[Jonathan CV]

My FEEDBACK to LDS.org Gospel Principles, Chapter 11: 18 September 2017

The first sentence of this chapter reads, “Every person who comes to earth depends on Jesus Christ to fulfill the promise He made in heaven to be our Savior.” These seem to be important words, carefully chosen. However, I find serious disagreement about it among knowledgable members.

Every = none excluded

person = individual, self-aware intelligence, embodied or unembodied. Much broader than “soul”

comes = arrives from elsewhere. Much broader than “born”

earth = this probationary state and later

Savior = Redeemer, the One who makes it possible for the dead to live again and return to our Father in heaven’s kingdom.

This seminal sentence seems carefully crafted to include the 1/3 who rebelled and were cast out to earth with Satan to prove themselves and be judged at the last day. Jude 1:6, DC 19:2-7, 138:58-59, 29:41, HC 4:425-426, etc. support that reading.

If, in fact, being cast down to earth was final Judgement and the 1/3 are guilty of the unpardonable sin, doomed to Outer Darkness forever, as many of the saints believe (I used to), please change the sentence. I can find nothing in the scriptures that supports that, but nothing that clearly describes the more joyous divine nature and destiny: ultimate redemption for repentant spirits of the 1/3.

Until I can find clear direction to the contrary, I will continue to teach the simple reading of that sentence: that the 1/3 will come to the Final Judgement, and can be saved if they repent and obey the ordinances of the house of God.

[Author]

Posts