Truths in the Bible

 

There are many examples of doctrine taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that, as members, we accept because of latter day revelation, such as in the Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, or Doctrine and Covenants - doctrines that some other Christians claim have no Biblical authority.  Yet that Biblical confirmation is there is you know for what you are looking.  

The doctrine of a pre-mortal existence, a grand council in Heaven, God's plan for His children, and the eternality of God's covenant with His children, is one of the doctrines explicit to latter day revelations but somewhat obscure in Biblical source.  One of these somewhat obscure references to our pre-Earth life is found in a single verse in Paul's letter to Titus, who was a bishop in the Early Church. In the very first chapter we read:

    Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's             elect, and the acknowledging of truth which is after godliness; 

    In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised the world before the world         began. (Titus: 1: 1-2)  

A promise is a covenant. This small, often overlooked passage, says to me that the covenant has been in existence since before the world was.

Job, an Old Testament writer, had a testimony of these things and of the joy felt in heaven when the Father announced His plan to His children.   If you will remember, Job's friends had been giving him grief about his faith in the Lord.  They had presented arguments that were unfounded for they knew not the ways of God.  Job took the problem to the Lord and the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind: Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you and answer me.

• Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare if you have understanding.
• Who has laid the measure thereof, if you know? or who has stretched the line upon it?
• Whereupon are the foundations there of fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
• When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?    (Job: 38: 1-7)

Finally, God called the Prophet Jeremiah and said to him:

Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou came forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee and ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)

The Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was, and among all these there were many noble and great ones; God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them and he said: These I will make my ruler; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast* chosen before thou wast* born. (Abraham 3: 22-23)