An Apology for lack of posting

Dear Friends,
We apologize for the lack of recent posts here on the blog. The main authors have been rather busy with school, marriage, work and moving. We hope to be able to get back online soon with more eternal truths soon! We hope you had a great Christmas break, spent with family and remembering the Royal birth in Bethlehem.
If there is a doctrine you would like us to discuss next, please let us know!
Your friends,
In Defense of the Kingdom blog staff

Life After Death: The Spirit World

We have looked at the purpose of our life on Earth, the beginning and fall of mankind with Adam and Eve, and the life we led before this Earthly life. In this post, I wish to explain the beginning steps of the third section of God’s Plan of Happiness. I will, in part, answer the question, “What happens when I die?” I wish to use the scriptures as the source of our exploration.

It is a fact that every man and woman will die. That is one of the effects of the Fall of Adam: we are all mortal and therefore will not live forever. When we die, our spirits and bodies are separated. Our spirits go to a place we will refer to as the Spirit World.  We have no need to fear death, for life continues beyond our mortal bounds.

In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Alma recorded counsel he gave to his son concerning what awaits all mankind after death. “Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life (Alma 40:11).  Alma teaches that there is a space, a waiting period, between death and the resurrection. In a future post we will talk more about resurrection, which is the reuniting of the spirit body with the physical body after death, never to be separated again. Resurrection is the end to our waiting time in the Spirit world.  What is this waiting period like? What can we expect? Alma goes on to explain the situation in the Spirit World in the following verses.

“And then it shall come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good…there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil. Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked” (Alma 40:11-14).

Alma’s explanation is fairly simple: the righteous will be in a state of peace, or Spirit Paradise, and the wicked and unrepentant will be in a state of misery and sorrow, or Spirit Prison.  As mentioned in the previous post, our purpose here on earth is to make good choices and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ by having faith in Him, repenting, receiving baptism by the proper authority, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.  If we sincerely and earnestly seek to follow Christ by living His Gospel, we can be sure we will be counted among the righteous. But what about those who have not heard of Jesus Christ or His Gospel? Thankfully, God’s plan is a merciful plan, and He has provided a way for even this group of people to receive the same blessings as those who have heard the gospel and who strive to live like Christ.

Peter spoke of Christ visiting the Spirit World after He was crucified, and preaching to the people there. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit; By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:18-20). He further expounds in a later verse, “ for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (1 Peter 4:6).

I take great joy in the thought that God is so merciful to all of His children that He would provide a way for everyone to hear and accept His Son. When Christ was in the Spirit World, He organized a force of missionaries to preach His Gospel to the souls in Spirit Prison because they had not the opportunity to hear and accept the gospel and Christ. For those who have an opportunity in this life to live the Gospel, the Spirit World is not a fail-safe. It is not in place so one can postpone repentance until the next life. Alma taught: “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And…I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world” (Alma 34:32-34). In other words, our character and our desires that we possess in this life will be with us in the Spirit World. Because of this, we need to strive diligently to improve our standing before God while in this life.

In closing I would like to cite one more scripture from modern-day revelation, which comes from the Doctrine and Covenants. In 1918, the prophet Joseph F. Smith was studying the verses previously cited in 1 Peter concerning Christ preaching to the souls in prison. Of his experience he wrote:

“As I pondered over these things which are written, the eyes of my understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I saw the hosts of the dead, both small and great. And there were gathered together in one place an innumerable company of the spirits of the just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality; I beheld that they were filled with joy and gladness, and were rejoicing together because the day of their deliverance was at hand” (Doctrine & Covenants 138:11,12,15).

I pray that this will be our goal, that we will do all that it takes to repent and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so we can have a fullness of joy in the life to come. I know that God is merciful, that His plan is real, and that He seeks to guide us in the right way that will lead us to eternal happiness and success beyond what the world measures. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and thanks to His great sacrifice, we can have hope for a better world.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Mortality and its Purpose

More often than not we've all asked ourselves in those times of trial, pains, and doubt in our lives "Why Am I here". In my short life I have heard and continue to hear many views concerning this great question some founded upon some old tradition others by the the phylosophies and doctrine of man.
Our life here on earth is a gift from our Father in Heaven. Our purpose in this life is for us to be happy and prepare to meet God. Amulek teachers " For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors" (Book of Mormon Alma 34:32). The labours Amulek is refereing to is our good works things we can do every day to be able to draw both hapiness and Heaven in our lives.

