Dive into the pre-existence, where we lived with God as spirits before earth, explaining suffering, foreordination, and universal salvation over limited doctrines, tied to Jesus’ infinite Atonement. Learn more at MapToHappiness.Com.
Life Before Earth: Unveiling the Pre-Existence—A Divine Truth Restored
By Michael B. Nhem, Founder of MapToHappiness.Com
Life before earth—pre-existence—is a truth the Bible proclaims with urgency, yet pastors and theologians shroud it in silence! They reject ongoing revelation from God, leaving them oblivious to the pre-existence doctrine’s transformative power.
The pre-existence stands as the cornerstone of our salvation!
A true salvation doctrine hinges on the pre-existence, the one true God, and the post-mortal existence (spirit world). God is eternal, and His plan of salvation mirrors that eternity. This understanding enables us to reflect on our life before descending to earth, comprehend our purpose here, and anticipate our destination. Most Christians fixate only on the present and future, but the restored gospel of Jesus Christ illuminates the past, present, and future—don’t miss this complete narrative!
This insight unlocks life’s three biggest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here on earth? Where do we go after this mortal life? It reveals the plan of salvation in its awe-inspiring fullness. Additionally, it casts new, vibrant light on the creation and the pivotal events in the Garden of Eden. The Bible offers no doctrine of original sin as inherited guilt; rather, the Book of Mormon provides the clearest insight into the Fall of Adam. 2 Nephi 2:25 declares, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” Moreover, 2 Nephi 2:15-16 explains, “And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents… it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.” These verses frame the Fall as a vital step for our progression, not a curse, perfectly aligning with God’s eternal design. Some theologians and learned men have suggested God’s plan faltered in the Garden of Eden, necessitating Jesus’ salvation. I disagree. God crafted a flawless plan from the outset. He selected Jesus as our Savior before the world’s foundation. 1 Peter 1:19-20 affirms, “But with the precious blood of Christ… Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world.” Ephesians 1:4 reinforces this: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” This was no Plan B. God devised a perfect plan before the earth’s creation, with Jesus appointed as the world’s Savior from the beginning.
Below, explore dozens of scripture verses about the pre-existence. Delve deeper under the section Full Bible Verses on Pre-existence. Study them, ponder with fasting and prayer, and let the Holy Spirit reveal the truth of this divine plan.
Have you ever questioned your origin before birth? Most cling to the notion that life begins at conception, but as Latter-day Saints, we embrace a deeper truth: we dwelt with God as spirits before stepping onto this earth. This pre-existence shapes our identity, purpose, and connection to Jesus Christ’s infinite Atonement. Now, I’ll guide you through scripture and my personal journey to unveil this divine reality—a biblical and restored truth overlooked by other churches. We’ll explore the War in Heaven, the origins of human suffering, how pre-earth choices illuminate it, the doctrine of foreordination guiding our earthly missions, the flawed belief that only some are saved while others face eternal doom, and further evidence of our pre-existent nature. Let’s uncover the life we lived before earth and discover why it demands your attention!
The Dawn of Our Spiritual Beginnings
Imagine a time before the stars were hung or the earth took form—a realm of light and spirit where we existed with God. This is the pre-existence, a principle rooted in the restored gospel and subtly woven into the Bible. Jeremiah 1:5 declares, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Far from mere poetry, this verse proves God knew Jeremiah as a spirit before his birth, a knowledge that encompasses us all.
Job 1:6 and 2:1 offer a window into this spiritual realm: “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them” and “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.” The “sons of God” were pre-existent spirits, including ourselves, gathering before God, with Satan as a fallen presence. Proverbs 8:22-31 enriches this picture: “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old… When he prepared the heavens, I was there… Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.” Personified wisdom’s pre-creation existence with God strongly suggests our own pre-earth presence.
The Pearl of Great Price, in Moses 3:5, broadens this vision: “And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things… spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth.” This spiritual creation preceded the physical, implying our inclusion in that pre-earth council. The Book of Abraham 3:22-23 advances this further: “Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones… and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them.” Abraham’s recognition as a noble spirit, chosen before earth, reflects a shared heritage among God’s children.
