The Purpose of Life

In God’s premortal council, He presented a plan in which men and women could come to earth, gain a physical body, and progress toward eventual exaltation. A Savior would be provided to atone for the sins of mankind. Central to this plan was agency, the ability for men and women to choose for themselves. Those who chose to repent and follow the Savior would receive forgiveness of their sins and be enabled, once they died, to return to the presence of God.

Not everyone who heard God’s plan embraced it. Richard G. Scott, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, describes the opposition that took place:

"From before the Creation of this earth, there was rebellion against our Father’s plan, instigated by a brilliant but evil spirit we know as Lucifer or Satan. He proposed a modification of the requirements. So convincing was his argument that one-third of the Father’s spirit children followed Satan and were cast out. They lost the extraordinary opportunity to grow and the critical advantage of a mortal body." (“Truth Restored,” Ensign, Nov 2005, 78)

Satan’s proposed modification was the removal of agency, men and women’s ability to choose for themselves. People would be forced to do the right thing. Because no one could sin, there would be no need for a Savior. He alone would take the place of preeminence in this version of God’s plan. His rebellion caused him to be cast out from God’s presence, but Satan still strives to destroy the agency of those who have chosen to come to earth and receive a body.

One way Satan inhibits the agency of men and women is by addiction. James E. Faust wrote the following about the controlling influence of addiction:

"There are many kinds of addictions, and it is difficult for someone who has one of these serious addictions to change because some of them are mind-altering. A recent article on addiction said, “In the brains of addicts, there is reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex, where rational thought can override impulse behavior.” Some addictions can control us to the point where they take away our God-given agency. One of Satan’s great tools is to find ways to control us. Consequently, we should abstain from anything that would keep us from fulfilling the Lord’s purposes for us, whereby the blessings of eternity may hang in jeopardy. We are in this life for the spirit to gain control over the body rather than the other way around." (“The Power to Change,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 122–24)

Satan knows that if he can enslave people through addiction, they will not be capable of living the kind of life necessary to return to God. It will not matter that they chose to follow God in the premortal world, they will be incapable of continuing to do so on earth.

Another way he inhibits agency is by waging war on democracy. Satan and his followers inspire governments which deny basic freedoms, such as the freedom of religion, so people will not be able to live according to their own principles. Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, taught that it was a basic tenet of the Mormon faith that all people should be allowed the same freedom of religion:

"We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." (Article of Faith 1:11)

Governments which exercise excessive control are contrary to God’s purpose for giving us life on this earth.

Another way Satan inhibits our freedom to choose is by encouraging us to live beyond our means. When we incur excessive debt, we are no longer able to use our resources in the way God intended. Giving to charity, making desirable career changes, obtaining education, and providing for a family all become difficult if not impossible when we are burdened with unnecessary debt.

There is an oft repeated maxim that freedom is not free. The freedom of choice we possess as individuals was fought for by God and by those who chose to follow Him before the creation of this earth. The battle continues today, whether a personal struggle against addiction, the worldwide struggle against tyrannical governments, or a societal trend toward increasing consumer debt. Agency, the freedom to choose for ourselves, is something Satan is ever striving to take away and requires our constant vigilance to preserve.

Before coming to earth everyone born on this earth, from Adam and Eve down, lived in heaven with Heavenly Father. While there, Heavenly Father called each of us together in a grand meeting were He explained His great plan of happiness for us.

And there was a war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon: and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:7-9)

In order for this plan to move forward we needed a Savior to pay for our sins and to teach us the way to get back to Heavenly Father's presence. Jesus, like our Heavenly Father, wanted us to make our own choices about whether or not we would obey. We needed to choose for ourselves in order to prove worthy of exaltation or eternal salvation.

Jesus said “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever”. (Moses 4:2)

Lucifer, who became known as Satan, wanted to force us all to do his will. We had no say with Satan's plan. He would make all the decisions, taking away our freedom of choice. With his alternate plan there was no room for growth, learning and improvement, the entire purpose of our mortal existence.

Satan 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)

In the end, Jesus became our Savior. Satan was not pleased with Heavenly Father decision. He became angry and rebelled, causing a war in heaven. Satan and his followers fought again Jesus and His followers. They were thrown out of heaven and denied the opportunity of having a body or of experiencing earthly existence.

We are here on earth today because we chose to follow Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. Sadly, Satan and his followers are also here on earth as spirits. (Revelations 12:9) They still remember who we are, they are always around us, trying to tempt us to do those things that are not pleasing to Heavenly Father.

Before coming to earth we made the right choices. We must continue to do the right things now. Following Jesus is our only sure guarantee that we will return to our heavenly home and live in the presence of our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ once again. When Jesus became our Savior, He kept His part of the agreement and He did all He said He would. Now, it’s our time to show Him how thankful we are for His effort by striving to become the best that we can become each and every day of our lives.

It is probably safe to say that all Christians believe in the eternal nature of God, but what about the eternal nature of men and women? Even prior to Christ’s resurrection, his followers understood that there would be a resurrection day for them as well. In John 11:23-24 Martha affirms her belief that her dead brother, Lazarus, would live again in some future day:

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

When Christ appeared to his disciples as a resurrected being, he had a glorified body. His disciples could physically handle him and feel the scars on his hands and on his feet. Christ ate fish and honey in their presence (see Luke 24:36-43). His new resurrected body would never sicken or die. He was immortal, perfected. Because of Christ, every man and woman that has ever lived on the earth may anticipate a glorious resurrection.

But what came before the first man and first woman, Adam and Eve, were put on the earth? Did each man and woman first come to exist at birth, or did they exist before being born in the flesh? Christ indicated that he dwelt with God before he was born to the virgin Mary:

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
(John 17:5, 24)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormons) has additional scripture that explains the eternal nature of men and women. God showed Abraham in a vision how he, God, had organized the spirits who were to be born on the earth. Among them were those who were especially suited to be righteous leaders on earth, like the prophet Abraham. The following is from The Pearl of Great Price:

Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born. (Abraham 3:22-23)

None of us, unfortunately, remember life before we were born on earth. It does not mean, however, that it did not occur. Part of the challenge of this life is learning to live by faith. It is important to understand that when we hear God’s truth on earth, we are not hearing it for the first time. We dwelt with God as his spirit children in a premortal world. God held a premortal council wherein he presented a plan for his children to come to earth and learn to live by faith. Those that choose to follow God will be blessed not only in life, but will be allowed to return to God’s presence after they died, never again to be separated from his presence.