The Demise of My Free Agency

Growing up, I was quite accustomed to hearing and using the expression “free agency,” in Church literature, by lay members as well as by Church leaders. But all that is gone now. The term dropped out of favor about 10-15 years ago, almost overnight.

I recall teaching the High Priests Quorum one Sunday about 12 years ago, and made the fatal mistake of using the term. Immediately, the Bishop, who was in the class, seized the moment: “Brother Doddridge, we do not use that term anymore.” Then I referred him to that week's chapter in the Priesthood manual for that year. It was a quotation I was reading. Somehow a talk wherein the term was used had squeaked by the editors. He then said, “Oh, okay.” I smiled.

In the January 2015 issue of the Ensign magazine, an address by Elder Russell M Nelson contains, in the footnotes on page 35, the following: “6. Some people describe agency as free agency, but that expression is not scriptural. Scripture speaks only of moral agency (see D&C 101:78).” (bold added)

Interestingly, the reason there given for not using the term is that the “expression is not scriptural." But on the same page is another expression commonly used by the Church: “noble birthright.” That term is also not a scriptural term, yet it is quite okay to use that term. Apparently then, the purpose for not using free agency has a greater yet not articulated reasoning. Maybe because it is also used in sports. Maybe it was being over-used. I do not know. That footnote is the latest of several comments by Church leaders encouraging the disuse of “free agency” over the last decade.

It appears that the term free agency is a combination of several Latter-day scriptural terms from the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, namely free will, agency and moral agency. None of these are Biblical terms.

Mosiah 18:28 “And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires before God, …”

D&C 58:27 “… do many things of their own free will, …”

D&C 93:31 “Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; …

Hence we have: (free will) + (agency, moral agency)* = free agency.

The expression "free agency" then is actually the result of combining all three  latter-day scriptural terms into one locution.

* the term moral agency is used only once in Latter-day Scripture; agency five times; free will three times.

Here are a few samples of the use of “Free Agency” by our General Authorities.

·      President Joseph Smith, in 1841, Elder Christofferson quoting Joseph Smith in the May 2015, Ensign,  p.53, "Our organization is such that we can resist the devil; if we were not organized so, we would not be free agents.” 

·      President Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Title Heading of a discourse, July 14, 1855, “PLURALITY OF WIVES. − THE FREE AGENCY OF MAN. Remarks made by President Brigham Young, in the Bowery,”

·      Apostle John A Widtsoe, President David O McKay, Successor in trust, Discourses of Brigham Young, Deseret Book Company, 1954, p65, quoting President Brigham Young, “I have the right to call my family together at certain hours for prayer, and I believe this course proves that I am a free agent.”

·      Apostle Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 21:233, Aug. 08, 1880, “All agents, free agents, who have light and knowledge to know how to act, …”
·      President Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 12^th edition, Deseret Book Company, 1961, p.48 quoting from Apr. C.R. 1904, p.73. “… the Latter-day Saints… it is their privilege to judge for themselves and to act upon their own free agency with regard to their choice as to sustaining or otherwise those who should exercise presiding functions among them.
·      Apostle James E Talmage, Articles of Faith, 1909 edition, p.56, published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Note, in the 1972 edition, this quote appears on p.52. In the 1972 edition, see also pp. 71, 533. “Man’s Free Agency – The Church holds and teaches as a strictly scriptural doctrine, that man inherited among the inalienable rights conferred upon him by his divine Father, absolute freedom to choose the good or the evil in life as he may elect.”
·      Apostle John A Widtsoe, A Rational Theology, Chapter 11, Mormon Texts Project, 2011,  “The descendants of Adam soon began to exercise their free agency, some for, and many against, the Great Plan.”
·      Apostle Marion G Romney, General Conference, Apr 06, 1953, p.124, “I do not look upon Adam’s action as a sin. I think it was a deliberate act of free agency.”
·      Apostle “Joseph Fielding Smith, and his Assistants,” Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p49, 1976 edition, Deseret Book Company, “The Law of Free Agency.” Here used as a title by the compiler, of a section addressing “the free independence of mind.”
·      Apostle James E Talmage*, Jesus the Christ, p17, 11^th edition, Deseret Book Company, 1976. * Also Pres. Joseph F. Smith and Pres. Harold B Lee, Trustees in Trust. “Free agency is an indispensable element of such a test.”
·      Apostle Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, Vol. 2, p194, Ninth Printing 1979, Deseret Book Company. “Free agency is one of the greatest gifts of God. There could be no salvation, neither punishment for sin, without it.”
·      Apostle Mark E Peterson, Adam Who Is He? , p62, Deseret Book Company. “Without free agency there could be no gospel of Christ.”  

Thus we have cited a few examples of the “some people” who have described agency as free agency, without requiring the exact expression to be first found in the Scriptures before using it.

To be sure, all of these fine gentlemen have also used the terms agency and moral agency. In fact, they likely used these two terms much more than they did free agency, as they liked to quote scriptures containing either of those two terms.

So, with a shed of a tear, I will say goodbye to my free agency, and try and adapt to the latest LDS trend and drop the use of free agency from my vernacular, at least in Church. :o) Update: 15Jul15, two additional quotes added (Joseph Smith 1841 and Brigham Young, 1855.

Jehovah and Jesus Christ Are One and the Same

It should become apparent considering the examples below, that the Old Testament God Jehovah and the Lord Jesus Christ are one and the same person.

 

THE FIRST AND THE LAST

Isa.44:6 (also 41:4, 48:12) Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

 

Rev. 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.  And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

 

THE CREATOR

Isa. 45:18 (also 48:12,13)  For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

John 1:1-3 IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  The same was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Col. 1:15,16 (also Eph. 3:9) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:16  For by him [Jesus] 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:
Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

 

EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW

Isa. 45:18-24 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

19  I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
20  ¶ Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
21  Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time?  who hath told it from that time?  have not I the LORD?  and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
22  Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
23  I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
24  Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

Phil. 2:9-11Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Rom. 14:10,11 But why dost thou judge thy brother?  or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?  for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

 

THE ROCK

Deut. 32:3,4 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 4  He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Ps. 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

 1 Cor. 10:1-4 MOREOVER, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

 

THE JUDGE

Deut. 32:36  For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.

John 5:22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

Rom. 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother?  or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?  for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
 

THE SAVIOR

Isa. 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

Isa. 49:26 26  And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
Hosea 13:4 4  Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

John 4:42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Acts 4:10-12  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 

THE SHEPHERD

Ps. 23:1 THE LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

John 10:14-16 [Jesus speaking]  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

THE LIGHT

Ps. 27:1 THE LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

 

THE CONQUEROR OF DEATH

Hosea 13:14  I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

1 Cor. 15:55-57 O death, where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy victory? 56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Note:

Though God stated many times “Besides me there is no God,” he was speaking in the plural. Isaiah 44:6 “God” comes from the Hebrew “Elohim” or “Eloheim” meaning “Gods” in the plural. This corresponds perfectly with the creation story in Genesis. Gen. 1:1 says “In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heaven and the earth.”

That God the Father and the Son are two distinct and individual Beings is quite evident from New Testament scriptures. Perhaps this can be expanded in another post later.