The Everlasting Covenant
Part I
(The Eternal Perspective)

compiled by Don R. Hender

The Platform of the Covenant

There are a number of various perspectives from which to speak of God's Covenant with man. They often parallel and overlap into each other. This is to be expected. There are also false and incorrect or corrupted perspectives from those that are such as those that mingle truth with lies to those that are out right lies of corruption and falsehood. I present but one example of the latter. It is supposed and said by some that, "God's greatest gift to man is that of immortality, that all will be saved through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Live Again Forever and Enter into the Kingdom of God." And thus they state and/or give the impression that man will be 'saved' based upon no effort of their own but solely by what Christ has done all will redeemed and rewarded equally regardless of what or anything that they do. This is but a perspective based upon truth mingled with half truths and lies.

It is true that God's Gift given through and by His Son Jesus Christ, is redemption from death unto the immortality of all mankind. All will live on being raised from the grave. But that perspective take a wrong turn into half truth by not telling the complete, or the rest of the, story. True Christ's Atonement insures that all will be resurrected from the grace and be raised unto immortality. But Christ's Atonement also supplies man with the opportunity or possibility that they MAY enter into the Kingdom of God. It does not guarantee to man that he will enter into the Kingdom of God, for NO UNCLEAN (wicked and/or disobedient) thing can enter therein. Those who are caught up in sin and Satan's lies, who have not come unto Christ and have turned from, that is repented of, their sins and been obedient unto the ways and commandments of God; They WIIL NOT enter into the Kingdom of God. That is the truth of the rest of that story, not the lie that Satan has attached there to.

In its simpliest form, from the beginning God promised or covenanted with man, His spirit children, that He would provide a means whereby man might receive of salvation, that is immortality, and eternal life, which is to live eternally in the presence of God in His Kingdom. And thus men are that they 'might' have joy in the association with God. And the oath, covenant and promise was set in force, first in the pre-councils of heaven, then with various heads and leaders throughout the various despensations of time of mankind down through the generations, through such as the man Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and the patriarchal fathers; and then through such prophet leaders as Moses and Joshua and even such civil leaders such as King David: each generation re-newing the promised covenant in such manners as how each did apply to them in their various perspectives and circumstances.

Certain of those significant perspectives will be covered in this series of webpages beginning here in Part I with that of the 'Eternal Perspective, the over all beginning perspective, which began before the foundation of the world. Other perspectives to be covered in other parts relating to God's 'Everlasting Coventant' with man are such as from the perspective of the 'Blessings of the Fathers'and from the perspective of such renewed 'Everlasting Covenant' events such as with Noah in association with the 'Rainbow' token of the Covenant following the great flood. Then there is also that perspective of the Covenant known generally as the Covenant of Abraham involving how the 'Everlasting Covenant' will be administered to the benefit of all mankind through the seed of Abaraham. Also there is that perspective of the 'Everlasting Covenant' which is required as the very foundational part of necessity that envolves the acts of providing the ways and means of it through Jesus Christ. And though it comes in all despensations of time, that is the significance of family and the 'Marriage Covenant' without which the process would not have the functional access of the means of being carried forward to and all born into this propationary state from Adam and Eve, who were commanded to multiply and fill the earth, even down to the latter day 'New and Everlasting Covenant' in this despensantion of the fulness of time when Eternal Marriages are emphazied and performed in the Temples of God, the very Houses of the Lord. And certainly there are all parts of the extended roles of the Saving Deliverer, from the Creation and providing man the temporal world upon which to live, to acting as the Ministering God of the Old Testament, to performing the duty and requirements of the Atonment for the sins of man, down to and including such as the Second Coming, the Millennial Reign and even being the final administrating Judge. It is all part of the various perspectives of 'Everlasting Covenant', that is the 'Redemption Provision' of Salvation of Man by way of Jesus Christ. And though not covered as separate persectives, there are such required elements of the covenant interwoven throughout such as the need to be obedient in keeping God's Laws, Commandments, Performances and all such thing required of God of man.

The Reason and the Wherefore

THE Spirit Children of God the Father dwelt with the Father in His Kingdom in Heaven in their First Estate. But as spirit children they where yet only in the first stage of their metamorphsis of becoming as God Is. Two things lacked they yet. The first was the need to obtain a tangible body of flesh and bone as a physical tabernacle to house their spirit body in. And the second thing was to gain that experience unto maturation that the combining of the spirit intelligence and spirit body to the natural body of flesh and bone to test the spirit soul to see if it was able to master the physical body adequately enough to stand mature in its nature to enable the being to become even as God Is. This would be done in and during the Second Estate of the development of man on earth.