Others ague that we cannot be able to archive this state here in this life "if God loved us we would all be a happy family there's too much bad happening to good people so there isn't really a plan"
While we know in mortality we are subject to a condition of opposition and trial our Fathers plan is perfect. And his purpose is to bring us back to him having faced all these things in our lives so that we also may have the experience he has. Father Lehi teaching us about the importance of opposition in all things said,"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God" 2 Nephi 2:11-12

Without opposition in our lives we would have remained dead having no life. So these opppositions we face are able to grow us. While in this life we also need to learn to make good choices. To live the gospel,and being good to our neighbours to mention just a few. Our service to others will help us be more Christlike whilest living in enemy territoty and when chalenges hit us remembering there is someone who understands that situation very well the Savior knows."And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities". I know He (God) desires only the best fo us and with His help we can live with Him in Jesus Christ name. Amen.

That Men Might Be

“We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression” (Articles of Faith 1:2).

In this post we will discuss the next step in God’s plan. Picking up from our discussion of the creation of the Earth and the events leading up to the creation, in this post will discuss the introduction of mankind to the newly created Earth and how these events played into God’s plan.

Adam was the first of God’s children to be placed upon the Earth. In order for God to make His plan possible and allow all His children to come to Earth, He created Eve and sent her to help and to be a companion for Adam.. Adam and Eve were created in God’s image, meaning they were created to look like God with physical bodies (Genesis 1:27). God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In the Garden they walked and talked with God, and lived in a state of innocence, allowing God to provide for all of their needs. In God’s presence, they were free from sickness and death.  But in the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve were unable to have children (2 Nephi 2:23).

In the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve two commandments. One of these was for Adam and Eve to abstain from eating the fruit of a certain tree in the Garden of Eden, this is often referred to as the forbidden fruit. “But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17). God also commanded Adam and Eve to have children. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28).

Many of us read or hear about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and think to ourselves, “that is the life. No work, no worries, just paradise ” While it is true that they were free from worries and work, Adam and Eve could not progress. With no opposition, our first parents were living a purposeless life. According to God’s plan, opposition is necessary for progression.

“For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so…righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power and the mercy, and the justice of God” (2 Nephi 2:11-12).

As part of God’s plan to help mankind inherit all that He has and to return and live in His presence, God allowed Satan to tempt Adam and Eve.. Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, and in order to stay with Eve, Adam also chose to eat of the fruit (Genesis 3:6). Because they had transgressed one of God’s commandments, they were cast out of the Garden of Eden, became subject to sickness, death and disease, and were expected to work for the food they would eat. They also gained the knowledge and ability to discern between good and evil and were  able to have children. This event is called the Fall, and it is part of God’s eternal plan.

Adam and Eve Leaving Eden 
(LDS Gospel Principles Manual)

In modern revelation we learn more of why the Fall is necessary for God’s plan. “Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God. And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient” (Moses 5:10-11). Had Adam and Eve not fallen, none of God’s children would be able to come to Earth and Jesus Christ’s role as our Savior would have been unnecessary.

Thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we are not subject to punishment for Adam’s transgression. Because of Jesus Christ, no one is born into this world a sinner. As part of God’s plan made possible through the Fall, God has given us an opportunity to show that we are willing to keep His commandments and to live righteously. God wishes us to have joy in this life, and because of the Fall of Adam, we are able to experience joy. “Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25).

A key factor in Adam’s Fall, as well as in our existence, is the principle of moral agency. Agency is the ability to choose. It is a gift that God has granted to all of His children. Just as Adam was given the choice to partake of the fruit, we also are given the agency to follow God’s commandments and be obedient to Him.  As we use agency well, we qualify for God's blessings . Because of the importance of agency, we will be discussing it in more detail in our next post.

I know that the Fall of Adam is a part of God’s plan and that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is central to this plan and it is what saves us from the fall. I know that because of the Fall, we are able to come to this Earth, to gain experience and prove our obedience, so that we can return to live with God. I know that God lives and He has a plan for us. He desires us to have a fullness of joy, and He has given us the words of prophets and apostles to guide us back to Him.  Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Creation of All Things

Having thus discussed man's life before living here upon this earth, we come to the subject of where could a place be whereby we could be tested. In the Book of Abraham, the Lord Jesus said unto His glorified Father, in agreement to the divine plan our Father gave, “We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.” (Abraham 3:24-25; italics added) We learn that in order for to us to prove ourselves worthy to our Father, there must be a place for man to be tried and tested, which is why all things have been created.

