How Does Foreordination Work?

Q:  If someone is preordained to do something...does this mean that they can still choose not to?  Or will they just do it regardless? Also, are people preordained to do good things as well as bad? Or is it the same concept as destiny?

A:  When speaking about this principle, I think "foreordained" is a better word to use when it comes to gaining a full understanding of the concept. I choose to stress the importance of the terms we use, because misunderstandings concerning the doctrine of foreordination have caused much confusion and disagreement among Christians in all ages, and even among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  However, foreordination is a doctrine which must be understood and taught correctly (and in the proper context), because it concerns where we came from, and what our purpose was in coming here.

“The combined doctrine of God’s foreordination is one of the doctrinal roads “least traveled by.” Yet it clearly underlines how very long and how perfectly God has loved us and known us with our individual needs and capacities. Isolated from other doctrines, or mishandled, these truths can stoke the fires of fatalism, impact adversely upon agency, cause us to focus on status rather than service, and carry us over into predestination.

“Yet, though foreordination is a difficult doctrine, it has been given to us by the living God, through living prophets, for a purpose. It can actually increase our understanding of how crucial this mortal second estate is and can further encourage us in good works. This precious doctrine can also help us go the second mile because we are doubly called.”  (Neal A. Maxwell, "A More Determined Discipleship," Ensign, Feb. 1979, lds.org).

All About Armageddon

In the five years that I have maintained this blog, I have studiously avoided posting anything about the end times, the second coming, or the battle of Armageddon, for at least two reasons.  First, these topics tend to bring out the crazies on the internet, which I find incredibly tiresome.  Second, I have found that focusing too much on these subjects can cause everyday Christians to “look beyond the mark” (see Jacob 4:14).  By this I mean that it can often seem more exciting and interesting to speculate about the great and terrible events of the end of the world, which can seem safely removed from our everyday experience, than it does to contemplate the need to apply the simple principles of the gospel in our everyday lives.

On the surface, the simple and basic principles of the gospel, like faith, and repentance, and enduring to the end, can seem mundane and small when compared to the terrible glory of the end times.  It is also my opinion that these principles are often overlooked because the principles of the gospel require daily transformation, and self-evaluation, which can be difficult and uncomfortable, and therefore much less fun to consider in a priest quorum meeting than the “exciting” events leading up to the second coming of Christ.

I therefore preface this post by declaring that learning to live the gospel, and developing a relationship with God through the Holy Ghost, is more important than knowing the particulars of the events of the end times, or becoming an eschatological expert.  It is important to know "the signs of the times," but not at the expense of the "weightier matters," like justice, mercy, faith, and faithfulness.  If we are truly converted, through faithful obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ, then the last days need hold no fear for us.  If we have truly become converted as a disciple of Christ, we can look forward with anticipation, and without trepidation, for the day of His return, and there is no need to continually pore over and dwell on the accounts of the suffering and bloodshed that will come in the days leading up to His coming, especially if doing so causes us to lose sight of the truly important study and application of the gospel.

“The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. They are a time to be believing and remember our covenants” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Ministry of Angels,” Ensign, Nov. 2008).

With that said, I chose to publish this post about Armageddon because I found that there is an everyday spiritual application which we can gain from a study of the terrible fighting that will usher in the coming of Christ.  While I spend most of this post outlining the events and conditions during the battle of Armageddon, I conclude it with advice concerning how best to fight the everyday spiritual battle which each of us must fight in order to stay true to the Lord and His gospel, and ultimately, to prepare for His coming.

My friend Shari asked me this question in an effort to deepen her knowledge so that she could answer some questions that her friends had concerning the end times.  What follows is an expanded version of my original answer.

Q:  Is the battle at the end of the world (Armageddon) going to be a physical or spiritual battle?

A Latter-day Saint Perspective On The Lord's Prayer

“In Luke it is recorded that one of His disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1). Jesus then gave a pattern for prayer that has become known as the Lord’s Prayer. The same is recorded in Matthew as part of the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 6:9–13)” (D. Todd Christofferson,  “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread,” CES Fireside for Young Adults, January 9, 2011.)

