complete his purpose and role.

Moses 4:2 “But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.”

Gospel Principles, p.13: When the plan for our salvation was presented to us in the premortal spirit world, we were so happy that we shouted for joy (see Job 38:7). 

We understood that we would have to leave our heavenly home for a time. We would not live in the presence of our Heavenly Father. While we were away from Him, all of us would sin and some of us would lose our way. Our Heavenly Father knew and loved each one of us. He knew we would need help, so He planned a way to help us. 

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 was willing to come to the earth, give His life for us, and take upon Himself our sins. He, like our Heavenly Father, wanted us to choose whether we would obey Heavenly Father’s commandments. He knew we must be free to choose in order to prove ourselves worthy of exaltation. Jesus said, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever” (Moses 4:2). 

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 wanted to have all the honor for our salvation. Under his proposal, our purpose in coming to earth would have been frustrated (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay [2003], 207).

There are three key principles to take from this lesson which we can discuss in turn:

• -          Jesus chose to fulfil his role. It was not imposed, it was not forced.
• -          Satan wanted to remove choice and agency.
• -          We chose to come to earth, with all the highs and lows it would bring. It was our choice. Not imposed, not forced.

This means that every person around us was in the same situation and also chose to follow God’s plan.

The story of the pre-earth existence teaches us that all of humanity were once working in unity.

Gospel Principles, p.15-16: “Because our Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ to be our Savior, Satan became angry and rebelled. There was war in heaven. Satan and his followers fought against Jesus Christ and His followers. The Savior’s followers “overcame [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11). 

In this great rebellion, Satan and all the spirits who followed him were sent away from the presence of God and cast down from heaven. A third part of the hosts of heaven were punished for following Satan (see D&C 29:36). They were denied the right to receive mortal bodies.”

 As we mentioned last week, from Elder Uchtdorf's talk:

“…everyone you see around you—in this meeting or at any other place, today or at any other time—was valiant in the premortal world. Of one thing you can be certain: every person you see—no matter the race, religion, political beliefs, body type, or appearance—is family.”

Knowing that every person we meet was with us in the pre-earth spirit world and followed the same choices we did should lead us to greater care and unity. In the Oct 2013 general conference Elder Caussé said:

"Unity is not achieved by ignoring and isolating members who seem to be different or weaker and only associating with people who are like us. On the contrary, unity is gained by welcoming and serving those who are new and who have particular needs. These members are a blessing for the Church and provide us with opportunities to serve our neighbors and thus purify our own hearts.”

Elder Wirthlin similarly said, in March 1993:

“In the message of the gospel, the entire human race is one family descended from a single God. … “Every person is a spiritual child of God. “In this gospel view there is no room for a contracted, narrow, or prejudicial view. … “There is no underlying excuse for smugness, arrogance, or pride. …

Given we would all come to earth under different conditions, with a range of challenges, environments, influences and opportunities, God ensured that every person was given enough knowledge and truth to progress on their best next step towards godliness.

James E. Faust, “Communion with the Holy Spirit,” Ensign, Mar 2002, quoted a statement made by the first presidency of the church in 1978:

"The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals. … We believe that God has given and will give to all peoples sufficient knowledge to help them on their way to eternal salvation”

We are all given the opportunity of being taught principles of truth, wherever we are in the world and whatever our conditions.

GP, p.16: From the beginning, Jesus Christ has revealed the gospel, which tells us what we must do to return to our Heavenly Father. At the appointed time He came to earth Himself. He taught the plan of salvation and exaltation by His word and by the way He lived.