By Rick Brunson
When I was younger, I was taught that the Light of Christ was nothing more than the conscience within man. While this explanation was correct, it was not until years later I learned that the Light of Christ consists of much more than this. So just what is the Light of Christ? The purpose of this paper is to try and comprehend the Light of Christ, and to understand what is does for us. Before we can do this however, it will be necessary to discuss some things about the universe in which we live.
In his work entitled, Earth in the Beginning, Eric Skousen teaches us some very important things about our universe. He speaks of not one, but two universes. The organized universe, and the unorganized universe. The organized universe is located inside the unorganized universe. The picture below, taken from his book, will help illustrate this point.
The universes in which we live.[1]
Intelligences
It is inside the organized universe that we live. Outside this organized universe, there is never ending space; it exists forever with no bounds in any direction. It is called the unorganized universe because everything within this space is unorganized. This space is filled with what the Lord calls “intelligences.”[2] We do not know a lot about intelligences; however, we do know that they are extremely small, and that they have the ability to act, think, move, communicate, etc. Orson Pratt explained,
There is no substance in the universe which feels and thinks now, but what has eternally possessed that capacity.[3]
The Lord also tells us that these intelligences cannot be “created or made.”[4] In other words, they have existed forever. Joseph Smith taught this principle when he said,
Element had an existence from the time [God] had. The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and re-organized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end.[5]
The unorganized universe is filled with these intelligences. We learn that the Lord goes out to the unorganized universe, and gathers these intelligences. He also gives them laws[6] that they may choose to follow. If they are obedient to these laws, they are brought into the organized universe and organized with other intelligences. This allows them to progress in their existance. They can be organized into water particles, rocks, plant or animal life, human beings, in short anything that exists in our universe. They are first organized into spirit matter,[7] then, if they continue to be obedient to Gods laws, they are organized into physical matter. The intelligences that are outside our organized universe, are constantly being brought into the organized universe, where they are organized and able to progress. Everything within the organized universe, is simply made up of individual intelligences that have been organized together, for as D&C 88:40 states, “intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence.” It is in this way, that God has organized everything in our universe. As Brigham Young said,
Life [or intelligence] in various proportions, combinations, conditions, &c., fills all matter...There is life in all matter, throughout the vast extent of all the eternities; it is in the rock, the sand, the dust, in water, air, the gases, and, in short, in every description and organization of matter, whether it be solid, liquid, or gaseous, particle operating with particle.[8]
In this same discourse, he also stated,
There is not a particle of element which is not filled with life, and all space is filled with element; there is no such thing as empty space, though some philosophers contend that there is.[9]
In this way our Heavenly Father has organized everything that makes up our universe, but it must be remembered that among these intelligences, some have progressed farther than others.[10] Since each intelligence has the ability to think and act, it can choose to obey or disobey our Father in heaven. If it obeys, it will progress by being organized with other intelligences; however, if these intelligences do not obey, they will not progress. This is the very reason why some intelligences have, and will progress further than others. For instance, we are all intelligences who have progressed to the state we are in now. We did this by a very high level of obedience to God and His laws. There were some intelligences who did not exercise the same level of obedience, and were therefore organized in other ways, for instance, as a plant, animal, or even a microorganism. In the pre-existance, the intelligences who were the most obedient, were able to progress the furthest by being given spirit bodies in the image of our Father in Heaven; this group includes all of us. After our organization as a spirit body, we were then given the option of progressing even further by coming to earth and receiving a physical body, which if faithful, will be resurrected to a celestial body like our Father in Heaven’s.
From Intelligence to Spirit
When I was younger, I always wondered how we progressed from a single intelligence, into a spirit. I wondered how it could be possible that we had existed forever, and yet had a beginning as a spirit child of our Father in Heaven. In an article, Elder Orson Pratt explained his view on how this may have happened. While the ideas in this article are given as his opinion, it is still fascinating to read and ponder the subject. He explains how the intelligences that make up our spirit were organized together. Below are some excerpts from this article.
The materials of which our spirits are composed [i.e., intelligences], must have been capable of thinking, moving, willing, &c., before they were organized in the womb of the celestial female. Preceding that period there was an endless duration, and each particle of our spirits had an eternal existence, and was in possession of eternal capacities….
When, therefore, the infant spirit is first born in the heavenly world, that is not a commencement of its capacities. Each particle eternally existed prior to this organization: each was enabled to perceive its own existence; each had the power of self motion; each would be an intelligent living being of itself, having no knowledge of the particular thoughts, feelings, and emotions of other particles with which it never had been in union. Each particle would be as independent of every other particle as one individual person is of another. In this independent separate condition, it would be capable of being governed by laws, adapted to the amount of knowledge and experience it had gained during its past eternal existence. Each particle that complies with the laws prescribed for its rule of action, is permitted to rise in the scale of existence; for, by obeying the law, it gains more knowledge, and is thus prepared to act in a higher sphere, and under a superior law. How many different laws these particles have acted under during the endless school of experience through which they have passed is not known to us. What degree of knowledge they have obtained by experience, previous to their organization in the womb of the celestial female, is not revealed. One thing is certain, the particles that enter into the organization of the infant spirit, are placed in a new sphere of action: the laws to govern them in this new and superior condition must be different from any laws under which they had previously acted.