I have elected to use the version of the Lord’s prayer that is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, as it appears in its most complete and most recognizable form in the Sermon on the Mount.  I have arranged the Lord’s prayer verse by verse in the order that it is presented in Matthew, and I have included my own commentary, along with selected quotes and scriptures that I have arranged so as to explicate each passage.  My comments are in red, and scriptures are in italics.

The Lord's Prayer is possibly one of the most famous and beloved passages of scripture in all of Christendom, and rightly so.  In it we have recorded for us the sweet and simple teachings of the Savior concerning the correct way to approach God in humble supplication.  Some faiths have enshrined this example of prayer as a prayer to be recited verbatim in worship as well as in personal devotion.  While I disagree that this was the Savior's intent in his teachings concerning prayer, I do believe that each of us might benefit greatly if we were to pause and weigh this prayer with greater consideration than we have typically done in the past.  The Lord's Prayer does not always receive the attention that it deserves, and I believe that the words of instruction and inspiration contained in this brief prayer merit deeper reflection, pondering, and meditation, to the end that we might more fully incorporate these teachings into our own prayers, and in our own lives.

What To Do When Church is Boring: 3 Truths and 5 Tips to Make Church More Fulfilling.

Q:  I feel frustrated because my church meetings often seem boring and unfulfilling.  What can I do to make church more exciting or at least enjoyable?

A:  You find church to be boring on occasion?  Congratulations!  That means that you are normal!  My first piece of advice would be to relax about it and understand that it is OK to feel restless in church from time to time.  I used to complain about boring church meetings all of the time, because I have had my own share of troubles when it comes to feeling engaged and fulfilled by my meetings. Then one day I noticed that I had stopped complaining.  I was puzzled enough at this discovery that I paused to examine exactly what had changed to cause such a shift in my habits.  As I reflected, I decided that I don’t think that my church meetings have changed all that much, but I am fairly sure that a vital change has happened in me to help me to overcome my boredom and appreciate my time in church.  In this post I have tried to distill what helped me to resolve this problem in my own mind and heart, and to that end, I have divided my response into two parts:

Why Being a Child of God is Not Enough

“It is good to remember that you are always a child of God. This knowledge will carry you through the most difficult times in your life and will inspire you to accomplish remarkable things. However, it is also important to remember that being a [son or] daughter of eternal parents is not a distinction you earned or you will ever lose. You will always and forever remain a [son or] daughter of God. Your Heavenly Father has high aspirations for you, but your divine origin alone does not guarantee you a divine inheritance. God sent you here to prepare for a future greater than anything you can imagine.

The promised blessings of God to the faithful are glorious and inspiring. Among them are “thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths.” And it takes more than a spiritual birth certificate or a “Child of God Membership Card” to qualify for these incomprehensible blessings” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Living the Gospel Joyful,” General Women’s Meeting Address, Sept. 27, 2014).

We are all born “naturally” as natural descendants of Adam, who was God’s son. We are also the spirit sons and daughters of God. It is in this general sense that all men can be called children of God. All men are children of God, and (all things being equal) all men have the same claim to the love of their Father in Heaven.  Therefore we gain no particular distinction nor can we derive any special status above our fellows simply due to the fact of our divine heritage.  Our divine origin is important, and vital to know about, but being born into this world as a child of God does not automatically confer any kind of righteousness, merit, or status upon us; nor does our divine pedigree, in and of itself, guarantee salvation for us in any way.

“But how do we attain [these blessings]? The Savior has answered this question in our time: “Except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory.  “For strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation. “… Receive ye, therefore, my law.”

For this reason, we speak of walking the path of discipleship.  We speak of obedience to God’s commandments.  We speak of living the gospel joyfully, with all our heart, might, mind, and soul” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Living the Gospel Joyful,” General Women’s Meeting Address, Sept. 27, 2014).

If we wish to inherit all that the Father has, then we must become bound to him through more than just the mere fact of our parentage.  We were placed on this Earth in order that we might have the opportunity, over time, to prove ourselves, and our loyalty, to God. We demonstrate this loyalty and love by steadfastly and valiantly keeping His commandments, and by binding ourselves to God through covenants made by means of ordinances such as baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.

