You are on page 1of 4

“Chapter 4: Freedom to Choose,” Gospel Principles, (2009),17–21

Moses 3: 17 But of the tree of the


Agency Is an Eternal Principle a
knowledge of good and evil, thou
Q: If someone asked you why it is important to have agency, shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou
what would you say? mayest bchoose for thyself, for it is
2given
c
unto
Nephi 2: 27thee; but, remember
Wherefore,
d
men are that
a I forbid it, for in the b day thou eatest
c
free according to the flesh; and all
In (Moses 3:17) we read “Thou mayest choose for thyself, for thereof thou
d shalt surely e
(1)
dieare
things are given them which
it is given unto thee”
expedient unto man. And they are free
God has told us through His prophets that we are free to to echoose fliberty and eternal glife,
choose between good and evil. We may choose liberty and through the great Mediator of all men,
eternal life by following Jesus Christ. We are also free to or to choose captivity and death,
choose captivity and death by following Satan. (Read 2 Nephi according to the captivity and power
2:27.) Q: Who is of the devil; for he seeketh that all
the Great men might be hmiserable like unto
Moses 4:1 AND I, the aLord God,
Mediator? Why himself. (2)
spake unto Moses, saying: That
is choosing to
b
Satan, whom thou hast 2 Nephi 2: 15 And to bring about his
follow him
commanded in the name of mine choosing liberty? eternal apurposes in the end of man,
Only Begotten, is the same which after he had bcreated our first parents,
The right to
was from the cbeginning, and he and the beasts of the field and the
choose between c
came before me, saying—Behold, good and evil and fowls of the air, and in fine, all things
here am I, send me, I will be thy to act for which are created, it must needs be
son, and I will dredeem all mankind, ourselves is that there was an opposition; even the
d
that one soul shall not be lost, and called agency. forbidden efruit in fopposition to the
g
surely eI will do it; wherefore fgive tree of life; the one being sweet and
me thine honor. (4) In our premortal the other bitter.
life we had moral
agency. One 16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave
purpose of earth life is to show what choices we will make unto man that he should aact for
(Read 2 Nephi 2:15–16). If we were forced to choose the himself. Wherefore, man could not
b
right, we would not be able to show what act for himself save it should be that
we would choose for ourselves. Also, we are Moses 4:3 he wasD&C
c
enticed by the
29:36-37 Andone or the
it came to pass
happier doing things when we have made other. (3)
Wherefore, that Adam, being tempted of the
our own choices. a
because that devil—for, behold, the bdevil was
a
Satan brebelled before Adam, for he crebelled against
against me, and me, saying, Give me thine dhonor,
Agency was one of the principal issues to
arise in the premortal Council in Heaven. It sought to destroy which is my epower; and also a fthird
c
was one of the main causes of the conflict the agency of part of the ghosts of heaven turned
between the followers of Christ and the man, which I, the he away from me because of their
h
followers of Satan. Satan said, “Behold, Lord God, had agency;
here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I given him, and
will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall also, that I should 37 And they were thrust down, and
not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give unto him mine thus came the adevil and his bangels;
give me thine honor” (Moses 4:1). In saying own power; by the (6)
this, he “rebelled against [God] and sought power of mine Only
to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3).
His offer was rejected, and he was cast out Begotten, I caused
of heaven with his followers (see D&C that he should be
d
29:36–37). cast down; (5)

1
Helaman 14: 30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth,
perisheth unto ahimself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are
b
free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a cknowledge
and he hath made you free.

31 He hath given unto you that ye might aknow good from evil, and he hath given unto you that
ye might bchoose life or death; and ye can do good and be crestored unto that which is good, or
have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored
unto you. (8)

Agency Is a Necessary Part of the Plan of Salvation

Abraham 3: 25 And we will aprove


Agency makes our life on earth a period of testing. When them herewith, to see if they will
b
do all things whatsoever the Lord
planning the mortal creation of His children, God said, “We will
their God shall command them;(7)
prove [test] them herewith, to see if they will do all things
whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham
3:25). Without the gift of agency, we would have been unable to show our Heavenly Father whether we would
do all that He commanded us. Because we are able to choose, we are responsible for our actions
(see Helaman 14:30–31).

Q: How do making right choices help us make more right choices?


Q: And conversely, how does a making bad choice often lead to making more bad choices?

When we choose to live according to God’s plan for us, our


agency is strengthened. Right choices increase our power to make D&C 93:28 He that akeepeth his
more right choices. commandments receiveth btruth
and clight, until he is glorified in
As we obey each of our Father’s commandments, we grow in truth and dknoweth all things. (9)
wisdom and strength of character. Our faith increases. We find it
easier to make right choices.
We began to make choices as spirit children in our Heavenly Father’s presence. Our choices there made us
worthy to come to earth. Our Heavenly Father wants us to grow in faith, power, knowledge, wisdom, and all
other good things. If we keep His commandments and make right choices, we will learn and understand. We
will become like Him. (See D&C 93:28.)