The actual process would begin at birth and end with first physical death followed by an intrim of disembodiment and then by resurrection or reuniting the physical body and spirit to a state of translation followed further by a final judgment determination unto a state of glory according to one's works and faithful obedience to the laws and covenant of the Lord. The obedience to laws and ordinances being the entrance and the excellence of works being the justification unto degree of Godly of glory, Telestial, Terestrial, or Celestial. That Third and Final Eternal Estate of Glory being that end unto which child does attain.

Yet to do so, the Second Estate is a 'Fallen Existance' as it subjects the spirit of man unto the carnal and corruptable flesh of the natural creature. Thus does the Apostle Paul speak of God turning his spirit children over to being so tested in and of the flesh and the failings thereof in order to see who my their exercise of faith may be able to overcome the carnal nature of the flesh:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek [Gentile].
Gospel of Christ = Plan of Salvation

It it a plan where by men (spirit children of God) earn their salvation by belief. All that believe and bow before Christ will gain a 'degree' of salvation.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
And man in the flesh must live by faith, and through faith to faith, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. And it is only by, in and through faith in Christ that man will gain relief from the burdens and captivity of sin. And all men will have sinned!
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
God stands against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, God knew man would succumb to the natural carnal creature and thus all would stand condemned but as they would find truth and throuogh the atonement they would/could gain foregiveness.
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
In time of the second estate the things of God are and will be made manifest to all, whether it be in earth life or in the term of spirit prison, all will be taught and come to know the things of God, his Eternal Plan and they way so provided where by all may and will be saved in and through Jesus Christ. And by the vicarious administrations those of the spirit world may be judged even as are the men of the flesh.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were athankful; but became bvain in their imaginations, and their cfoolish heart was ddarkened.
22 Professing themselves to be awise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the auncorruptible God into an bimage made like to ccorruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also agave them up to buncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God agave them up unto bvile caffections: for even their dwomen did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their alust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to aretain God in their knowledge, God bgave them over to a creprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, awickedness, covetousness, bmaliciousness; full of envy, murder, cdebate, ddeceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 aBackbiters, haters of God, bdespiteful, cproud, dboasters, inventors of evil things, edisobedient to parents,
31 Without aunderstanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of adeath, not only do the same, but bhave cpleasure in them that do them. (New Testament | Romans 1:16 - 32)
Gospel of Christ = Plan of Salvation

It it a plan where by men (spirit children of God) earn their salvation by belief. All that believe and bow before Christ will gain a 'degree' of salvation.

The Eternal Perspective of the Everlasting Covenant
[The Over-all Plan and Vision of Providing for the Immortality and Eternal Life of Man]

     Before the foundation of the earth there was God Our Heavenly Father and we his spirit children. And God Our Heavenly Father had a plan for His children that He would test them in mortality wherein they might obtain a body of flesh and bone and be enabled to become even as God is. This plan primarily centered around God the Father providing a Redeemer who would by the power of God provide the Father's children the means whereby they might return our of mortality and back to the Father's presence to receive the eternal blessings of God. This Redeemer or Deliver would be born of woman but would also be of the 'seed' of God the Father and upon him the Father would bestow his power an authority, that is the Holy Priesthood Power of God that through him God the Father would open the way for mankind to return to the presence of God.

Accordingly God Our Heavenly Father held a grand council to explain the plan and to choose whom from among His spirit children He would send to be the Redeemer and Deliver of man, for God Our Heavenly Father was already of that advanced Celestial Glory haveing an Eternal Glorified body of flesh and bone and according to the laws of eternal progression, He would not retrogress back to any fallen state of mortal man. Thus our Redeemer must need be one from among us. And according to the Order of Heaven, he upon whom that responsibility fell was the Firstborn Son of God in the spirit. This was Jehovah.

Certain Key Dialog and Story of Critical Events

   In the Grand Council when God Our Father in Heaven stood to set in motion the certain details of the Great Plan, He asked, "Whom shall I send?" Then Jehovah, the Firstborn Son whose right it was responded and said, "Here I Am, sent me."

