The Plan of Gods

There is a plan. Nothing is random. Nothing. After God had created His spirit children, He gave them a plan whereby they could progress. The plan is given various names, depending on the part of the plan that the Lord would like emphasized. It is the plan of happiness to denote that those who choose to follow it will be happy, and not miserable. It is the plan of salvation to indicate that those who follow it are saved at every level they desire. It is the plan of redemption to explain that the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, is anointed to redeem all mankind from their lost and fallen state; there is a way out through Him. The plan of restoration tells us that we can be restored to heaven whence we came if we follow the plan. It is a plan laid out for all to see. It is a plan whereby the children of God can become as He is. There are actually two separate, but interconnected, plans. One is for the children of God, and the other is for the Son of God. Agency is essential, because each part of the creation of a god is a choice.

 

The Path of the Children of God

The spirit children of God are in heaven with Him. They have existed forever as intelligences and have made choices to obey Him which allowed them to receive a spirit body. The next level is to gain a physical body like that of God, the Father. Growing up would require them to acquire knowledge and experience. To be able to have judgment they must experience all things, both good and evil. Good is allowed in heaven, but evil is not, so they had to leave heaven to experience evil. As they experience evil, they must pass the test of obedience to be able to return.

The plan is to take them from their innocent spiritual state to become as God is. They must learn to distinguish good and evil by their own experience. They must leave heaven where all things are provided for their comfort to be separated from God. The plan is a series of choices, like climbing a ladder. Those who make the choice to progress are offered more choices, and thus, they climb up the ladder. Some never get on the ladder. Some jump off the ladder, falling into hell. Most reach a stopping point and stay on their current rung. Few climb the ladder all the way to the top. We don’t have a lot of different choices to make at any given time, there is only one choice at a time. Stay or go. Keep what you have or sacrifice it to gain more. I must let go of my current position so I can move to the next rung. Those who move forward lose everything they have, willingly letting go, so they can move on to receive something greater.

 

First decision: stay with God, or be cast out of heaven.

The first choice is given in the premortal life. God gave each of us a choice that He declared “forbidden,” represented by the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Agency, or the ability to choose was given by having something that was forbidden by God. Now there was a choice. Before the “tree” was placed in the garden there was no choice, all we had was the tree of life.

Those who chose what was forbidden would be cast out, becoming evil, they cannot stay in heaven, they die. Those who did not eat the fruit stay as spirits in heaven, remaining clean, but they do not progress to become like God. They do not have a plan but remain as they are – they are done. They do not need a plan. They do not need a savior. They remain just. Those who transgressed the commandment of God are going to be cast out, and need a way back. They need a plan.

After the first decision there are two groups in heaven: 

1. Those who did not transgress the law and remain just and pure so they can stay in heaven as spirits. They are done, and no longer have any more decisions, but remain as they are forever. 
2. Those who transgressed the law, so they are no longer worthy to remain in heaven. Ironically, these are the ones who are able to move into the plan of salvation, and will have more choices.

 

Second decision: Choose between the plan of the Father or that of Lucifer

The next choice is given to those who are going to move forward. Before they leave His presence, the Father explains that they must leave, but He will provide a way back for those who desire it. He would make a place between heaven and hell that would be a place of probation, earth. He offered the plan of redemption whereby all could be redeemed if they would make covenants with Him to be obedient and to sacrifice the things of the world when they get there. Because they are on probation for disobedience, they will be tested specifically on their willingness to obey God. Those who agree to make the covenants with Him can come to earth and be born into the family of Adam, receiving a body, and pass through their probation.

The other option was given by Lucifer, a son of the morning, who offered an alternate plan, promising all to return without having to suffer. No covenant would be necessary. It was a lie, because being forced to obey takes away agency and prevents obedience, but many spirits believed, and would not make a covenant with the Father. Those who refused to make the covenant of obedience cannot be on probation, so they will not born in a body on the earth. They are cast out of heaven but have no way back. They are done, and are lost to God.