The particles organized in an infant spirit, can no longer act, or feel, or think as independent individuals, but the law to control them in their new sphere, requires them to act, and feel, and think in union, and to be agreed in all things. When the same feelings, the same thoughts, the same emotions, and the same affections, pervade every particle, existing in the union, the united individuals will consider themselves as one individual: the interest and welfare of each will be the interest and welfare of the whole: if one suffers, they all suffer: if one rejoices, they all rejoice: if one gains any information, it is communicated to all the rest: if one thinks, all the rest think in the same manner: if one feels, they all feel: in fine, the union of these particles is so perfect, that there can be no state or affection of one, but all the rest are immediately notified of it, and are thus by sympathy in the same state or affection. And therefore, they live, and move, and think, and act as one being, though in reality, it is a being of beings. So far as the substance is concerned the spiritual body is a plurality of beings; so far as the attributes or qualities are considered, it is but one being. We should naturally suppose, that individual particles which have been accustomed to act in an individual capacity, would, at first, find it very difficult to act in perfect concord and agreement. Each individual particle must consent, in the first place, to be organized with other similar particles, and after the union has taken place, they must learn, by experience, the necessity of being agreed in all their thoughts, affections, desires, feelings, and acts, that the union may be preserved from all contrary or contending forces, and that harmony may pervade every department of the organized system. Now, to learn all this, there must be a law given of a superior nature to those by which they were formerly governed in their individual capacities as separate particles. A law regulating them when existing out of the organization, would be entirely unsuitable to the new sphere of existence. New laws are wanted, requiring each particle no longer to act in relation to its own individual self, but to act in relation to the welfare and happiness of every other particle in the grand union. All disobedience to this law by any particle or particles in the organization, would necessarily bring its appropriate punishment: and thus by suffering the penalties of the law they would in process of time become martialed and disciplined to perform their appropriate functions in the spiritual system. The appropriate place for this grand school of experience, is in the Heavenly world, where, from the time of their birth as infant spirits, until the time that they are sent into this world to take fleshly tabernacles, the organized particles are instructed and educated in all the laws pertaining to their union, until they are made perfectly ONE in all their attributes and qualities; but not one in substance, for this would be impossible; each particle, though organized, maintains its own identity is the system. The oneness, therefore, can only consist in the sameness of the qualities which are attained by ages of experience through strict adherence to the wise and judicious laws, given to govern them in their united capacity.
The particles organized in an infant spirit, before they had learned the necessity of being perfectly agreed might bring themselves into many disagreeable circumstances which, by a perfect agreement, might have been avoided. For instance, one law of the union is, that when any part of the system has ignorantly, or in any other way placed itself in disagreeable circumstances, the other part shall take warning and endeavor to avoid those circumstances. To illustrate this law, suppose the particles, composing the right hand of a spirit, were placed in contact with certain substances which produced great pain, the perception of this pain is immediately communicated to the particles, composing the left hand, they, being inexperienced, give no heed to the friendly warning, and venture into the same difficulty as those in the right hand; they now feel pained, and learn by experience, or by the things which they suffer, that they have violated on of the laws of their union. This places the particles on their guard, and they learn to respect the communications which any portion of the system conveys to the other; they learn that the same thing which will inflict pain on one part of the system, will also inflict pain upon the particles in any other part; and thus when the communication is made from one part of the system to the other, the particles have confidence in the intelligence conveyed, and act accordingly. This confidence is gained by experience. The particles learn by experience that to violate any law given to govern them in their united capacity brings punishment and misery. It is by experience that they learn to act, and feel, and think, alike; it is by experience that they learn to love and hate alike. However unlike they may be in the degrees of knowledge and experience which they had accumulated previous to their union, they, by being placed in the same organization, are schooled alike, and trained, disciplined, and educated alike, till every particle has the knowledge and experience of every other particle, and thus by experience they learn to be united in all things, and to act with one will in all their operations. To see the perfect union which now exists among the particles, composing our spirits, as manifested in thoughts, feelings, desires, and operations, one would almost think that these were the manifestations of one single being or particle, instead of a plurality of beings or particles. But a little reflection, will correct this false impression, and show us that these are the manifestations of the same attributes or qualities, dwelling in millions of particles but yielding obedience to the same great laws, ordained for the government of the organized union.
Besides the laws, given to govern each individual particle in its organized capacity, there are other laws, given to govern the whole body. These again are of a still higher order; for those laws which regulate the different parts of the organization for the general good of the union, are altogether insufficient to govern the body as a whole. For instance, by the laws regulating each particle, the whole system becomes angry at the same time, if a cause exists, exciting that passion; but this law is insufficient to control the passion when it is excited. Another law is required to regulate the action of the whole system while under the passion. Under the first law no one particle has a right to get angry while the others are pleased; they are bound by law to all get angry at once, or to all be pleased at once, that there may be a perfect agreement in their feelings. Under the second or higher law, the whole body of particles are required to govern the passions excited, in a certain manner, in accordance with the principles of justice and mercy that exist in the bosom of the one who gave the law. The spiritual body in its infancy is entirely ignorant, as a whole, of the nature of justice and mercy, good and evil, and such like qualities; but laws of justice and mercy, of good and evil, being given, the whole body learns to control itself according to those law. A violation of any of these laws, immediately brings unhappiness-that is, the being is chastised, according to the nature of the offence, and the penalties annexed to the law; in this manner the system learns, by the things which it suffers, to obey this higher law which is very different from any of the preceding laws under which the particles have been educated. The nature of justice and mercy, good and evil, are thus actually learned by experience. Obedience to the laws of justice, and suffering the penalties of disobedience, impart, in the course of time, a sense of justice to the particles in their organized capacity: so likewise obedience to the laws of mercy, and the chastisements, resulting from the infringements of those laws, soon inform the organized particles, concerning the nature of mercy. In like manner, a sense of good and evil, and of all other like qualities, is obtained from the enjoyments resulting from obedience, and the miseries inflicted for disobedience, to the laws given to govern all those qualities and passions. All these qualities, therefore, are gained by experience. The laws, being given and adhered to, discipline and instruct the infant or youthful spirit in the knowledge of things, which previously it was entirely ignorant of….