Before we discuss the things which happened on each period of time of creation, it is necessary to clear up two beliefs which are clearly explained by modern revelation. First, where did the matter for all things which are created come from? Did the Creation occur ex nihilo as our Protestant friends believe? Let us hear what Joseph Smith taught in perhaps the most powerful sermon delivered by mortals in this dispensation. Said he, “Now I ask all who hear me why the learned men who are preaching salvation say that God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing.... The word create came from the word baurau; it does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize, the same as a man would organize materials to build a ship. Hence we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos--chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the glory. Element had an existence from the time He had. The pure principles of element are principles that can never be destroyed; they may be organized and reorganized but not destroyed.” (King Follett Sermon) Thus, rather than create out of nothing, our God follows the laws which He ordained and which has been discovered by science which state that matter cannot be created or destroyed. It gives more meaning to the scriptures which state:

“For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God.

Yea, behold at his voice do the hills and the mountains tremble and quake.

And by the power of his voice they are broken up, and become smooth, yea, even like unto a valley.

Yea, by the power of his voice doth the whole earth shake;

Yea, by the power of his voice, do the foundations rock, even to the very center.

Yea, and if he say unto the earth—Move—it is moved.

Yea, if he say unto the earth—Thou shalt go back, that it lengthen out the day for many hours—it is done;

And thus, according to his word the earth goeth back, and it appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still; yea, and behold, this is so; for surely it is the earth that moveth and not the sun.

And behold, also, if he say unto the waters of the great deep—Be thou dried up—it is done.

Behold, if he say unto this mountain—Be thou raised up, and come over and fall upon that city, that it be buried up—behold it is done.” (Helaman 12:8-17)

Indeed, how powerful is our God! That even the dust would obey His very word!

A second thing about the Creation is the amount of time it took. In the Genesis account, we read that each act of creation took a “day”. However, does it truly mean a day as we as men measure time or does it mean something different. We read that “time [is] only measured unto men” (Alma 40:8), so God's concept of time is much different than we as mortals understand. In the inspired account of Abraham, Abraham sees that the period of time called in Genesis called “day” is referred to as a “time”. (See Abraham 4 and compare to Genesis 1) So we learn that however long it took God to create a particular thing is referred to as a day. How long the actual period of time was is not revealed to man at this time.

Having thus explored these two essential facts, we now can proceed to understand the Creation in a way perhaps not thought of before. In that grand counsel, after Satan was cast out for rebelling against the Plan of Salvation, the divine work of creation began. From the divine record in Moses, we read that God created all things “by the word of my power... wh[o] is mine Only Begotten Son” (Moses 1:32). So God the Father and Jesus Christ began the divine work of creation. During the first period of divine work, they divided the light from darkness, and they saw that the elements obeyed. And they called their divine labors the first day and it was pleasing unto God. The events of the second period were that God divided the waters of the sea from the firmament of the heavens. These things were also pleasing unto Him. The third period of creation saw our Father and our Savior divide the earth from the waters and to cause the dry ground to bring forth plants of every kind. And God saw that all these things were pleasing unto Him. During the fourth period of creation, the lights in the Heavens were created. The Sun was made to denote to man the time of daylight and it is the greater light to rule the day. The lesser lights are the moon and stars and they denote the night and rule the night. These things were also pleasing unto God. The fifth period of creation, all of the animals, the fishes, birds, insects and all things which are living upon the earth were created and commanded to multiply and fill the earth. And all of these things were pleasing unto God the Father and the Christ.

On the sixth period of creation, the crowning event of creation occurred. The first man, Adam, known as Michael in pre-existence, was formed and created in the image and likeness of Heavenly Father and Eve in the image and likeness. This is the crowning knowledge that we have: man is formed in God's image! Truly, no more powerful testimony of man's origin can exist than the words of God to Moses: “And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them. And I, God, blessed them, and said unto them: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Moses 2:27-28)

After these acts, the Lord rested on this seventh day from the wondrous works of creation and has commanded us to rest from our labors on the seventh day. I know that God has created all things for our benefit and to bear witness that there is a merciful God. I know that the creation occurred in the way that the scriptures attest. May God grant that we might be more grateful for the things which God has created for us is my plea. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Man's Pre-earth life