After these first two decisions, there are three groups:

1. Those who did not partake of the “forbidden fruit” who remain with God as just spirits in heaven forever.
2. Those who partook of the “forbidden fruit” who follow Lucifer and refuse to covenant with God.
3. Those who partook of the “forbidden fruit” who make a covenant with Elohim of obedience and sacrifice. These are the only ones who move on to the next step in the plan.

Third decision: Follow Christ or stay in the world.

Those who made covenants of obedience and sacrifice move to the next step in the plan. They are born on the earth into a physical body with no memory of what went on before. They have a newfound power because of that body, being able to feel and have power to manipulate the physical world.

Having no memory of what went before, they are able to make choices on their own without the direct influence of God. The next choice is to seek God, or not. Either they are going to keep the covenants made before they came, or not. Now that they have the power of emotions and creation, they can choose not to keep their promise. Instead, they can be worldly and do as they please. The world is a place of the contrast of good and evil. We have the equal ability to do either. We can choose to do good, or evil. We are enticed by both equally so our choices matter.

In the world, there is only one choice – to follow Christ, or not. If we follow Him, we will do as He says, and do what He did, including baptism. Baptism helps us to re-iterate the covenants made in the spirit by making a new covenant of obedience and sacrifice in the flesh. It is being born and receiving a new name, the name of Christ, signifying a willingness to die to all that is of the world to be part of the family of God.

Now there are four distinct groups of the children of God.

1. Those who did not “partake of the forbidden fruit” who remain with God as spirits in heaven forever.
2. Those who “ate the fruit” but follow Lucifer and refuse to covenant with God. becoming evil spirits forever. 
3. Those who transgressed the law in premortal life and make a covenant with Elohim of obedience and sacrifice, but do not keep those covenants when they come into the world.
4. Those who transgressed the law who make and keep their covenant in this life, following our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, into the waters of baptism.

 

Choice 3.1 a different path for the lost: Choose Jesus out of the world.

Those who choose not to be baptized are off the path and are done. They do not move forward or progress but remain outside of the kingdom of God, dead, or damned. They cannot endure the presence of the Father. However, because the Father loves His children so much, He has given them more choices so they don’t end up in darkness and misery. They have another path to choose. Their next choice is to be ethical and honorable towards others, or to only live for what they want. The choice is still the same, but with their eyes opened after death and separation from their bodies, they can choose to submit to the Lord, Jesus Christ.  They repent of their sins and are forgiven through the great and last sacrifice of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Those who do this will inherit the “terrestrial kingdom,” with less power than the celestial. They may have the presence of Jesus Christ, but are not ever able to be with the Father. They remain in this state forever, never having any further glory.

 

Choice 3.2: Confess Jesus Christ and bow to Him or suffer forever.

Those who do not choose to keep the covenants they made of obedience and sacrifice and will not repent of their sins even after they die, will suffer because of them. They will be buffeted by the evil spirits who follow Satan, suffering with the damned souls in hell. They continue to suffer until the last resurrection, or the final judgment, at which time they are given another chance at salvation. Either they can choose to submit to Jesus Christ, who will bring them into a kingdom of glory to end their suffering, or they can refuse to submit and be cast out with Satan and his angels to continue in hell forever. If they do not choose to bow the knee and confess that Jesus is the Christ, their Lord, then they are cast out of any connection with God. They have no glory. This last group are so proud and independent that they would rather rule in hell than serve in heaven.

At this point, there are six different groups of the children of God:

    1. Those who remain with God as spirits in heaven forever.

    2. Those spirits who followed Lucifer and are cast out of heaven.

-- Those who transgressed the law and made covenants with Elohim but do not keep those covenants. They receive a body, but are all damned to be what they are forever, never to increase in glory. They are off the path to eternal life. They are divided into three groups.

            3. Those who receive the testimony of Jesus Christ after they die, repent of their sins, and commit to serve Him end up terrestrial glory forever, never to increase.