While we are obliged to admit the eternity of the substance and its capacities, on the other hand, we are compelled to admit a beginning to the organizations of the particles of this substance; there must also have been a time when the eternal capacities began to know good and evil, justice and mercy, love and hatred; for the sameness of these qualities, existing in the minds of all mankind shows that they must be derived qualities and therefore that they could not have possessed them eternally.[11]
In this way, we were organized and were able to progress as a spirit body.[12] Once I understood this concept, my question about how it was possible to have had existed forever, and yet had a beginning as a spirit child of our Father in Heaven, began to be answered. The same principle also applies to God. Charles W. Penrose explains,
Is it a fact that [God] never had a beginning? In the elementary particles of His organism, He did not. But if He is an organized Being, there must have been a time when that being was organized.[13]
From Spirit Body To Physical Body
With this information in mind, one might also add that a similar process is taking place right now with our physical bodies. The Lord told Abraham that our spirits were “added upon” again, when they came to earth and received physical bodies.[14] In other words, just as the intelligences that made up our spirit were organized in the womb of the celestial female, our spirits were organized and “added upon” again in the womb of our earthly mothers. Since this physical birth, the particles that make up our spirits have had to live in union with the particles that make up our physical body. Remember the statement by Orson Pratt,
The particles organized in an infant spirit, can no longer act, or feel, or think as independent individuals, but the law to control them in their new sphere, requires them to act, and feel, and think in union, and to be agreed in all things.[15]
Once the intelligences that made up our spirits learned to do this, we had to do it all over again when we came to this earth. Ever since our physical birth, the particles that make up our spirit have had to learn to live in unison with the particles that make up our physical bodies. The scriptures often speak of this process. We are constantly told to get our spirit in control of our body, and not let our physical desires control our spirit. This is the “born again” process. Mosiah 3:19 teaches us that we need to “putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ.” This is not always easy; however, we are commanded to get our spirit in control of our physical body, and not the other way around. Once we learn to do this, we will then be able to fulfill the commandment by the Savior to become ‘one” with Him.[16] We will then be “added upon” once again by receiving a resurrected body. This is the whole purpose of organization. As Brigham Young said,
Mankind are organized to receive intelligence until they become perfect in the sphere they are appointed to fill, which is far ahead of us at the present.[17]
Law Brings Light
The reason for bringing this up is so we may understand the great secret of progression within Gods kingdom. Obedience to Gods law. All intelligences that have been brought into the organized universe have been organized because they have been given laws which they have chosen to follow. This has enabled them to progress and receive more light and intelligence. This is the great secret, obedience to law brings light.[18] As Elder Orson Pratt said,
We can not find a law throughout universal space, but what light has something to do with it.[19]
The intelligences outside the organized universe, have either not had the chance, or they have deliberately chosen not to obey our Father in Heaven, thus restricting their progress. Outside the organized universe, there is no law, and therefore no light. Joseph Smith said that not even the Spirit of the Lord dwells there.[20] Question: where in the scriptures do we read about a place where there is no light and no law? Answer: outer darkness. Outer darkness, and the unorganized universe, are one and the same place. This will be very important to remember, as it will be discussed in more detail a little later on.
What Is The Light Of Christ?
With this background, we may begin to discuss what the Light of Christ actually is. It might first be helpful to state that there are many different names for the light of Christ. The scriptures sometimes refer to it as “Light of Truth,” “Spirit of Truth,” and “Spirit of the Lord,” but it is all essentially the same thing; it is all the Light of Christ. D&C 88:13 tells us four important things about the Light of Christ:
- It is in all things.
- It gives life to all things
- It is the law that governs all things.
4. It is the very power of God.
We will now discuss each of these four things so we may better understand what the Light of Christ actually consists of.
In All Things
The point of discussing the organized and unorganized universes, is to help us understand that everything inside the organized universe has obeyed Gods laws to some degree or another, and is therefore filled with some degree of light and intelligence, or the Light of Christ.
We have just been discussing how everything within this universe consists of intelligences which have been organized together. Now, from D&C 88:13, we learn that it is the Light of Christ that is in all things. Could the Light of Christ spoken of in this scripture be referring to these intelligences, which are also in all things? Are these one and the same? We know that the term “intelligence” is interchangeable with “light.”[21] We also know that the Light of Christ is said to be “the power of God,”[22] and that God gets his power from the obedience of all these organized intelligences with in the organized universe. Since each intelligence has chosen to obey the laws of God, this means that God has earned their trust and honor. Therefore, God gets his power from the obedience of these intelligences, and from the Light of Christ. Perhaps the Light of Christ that is in all things, and the intelligences that make up our universe are one and the same thing. Or perhaps it possible that these two things are different concepts, namely that each intelligence is filled, with a particle called the Light of Christ, and that the Light of Christ is something that each individual intelligence may receive by obedience.[23] While these questions remain unanswered, one thing is certain: the Light of Christ is very closely related to the intelligences that fill the universe in which we live.
Giveth Life to All Things
If the intelligences within the organized universe had not obeyed Gods law, they would have never progress past the state they were in, and would still be in outer darkness this day, unorganized. With this in mind, it is easy to see how the Light of Christ “giveth life to all things.”
The Law by Which All Things Are Governed
With this information in mind, we can also begin to see how the Light of Christ is the law that governs all things. As mentioned earlier, light is gained by keeping law. Just the fact that these intelligences have been organized, means that they have all obeyed God’s law to some degree or another. This means that each intelligence is governed by law. For instance, the particles which make up a cell are given certain laws, which laws govern their actions so they may perform their given functions. In this way, everything works together to fulfill God’s purposes.
The Very Power of God
As we mentioned earlier, each intelligence has learned to obey God to some degree or another. Obedience is said to be the first law of heaven,[24] and as one LDS scholar pointed out, this is the key to God’s power.[25] If these intelligences ceased to honor Him, he would “cease to be God.”[26] This is, of course, how the priesthood operates.
Now that we have discussed these four aspects of the Light of Christ, we are able to expand further, and learn other important things.
Physical Light throughout the Universe
The Light of Christ comes to us in many different forms, and helps us in many different ways. As I began to search the scriptures, one thing that came as a shock to me, was to learn that physical light is actually a form of the Light of Christ! The Lord tells us the Light of Christ is “the light of the sun,” the “light of the moon” and the “light of the stars.”[27] Another thing that came as a surprise, was the fact that the physical light we receive from the sun originated from the throne of God.[28] The Book of Abraham teaches us that all physical light begins at Kolob. Kolob radiates a tremendous amount of light, and the planets that are nearest to Kolob receive this light, and in turn, reflect it to other planets of a lower order. These lower planets then reflect this same light to other planets of an even lower order, and on it goes. Eventually this light is given to our sun, and is reflected to our earth and moon. (For more information on how the light radiating from the sun is actually a form of the Light of Christ, please read One Eternal Round - Locating Kolob.) In other words, we receive physical light from our sun, but our sun receives it from other planets, who receives it from Kolob. Hyrum L. Andrus stated,
Joseph Smith taught that there are various channels through which the glory and power of God are manifested. In other words, there is an organization of light in the cosmos. The sun, as the center of our solar system, is one of the basic channels through which the Spirit, or glory, of Christ is manifested to this earth. The sun does not derive its light and power directly from Christ, however, but through a series of spheres that go back to Kolob.[29]
Facsimile #2 in The Book of Abraham, teaches us this principle; however, before we discuss this further, it might be helpful to pause and take a closer look at the facsimile.