A Council in Heaven and the War That Followed
Before our earthly journey commenced, we took part in a grand council in heaven. Doctrine and Covenants 138:55-56 recounts, “They are they who are the seed of Abraham… who received the priesthood under the hand of the Father… in the grand council before the world was.” In this council, God unveiled His plan of salvation, granting us the opportunity to gain physical bodies and return to Him through obedience. Jesus, known as Jehovah, volunteered as our Savior, committing to atone for our sins. John 1:1-2 resonates with this: “In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word [Jesus] was with God, and the Word [Jesus] was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” The “Word,” Christ, existed pre-eminently with the Father from the start.
Not all agreed, however. A War in Heaven ignited, as detailed in Revelation 12:7-9: “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” This dragon, Satan, rebelled against God’s plan. Isaiah 14:12-15 elaborates: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God… yet thou shalt be brought down to hell.” Jude 1:6 corroborates: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” These angels, led by Satan, forfeited their first estate, in contrast to our decision to preserve it.
This conflict centered on agency. God’s plan empowered us to choose, while Satan sought to enforce salvation, stripping away free will. Those who followed him were cast out, whereas we, by choosing God’s plan, earned the privilege to come to earth. The Book of Moses 4:1-3 clarifies: “And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan… sought to destroy the agency of man… Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him… I caused that he should be cast down.”
Why Pre-Existence Explains Human Suffering
The pre-existence provides a distinctive answer to a persistent question: why does suffering exist if God loves us? In debates between traditional Christians and atheists, the latter often challenge, “If God is loving, why doesn’t He eliminate human suffering?” Traditional Christians, without a pre-existence perspective, often falter in response. For us, the solution lies in that grand council. We understood that suffering would be part of God’s plan—trials to mold us, test us, and elevate us toward His likeness.
The Book of Abraham 3:25-26 reveals, “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them… And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate.” Our “first estate” was the pre-existence, where we opted to follow God’s plan, embracing suffering as a pathway to growth. 2 Nephi 2:11 in the Book of Mormon adds, “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so… righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad.” Thus, suffering forms part of the opposition that refines us.
A compelling Bible example appears in John 9:1-3, where Jesus heals a man blind from birth: “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” This lesson demonstrates that suffering isn’t always a penalty—it can be a pre-ordained opportunity for God’s glory, consistent with our pre-existent acceptance of life’s challenges.
Foreordination: Our Pre-Existent Missions
Our pre-existent choices didn’t merely prepare us for suffering—they also assigned us specific roles. This is foreordination, where God designated tasks based on our faith and valor. Alma 13:3-5 in the Book of Mormon explains: “And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, because of their exceeding faith and good works… Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father.” This indicates that some were foreordained to priesthood roles, a calling rooted in pre-earth righteousness.
Jeremiah’s narrative supports this. Jeremiah 1:5 not only reveals God’s pre-birth knowledge of him but also his ordination as a prophet, a pre-existent commission. 2 Timothy 1:8-9 bolsters this: “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord… Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” Our calling was pre-ordained. Titus 1:1-2 echoes, “Paul, a servant of God… In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” These passages confirm that God’s plan for us was established before our earthly existence.
Rejecting the Ridiculous Doctrine of Limited Salvation
Some churches promote a doctrine we find absurd: that only certain individuals are predestined for salvation, while others are condemned to hell irrespective of their choices. This belief, often linked to Calvinism, asserts that God arbitrarily selects a few for heaven and dooms the majority to eternal damnation (e.g., based on Romans 9:11-13). This perspective conflicts with a loving God and eliminates agency or growth. It implies that billions—those who never encountered the gospel or lived in different eras—are eternally lost, a concept that contradicts the infinite Atonement.
Our pre-existence belief counters this with compelling evidence. We all exercised agency in the grand council to accept God’s plan, opening the door to progress through earthly life. 1 Corinthians 15:22 supports this: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” The Atonement extends universally, offering resurrection to all, with salvation achievable through obedience and ordinances, even beyond death (1 Peter 3:18-20). The Doctrine and Covenants 76:40-42 unveils degrees of glory—celestial, terrestrial, and telestial—demonstrating God’s mercy transcends a binary heaven-or-hell outcome. Acts 17:28-29 affirms, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” As His offspring, we are all included in His plan, not merely a chosen few.