Putting Off the Natural Man

Why must we do all of these things in order to inherit all of the blessings which the Father wishes to give His children?  As His children, should we not have some natural claim to our divine inheritance?

Unfortunately, we each make mistakes, and commit sins and transgressions. In our “natural” fallen state, which comes upon us as a consequence of the fall of Adam and Eve, we become “carnal, sensual, devilish, knowing evil from good” and thus, through sin, we become estranged from our Father in heaven. If we persist in our willful defiance of God’s laws (to say nothing of His love for us), we will become estranged from Him to the point that we may become “an enemy to God” even in this life (see Mosiah 16).

Do all roads lead to God? Why does there have to be one true church?

This is part of a question that I received from a friend of mine. I have edited my answer both for the sake of clarity, and also to remove any personal references that might infringe on the privacy of my friend. 

Q: What’s with the one true church thing? Sometimes it just feels like they (the LDS church) want me to join some elitist club or something. Is the whole “one true” thing really necessary? Like I said, I believe in logic, and the LDS seem to make the most sense, but what does it matter if I’m a card carrying member if I believe?

What happens to us when we die? Part V: Degrees of Glory

Click to go to a previous installment:

Part IV: Judgment

Part III: Resurrection

Part II: The Spirit World

Part I: Death

V. Degrees of Glory

Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 15 that while all men will be resurrected, not everyone will be resurrected to the same state of glory. He compares these degrees of glory to that of the sun, the moon, and the stars respectively. In so doing he is merely using a comparison to illustrate the glorious nature of the resurrection of our bodies, and the difference in glory among the states to which a man may be resurrected.

Is temple marriage necessary?

A friend of mine sent me this question last week, and I thought that it might be worthwhile to share it with others, since she's probably not the only one who wants to know the answer. Therefore I am publishing a modified version of her question (to preserve her anonymity) and my answer with her permission.


I was curious about some things. With all this talk lately about Temple marriage and stuff, I was wondering, is it necessary? Being sealed to your family and all that.
Reason: A friend of mine mentioned that she didn't think she would ever get married. And one of her friends said the same thing. And I think they are pretty great girls, and I actually think they will get married to someone, but whatever. My point is, what if they don't? Also, I have some good friends who are married, they are great and love each other, but what if they don't get sealed to each other? What if I don't? Is that going to stop their, or my, progression?

And what about the kids thing? Say, those girls do eventually get married to someone, neither of them want kids. And you know that my married friends don't want kids. Does that mean that's it?

Also, on a personal front, I want to get married. I want to have a family. However, I don't think that will happen. I really want to progress. I want to continue to go on a path, I just want to know what is expected. That wasn't quite the right word. I don't know how to express what I am asking here, but I am hoping that you know me enough to know what I am asking.

The 7 REAL reasons why you need to go to church

What are the REAL reasons why you need to go to church?  Not just the good reasons, or the reasons why going to church is good for you, but rather the actual practical reasons why God asks each of us to show up to a building every Sunday.

As I was browsing around the Internet recently, I came across a question and answers forum in which someone asked the question, “Why do we need to go to church on Sunday?” The answer that was voted the best was this one word in all caps: FELLOWSHIP. Most of the other answers tended to sound something like this (I’m paraphrasing): "You don’t need to go to church; God can hear your prayers wherever you are." Others said things like: "We’re hardcore Christians, and we still skip church all the time, but I guess it’s good to learn things with other Christians." Some maintained in a somewhat derisive tone that you are a sinner if you don’t go to church (this was usually followed with the person saying something along the lines of how glad they are that they aren't a christian, so they don't have to worry about it). One person provided a very detailed argument that you should go to church on Saturday instead of Sunday. This, along with some related questions that a friend asked me recently, got me to thinking about the ACTUAL reasons why we need to go to church. Not just the good reasons, or the reasons why going to church is good for you, but rather the actual practical reasons why God asks each of us to show up in a building every Sunday.