Abraham Facsimile #2
Abraham tells us that the Egyptians tried to imitate the endowment in his day (see Abr. 1:26). He also goes on to tell us in this same verse, that they did not have the Priesthood. So, even though they did not have the priesthood, they still initiated the ordinances of the Endowment, and as Hugh Nibley said, “when imitated without authority, though with the best intention in the world, it merited the label of ‘idolatry.’”[30]
The point is, that the Egyptians believed that they had all the information necessary to “pass the angles,"[31] who they believed were guarding the entrance into heaven. In order to take this information with them when they died, they did something interesting. They believed, that if they were buried with this information, they would have access to it in the next life. Therefore, they wrote down all the information they needed to “pass the angels” on a piece of papyrus, and when they died, they would be buried with this papyrus either behind their head, or in their hands which they would hold next to their heart.”[32] Facsimile #2 is a picture of one of these pieces of papyrus, or as the Egyptians called it, Hypocephalus.[33] This is why facsimile. #2 contains many things related to the temple, and why, in my opinion, contains Egyptian writing that is only revealed in the temple. (For more information on this possibility, see Appendix A.)
With this in mind, we will discuss what the facsimile is meant to represent. In short, it is a picture of the organized universe. This universe was shown in vision to Abraham, when he was carried away in the Spirit to the presence of God. Hugh Nibley said this about facsimile #2,
It represent[s] the Cosmos and was presented to [Abraham] when he was carried up to heaven on the wings of a bird (see Figure 7 in the Facsimile).[34]
If we take a closer look at Figure 7, we see that there is a picture of a bird, or more specifically a dove,[35] and that this dove is carrying someone into the presence of God, just as Hugh Nibley said. This is meant to represent Abraham being carried away in the spirit into Gods presence. Also in figure 7, there is a picture of God who is “revealing through the heavens the grand Key-words of the Priesthood”[36] to Abraham. After Abraham receives these “key-words,” he is shown a vision of the organized universe, represented by the entire facsimile. Included in this vision, Abraham was shown the creation of this earth as recorded in Abraham ch. 4-5. I found it interesting that Abraham received the “grand Key-words of the Priesthood,”[37] and right after this, was shown the creation of the world in vision. I therefore decided to ask an institute teacher if all of this was part of Abraham’s endowment. To paraphrase, he said, ‘Yes, but He received the real endowment,’ meaning Abraham was shown an actual vision of the creation, where as we do not quite have the same experience.[38] With this possibility, is it any wonder that the Egyptians wanted this picture in their possession when they died? It contains many temple related things that they felt they needed in the next life.
The important thing to remember from all of this, is that the facsimile is the picture form of the universe Abraham was shown in vision. Earlier in this article, I showed you a picture of the organized universe. Facsimile #2 is another picture, a much older picture, of this same universe. With this in mind, we can now discuss how this facsimile teaches us of the “organization of light in the cosmos.”[39]
Figure 1 represents Kolob, which is the planet nearest to the residence of God, located in the center of the universe.[40] As we might imagine, Kolob radiates a tremendous amount of light and glory. This light is then given to other planets. Figures 22 and 23 represent these mediums, which “receive light from the revolutions of Kolob.”[41] These mediums then take the light that they receive from Kolob, and dispense it to other planets. This starts a chain in which light is passed from greater planets to lesser planets, until eventually this light is given to our Sun, represented by Figure 5. Joseph Smith explained that Figure 5 “is said by the Egyptians to be the Sun, and to borrow its light from Kolob.” The sun then shares its light with our earth and moon. We also learn this truth from D&C 88:44, which states that there are various spheres throughout the universe that
give light to each other in their times and in their seasons, in their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in their months, in their years…the sun giveth his light by day, and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the power of God.
Abr. 3:10-11 also alludes to this fact, stating that there are many planets one above another, “until thou come nigh unto Kolob…which is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets.” It also says that all these planets “are set to give light” unto one another, which light they receive from Kolob. This is explained further by Elder Orson Pratt, who said this about our earth,
In its temporal condition, it is terrestrial; in its eternal condition, it is celestial…
In the first state, it is a non-luminous body, borrowing its light from those of a higher order; in the second, it is a luminous body, radiating light upon the surrounding worlds.[42]
Another scholar said that it was through Kolob that “the rest of our galaxy receives its light and power.”[43]
It is interesting to think that the physical light we receive from the sun, came to us from Kolob, which light Kolob received “from the presence of God.”[44]
Now that we have an idea where our physical light comes from, and know that this physical light is actually a form of the Light of Christ, we will discuss some of the physical properties of this light, to see what we can learn from it.
