Creation

Humans, plants and animals were created first as spirits in heaven and then physically on the earth

Mormons teach that all things were ‘created’ spiritually before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. “Like humans and plants, animals were created first as spirits in heaven and then physically on the earth” (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York-Toronto 1992, vol. 1, page 42); ‘We were all created untold ages before we were placed on this earth. We discover from Abraham 3:22-28, that it was before the earth was formed that the plan of salvation was presented to the spirits, or ‘intelligences.’ This being true, then man, animals and plants were not created in the spirit at the time of the creation of the earth, but long before’ (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, I, page 76)

Therefore Mormons teach that before men inhabited this earth, they existed as spirits. However, these spirits did not come into existence by an act of creation, for as I said somewhere else, Mormons reject creation out of nothing. They were begotten by God the eternal Father; however, a divine mother also was involved in the origin of these spirits: ‘ ….. parenthood requires both father and mother, whether for the creation of spirits in the premortal life or of physical tabernacles on earth. A Heavenly Mother shares parenthood with the Heavenly Father. This concept leads Latter-day Saints to believe that she is like him in glory, perfection, compassion, wisdom, and Holiness’ (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York-Toronto 1992, vol. 2, page, 961). However, it must be said also that according to Mormons, prior to their ‘begetting’, the substance of these spirits was in existence, for they say: ‘Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of the truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be’ (Doctrine and Covenants, 93:29), and also: ‘The intelligent part of man was never created but always existed’ (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, I, 12).

The pre-existent life was an infinitely long period of probation, progression and schooling. All the spirits probably had an equal start, but some outstripped the others in the quality of their pre-existent life. The reason for the discrimination between races is found in the conduct of spirits in the pre-existent state: ‘There is a reason why one man is born black and with other disadvantages, while another is born white with great advantages. The reason is that we once had an estate before we came here, and were obedient, more or less, to the laws that were given us there. Those who were faithful in all things there received greater blessings here, and those who were not faithful received less’ (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, I, page 61). In other words, men receive on earth what they have deserved in heaven during their premortal life! This concept is confirmed in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism for we read in it the following words about ‘foreordination’: ‘Foreordination is the premortal selection of individuals to come forth in mortality at specified times, under certain conditions, and to fulfil predesignated responsibilities …. Foreordination comes as a blessing or reward for premortal righteousness and valiant commitment to Jesus Christ” (Encyclopedia of Mormonism vol. 2, page 522).

Confutation

Man consists of body, soul and spirit (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Our soul as well as our spirit did come into existence while we were in the womb of our mother. They were created by God, for God says in the book of Isaiah: “For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would fail before Me, and the souls which I have made” (Isaiah 57:16 – NKJV). Therefore not only our body but also our soul and our spirit were created by God in the womb of our mother. In the light of the Holy Scripture, then, it is not true that before men inhabited this earth, they existed as spirits in heaven. If men were created long before the creation of the earth, how could God put the following question to Job: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4 – NKJV)? Don’t you think that if Mormons were right Job could have said to God: ‘I was with you in heaven!’ However, Job was not with God in heaven when God laid the foundations of the earth. This is why Job said to God: “Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth” (Job 40:4 – NKJV), because he did not know what to say to God. He certainly did not believe in the pre-existence of his soul. Yet Mormons claim they know where they were when God laid the foundations of the earth! But their words are a heap of lies! Furthermore, it must be said that if we had lived a premortal life in heaven or somewhere else, we would certainly recall our premortal life. For Jesus in the days of His flesh recalled His pre-existence with God the Father in heaven. Did Jesus not say: “Before Abraham was I AM” (John 8:58 – NKJV)? Did He not say to many of His disciples, who were offended at His words: “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?” (John 6:61-62 – NKJV)? Therefore, if we had lived with Jesus in heaven before we were born, we should recall something about our previous existence. However, we don’t recall anything about our ‘pre-mortal’ life!

In the light of what I said before, then, it follows that the doctrine of foreordination which is taught by Mormons is false too. To refute it I quote the following words that Paul wrote to the Romans about Esau and Jacob: “(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her [Rebekah their mother], The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Romans 9:11-13). Did God say these words to Rebekah because Esau during his pre-existent life had been unfaithful to God, while Jacob had been faithful to God? Certainly not! For the apostle says that Esau and Jacob had not yet done any good or evil. So we conclude that before Esau and Jacob were conceived in the womb of their mother, they had not lived a premortal life. God did not foreordain Esau to serve Jacob, and Jacob to be served by Esau, for Esau had been less obedient than Jacob to the laws that were given them there; but He foreordained Esau to serve Jacob according to the good pleasure of His will, so that the purpose of God according to election might stand.

As for the doctrine which says that ‘plants and animals were created first as spirits in heaven and then physically on the earth’, I say only this: it is a false doctrine, reject it.

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