Evidence of Our Pre-Existent Nature
Additional scriptures illuminate our pre-earth existence. Philippians 2:15 urges us to “be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” This reflects our pre-existent status as God’s children. 1 John 3:1-2 proclaims, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God… Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be.” Our sonship originated before earth. Hebrews 12:9 adds, “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?” We are spirits with a pre-existent Father.
Encounters with evil spirits also suggest pre-existence. Matthew 8:28-29 records, “And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils… And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” Similarly, Mark 1:23-25, 1:34, 3:11-12, 5:7-8, and Luke 8:28 depict demons recognizing Jesus, implying a pre-earth awareness. 1 John 2:12-13 states, “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.” Our knowledge of Him began pre-mortally.
How The Pre-Existence Doctrine Brought Me to Christ’s True Church
Since my teenage years, I’ve grappled with life’s three biggest questions: Where do we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go after we die? My brother and I visited church after church seeking answers, but none could address these profound inquiries. One day, a high school best friend invited me to play basketball at his church, where two missionaries gave me a Book of Mormon, suggesting it would illuminate my questions. As I read the introduction, each sentence struck me with force—“it is true,” the Holy Spirit confirmed with a powerful surge, like electricity coursing through my body. The same sensation arose when I read about the Three and Eight Witnesses. Upon encountering 1 Nephi 1:1, “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents,” I knew the Book of Mormon was God’s word. Over 40 years since joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, my life has flourished abundantly. Most importantly, my three biggest questions have been answered through the pre-existence doctrine.
Embracing Our Pre-Existent Heritage
Understanding our pre-existence transforms our daily lives. It affirms we are not random—we are chosen, endowed with a divine heritage, a foreordained purpose, and a universal opportunity for salvation. Jesus, our pre-existent Savior, knew us then and atoned for us now, despite Satan’s efforts to thwart that plan. John 17:5 captures this: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” His pre-earth glory binds us to Him, a connection the infinite Atonement fortifies, rooted in our triumph over Satan’s rebellion and our acceptance of suffering.
Reflect on your own pre-existent story. Did you embrace the plan, aware of the suffering it entailed, accept a foreordained mission, and seize the chance for salvation? Yes, because you are here. Visit maptohappiness.com to delve deeper, share your thoughts on X, and let’s rejoice in our eternal roots together!
In the Holy Spirit of love, I encourage you—believers and non-believers alike—to welcome God into your life. He will shower abundant blessings from above. You can harness God’s power, the priesthood, to bless your family and others (Matthew 16:19, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”)—the greatest power imaginable! Your life will overflow with love, peace, health, and prosperity. I wish you the best in all you undertake. God bless!!!—immense blessings, the greatest! May you feel His love today, Michael B. Nhem. May God bless you and your family always!
Full Bible Verses on Pre-Existence
For those eager to explore further, here are the full quotes with explanations:
Old Testament (Alphabetical by Book):
- Ecclesiastes 12:7: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
Explanation: This implies our spirits pre-existed with God before earth, returning to Him after death, hinting at a pre-mortal origin. - Isaiah 14:12-15: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God… Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”
Explanation: Lucifer’s fall from heaven suggests a pre-existent rebellion, indicating spirits existed before their earthly destiny. - Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
Explanation: God’s pre-birth knowledge and ordination of Jeremiah point to a pre-existent spiritual identity for all. - Job 1:6: “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.”
Explanation: The “sons of God” as pre-existent spirits, including us, gathered before God, with Satan as a fallen figure. - Job 2:1: “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.”
Explanation: This reinforces the pre-existence council where we, as God’s children, stood before Him. - Job 38:4-7: “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
Explanation: The “sons of God” rejoicing at creation indicates we were pre-existent spirits witnessing and participating. - Proverbs 8:22-31: “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was… Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.”
Explanation: Wisdom’s pre-earth presence with God suggests we, as “sons of men,” shared that pre-existent joy.
