Sunday School – Old Testament: Lesson 2

10 January

old-testament-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual-35570000Like the first lesson in their study of the Old Testament lesson two has very little to do with the Bible, but has many references to other books in their canon.

This next lesson focuses on the Mormon belief that all of us lived before we came to earth in a premortal life with God. In this premortal life we lived as spirit children of God his goddess wife/wives. These spirit children include every person who has ever been born including Jesus and Satan, and 1/3 of the spirits who chose to follow Satan.

In chapter three of Abraham, Abraham is using the Urim and Thummim to see all the worlds God has created. As he is witnessing these things the Lord speaks to him and explains what he’s seeing.

The Lord also shows Abraham all of the many “intelligences” (God’s spirit children) that were created before the world was formed. (Abraham 3:22) Many of these spirits were “noble and great”, and created to be rulers by God. Abraham learns that he is one of these great spirits that’s destined to be a ruler. (Abraham 3:23)

The Preexistence-

According to Mormonism before the earth was created there was a Council in Heaven where God presented his plan of salvation to us, and had to choose who would be the savior of the world. When he asked who he should send two spirits came forward; one was Jesus, and the other was Lucifer.

Jesus wanted to follow God’s plan and give him all the glory, but Lucifer wanted all the glory. So after they made their offers God choose Jesus, this angered Lucifer and his followers.

Because we chose to follow Jesus in our premortal life we kept our 1st estate; we know this because we have physical bodies, those who chose to follow Lucifer were cast out of heaven and were not given a chance to receive a physical body.

This form of reincarnation is utter and complete nonsense to those of us who are in Christ. It’s no secret that Joseph Smith borrowed many teachings of other religions and from there formed his own view of what he thought Christianity should look like.

This doctrine of preexistence is false and has no biblical foundation. We know from scripture that God created all things physically first, then spiritually.

1 Corinthians 15:46 “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.”

And in Mark 1:14-15 we read:

“Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, (15) And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

If the Mormon doctrine of preexistence were true why would you have to accept and believe in the gospel again, if we were on the side of Christ before you came to earth? We have only one chance and one life to choose to follow Jesus, and that’s right now.

Jeremiah 1:5 is a common verse used by Mormons to give proof of their belief in a premortal life, however to do this they also must take the verse out of context.

“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.”

This verse isn’t referring to any type of reincarnation, its referencing God’s all-knowing, omniscient power. It’s showing He’s sovereignty and plan for Jeremiah before he was born.

Probably one of the hardest doctrines for me to get over as I made the choice to leave Mormonism is the belief in the preexistence. I liked the idea of living with God before I came to earth, of being in his presence and learning from him. I had romanticized notions of maybe meeting my husband before I came to earth, of knowing him and of us vowing to find each other in the next life.

After I left the church I came to realize such day dreams only exist in Harlequinromance novels and Mormonism, but have no ties to the real world. They have no biblical foundation; sadly that’s where the core doctrines of Mormonism are centered.

In Christ,

Melissa Grimes melissa@lifeafter.org

References:

Book of Abraham: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/abr?lang=eng

Old Testament Lesson 2: http://www.lds.org/manual/old-testament-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-2-thou-wast-chosen-before-thou-wast-born?lang=eng

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