We
are taught in the church that we lived with God before coming to this
Earth. This is known as the pre-existence. There are scriptures that
attest to this teaching. A favorite one is found in the Bible.1
There are a few examples in the Bible actually. When Jesus spoke to
his disciples about the blind man.2
Their question was who had sinned him or his parents that he was born
blind. That is showing a knowledge of something before this life.
Then
in the book of Revelation we learn that Michael fought against the
devil and his angels. That 1/3rd of the hosts of heaven were cast out
from God’s presence.3
How terrible a moment that must have been for God to cast out his
son. Lucifer, the Devil, Satan, however you wish to refer to him. He
was a “Shining One” or “Lightbearer”, also “Son of the
Morning”. Such titles display he was high up. As we know from the
Pearl of Great Price, Lucifer asked to come to earth to be the Savior
of the world. He wanted God’s power in order to do so, and he would
have saved us all no matter what.4
But
God knew it could not be this way. Jesus stepped forward and said to
send Him instead and the glory would be God’s.
It
is interesting to note that Satan’s way of thinking is how some
people in the LDS church think. They would drag you kicking and
screaming into heaven given the chance. I am not certain if they
understand this is what they are doing by saying such things, but it
is interesting for sure.
We
learn that the premortal realm was the first estate.5
Those who kept their first estate earned bodies. That is, we were
born to this earth to be able to grow and learn through experience
that we might be able to come back to God someday. At the same time,
Satan and his followers were sent to earth, but they are not able to
receive bodies or progress. They have been damned. They have no veil
over their minds and they are able to remember everything that
happened before the world was.
It
would be interesting to have a glimpse back into that first estate.
To be able to remember such things which we have lost. Yet we are
commanded to learn by faith and reliance upon the Holy Spirit that we
might recall unto our remembrance those things which were taught
before we came here.
Perhaps,
when all is said and done and we do have that recollection of times
past, we will have a better understanding of all the things which we
accepted to by coming here. Until that time comes of course, we are
but simply trying to do our best to learn and grow as children of
God.
There
is no telling how many estates there are in this existence, that
being pre, earth, and post. We know that this earth life is the
second estate for sure. Those who keep their second estate continue
on to the third estate, are judged, and then end up in the kingdom
they belong in. If there are estates beyond that? It is only for God
to know.
1. Proverbs
8
2. John
9:1-12
3. Revelation
12:4-9
4. Moses
4:1-4
5. Jude
1:6
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