New Testament (Alphabetical by Book):
- 1 Corinthians 15:22: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
Explanation: The universal resurrection through Christ reflects a pre-existent plan encompassing all spirits, not just a few. - 1 John 2:12-13: “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning…”
Explanation: Knowing God “from the beginning” points to a pre-mortal relationship with Him. - 1 John 3:1-2: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God… Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be…”
Explanation: Our sonship as God’s children began pre-mortally, shaping our eternal destiny. - 1 Peter 3:18-20: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust… By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison…”
Explanation: Christ’s preaching to pre-existent spirits in prison highlights their pre-earth existence and ongoing plan. - 2 Timothy 1:8-9: “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord… Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling… which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”
Explanation: Our holy calling was pre-ordained, evidencing a pre-existent purpose. - Acts 17:28-29: “For in him we live, and move, and have our being… For we are also his offspring.”
Explanation: As God’s offspring, our pre-existent nature connects us to Him from before earth. - Hebrews 12:9: “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us… shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?”
Explanation: The “Father of spirits” signifies we are pre-existent spirits under His care. - John 1:1-2: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.”
Explanation: The pre-existent Christ, the Word, was with God, linking us to that divine council. - John 9:1-3: “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth… Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”
Explanation: Suffering as a pre-ordained purpose, not punishment, ties to our pre-earth choices. - John 17:5: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
Explanation: Christ’s pre-earth glory with the Father connects us to His pre-existent plan. - Jude 1:6: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness…”
Explanation: The “first estate” as pre-existence shows we preserved ours, unlike fallen angels. - Matthew 8:28-29: “And when he was come… there met him two possessed with devils… saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?”
Explanation: Demons’ pre-earth awareness of Jesus hints at our shared pre-existent realm. - Mark 1:23-25: “And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit… saying, Let us alone… art thou come to destroy us?… And Jesus rebuked him…”
Explanation: Evil spirits’ recognition of Jesus suggests a pre-mortal conflict. - Mark 1:34: “And he healed many… and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.”
Explanation: Their knowledge of Jesus points to a pre-earth encounter. - Mark 3:11-12: “And unclean spirits… fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he… charged them that they should not make him known.”
Explanation: Spirits’ pre-existent knowledge of Christ reinforces our shared origin. - Mark 5:7-8: “And cried with a loud voice… What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God?… For he said unto him, Come out of the man…”
Explanation: Another instance of pre-earth awareness among fallen spirits. - Luke 8:28: “When he saw Jesus, he cried out… What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.”
Explanation: Confirms a pre-mortal connection between spirits and Christ. - Philippians 2:15: “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God… among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”
Explanation: Our role as “sons of God” reflects a pre-existent divine heritage. - Titus 1:1-2: “Paul, a servant of God… In hope of eternal life, which God… promised before the world began.”
Explanation: Eternal life promised pre-mortally underscores our pre-existent plan. - Revelation 12:7-9: “And there was war in heaven… And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan…”
Explanation: The war in heaven marks our pre-existent choice to follow God.
LDS Quad (Alphabetical by Book):
- 1 Nephi 1:1: “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents…”
Explanation: Nephi’s acknowledgment of pre-existent heritage hints at our spiritual lineage. - 2 Nephi 2:11: “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things… neither good nor bad.”
Explanation: Opposition, accepted pre-mortally, explains earthly challenges. - Alma 13:3-5: “And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world…”
Explanation: Foreordination from pre-existence shows our pre-earth preparation. - Abraham 3:22-23: “Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was… Abraham, thou art one of them.”
Explanation: Abraham’s pre-existent nobility reflects our shared spiritual origin. - Abraham 3:25-26: “And we will prove them herewith… And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon…”
Explanation: Keeping our first estate in pre-existence earns us earthly life. - Doctrine and Covenants 76:40-42: “And this is the gospel… which was ordained before the world was… even so they who received not the testimony…”
Explanation: The gospel’s pre-earth ordination includes us in its plan. - Doctrine and Covenants 138:55-56: “They are they who are the seed of Abraham… in the grand council before the world was.”
Explanation: The pre-existent council shaped our earthly covenants. - Moses 3:5: “And every plant of the field before it was in the earth… created all things… spiritually…”
Explanation: Spiritual creation before earth encompasses our pre-existent selves. - Moses 4:1-3: “That Satan… sought to destroy the agency of man… I caused that he should be cast down.”
Explanation: Satan’s pre-earth rebellion contrasts with our faithful choice.