Agency Is an Eternal Principle

God has told us through His prophets that we are free to choose between good and evil. We may choose liberty and eternal life by following Jesus Christ. We are also free to choose captivity and death by following Satan. (See 2 Nephi 2:27.) The right to choose between good and evil and to act for ourselves is called agency.

In the premortal life we were free agents had moral agency. That means we had power to act for ourselves (see D&C 93:29-30).  

Agency may have been was one of the first principal issues to arise in the premortal Council in Heaven. It was one of the main causes of the conflict between the followers of Christ and the followers of Satan. Satan said he would bring all of us back to our Father's presence, but he would have taken away our agency.  Satan said, "Behold, here am I, send me, I will by 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" (Moses 4:1), In saying this, he "rebelled against [God] and sought to destroy the agency of man" (Moses 4:3). 

Discussion

• Ask class members to compare the feelings the words force and choice bring to mind.
  

• How does making right choices help us make more right choices?

Discussion

• Read Moses 3:17 and Joshua 24:14-15. What choices have you made this week? Did these choices bring you closer to the Lord?
• Why is agency necessary?
• Read 2 Nephi 28:30. How does making right choices help us make more right choices?
  

• Why is opposition necessary?

We cannot choose righteousness unless the opposites of good and evil are placed before us. 

Satan does all he can to destroy God's work. He seeks "the misery of all mankind, . . . for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself" (2 Nephi 2:18, 27). He does not love us. He does not want any good thing for us (see Moroni 7:17). He does not want us to be happy. He wants to make us his slaves. He uses many disguises to enslave capture us.

Even though we are free to choose our course of action, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions. The consequences, whether good or bad, follow as a natural result of any choice we make (see Galatians 6:7; Revelation 22:12). If we touch a hot flame, for example, we are burned.

Heavenly Father has told us how to escape the captivity of Satan. We must watch and pray always, asking God to help us withstand the temptations of Satan (see 3 Nephi 18:15). Our Heavenly Father will not allow us to be tempted beyond our power to resist (see 1 Corinthians 10:13; Alma 13:28).

Discussion

• Place a treat within the reach of someone. Loosely wrap a cord around him, binding his arms to his body. Ask him if he can reach the treat. Tighten the cord so the person is bound. Explain that sin and ignorance also interfere with agency and prevent us from receiving blessings from God. Discuss how repentance and righteous living free us from the bondage of sin.
• Why is opposition necessary? See 2 Nephi 2:15-16.
• Read 2 Nephi 2:28. How can you choose eternal life?
• What are some examples that limit our choices? What are some examples of actions that give us more freedom?
  

Additional Scriptures

• Alma 41:3; Moroni 7:5-6 (works judged)