(To understand the eternal necessity of Agency, one must first recognize that the purpose of life is to become.)
Experiences, consequences, choices, and accountability, trials, challenges, work, effort, endurance, charity, faith, hope, all are required to foster the growth that is required if we are to fulfill God’s design for us, which is to become like Him, that we might be prepared and able to receive all that He has.
Satan’s plan was not rejected simply because it sought to destroy agency, but because in doing so it would also destroy the very purpose of the plan. He lost the battle in the pre-mortal councils, but he carries it on with vigor against all who kept their first estate, as they struggle through this life.
Removing Consequences
Satan knows that if he can convince God’s children that there are no consequences for their choices, then he will effectively bury agency. If the choices that lie at the heart of the concept of agency do not have any real consequences, then the very meaning of choice and agency become lost.
Alma’s son Corianton fell prey to that awful deceit, which not only stagnated his growth, but the growth of many others. His faulty and self-serving, reasoning on the meaning of the word “restoration” led him to embrace a popular, but false belief that no matter what he did, no matter the life choices he made, he would in the end be “restored” to righteousness.
Corianton had embraced what Nephi called the “false, vain and foolish” doctrine which taught,
“Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.”
Alma went to great lengths to correct Corianton’s false belief, pointing out how the word restoration “more fully condemneth the sinner and justifieh him not at all.” Alma had to clarify that mercy cannot rob justice, except for those he called the “truly penitent”
Nehor, was another who adopted and taught that our choices did not have eternal consequences. His words became popular with many because they appealed to those who in his words “feared and trembled.” His easy doctrine spread, leading to the destruction of many souls because it taught them that there was no need to repent, since there were to be no long-term consequences for this actions. It taught that no matter how they used their agency, they would be saved, which was the very lie Satan use while battling in the premortal councils of heaven.
A related false doctrine is that taught by Korihor, whose intention was to destroy the concept of accountability, by removing the existence of the judge who would impose it. If there is no future accountability, then men were free to act however they feel best. The atheists I have had discussed and debated with, in the end all had 1 of 2 reasons for their choice to fire God. 1. They felt unfairly treated and were angry that God treated them unjustly, or 2. They wanted to follow their lusts without fear of accountability. Korihor’s doctrine appealed readily to the later.
While clearly atheism is an extreme action to further the desire to escape accountability, the concept still exist among the religious in the form of those who rather than fire God, just recreate Him in their own image. In so doing they can wrest scripture to create a God that absolves us of all accountability for our choices and thus removes the need to repent, change, grow, and endure. In modern times this takes the form of “cheapening or mis-defining the true doctrine of grace.
This was powerfully revealed to me in a conversation I had with an Army Drill Sergeant who claimed to be born again. He told me of his sexual misconduct but told me it did not matter what he did because he had already been saved? I witnessed often that among our Protestant fellows, the doctrine of cheap grace had led many good people into error, and corrupted the true doctrines which include the necessity of repentance in our eternal progression.
The Functions of Grace
Sometimes the false concepts of grace come because there are so many misconceptions about its functions. Before proceeding to outline why and how cheap grace is not supported by God’s word, it will help to outline that in the foregoing I will only be referring to what I call ”Redemptive
Grace” which is not to be confused with the many other functions of grace. This chart might help
1. Those with a broken Hear and Contrite Spirit 2 Nephi 2:7-8
2. The repentant: D & C 19:15-21, Romans 5:21
3. Those who love and serve God with Heart, Might, Mind, Strength: Moroni 10:32-33
4. Those who are reconciled to the will of God: 2 Nephi 10:24
5. Those who are meek: Ether 12:26-27.