2
Agency Requires That There Be a Choice
2 Nephi 2:11 For it must needs
be, that there is an aopposition in
Moses 4: 3 Wherefore, because that aSatan Q:
b
all things. If not so, my first-born
rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the Why is in the wilderness, righteousness
c
agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had could not be brought to pass,
given him, and also, that I should give unto him neither wickedness, neither
mine own power; by the power of mine Only holiness nor misery, neither good
Begotten, I caused that he should be dcast nor bad. Wherefore, all things
must needs be a compound in
down;
one; wherefore, if it should be
4 And he became aSatan, yea, even the bdevil, one body it must needs remain as
dead, having no life neither
the father of all clies, to ddeceive and to blind
death, nor corruption nor
men, and to lead them ecaptive at his will, even incorruption, happiness nor
as many as would not fhearken unto my voice. misery, neither sense nor
(11) insensibility. (10)

opposition necessary? Read What Lehi, a great Book of Mormon prophet, told his son Jacob that in order
to bring about the eternal purposes of God (2 Nephi 2:11).

We cannot choose righteousness unless the opposites of good and evil are placed before us., there must be “an
opposition in all things. God allows Satan to oppose the good. God said
2 Nephi 2:18 And because he of Satan: (Moses 4:3–4).
had fallen from heaven, and
had become miserable 17 But whatsoever
forever, he asought also the thing persuadeth
misery of all mankind. men to do aevil, and
Wherefore, he said unto Eve, believe not in Christ,
yea, even that old serpent, and deny him, and
who is the devil, who is the serve not God, then
Satan does all he can to destroy God’s work. ye may know with a
father of all blies, wherefore
he said: Partake of the He seeks “the misery of all mankind. … He perfect knowledge it
forbidden fruit, and ye shall seeketh that all men might be miserable like is of the devil; for
not die, but ye shall be as unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:18, 27). He does after this manner
God, cknowing good and evil. not love us. He does not want any good thing doth the devil work,
(12) for us (see Moroni 7:17). He does not want for he persuadeth
us to be happy. He wants to make us his no man to do good,
slaves. He uses many disguises to enslave us. no, not one; neither
When we follow the temptations of Satan, we limit our choices. The following do his angels;
neither do they who
example suggests how this works. Imagine seeing a sign on the seashore that reads:
subject themselves
“Danger—whirlpool. No swimming allowed here.” We might think that is a
unto him. (13)
restriction. But is it? We still have many choices. We are free to swim somewhere
else. We are free to walk along the beach and pick up seashells. We are free to
watch the sunset. We are free to go home. We are also free to ignore the sign and swim in the dangerous place.
But once the whirlpool has us in its grasp and we are pulled under, we have very few choices. We can try to
escape, or we can call for help, but we may drown.
INSERT YOUR OWN STORY HERE OF WAIMEA BAY.
Q: What are some examples of actions that limit our choices? What are some examples of actions that give
us more freedom?
3
Galatians 6: 7 Be not
a
deceived; God is not Revelation 22:12
b
mocked: for Even though we are free to choose our course of action, And, behold, I
whatsoever a man we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions. acome quickly;
c
soweth, that shall he The consequences, whether good or and my breward is
also d
reap18:15 bad, follow as a natural result of any 1 Corinthians 10:13 with me, hath
There to give
3 Nephi
Verily, verily, I say
choice we make (see Galatians 6:7; a every man
no temptation taken you but
unto you, ye must Revelation 22:12). such as is common according as his
to man: but
c
watch and apray God is faithful, who work
will shall
not be.
b
always, lest ye be suffer you to be tempted
tempted by the Heavenly Father has told us how to above that ye are able; but will
c
devil, and ye be led escape the captivity of Satan. We must with the dtemptation also make
away captive by watch and pray always, asking God to a way to escape
e
, that ye may
him. help us withstand the temptations of be able to bear it.
Satan (see 3 Nephi 18:15). Our
Heavenly Father will not allow us to be tempted beyond our power to resist (see 1 Corinthians 10:13; Alma
13:28).

God’s commandments direct us away from danger and toward eternal life. choosing wisely, we will gain

27 Wherefore, men are afree according to the bflesh; and call things are dgiven them which are
expedient unto man. And they are free to echoose fliberty and eternal glife, through the great
Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of
the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be hmiserable like unto himself.

28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great aMediator, and hearken unto his
great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the
will of his Holy Spirit;

exaltation, progress eternally, and enjoy perfect happiness (see 2 Nephi 2:27–28).

• • Additional Scriptures
• • Moses 7:32 (freedom of choice)
• • Abraham 3:24–25 (earth life a test)
• • Alma 41:3; Moroni 7:5–6 (works judged)
• • 2 Nephi 2:11–16 (opposition is necessary)
• • Moroni 7:12–17 (choosing good and evil)
• • 2 Peter 2:19; John 8:34 (sin is bondage)
• • 2 Nephi 2:28–29; Alma 40:12–13 (reward according to works)

You might also like