Jesus Christ, known as Jesus of Nazareth, existed with the Father prior to His birth as a mortal.  This is well seen through the Holy Scriptures and is not merely the teachings of men.  He was chosen by God the Eternal Father to be the Savior and redeemer of the human race.  It is logical to assume that in order to be “chosen” one must first “exist” or be real.  Just as a Country’s leader must first have a General before he can send him on a mission so too Christ existed with His Father and was sent by Him to do His work.  Therefore, we will treat the foreordination (being chosen) and pre-existence (before birth) of Christ as one thing.

            John, who authored Revelations in the New Testament, was shown in vision some of the things that occurred in the heavens before human history began.  He saw us, the children of God, divided into two opposing forces.  God’s defenders were lead by Michael the archangel (Adam), and the other side following the rebellious Satan (the devil, the serpent, the dragon).  See: Revelations 12:7 (7-9).

            Only one-third of the children of God (spirits) followed Satan.  They are described as the “Stars of Heaven”.  Two-thirds of the children of God either fought with Michael or did not join either side.  As a result, they “kept their first estate.”  (Meaning they chose to do as God their Father had asked them to do.)  Those who joined Satan “kept not their first estate” and as a result were not permitted to progress by coming to earth to gain a body (the second estate).  Michael and his forces defeated Satan (or Lucifer: a.k.a. “the son of the morning”) and his followers.  They were then cast out of heaven.  “He was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him.” (Revelations 12:9)

            Isaiah, from the Old Testament, had also been shown these events.  He says that selfish ambition was the reason for Satan’s fall.  “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”  (Old Testament | Isaiah 14:12 - 14)

            The reason for citing these scriptures is to show the contention that existed in heaven and its cause…why war in heaven?  Isaiah’s words show that a son of God, already very high in rank, sought to make himself even greater.  This he did without thought for the rights and basic freedoms (or agency) of others.  This event is set forth even more clearly in modern scripture.  Moses said of this event: 

“1 AND I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.

2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.

3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.”

(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 4:1 - 4)

            So we see that before men were upon the earth, they existed as “the hosts of heaven” – as the spirit children of God.  There also with us were Jesus Christ and Satan.  We existed as intelligent beings with the opportunity to choose our actions for ourselves.  We chose who we would follow and obey.  In this place (our first estate), Heavenly Father’s plan to provide us with the opportunity to advance and grow was presented to us.  It gave us choices to make.  We more than likely discussed what it would mean to us to have the opportunity to receive bodies (our second estate) and make our own way through life.  This marvelous privilege offered to us caused us to sing and shout for joy.

            Satan offered us an alternate plan.  His plan proposed that we all be compelled to do right so not one soul (a spirit and body connected: D&C 88:15) would be lost.  Rather than have the opportunity to make our own choices (and possibly fail), he proposed that we not be allowed freedom of choice in our lives on earth.  His plan was rejected and he has forever after continued to attempt to force that plan upon us here in this mortal world.

            As a part of our Father’s plan, Jesus Christ offered to be our example and Teacher by how He lived His own life.  By so doing, He gave us the freedom to choose to follow Him if we wished to do so.  His offer was accepted by a majority.  Satan did not want to accept this decision and a war began.  Satan and his followers lost the war and were cast out.  One of the consequences of this exile was to be that they would never have the opportunity to become mortal and receive bodies.  This meant that they would never experience all of the privileges, joys, and pleasures that go along with being mortal.  (And thus, we also learn the reason that they attempt to possess the bodies of mortals on earth.)

            Jesus Christ was a prominent figure in this decision making process which we went through with our Heavenly Parents.  At that time, He was called of God and given the necessary authority (ordained) to become the Savior of all mankind.  This is the beginning of any known history about Him.

            Old Testament scripture contains many promises that a Christ would actually be born but are very vague about His pre-mortal existence.  The Old Testament people saw the Messiah as One who would deliver them from their personal and national burdens and destroy their enemies.  Their understanding of the true nature of the Messiah, as the chosen son of God, was limited.  Their prophets received revelation from God about Messiah’s true nature but they relayed that information to the people in parables and imagery that many of the people did not understand. 

            In the New Testament Book of John, we read:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made….And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:1-3, 14)

            This passage is simple.  “In the beginning” means the same as it does in the first line of Genesis in the Old Testament.  It refers to a time prior to the existence of man upon the earth.  “The Word” is Jesus Christ.  He was with the Father from the start and He held the rank of a God.  He then came to earth and dwelt among us.  This is also reinforced by a statement made by Moses after he was given the opportunity to see the true nature of the Messiah:  “And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.”  (Moses 1:32,33)          

            John, the apostle, tells us on many occasions about the pre-existence of Christ and that He had power and authority before the world began.  Peter and Paul also tell us of this.  In one of his epistles, Peter instructs the church members of his time about gaining redemption.  He impressed upon them that they could not gain redemption by their works alone.