In the church of Jesus Christ the is one pecular piece of doctrine that separates them from other religions. Although most religions believe in the re-uniting of the Spirit with God no religion comes close to explaining where we come from in the first place. Why do we yearn to go back to God so much. Is it because we've had the priveledge of dwelling with Him before or we yearn to have the same glory He has attained and ultimately the absolute happyness He has.
The plan of salvation answers all these questions.We will begin with where we come from. We lived with Heavenly Father, He is the father of our spirits and in literal terms are His children. Just like any Father desired the best for us, we lived as spirit (without a body of flesh and bones as we do now).He on the other hand had and has a body of flesh and Bones "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible
as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body
of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not
so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us". Because we were not like Him physicaly we could not enjoy the same blessings without a an earthly experience. Gods whole purpose is to enable us the ability to enjoy all the blessings he has. He created a plan to allow us that. His plan was perfact and will forever be or He would cease being a God. We understood the and accepted the plan before coming to earth. Heavenly Father knew we would be imperfact and sin so there had to be a Saviour. One who would understand and succur us. The in the grand council Jesus Christ was chosen as a Saviour, because He (Jesus) would allow us the ability to exercise our agency when our other brother Lucifer tried to steal the agency of all, it was the Jesus who carried out the work for His Father.
In this life we are seperated physicaly from God. But spiritually we may come to know that He desires us to become like Him. I've often heard the saying we can only know where we are going if we know where we are from. This knowldge of knowing where I come from helps me make good choices now to enable me to live with God again in His kingdom in my very own ressurected body, and telling Him how greatful I am to have had the experience of a mortal body. In the name of Jesus Christ,amen

Why a Plan of Salvation?

The Restoration of the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of the greatest events in human history and, as the word suggests, it brought back to mankind truths which had been lost. One of these truths is God’s plan for us, His children. This plan is known by many names, among which are the Plan of Salvation, the Plan of Redemption, and the Plan of Happiness. For the next several posts we will discuss this magnificent plan and what it means for us. In this post, I am going to give a brief overview of what the plan is, why God created the plan, and how knowing the plan can help us in life.

The Plan of Salvation is just as the name suggests: God’s plan to bring about the salvation of His children to enable us to be heirs of His Kingdom.  It is His plan to allow us to live with Him for eternity. It is His plan to enable us to find happiness in this life and forever. This Plan was made before the earth was formed. Prophets in all dispensations have taught and testified of this great plan and of Jesus Christ’s central role in the Plan of Redemption as our Savior. It can be explained in three basic portions: life before our earthly existence, our life on earth, and life after this mortal life. We will discuss in later posts the details of the Plan.

It is important for us to understand now why God would create this plan and how it affects us. God’s purpose is for us to inherit immortality and eternal life, allowing us to return to His presence and live with Him forever (Moses 1:39).  His actions are motivated by the love which He has for us. Like any good father, He wishes us to have all that He has.  He provided us with a Savior, Jesus Christ, to make it possible for us to return to His presence.  That matchless gift, the gift of His Son, is the ultimate display of love. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). 

 We also learn from Paul that God is a God of order, and will therefore not leave our salvation to chance (1 Corinthians 14:33). We can see this when we listen to the words of prophets and apostles. God sends prophets to guide us and prepare us for life after death.  He reveals to them the Plan of Salvation so they can in turn teach us.  As we study the solar system and other earth systems, we begin to notice that an organized being created a world which had all the necessary elements to sustain life.

Knowing what God’s plan is and why He created it will help us find peace and direction in this life. We are not merely men and women who are born, live, and die with nothing to hope for.  We are children of a loving Heavenly Father, and as His children, we were made with divine potential. It seems that every thinking soul will at some point ask him or herself questions such as, “Why am I here? Where will I go after death? Where did I come from?” The Plan of Salvation contains answers to these questions. God created this plan and reveals it to His prophets to provide us with peace and assurance of the future. Just as doctors, engineers, and lawyers require certification to prove themselves capable of their particular practice, we too are tested in each stage of the Plan of Salvation to prove that we are willing to follow God’s laws and keep His commandments. As we study God’s plan we will grow closer to Him, become more resolute in our desire to keep His commandments, and we will begin to see others as God sees them.  We will also be better prepared when the day comes for us to pass from this life into the next, for we will know what we can expect.

I know that God has an eternal plan for His children. I know that He created it out of love for us. I know that understanding this plan is a key to finding lasting peace and happiness in this life.  Understanding this plan prepares us for eternity in God’s presence. I know that Jesus Christ lives and plays a key role in Heavenly Father’s plan. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.