Electromagnetic Waves
As we all know, light comes to us in the form of electromagnetic waves. These waves are hitting our eyes all the time. The cones in our eyes are the receivers for these light waves. Our cones then send a message to our brain, which interprets the message, and our brain then tells us what we are actually seeing. As Orson Pratt said, “the light [is received by] our eye, and by that means the mind is informed concerning objects outside of us.”[45]
It is important to remember that these cones are only capable of seeing light waves of a certain size; however, electromagnetic waves are all around us, and they come in all sizes, large and small. We call the wavelength that our eyes are capable of seeing, visible light. We see these waves as the colors of the rainbow. Each of these colors[46] has a different wavelength, with red being the longest, and violet the shortest. The following picture will help to illustrate this point:
Received from NASA’s website, located at http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/ems/visible.html
Any wavelength larger than red, or smaller then violet, our eyes are not able to see. However, that does not mean that waves of these sizes do not exist. Electromagnetic waves can be much larger, or much smaller, than visible light. They are, from largest to smallest:
· Radio waves
· Microwaves
· Infrared light waves
· Visible light waves (which we have been discussing)
· Ultraviolet light waves
· X-rays
· Gamma rays
As mentioned earlier, these waves range from very large to very small; radio waves can be as large as a football field in length, and gamma rays are about the size of the nuclei of an atom. The following picture will help to illustrate this point:
Retrieved from: http://www.andor.com/library/
Here is another picture taken from NASA’s website that relates the same idea,
Retreived from http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/ems/ems.html
In the electromagnetic spectrum, we had seven different sizes of light waves. Each of these forms acts very differently from one another, but they all share the same properties; they are all forms of light. The interesting thing here is that visible light waves are the only waves that our eyes can behold. Visible light waves are simply physical light, and physical light is nothing more than one of the forms of the Light of Christ. This will be very important to remember as we discuss the different forms of the Light of Christ.
The Scale
As we mentioned earlier, the Light of Christ comes to us in many different forms, and it helps us in many different ways depending on which form it comes to us in. Orson Pratt said,
There are a great many kinds of light besides the light that shines from the sun, moon or stars, or from some artificial light that may be created on the earth.[47]
In Sections 84 and 88 of The Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord tells us what these different forms of light are. First, He tells us that the lowest form of the Light of Christ is literally the physical light we receive from the sun, moon and stars,[48] which we have already discussed. Second, He tells us that the Light of Christ constitutes the conscience in man. This conscience is given to “every man that cometh into the world,”[49] in other words, we are all born with a conscience. This is the same light Moroni spoke of when he said,
The [Light] of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil.[50]
Third, The Lord tells us that the Light of Christ will quicken our understanding.[51] Joseph Smith spoke of this light as having the effect of pure intelligence, saying that it would “expand the mind,” and “enlighten our understanding.”[52]
Question: How can the Light of Christ be all of these things at once? How can it be the physical light we see everyday, as well as our conscience, and the light that quickens our understanding? To understand this, we need to think of the Light of Christ as being on a continuum, much like the electromagnetic spectrum we have discussed. On one end we have the Light of Christ in its least refined particles, and on the other end we have it in its most refined particles. On one end you have the Light of Christ in its lowest degrees, and on the other end, in its highest degrees. In other words, the light of the gospel is the same light as the physical light radiating from the sun, just in a different form. As Orson Pratt explained, “the light that comes from the sun is spirit.”[53] The spirit he is speaking about is the Light of Christ. The following statements by early general authorities will help to clarify this principle.
John Taylor tells us this about physical light,
[The Lord] says it is the same light that enlightens the understanding of men. What, have we a mental light and a visual light, all proceeding from the same source? Yes, so says the scripture, and so says science when rightly comprehended.[54]
Orson Pratt explained,
We see the sun shine, and we know that it illuminates the face of this world…but what connection is there between this and the understanding or light that is in man… We do not know, and yet God has said that the light which proceeds forth from these heavenly bodies is the same light that quickens the understanding of man and that gives life to all things….We endeavor to distinguish between the natural and the spiritual light, but is there any such thing as drawing a line of distinction between the two? Who can do it? Where is the man or philosopher that can tell the distinction, and where one ends and the other begins? They can not do it. If we take the revelation which God has given we learn that there is no difference; it is the same light that produces both effects.[55]
Charles W. Penrose said this about physical light,
These grosser particles of light that illuminate the heavens and enable us to behold the works of nature, are from that same Spirit which enlightens our minds and unfolds the things of God. As that light comes forth from the sun, so the light of God comes to us. That natural light is the grosser substance or particles of the same Spirit….
That which is the light of the sun, and of the soul as well as the light of the eye, [is] that which enables the inhabitants of the earth to understand and perceive the things of God. As the light of the sun reveals natural objects to our eyes, so the spirit that comes from God, with a fitting place to occupy and conditions to operate in, reveals the things of God. We see natural things by the light of the sun. We see spiritual things by spiritual light, and he that is spiritual discerneth all things and judgeth all things, and he that is not spiritual cannot comprehend spiritual things.[56]
Therefore, there are many different forms of the Light of Christ. To quickly review, these different forms are, from lowest to highest, are: physical light, the conscience within man, and the light that quickens our understanding, called the light of the gospel. We will now briefly discuss each of these forms, from lowest to highest.
Physical Light
The lowest form of the Light of Christ is physical light, which we have been discussing. Elder Parley P. Pratt said,
…light [the Light of Christ], which in some measure illuminates all men… is, in its less refined particles, the physical light which reflects from the sun, moon and stars…[57]
Although there are many other forms of the Light of Christ, physical light is the only form that we can see. It is similar to the electromagnetic spectrum, in which physical light are the only waves which are visible to the naked eye. Perhaps there is a connection between these two scales. In both scales we have different degrees of light, which are coming to us in many different forms, and only one of which we are able to see with our naked eye. What ever the case may be, the important thing to remember is that physical light is the lowest form of the light of Christ. We will now discuss the other forms of the Light of Christ, forms which are not visible to us, but which can be detected by our spiritual organs.
Instinct
Elder Pratt continues to tell us that the next degree of the Light of Christ “constitutes instinct in animal life.”[58] While many of us do not think of instinct as being part of the Light of Christ, it is, nevertheless, light in a higher degree than that which we have been discussing.
All living creatures, man and animal, have been endowed with basic instincts needed to survive. When we think about these instincts logically, many of them do not make sense. As an LDS scientist once asked, “Why do squirrels store more nuts for a coming winter that they sense will be especially long?”[59] When contemplated logically, there is no good answer for how these squirrels can predict a longer winter than normal. They are simply following the Light of Christ with which they were born with, which is their instinct. Another example of this is that of newborn babies. For the majority of the nine months inside the mother’s womb, these infants are sitting upright; however, right before birth, they generally turn completely upside-down, to come out headfirst. Then, right before they get to the birth canal, these infants generally turn their heads to the side, making it a less painful delivery for the mother, and also avoiding possible neck injury to the newborn. How do these babies know to do this? It is as if their instinct is guiding them. These newborns are doing nothing more than following the Light of Christ that is in them, which is their instinct. We could state many other examples that illustrate this idea. This is because every creature on earth is endowed with this instinct. This is directly related to the fact that we are all born with the portion of the Light of Christ which makes up our instinct.