            4. Those who refuse to repent after they die, suffer for their own sins, and then accept the offer of Jesus Christ, submitting to Him, receive a telestial glory forever.

            5. Those who refuse to submit to the Lord, Jesus Christ, and have no glory. They receive a body but end up in outer darkness with Satan and his angels forever.

    6. Those who “partook of the forbidden fruit” who make and keep their covenant in this life, following our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, into the waters of baptism. These are the only ones who move on. They receive a celestial glory. 

The fourth decision: The Temple Endowment

Going back to the path of those who are on the plan of salvation, those who get baptized are admitted into the kingdom of heaven, back into the presence of God, the Father. They now have a choice: they can make further covenants to live the laws of God, or not. Keeping the baptismal covenant is the gate to enter the kingdom of God, the Father, but moving forward requires further covenants. There are many who receive baptism, who feel that they have enough, and don’t move on. They don’t continue to learn and grow. They are finished. Those who do not make or keep these higher covenants stay in the lowest degree of the celestial kingdom.

The temple endowment is an outline of the path from our premortal life to our triumphant return to heaven to receive the glory of God. The endowment is a gift of power, the power to know where I am in the plan, and what the next steps are, and what needed to achieve eternal life. 

·       Washing from the blood and sins of the people among whom we live, including the murders such as wars, abortions, business, and other institutional human sacrifices.

·       Anointing to become kings and queens, priests and priestesses to God.

·       Clothing in the garment of the holy priesthood for protection from the destroyer. Clothing represents the physical body that covers, protects, and gives power to the spirit.

·       A new name, indicating birth into a new life, a new family, and a new existence.

·       Creation is the outline of the plan of the Gods. Obedience is creation.

·       The Garden, representing our premortal life and choosing to do what was forbidden, and then making a covenant with Elohim of obedience and sacrifice.

·       The world, or telestial kingdom, where we make the covenant of the gospel and receive the priesthood.

·       The terrestrial kingdom, where we make two covenants, to live the law of chastity, and the law of consecration, and where we learn to communicate with God.

·       The veil, where we are tested for our knowledge and faithfulness, being judged by the standard of Jesus Christ, and were we may be admitted into the kingdom of God through Him, if we pass the tests.

·       The celestial kingdom, a place of peace, rest, and freedom to move. 

    The fifth decision: The sealing 

        We are given the choice to covenant and become one with our spouse, the requirement to becoming one with God. It is only the man and woman together who make a complete human being with the ability to be as God is. 

        

      The last two decisions divide those who receive a celestial glory into three groups. In the celestial glory there are three degrees. Those on the lowest level are baptized and keep their covenant. Those in the middle degree have received the covenants of chastity and consecration, and keep these laws. Only those who are sealed to a spouse and keep their covenant of unity can be in the highest level of the celestial kingdom. Now, the children of God are divided into eight distinct groups who all differ in their level of glory:

1.          1. Those who remain with God as spirits in heaven forever.

    2. Those spirits who followed Lucifer and are cast out of heaven forever.

-- Those who transgressed the law and made covenants with Elohim but do not keep those covenants, so they fall off the path. They are divided into three groups: 

            3. Those who receive the testimony of Jesus Christ after they die, repent of their sins, and commit to serve Him end up terrestrial glory forever.

            4. Those who refuse to repent after they die, suffer for their sins, and then because of their suffering they are humbled enough to bow the knee and confess that Jesus is the Christ will receive a telestial glory forever.

            5. Those who refuse to submit to the Lord, Jesus Christ, and have no glory. They receive a body but end up in outer darkness with Satan and his angels forever. This includes all those who fall, such as those who deny the Holy Ghost. These are the sons of perdition. 

    6. Those who fell in the garden but make and keep their covenant in this life, following our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, into the waters of baptism, but do not move forward to receive covenants in the temple. This is their end; they do not increase. They are damned in the kingdom of God as separate, single servants to the gods forever. 

