The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

By Ludlow, Daniel H.

Book Id: WPLBN0000674318
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Title:	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Author:	Ludlow, Daniel H.
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Philosophy, Theology, Literature
Collections:	Religious Literature Collection, Sacred and Theological Works Collection
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Citation APA MLA Chicago H. Ludlo, B. D. (n.d.). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Retrieved from https://self.gutenberg.org/

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Religious Publication

Excerpt
Excerpt: What is free agency, and why is it vital to the plan of salvation? Agency refers both to the capacity of beings to act for themselves (2 Nephi 2:26) and their accountability for those actions. Agency consists of either receiving the enlightenment and commandments that come from God or rejecting them by yielding to the devil's temptations (Doctrine and Covenants 93:31). Without awareness of alternatives, an individual could not choose, and that is why being tempted by evil is as essential to agency as being enticed by the Spirit of God (Doctrine and Covenants 29:39). Agency is a gift from God and is necessary for both happiness and progression. Scripture teaches that men and women must choose between obedience and rebellion. Rebellion results in spiritual bondage, which allows Satan greater influence over the individual by the means of temptation. Obedience, on the other hand, frees the individual from this bondage. Thus, to Latter-day Saints, obedience and agency do not oppose one another. Rather, obedience is the highest expression of spiritual freedom. Through Christ's Atonement, individuals can repent and escape the bondage of sin. Because human agency was purchased with the price of Christ's suffering, Latter-day Saints place great emphasis on the principle of agency.