Conscience
Moving along this continuum, there is even a higher degree of light, which we call our conscience. Parley P. Pratt called it the “reason in man.”[60] He also said that the Light of Christ is “in its higher degrees, the intellectual light of our inward and spiritual organs, by which we reason, discern, judge, compare, comprehend and remember the subjects within our reach.”[61] This is the form of light Moroni spoke of when he said,
The [Light] of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil. (Moro. 7:16)
We also know that every man is born with this ability. We call it our conscience. The Lord spoke of this light in a modern day revelation,
The Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit. (D&C 84:46)
We are all born with the ability to choose right from wrong, because we all come to this earth with a certain degree of the Light of Christ. It must be remembered however, that some are born with more of this light than others. This is because the amount of light with which one is born with, entirely depends on the amount of light earned in the pre-existance. This will be explained further in a moment, as it is closely related to the next degree of light, the light of the gospel.
The Light of the Gospel
The highest form of the Light of Christ that we know of is the light of the Gospel. As mentioned earlier, Joseph Smith spoke of this light as having the effect of pure intelligence.[62] In other words, when we obey the commandments, the Spirit will give us light, which will “expand the mind,” and “enlighten our understanding.”[63] This light will strengthen us in keeping the commandments, and will increase our faith. With this light, one is more willing to follow after truth and righteousness. With this light, one is more in tune with the Holy Ghost, who will lead us back to our Father in heaven. So how does one receive this light of the gospel? The Lord answered this question when He said,
He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things…. And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience. (D&C 93:28,39)
Herein lies the most important point of this article, namely, that when we keep the commandments, we will receive light, and if we are disobedient to the commandments, we can lose the light that we had previously earned. It makes sense that we can receive light if we are living worthy, but how is it that we can lose light which we previously earned by disobedience? As mentioned before, this light is very closely related to our conscience. When we constantly sin against that which we know inside to be right, we will eventually not feel as guilty for the sins we commit. If we continue down this path, it will be easier and easier for us to justify sin. It is the same with this higher level of light. When we choose to sin against the light which we have earned, and do not repent of it, we may lose the ability to distinguish right from wrong, light from darkness, good from evil. When this happens, and no repentance takes place, it becomes easier and easier to commit sin. We may be more prone to “call evil good, and good evil,”[64] and may even begin to “love darkness rather than light.”[65] This was the state some Pharisees and Sadducees arrived at when they tried to have Jesus crucified. They contributed his healing powers to that of Beelzebub.[66] They could not recognize the Light that Jesus offered because their minds and spirits were darkened from disobedience. This is also the state many apostates arrived at in the early days of the church, when they attributed Joseph Smiths doctrines to that of Satan. Even some of his closest friends turned against him, and in turn, became some of his worst enemies. By disobedience, one loses the light which was previously earned. The only way to get it back is by repentance and obedience.
On the other hand, once one is given this light, they will have a stronger desire to keep the commandments, and their desire to seek after more light will increase. As this happens, and as they continue to be obedient, their whole bodies will eventually be filled with light. Once this happens, they will be able to comprehend all things, and will be able to stand in the presence of God.
And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will. (D&C 88:67-68)
This is a process, which we must go through if we are to stand in the presence of God. Joseph Smith describes God as dwelling in “everlasting burnings.”[67] In other words, a tremendous amount of light and glory radiates from God’s person. We know that God went through the same process that we must go through. He once lived on an earth and earned enough light to become a celestial being. The light and glory, which God radiates, was earned the same way that we are earning it, by obedience. Remember what the Lord said about the obedient, that if they continue faithful, their “whole bodies shall be filled with light.”[68] Our Heavenly Father has already gone through this process, and therefore his whole body is “filled with light.” This is what Joseph Smith meant, when he said that God dwells in “everlasting burnings.” He is trying to teach us that his body is filled with light. In fact, He is filled with so much light and glory, that it fills the universe and gives life to all things. The scripture states that this “light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space.”[69] This is how our sun gets its light, as we have already discussed from Facsimile #2. There is so much light radiating from Gods presence, that the only way we can stand in His presence, the only way we can endure the light and glory that radiates from Him, is for us to be filled with this light ourselves. If we are not, His glory could consume us. It is for this reason, that God is said to be “filled and encircled with light unapproachable by those of the lower spheres.”[70] Joseph Smith further explained this when he said,
God Almighty Himself dwells in eternal fire; flesh and blood cannot go there, for all corruption is devoured by the fire. "Our God is a consuming fire."… All men who are immortal dwell in everlasting burnings.[71]
When we die, some of us will have earned enough light to endure the glory of the celestial kingdom, and others will have not. Some will have earned enough light to endure the glory of the terrestrial kingdom, and others will have not. Some will have earned enough light to endure the glory of the telestial kingdom, and others will have not. These who will not be able to endure the glory of the telestial kingdom will receive a kingdom with no light and no glory. They will be cast out to outer darkness.
When those spirits who lived worthy of the celestial kingdom depart from this life, they will take with them all the light they earned into spirit paradise. If we could behold them now, they would appear in great glory.[72] This is because the light these spirits earned will be visible to the eye,[73] and they do not yet have a physical body to hide this light. Once they are resurrected, the glory of their resurrected body will be equal to the light and glory their spirits radiated, which light they earned from obedience here on earth.