    7. Those who are fallen, but follow Christ, are baptized, who make and keep covenants in the temple, including chastity and consecration, but are not sealed to a spouse. They have a higher glory in the middle degree of the celestial kingdom, but this is the end of their glory, they are damned, stopped, and cannot move forward to eternal life.

    8. Those who fall before mortality and complete their probation by making and keeping all the covenants and being sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise to their spouse become kings and queens. This is the only group that continues on to receive all heights and glories, moving on to the next plan, creating and growing forever. Only these are the gods. They have fulfilled the plan. Indeed, the plan was created for them. Jesus Christ suffered and died for them. These are His friends for whom He sacrificed. They are the reason for the whole project. The reason everything else exists is so these few can receive eternal life. 

 

This is the path. It accounts for all the children of God from the beginning except for One. The endowment in the temple only outlines this path to eternal life, the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, for everyone except Jesus. Those who drop out along the way are simply not on the path and are not included in the ceremony, except for the inclusion of Lucifer-Satan as the necessary opposition to the plan, the other choice. We follow Adam and Eve on the path to eternal life as they make each decision correctly to move on to the next level. Each decision they make is the right one to keep them on the path. By doing as they did, all can fulfill their ultimate destiny of eternal life and exaltation through the mercy and grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ. 

 

The Path of the Lord

The only other known path through this part of life is traversed by only One of the children of God: the Lord, Jesus Christ. He is the only One to be on His path. He did it alone. His path is overall the same, in that it starts in heaven with Elohim, goes to the earth with all the others, and ends in celestial glory, but some of the choices along the way are different, and, most important, He chooses to obey God in all things.

 

First decision: Do the will of God, choosing to be the Savior of all.

When God presented the plan to His children, Jehovah stood up and volunteered to be the Savior, and give the glory, or the entire work, to God.

 

Second decision: Do the will of God by not partaking of the forbidden fruit.

He does not take of the forbidden fruit. He remains just, pure, and clean in the sight of God. He is not cast out of heaven.

 

Third decision: The covenant of obedience and the law of sacrifice.

Just as we are required to make covenants of obedience and sacrifice with the Father so we can go to earth and receive a body, the Lord makes a covenant with Elohim that He will be obedient and sacrifice all that He is commanded by the Father. He came only to do the will of the Father, as He stated. 

 

Fourth Decision: Come to earth.

He did not take the fruit, so He is not cast out of heaven like everyone else. We are forced, or cast out of heaven to earth, but He came willingly, out of love, to save His siblings who are lost and fallen. He is born into a body to suffer the pain and deprivation of being mortal, including separation from God despite never having transgressed a law of God.

 

Fifth Decision: Resist temptation

He suffers temptations in the flesh, but keeps His covenants, and gives in to none of them, remaining pure and clean before God. He kept His covenant of obedience made before the world was created.

 

Sixth Decision: Baptism and other covenants

Jesus submitted to the will of the Father in being baptized and receiving other covenants on the Mount of Transfiguration.

 

Seventh Decision: Suffering the wrath of God

He keeps His promise to suffer the pains of a damned soul, suffering the will of the Father, descending into hell to know eternal torment. 

Eighth  Decision: Death

He allows Himself to be slain by wicked men to die on the cross. He had power over death, allowing Himself to die. 

 

Nineth Decision: Resurrection

Being the Son of God, He has power over death, and has the authority to resurrect His body to become a living soul forever. 

 

Tenth Decision: Judgment

He did it right. He kept His promises. He did not stray but stayed on the path. He can go back to heaven triumphant, never having transgressed the commandment, but still experiencing evil. He descended below all things and can rise above all things. He is judge over all. He is the standard by which all are judged. Though He was not on the same path, He has experienced the entire spectrum of good and evil. He knows. His friends will know Him and want to be with Him, while His enemies will not be comfortable in His presence. He loves His enemies, and blesses them with grace. The judgment brings us to the connection between His plan, and ours.

