Foreordination

Ryan Reeder

Rel 393R-Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith

Prof. Richard Galbraith

October 27, 2000

Foreordination

Foreordination is the doctrine that certain elements of man's life on earth were assigned to him prior to birth. This doctrine is taught in all of the standard works, as well as the teachings of Joseph Smith and latter-day prophets. Their teachings expound, enhance, elaborate, and elucidate each other. They teach of the Grand Council, of Christ and his foreordained mission, of the divine purposes of prophets and other individuals, of the priesthood and other foreordained offices in the Church, and other interesting doctrines. Through their words, our understanding of the plan of salvation and our role in it is enhanced.

The prime example of foreordination is that of the Savior and his mission to redeem all mankind. In the scriptures Peter teaches that the Savior "verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world." ⁽¹⁾ This is expounded upon in the Pearl of Great Price, where both Moses and Abraham describe how Christ was chosen over the opposition of Lucifer and his followers. ⁽²⁾ Joseph Smith explained what the war in heaven was fought over: "The contention in heaven was -- Jesus said there would be certain souls that would not be saved; and the devil said he could save them all, and laid his plans before

the grand council, who gave their vote in favor of Jesus Christ. So the devil rose up in rebellion against God, and was cast down, with all who put up their heads for him." ⁽³⁾ Today prophets continue to teach of the divine foreordained mission of the Savior. President Ezra Taft Benson affirmed "I testify that in our premortal state our Elder Brother in the spirit, even Jesus Christ, became our foreordained Savior in the Father's plan of salvation." ⁽⁴⁾ Concerning the war in heaven, Elder Russell M. Nelson pointed out that it resulted in the "beginning of contention." ⁽⁵⁾ Through these teachings of the scriptures, Joseph Smith, and latter-day prophets, we understand more of the divine mission of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joseph Smith taught "Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this owrld was. I suppose I was ordained to this very office in that Grand Council." ⁽⁶⁾ The scriptures also teach of the divine preordained missions of man. Abraham speaks of "many of the noble and great ones" whom God chose to "make my rulers." ⁽⁷⁾ President Joseph F. Smith adds that they "were chosen in the beginning to be rulers in the Church of God" and "were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men." ⁽⁸⁾ Latter-day prophets abundantly confirm this doctrine. "You were foreordained to come to earth at a time when the fulness of the gospel was on the earth," declared Elder David B. Haight. "You were

foreordained to receive his priesthood." ⁽⁹⁾ Joseph Smith's statement has often been quoted in connection with the ordination of a new prophet. However, one point that the prophets today emphasize in connection with this doctrine is that we must measure up to our callings. "'There are many called, but few are chosen,'" ⁽¹⁰⁾ quoted President Harold B. Lee. He further declares concerning those called but not chosen, " Even though they might have been

among the noble and great, from among whom the Father declared he would make his chosen leaders, they may fail of that calling here in mortality." ⁽¹¹⁾ Elder Gordon B. Hinckley compared these small choices to a mistake in a switch of a few inches that could send cars hundreds or thousands of miles from their intended destinations. He warned "So it is with our lives--a cigarette smoked, a can of beer drunk at a party, a shot of Speed taken on a dare, a careless giving in to an impulse on a date. Each has thrown a switch in the life of a boy that put him on a track that carried him far away from what might have been a great and foreordained calling." ⁽¹²⁾

The words of scripture, both ancient and modern, guide us in the paths we must walk to gain eternal life with God. Here we have seen two examples of how the words of modern scripture corroborate with and expound the words of ancient scripture. Prophets anciently and today speak of the Grand Council in Heaven and of the Savior's foreordained mission and our foreordained callings there. They expound on one another, as modern prophets warn of falling away from the divine purposes of which ancient prophets testified. Through studying their teachings, we can grow in the knowledge of the plan of salvation.

1. 1 Peter 1:20

2. Moses 4:1-4, Abraham 3:27-28

3. Galbraith, Richard C. annotated; Joseph Fielding Smith selected, Scriptural Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Deseret Book Company, 1993 (hereafter STPJS) p. 401.

4. Benson, Ezra Taft "I Testify," Ensign November 1988, .

5. Nelson, Russell M. "The Canker of Contention," Ensign May 1989, .

6. STPJS, 411.

7. Abraham 3:22-23

8. Doctrine and Covenants 138:55-56.

9. David B. Haight, "Spiritual Crevasses," Ensign November 1986, .

10. Doctrine and Covenants 121:34

11. Lee, Harold B. "Understanding Who We Are Brings Self-Respect," Ensign January 1974, .

12. Hinckley, Gordon B. "Watch the Switches in Your Life," Ensign January 1973, .