“19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”  (New Testament | 1 Peter 1:19 - 20)

          More importantly, Jesus Christ has testified to us regarding his pre-existence and his appointed mission.  In order for anyone to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Messiah, he or she must also:  1. Accept that He is a Being of an eternal nature and, 2. Understand His relationship with God the Eternal Father.  The Jews in the Synagogue failed to comprehend these basic principles even though the Savior told them of it personally when He said: 

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (New Testament | John 6:38)

          The Jews murmured at this statement from the Savior so he attempted to explain it to them using a historical fact that they all knew and believed very profoundly.  He taught them that the manna which their fathers ate in the wilderness to survive was symbolic of the dependence that all men share in the mission which He was sent to accomplish.

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

48 I am that bread of life.

49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

57 … the living Father hath sent me…  (New Testament | John 6:47 – 51, 57)

            Many of the disciples failed to understand this teaching.  They complained that it was too hard to understand or accept and Jesis told them:  “Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?” (New Testament | John 6:61 - 62)  Jesus Christ openly told His disciples and the people that they must all accept and embrace Him and His mission in order to gain a place in God’s Kingdom.  Yet they would not believe that a simple carpenter could be the source of their long awaited “salvation.”

            Many of the Jews pridefully believed that their lineage and birthrights alone were enough to save them.  Similar to the class distinctions that exist in our world today, certain groups felt that they were a better class of individual and more deserving of God’s graces and the best things in life simply because they were descendants of Abraham.  They used this relationship to justify their wicked actions and attitudes.  They felt themselves superior to this simple Carpenter and therefore not subject to His teachings or judgments.  To them Jesus proclaimed: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”  (New Testament | John 8:58)  Through this avowal, Jesus taught them the profound truth about His seniority and supremacy over even Abraham their father.  This statement meant much more than that but we will discuss that later in this book.  Since Abraham had lived more than 19 centuries before Christ, the seniority that Christ speaks of must have occurred in the Heavens before either He or Abraham had gained mortality on the earth.

            As the day of Gethsemane drew near, Jesus told His followers that He was soon to be betrayed by His own.  He comforted the Apostles by saying:  “For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.  I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. (New Testament | John 16:27 - 28)  In His marvelous prayer for those who faithfully followed Him, He said:  “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.  I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.   And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” (New Testament | John 17:3 - 5)

            The Book of Mormon also provides proof of the pre-existence and pre-determined mission of Jesus Christ.  Though there are many evidences of this in that book of scripture, only one will be presented here.  The brother of Jared, a prophet in that record, prayed earnestly to God  and received this answer from Him:  “And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?

12 And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.

14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people.  Behold, I am Jesus Christ.  I am the Father and the Son.  In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.

 in me as thou hast.  Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image?  Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.

16 Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.”  (Book of Mormon | Ether 3:11 - 16) 

            This took place a number of years after the Confounding of  Languages which happened in Babel as told in the Old Testament (Genesis 11:1-9).  A man named Jared and his brother, along with their family and friends, had been led by God from Babel to the American Continent.   In the Book of Mormon verses quoted above, we see that Jesus Christ showed Himself to this prophet before He was even born of earthly parents.  He showed Himself to this man and declared to him that He had been chosen as the Redeemer of mankind even before the world began.

            In the present day, prophets have given a great deal of revelation to affirm this fact.  The Doctrine and Covenants can also be used as a witness of Jesus Christ’s pre-existence and foreordained mission.  In May of 1833, Joseph Smith received revelation from God in which the Lord declared Himself to be the One who had come into the world from the Father.  He stated also that He was:

1.      the One whom John had borne testimony of as “The Word.”

2.      in the beginning before the world was.

3.      “Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.”

4.      “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.”

5.      “ in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn;”

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 93:1-23)

            Joseph Smith also declared that in 1832, he and Sidney Rigdon were enlightened by the spirit so that they were able to see and understand the things of God—“Even those things which were from the beginning before the world was, which were ordained of the Father, through his Only Begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, even from the beginning; Of whom we bear record; and the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision.”  (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 76:13 - 14)

            President Gordon B. Hinckley said this: 

The things shared in this text contain only a small portion of the evidence available regarding the pre-existence of Jesus Christ and the mission that He received from God, the Eternal Father.  The words of the prophets echo through the ages with the news that Jesus Christ received His assignment from God the Father to become the Redeemer of mankind even before the world began .