Lessons from the Doctrine and Covenants 2021
Lesson No. Nine
Repentance In the Pre-Mortal Spirit World
Repentance is among the first principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ – Repentance is a primary theme of D&C 18-19. Repentance, as a part of the great plan of happiness, and it applies both in this life and in the spirit world. Robert J. Matthews, a former dean of the college of religion at BYU and a well-known gospel scholar, spoke of the eternal nature of repentance and of the similarities between earth life and the pre-mortal existence. He shared insights about the atonement of Christ and the need for spirits in the pre-mortal existence to repent of their sins. The following quotes are from notes made at a presentation by Brother Matthews, July 10, 1986 at the CES Summer In-service in Orem, Utah.
Sin and repentance in the pre-mortal spirit world – “We must grasp the concept that there was sin and repentance in the pre-mortal spirit world. Those who sinned beyond redemption became the one-third who were cast out. All others (two-thirds) repented through faith in Christ so that all children could be born into morality pure and free.
“The grand council in heaven was probably a series of meetings that could have lasted thousands of years. The idea that we were spirits roaming around who then held one meeting and had one vote is too simplified. We were taught for centuries. Those who became the devil and his angels did not become that way through a vote, but a life-style…What did we do in the pre-mortal existence? We were alive and alert. We talked. We met. Was there sin? There was enough sin to make one-third of the people there devils. That’s quite a bit of sin. If Satan could sin, all others could sin. We were taught the plan of salvation. We knew about the fall. We knew about the atonement. No doubt there were missionaries. Jesus wasn’t the only one who taught. We taught the gospel. We taught repentance. How did we get away from sin? We did it through repentance in the name of Jesus Christ.
We were all innocent when we were first born as spirits to Heavenly Parents – “Every spirit was innocent ‘in the beginning (when he or she was first born as a spirit son or daughter to Heavenly Parents) and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again in their infant state, innocent before God’ (D&C 93:38, interpretation and emphasis added). Now that the fall had been atoned for, men became again innocent before God when they were born in mortality. Many had sinned between the time they were born as spirits and the time they were born on the earth. (Elder Bruce R. McConkie previously confirmed to Brother Matthews that this was a correct interpretation of D&C 93:38)
In mortality we are learning again what we once knew – “Ever since we were born in the spirit world we were taught the truth and were able to choose to accept it or not. Lucifer and his one-third had a negative response. That’s when we first learned who Jesus was. We are learning again what we once knew. Satan is the author of sin as Jesus is the author of righteousness; since in each case they championed the cause, or the idea. When we got started as spirits in the spirit world we were all “on the same standing” (Alma 13:5). D&C 138:57 says we continue preaching after we depart this mortal life. This is a continuation of our missionary labor that began in the pre-earth life. We had to repent to be innocent to be born here in mortality.”
By always doing the will of His Father, Jesus made it possible for us to repent and be forgiven – Jesus was sinless both in the pre-mortal existence and in mortality, and therefore only He could bring to pass an infinite and eternal atonement that makes repentance possible for all others both in this life and in the pre-mortal and post-mortal spirit world. If we repent, as often as necessary, we are forgiven “through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah” (2 Nephi 2:8).We then rejoice in the goodness of God, and recognize what a marvelous privilege and blessing repentance truly is.