For notwithstanding they die, they also shall rise again, a spiritual body. They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened. (D&C 88:27-28)
The same will be true of us. After death, the spirits of some will have earned more light than the spirits of others. Therefore, in the resurrection, everyone will take up their bodies, and the glory of their resurrected bodies will be equal to the glory with which their spirits earned in this life. This is a very important principle to remember, namely, we are resurrected with as much light and glory as we choose, from keeping or not keeping the commandments here on earth. All celestial spirits will receive a celestial body that will be able to abide in the celestial kingdom, and will “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”[74] All terrestrial spirits will be resurrected to a terrestrial body, which will enable them to endure the presence of the terrestrial kingdom. All telestial spirits will be resurrected with a telestial body, which will enable them to endure the presence of the telestial kingdom.[75] In this light, we can better understand D&C 88:22, which states,
For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
This scripture teaches us that if we do not obey celestial law while we are on this earth, our spirits will not receive the light needed to be resurrected with a body that can endure celestial glory. This is because obedience to law brings light. What will happen to those who did not receive enough light to endure Gods presence? Moroni answered this question when he said to those who deny the gospel of Christ,
Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a consciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws? Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell. For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you. (Morm. 9:3-5)
Why will the wicked have a “flame of unquenchable fire” kindled upon them? Is it not because darkness cannot stand to be in the presence of light? Is it not because they did not earn enough light in this life to be resurrected with bodies that can endure the glory of God and the glory of the celestial kingdom?
We must be obedient in this life so when we are resurrected, we may also dwell in “everlasting burnings.”[76] Remember that we are not automatically given a body capable of celestial glory. It must be earned,
He that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day. (D&C 50:24)
The perfect day, is the day in which we shall be able to see the Savior, the day in which we can return to live with God in the celestial kingdom.
To summarize, our whole purpose here in mortality is to earn enough light to live in the celestial kingdom. We do this by keeping the commandments, and as we do, we receive light that will enlighten our minds, and help us to discern with spiritual eyes. However, when we are disobedient to God, we lose the light that we had previously earned.
Pre-existance
As we mentioned earlier, the light of the gospel is closely related to our conscience. Each of us, in the pre-existance, earned enough light to be able to distinguish right from wrong. When we were born, we took this ability with us through the veil. However, we have already discussed that not all the spirits in the pre-existance were equally obedient. Some were more willing to obey our Father than others. Therefore, not everyone has the same amount of the Light of Christ working within him or her. The pre-existence was a learning experience for all of us. We know that we were given opportunities to be obedient, but what came as a shock to me was the fact that each of us committed sin to one degree or another in the pre-existance. D&C 93:38 states,
Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God.
In order to understand this scripture better, we will turn to these statements.
Joseph Fielding McConkie answered his own question when He asked,
QUESTION: Did sin and repentance occur in the premortal existence?
ANSWER: The full gospel plan existed in our premortal estate. There all its principles were taught to us (see D&C 132:11). In a revelation given to Joseph Smith we are told that "every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God" (D&C 93:38). This text is commonly understood to mean that at the time of our birth as spirits, all the children of God were innocent and that because of the atonement of Christ we become again, in our infant state, innocent once more. Thus the atonement of Christ applies not only to those sins that are properly repented of in this life or in our postmortal life but to those committed between the time of our birth as spirits and our birth into mortality. If the gospel is the same yesterday, today, and forever, as the scriptures repeatedly tell us, then the doctrine of repentance must remain the same also (see 1 Ne. 10:18; 2 Ne. 2:4; 29:9; Morm. 9:9; D&C 20:12).[77]
Joseph Fielding Smith also commented on this scripture. He said,
ALL SPIRITS INNOCENT IN THE BEGINNING. The Lord has said, "Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God. (D&C 93: 38) This is speaking of the spirits of men when they were created, or born in the spirit...[78]
On another occasion, he also said this,
SOME SPIRITS GREATER THAN OTHERS. The spirits of men had their free agency, some were greater than others, and from among them the Father called and foreordained his prophets and rulers. Jeremiah and Abraham were two of them (Jer. 1:5, Abr. 3:23) . . . The spirits of men were not equal. They may have had an equal start (Alma 13:5-7), and we know they were all innocent in the beginning (D&C 93:38); but the right of free agency which was given to them enabled some to outstrip others, and thus, through the eons of immortal existence, to become more intelligent, more faithful, for they were free to act for themselves, to think for themselves, to receive the truth or rebel against it.[79]
Bruce R. McConkie once asked, “Is it the body or the spirit that commits sin?” He went on to answer his own question and said, “In pre-existence it was the spirit only.”[80] All these statements are helpful in understanding the concept of sin in the pre-existance, but perhaps the most helpful insight to this doctrine came from Orson Pratt,
Jesus…atone[d] for the sins of His brethren, committed, not only in the second, but also in the first estate…Why was the Lamb, considered as “slain from the foundation of the world?” If there were no persons who had sinned in their first estate, [who could have] benefited by the sufferings of their elder brother, then we can see no reason for considering Him at that early period, as already slain: the very fact, that the atonement which was to be made in a future world, was considered as already having been made, seems to show that there were those who had sinned, and who stood in need of the atonement. The nature of the sufferings of Christ was such that it could redeem the spirits of men as well as their bodies…By the sufferings of His body He atoned for the sins of men committed in and by the body: by the sufferings of His spirit, He atoned for the sins committed by the spirit: hence, the atonement redeems both body and spirit. It is reasonable, therefore, to suppose that if spirits in the first estate sinned, they might be forgiven through their faith and repentance, by virtue of the future sufferings of Christ…
Now if the Apostles and others were called “with an holy calling,” and “chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world,” and actually received grace in Christ, and had the promise of “Eternal Life” made to them “before the world began,” then why should it be thought incredible, that in and through Christ they also received forgiveness of the sins which they may have committed in that pre-existant state?
Now if the Apostles and others were called “with an holy calling,” and “chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world,” and actually received grace in Christ, and had the promise of “Eternal Life” made to them “before the world began,” then why should it be thought incredible, that in and through Christ they also received forgiveness of the sins which they may have committed in that pre-existant state?
…All the spirits when they come here are innocent, that is, if they have ever committed sins, they have repented and obtained forgiveness through faith in the future sacrifice of the Lamb…the spirits must be forgiven and become innocent before they can even come here.[81]
These statements teach us that each of us committed sin in one degree or another in the pre-existance. What the nature of these sins were are not revealed to us; however, on thing is certain, since the Light of Christ is given according to ones individual obedience,[82] and it is taken away according to ones disobedience,[83] then it is safe to say that some people earned more light in the pre-existance than others. When we came to this earth, we brought with us as much light as we earned in the pre-existance. Thus some are born with more light than others, thus some are more likely to keep the commandments than others, and thus some are more willing to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost than others.
