All Are Alike Unto God

I remember once in a religion class many years ago a professor suggested that the reason some men had been precluded from receiving the priesthood was that they had not been as valiant in the premortal existence. This was a common theory, but it has been unquestionably denounced by the Church: "Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects unrighteous actions in a premortal life; that mixed-race marriages are a sin; or that blacks or people of any other race or ethnicity are inferior in any way to anyone else. Church leaders today unequivocally condemn all racism, past and present, in any form." The theory about the premortal life is also contradicted in my mind by this statement from the Lord: "Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God" (Doctrine and Covenants 93:38). When we came as infants to this earth, we were innocent before God and each given an equal chance to use our agency to choose Him. We do not know why temple and priesthood blessings were not available to all in the past, but we do know that "all are alike unto God" and He is perfectly just (2 Nephi 26:33). President Nelson put it this way: "Each of us has a divine potential because each is a child of God. Each is equal in His eyes. The implications of this truth are profound. Brothers and sisters, please listen carefully to what I am about to say. God does not love one race more than another. His doctrine on this matter is clear. He invites all to come unto Him, 'black and white, bond and free, male and female.' I assure you that your standing before God is not determined by the color of your skin. Favor or disfavor with God is dependent upon your devotion to God and His commandments and not the color of your skin." In other words, ultimately the eternal blessings we receive will depend upon our choices and not on things that are out of our control.        

            This principle is emphasized in the story of the Amlicites who dissented from the Nephites and rejected the Church. After describing their rebellion and the battle they fought with the Nephites, Mormon said this: "They had come out in open rebellion against God; therefore it was expedient that the curse should fall upon them. Now I would that ye should see that they brought upon themselves the curse; and even so doth every man that is cursed bring upon himself his own condemnation." Those who are cursed by God--being cut off from certain blessings--have chosen it themselves. The Amlicites chose to rebel against the people and against the Lord, and they paid dearly for it as thousands of them were killed and sent unprepared to meet their Maker. Mormon summarized the lesson from the Amlicites this way: "And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one. For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth" (Alma 3:18-19, 26-27). Only we can choose who we will obey, and we will receive the blessings of God accordingly. Now is our chance to choose to make covenants with God and receive all that He has to give us. Surely we will each say with Nephi to the Lord when all is said and done, and when some have not received the blessings they could have received based on their own choices, "Thy ways are just" (2 Nephi 26:7).