But another also spoke forth, a Son of the Morming, who held much power and position whose name was Lucifer. And Lucifer said, "Here am I send me, and I will redeem all of thy children that none will be lost." But this was a deception in Lucifer, for to do this, Lucifer designed to take from man his agency and therefore also the capacity for man to become self-actuated, that is: the self governing of personal agency was needed to be able to achieve one's full potential and become even as God is. And Lucifer desired to obtain the Power of God that he alone would become even as God and Lucifer would not return that glory back to the Father.

And thus the Firstborn spoke again and said, "Here Am I send me, and thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." And God Our Father in Heaven said, "I will send the first." Indicating the Firstborn and also he who had answered first and right before Him.

But Lucifer rebelled against God and stood in opposition to both God Our Father in Heaven and Jehovah the Firstborn. And he deceived many of the children of God saying that if they would follow him he would save them all and none of them would be lost forever. And in this did Lucifer lie, for he had not the Power of God the Father to so fulfill this promise. But many followed after Lucifer, even a third part of the spirits of Heaven. And there was 'war in heaven' over the souls of the spirit children of the Father.

Now the Father had chosen, selected, anointed, foreordained, and ordained Jehovah, giving to him the Power and Priesthood of God that he might serve God Our Father in Heaven to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. And thus in a subsequent council of determination and proclamation as seen by the prophet Zechariah in vision, the Father covenanted with Jehovah the Firstborn who he named as Jehosuha (Jehovah Deliver), that if he would do the will of the Father in all things, then the Father would so empower him to redeem the children of God. (See commentary Zechariah 3)

And Lucifer or Satan and his followers who continued to rebel against God were cast down to the earth and out of heaven as variously recorded in the scriptures. (Isaiah 14:12-17; D&C 29:36-39; D&C 76:28-33; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 20:10; Revelation 12:7-10; 2 Nephi 9:9, Matthew 25:41; Luke 10:17) And here as Satan has Lucifer the devil so tempted man beginning with Adam in the Garden of Eden.

But God the Father hath covenanted unto man concerning the 'seed' that the anointed redeemer would be born and come forth to deliver man from the power of the devil and enable man to return to the presence of God. And this is the covenant and blessings of the Son and that priesthood power of God which would be given to enble the redemption of mankind which has been given through the father from Adam to Enoch and thence to Noah. And from thence to Abraham, Issac, Jacob and Joseph as spoken in the Doctrine and Covenant section 27.

And it is these blessings which Abraham did seek concerning the 'seed', the promised and blessed one of Israel, even the Redeemer Jesus Christ. (Abraham 1:2-4)

  • A Doctrinally Solid Basic Plan of Salvation Article
    by Elder Robert D. Hales

    • There are many perspectives of the Everlasting Covenant ~ The Promises of God to His children:

  • Title & Forward

  • Everlasting Covenants - Content

  • Preface & Introduction

  • Part I: Eternal Perspective

  • Part II: Blessings of the Fathers Perspective

  • Part IIIa: Perspective of the Covenant of Noah

  • Part IIIb: Perspective of the Covenant's 1st Shoe

  • Part IVa: The Abrahamic Covenant Perspective

  • Part IVb: Perspective of Covenant Renewings

  • Part V: God's Marriage Perspective

  • Part VI: Perspective of the Deliverer

  • Part VIIa: Fulfillment Via Ephraim Perspective

  • Part VIIb: Universal Israel Perspective

  • Part VIIIa: Perspective of the Second Coming

  • Part VIIIb: Perspective of the Covenant's 2nd Shoe

  • Part IX: Perspective of the Millennium

  • Part X: Perspective of the Final Judgment

  • Part XI: Perspective of the Portals of Time

  • Part XII: Summary of the Everlasting Covenant

    • As Set Forth in Heaven

    In the Grand Council in Heaven Jehovah was formally selected to be the Father's representative Redeemer to stand in the Father's stead in all things. Later, in the Great Council of Determination, the Covenant was confirmed to be in and through Jehovah-Jehoshua and Lucifer-Satan was judged to be expelled from Heaven. Jehovah, the Firstborn spirit son of Elohim, was to be our Ministering God. And it was stated by the Father concerning Jehovah/Jesus, "If thou wilt walk in My ways, and if thou wilt keep My charge, then thou shalt judge My House, and shalt keep My Courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by [with thee]." (Zech. 3:7)


    rev. 11 October 2016