Question
Dear Gramps:
What I was thinking about is what is the relation in God knowing everything and our agency? If we have the right to choose and he does know every choice we will be making. So if he knows all that, then he knows where each of us will go in the judgment. (Telestial, Terrestrial, Celestial). I am on a mission in Argentina and I am asking my Grandfather to ask you this question. I did not know where to lead my investigator in the scriptures about it. Please help. Thanks
Jonnie
Answer
Dear Jonnie,
Heavenly Father DOES know all, including the choices we will make and the outcomes of those choices. A couple of scriptures come to mind:
For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ, and in Christ there should come every good thing. Moroni 7:22
But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen. 1 Nephi 9:6
Agency is vital to the Plan of Salvation and Heavenly Father gave us the plan that allowed us agency, knowing some would be lost, instead of Satan’s plan.
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; an they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever. Abraham 3:25-26
However, agency isn’t just important to see what we’ll choose, it’s important because of the growth and experiences we achieve through those choices. As we make good choices and follow His commandments, we become strengthened in our agency and grow through even better choices. Only in this way can we grow to be like Him.
He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things. D&C 93:28
One point to consider is the idea that even Christ grew from experience and that ought to help us to view mortality and our agency as a way to progress:
And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.
And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;
And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;
For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace. D&C 93:11-13, 20
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. Luke 2:52
Because were it not for agency, Adam and Eve wouldn’t have fallen and we wouldn’t have the blessings that resulted from that fall.
As Moses 5:11 tells us:
“And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.”
So you see Jonnie, it doesn’t matter that God knows what our choices will be. What matters is that we make those choices and grow through them. Without agency, we wouldn’t experience good and evil or joy and sorrow. We wouldn’t have the fall of Adam, which means we wouldn’t have mortal bodies or populated the earth for our brothers and sisters. Without agency, we can’t be like Him.
Gramps
