Mormonism and the Pre-existence of Spirits
By John Finton
I. Statement of the Problem
The origin of the soul (i.e., the metaphysical or immaterial aspect) of
the descendants of Adam has three different explanations. Did the spiritual
aspect of man pre-exists, or is transmitted from the parents to the child, or
is it created within us at conception? The three views are expressed as
follows:
A. Pre-existence. The Encyclopedia of Mormonism states:
The term ‘pre-existence,’ or more accurately, ‘premortal existence,’ refers to
a period of individual conscious and accountable life before birth into
mortality on this earth. It is Latter-day Saint doctrine that living things
existed as individuals spirit beings and possessed varying decrees of
intelligence in an active, conscious spirit state before mortal birth and that
the spirit continues to live and function in the mortal body. The revelations
teach that premortal spirit bodies have general resemblance to their physical
counterparts (http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Pre-Existence ).
Their major Biblical support for this view includes Job 38:4-7;
Ecclesiastes 12:7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 9:2; Hebrews 12:9. The preexistence
of spirit beings has its roots in Greek philosophy as is seen from the
following quote from the New Dictionary of Theology (653):
Platonism inspired the belief that souls enjoyed some higher existence
prior to their entry into individual human bodies. This view often coexisted
with notions of a pre-cosmic fall and the transmigration of the souls. Among
Gnostics and others, it presented the soul as an emanation from the divine
substance itself. Although championed by Origen, it was widely condemned
in the 5th and 6th centuries.
B. Traducianism. This is the teaching that not only the body but also
the soul is passed down by natural generation. Biblical support for this view
is Genesis 5:1-3; 46:26; John 1:13, and Hebrews 7:9-10.
C. Creationism. This view holds that each individual soul is created
out of nothing (ex nihilo) by God and implanted at conception. Biblical
support for this view is Ecclesiastes 12:7; Isaiah 57:16; Zechariah 12:1; and
1 Peter 4:19.
D. Preferred view. The preferred view is creationism. Though
traducianism presents some thought provoking arguments, mostly from a
theological perspective, creationism seems to have the best exegetical
support. However, the majority of what follows will be in answering the
Mormon’s support for preexistence rather than answering traducianism. In
doing this the exegetical data will also demonstrate creationism as the better
view. What follows will demonstrate that Mormons constantly read meaning
into Scripture (eisegesis), basing their interpretations on pre-understanding
or preconceived ideas.
II. LDS Support for Pre-mortal Existence
A. Job 38:4. Where was thou when I laid the foundations of the
earth? Declare, if thou has understanding.
In order for Mormons to get pre-existence from the Bible, they have to
read it into the text. For example in the question asked of Job (38:4)
“Where was thou when I laid the foundation of the earth? In the Mormon’s
mind “Job had to be somewhere by the very nature of the question.”
The purpose of the question is to convince Job of His ignorance. “To
understand the cause of things, man should have been present at their
origin” (Jamison, Fausset and Brown, “Job,” Commentary on the Whole
Bible, 340). Certainly God is not asking because He does not know. Neither
is the nature of the question to the sense that Job was somewhere but
somehow missed the creation of the earth? Where were you Job that you
missed the creation of the earth? This is an unlikely understanding of the
question, since it would be hard to explain how Job could be somewhere but
miss the creation of the earth. The consensus among biblical scholars is that
Job was nonexistence at creation. Commenting on Job 38:4-21 Kline states
“This section opens and closes with references to Job’s nonexistence at
creation (vv. 4, 21; cf. 12). Hence his ignorance of how the earth was
founded” (“Job,” WBC, 487). Zuck says the same thing:
“Job was immediately confronted with his insignificance, for he was not
present when God created the earth. Since he did not observe what had
taken place then, he could not understand it. How could he hope to advise
God now?” (“Job,” BKC, 767).
Smick is also in agreement:
The irony in the Lord’s words “Surely you know” (v. 5; cf. v. 21) is
sharp and purposeful. Job had dared to criticize God’s management of the
universe. Had he been present at the Creation (an obvious absurdity), he
might have known something about God’s management of its vast expanses
(vv. 4-6). But even the angels who were there could only shout for joy over
the Creator’s deeds (v. 7) (“Job,” EBC, 1035).
This last quote is significant in that it makes a distinction between
angels (“the sons of God”) and Job. If Job was premortal, one would expect
him to be among the angels who sang for joy at the creation. In Mormon
doctrine angels and premortals are one and the same. Demons are
premortals kicked out of heaven and have lost their chance to receive
physical bodies.
The Bible, however, teaches no such doctrine. Not only can it be
demonstrated that there is no premortal life of mankind (as seen below), it
can also be demonstrated that angels are created. Psalm 148:2-5 indicates
that the angels as well as the heavens were created by the direct command
of God. Both John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:16-17 indicate that Jesus Christ
who is Himself God was the cause of every created thing:
“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers—all things were created by him, and for him; And
he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Col 1:16-17).
There is a general consensus among biblical authorities that the terms
“dominions and principalities” refer to angels (Rom 8:38; Eph 3:10; 6:12).
Since angels are heavenly beings (as well as capable of being invisible to
humans), they are included in all things that are in heaven. That the angels