 

Intersecting the Plans

The path of the Lord, Jesus Christ, is unique, very different from ours, but parallel in place. He did the path that the Father gave Him. He did it alone. He was the only One who did the will of the Father in all things from the beginning. Thus, He is the only one worthy to return to God, so there is no other way for anyone else to return to God. He is exalted on high of His own merits, but every other child of God is unworthy without Him. We all need Him. His worthiness and descent into hell allows Him to bring all those on probation back to heaven with Him.

He suffered unjustly. He was not disobedient. He remained just and pure, yet He suffered as though He were guilty, thus creating a debt to justice. His justice is our mercy. The plan was carried out perfectly. We only have a plan because of Him. The choices included in every step of this plan are only possible because of Him. Life is only available to anyone because of His sacrifice. He brings those who believe in Him to the presence of God. He is the advocate for all, giving grace to everyone, and mercy to all who accept His offer.

Taking up His body after being dead for three days is a power He possessed because He is the Son of God. His resurrection allows Him to give others the authority of resurrection. It is a gift given to all who were born on the earth into a body. This is the only part of salvation that is received by those who are cast out and lost to outer darkness. 

Without His plan, we would have no plan at all. We all would be cast out with Lucifer and just be gone forever. Only the angels who did not “partake of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” would remain just spirits, unable to know good and evil, and never becoming like God. These do not need Jesus to justify them because they remain just in themselves. They don’t need salvation, but are damned to be as they are forever for they cannot move forward, but remain innocent, naïve, or ignorant. They do not know good and evil and therefore cannot be as the gods. Thus, there would be only two groups: the spirits who stay with God in innocence, and those who know good and evil who are cast out of heaven. The plan allows us to experience good and evil, and still be justified in heaven.

The only purpose of the plan is eternal life

Because Jesus Christ fulfilled His plan, each child of God is empowered to learn good and evil by their own experience, and still return to God, being like Him, through a series of choices, one at a time. But, the choice is always the same: Stay where I am, or give up what I have and move on to the next step. If I choose to continue in the plan I am given another choice, and then another. At every juncture a majority drops out of the plan, choosing to stay where they are. With each choice, few choose to continue in the plan because they will not let go of what they have. Thus, in the end, a tiny minority receive eternal life, to become gods, rulers, kings and queens, priestesses and priests who move on to greater heights and glories. It would be imagined, then, that even in the highest heaven, those who move on may have such choices to move on while the majority stay behind.

This plan is for each of the children of God to have eternal life. Jesus did not die for the many who drop out and are damned. He did not suffer even for those who return to the celestial glory in the lower degrees. His mission is to fulfill the plan of the Father, which is eternal life. Jesus chose His path only for those who complete all and choose life. The others receive the benefits of the sacrifice He made so they could choose. He enables them to choose damnation, but that isn’t His purpose. The heavens weep over all those who are lost, and rejoice over all those who choose God to be their Father. Because of the love of Christ, some form of salvation is universal for all the children of God, but the purpose of the plan is for the few who gain eternal life. The purpose is not to create servants, but peers. He did it for His friends, not for the many who choose damnation.

 

Alternative Plans

God’s plan includes a savior to atone for the sins of His children. This savior justifies the rest, and gives them choices to make so they can receive the level of glory that they desire. The problem is that so many are lost on the way. Each choice creates many who are damned, and few who move on, leaving very few who receive eternal life, the purpose of the plan. I wonder if those few are worth the suffering created, not just in the Lord, Jesus Christ, but in all those who are lost who are damned forever, and who suffer for their sins or suffer in hell with the devil and his angels.

I think precisely for this reason, Lucifer offered another option. Lucifer’s plan takes away agency, forcing compliance and obedience to bring everyone back. This seems like it averts a lot of suffering, and many believed it was more reasonable than the plan of God, however, it cannot produce gods. Nobody could have eternal life if they are not free to choose. This plan only creates servants, robots who are programmed to do what they do. They are not free. They cannot choose. They are cooks who can only go by a cookbook, not chefs who can create something new. This is not life, but death and damnation. Thus, Lucifer’s plan is not a real option. 