We know that when we die, we will take with us into the next world the intelligence, or light that we earned in this life, and that if some take with them more light and intelligence than others, they will have that much more the advantage in the life to come.[84] With this information, is it not also safe to assume that we brought with us to earth the light and intelligence earned in the pre-existance, and that those who brought more light and intelligence with them, will have that much more advantage in this world as well?
References:
[1] Picture taken from, E. Skousen, Earth in the Beginning, p. 16
[2] D&C 93:29
[3] Pratt, The Seer, “The Pre-Existence of Man,” July, 1853, Vol. 1, No. 7, v. 84, p. 102
[4] D&C 93:29
[5] Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 350
[6] D&C 88:42
[7] D&C 131:7-8 states that all spirit is matter, which matter we will be able to see when our bodies are purified. See also Journal of Discourses 1:8.
[8] Journal of Discourses, 3: 277
[9] Journal of Discourses, 3: 277
[10] Abr. 3:19
[11] Pratt, The Seer, “The Pre-Existence of Man,” July and August, 1853, Vol. 1, No. 7-8, v. 84-91, p. 102-104, 113-114
[12] We know that we were organized from intelligences into a spirit body by the birth process, because, it is as Elder Melvin J. Ballard stated. He said, “The nature of the offspring is determined by the nature of the substance that flows in the veins of the being. When blood flows in the veins of the being, the offspring will be what blood produces, which is tangible flesh and bone, but when that which flows in the veins is spirit matter, a substance which is more refined and pure and glorious than blood, the offspring of such beings will be spirit children.” (Hinckley, Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin J. Ballard, pp. 239-40
[13] Journal of Discourses, 26:23
[14] Abr. 3:26
[15] Pratt, The Seer, “The Pre-Existence of Man,” July 1853, Vol. 1, No. 7, v. 86, p. 103
[16] John 17:21
[17] Journal of Discourses, 1:93
[18] D&C 93:28. More of this concept will be discussed later.
[19] Journal of Discourses, 15:231
[20] Journal of Discourses, 4:266
[21] See for example, D&C 93:28, 36
[22] D&C 88:13
[24] McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 539
[25] See for example, C. Skousen, The First 2000 Years, Appendix B; C. Skousen, Days of the Living Christ, Appendix F.
[26] Alma 42:22
[27] D&C 88:7-10
[28] D&C 88:12
[30] Nibley, Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, (2nd edition), pp. 30-31
[31] D&C 132:19
[32] Nibley, Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, (2nd edition), pp. 28-29, 97
[33] Nibley, Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, (2nd edition), pp. 28-29
[34] Nibley, Abraham in Egypt, (1st edition), p. 32
[35] Nibley, Abraham in Egypt, (1st edition), p. 13-14
[36] Abraham Facsimile #2, explanation for Figure 7.
[37] Abraham Facsimile #2, explanation for Figure 7.
[38] The same is true of Moses, who received a vision of the creation recorded in Moses ch. 2-3
[39] Andrus, God, Man, and the Universe, p. 250
[40] This is also said to represent Jesus Christ, who is the “light and the life of the world” (3 Ne. 11:11). See The Pearl of Great Price Student Manual, p. 39
[41] Abraham, Facsimile #2, explanation for figure 5.
[42] Pratt, The Seer, “The Pre-Existence of Man,” February 1853, Vol. 1, No. 2, v. 19, p. 23, (emphasis added).
[43] C. Skousen, Prophecy and Modern Times, p. 144
[44] D&C 88:12
[45] Journal of Discourses, 16: 337
[46] Namely, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
[47] Journal of Discourses, 16:336
[48] D&C 88: 7-10
[49] D&C 84: 46
[50] Moro. 7: 16
[51] D&C 88: 11
[52] Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 149. While Joseph Smith said that it was the Holy Ghost that has this effect, it must be remembered that it is by the Holy Ghost that the Light of Christ is dispensed. The Light of Christ is simply the vehicle that the Holy Ghost uses; D&C 84: 46 states that the Spirit is the one who gives the Light of Christ to worthy persons.
[53] Journal of Discourses, 3:104
[54] Journal of Discourses, 18: 327
[55] Journal of Discourses, 15:232
[56]Journal of Discourses, 26:21-23
[57] Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, p. 41 (5th edition)
[58] Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, p. 41 (5th edition)
[59] Pratt, Meridian Magazine, Science and the Light of Christ, located at www.meridianmagazine.com/sci_rel/060322light.html
[60] Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, p. 41 (5th edition)
[61] Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, p. 41 (5th edition)
[62] Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 149.
[63] Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 149. While Joseph Smith said that it was the Holy Ghost that has this effect, it is by the Holy Ghost that the Light of Christ is dispensed. The Light of Christ is simply the vehicle that the Holy Ghost uses; D&C 84: 46 states that the Spirit is the one who gives the Light of Christ to worthy persons.
[64] Isa. 5:20
[65] John 3:19
[66] Luke 11:14-15
[67] Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 367. See also p. 347
[68] D&C 88:67
[69] D&C 88:12
[70] Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, p. 41 (5th edition)
[71] Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 367. See also p. 347
[72] D&C 129:6
[73] Remember that all physical light is a form of the Light of Christ, therefore the light earned by obedience, will radiate as physical light.
[74] Matt. 13:43
[75] See also 2 Ne. 9:11-12; Alma 34:34
[76] For as Joseph Smith said, all men who are immortal dwell in everlasting burnings. Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 367. See also p. 347
[77] Joseph Fielding McConkie, Answers: Straightforward Answers to Tough Gospel Questions, p. 88
[78] Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:66
[79] Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:66
[80] Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 2: 429
[81] Pratt, The Seer, “The Pre-Existence of Man,” April, 1853, Vol. 1, No. 4, v. 44-47, p. 54-56
[82] D&C 93:28