Maybe there could be another possible plan. What if there was no tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or if it was there, nobody took the fruit. Everyone remains just. Then, everyone can do the plan of Jesus. Everyone would choose to follow the counsel of God, and come to earth to receive a body and experience evil, but not succumb to it. We could experience the suffering of hell and understand guilt, shame, loss, separation from God, and all the effects of evil the way Jesus did. Then, all would know, and remain just and pure to return to God. This would truly be the way to follow Jesus, to actually traverse the same path, make all the same decisions, and be worthy to return, as He did. There would be no need for a savior because all would remain children of God, either in the spirit or in the flesh. This overcomes the obstacle of justice because the choice would be to stay as spirits In heaven, or go to earth and suffer evil. If I make a choice to suffer, then there is no debt to justice in my suffering. Everyone remains just so none are lost, not one. 

If God had made such a plan there would only be two groups: those who choose the path of suffering and gain eternal life by their own righteousness, and those who choose not to come to earth and experience evil and gain a body, but remain as spirits in heaven. However, if there really is agency, meaning each person is free to choose, and they are tempted by evil, then sometimes they will choose the wrong thing. Then, they are left out of heaven forever with no hope of salvation. Thus, there would be a much larger group that are not saved because they could not withstand evil, making bad choices and being damned in hell, cast out of heaven forever. Those who made one single little mistake are never allowed back into heaven and there is no place for them so they remain in outer darkness. 

Thus, there may be other ways to accomplish parts of the goal, but the way God chose has many advantages. Really, though, the gift of agency, which allows for individual differences and choices would require a fall, probation, and a savior. We owe a debt of gratitude to our Savior because He makes all things possible for us. We can choose, experience evil, and return to the Father justified and clean with experience that gives us wisdom and judgment to be like Him. I think there is no other way.

 

There are no second chances

It is often said that God is “a god of second chances,” but that is not the case. He is no respecter of persons. Everyone has the exact same chance. It is only our own decisions that make us who we are, or that make His grace available. Nobody has more grace, or mercy, than another. The “second chance” is just a different part of salvation. The full meaning of salvation is to receive the gift of eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God. Each person is presented with exactly the same choices to receive this gift. There is no “second chance” at this. Either you are on the path, or not. If you choose to stay with what you have, then you are off the path, and only by choosing to go back on the path could that possibly happen. There is a time granted for repentance, which is this life. Once we come to judgment, we no longer have the option.

When those who die are given another chance to accept Christ after this life it is not a second chance to receive a celestial glory, but rather to be saved from suffering, or to be saved from hell in a lower kingdom of glory. While these are forms of salvation, it is not a celestial glory, nor the possibility of eternal life. No one can go back and make a different choice than the one they made. Once a choice is made, it is forever! 

Those who are taught the gospel and receive it after they die but before the resurrection may receive eternal life, but, this is actually their first chance as they had not heard of Christ or had the opportunity for baptism while they were alive – they still only have one. All will have their time to decide, but once they decide, it is forever. Those who did not take the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil will never have the chance again. Those who chose to go with Lucifer and not make a covenant with God will never ever be able to be born into a body. Those who receive a terrestrial glory will never see the Father. Those who receive a telestial glory will never know Jesus Christ. Those who are not sealed to a spouse by the Holy Spirit of promise will never receive eternal life. Never. The choice has been made. The option is gone. It is what it is – forever.

Though we have always existed, the opportunities to move forward are limited. Only by choosing the path outlined by God can anyone increase. Eternal life means growing forever. There is a beginning, but no end. There is a bottom, but no top. Temperatures can be absolute zero, but reach infinite highs. Relative speeds can be zero but without a top speed. Likewise, we start from being the smallest individual intelligence on the bottom rung of the ladder but can continue to grow forever. By becoming one with God, we gain the gift of eternal life, E Pluribus Unum.