Phases of Progression

The Three General Phases of our Progression

There are three general phases of progression that we go through which can be mapped to the Kingdoms of Glory. Each phase represents our own progression, the Kingdom of Glory we qualify for and our relationship with God.
Not everyone goes through the three phases, for example, the Gentiles were never placed under the Law of Moses or Preparatory Gospel, (Acts 15:1-11).
For Jesus to fulfill his mission, he condescended to the lowest phase and showed us the path of progression back to God. This meant that Christ had to be placed under subjection to the Law of Moses or Preparatory Gospel even though the Gentiles weren’t.

Phase 1 – The Innocent

Little Children and those who are without the law are considered innocent.

Moroni 8:22-24
22 For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law. For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing—
23 But it is mockery before God, denying the mercies of Christ, and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead works.
24 Behold, my son, this thing ought not to be; for repentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law.

This is a Terrestrial phase like that of the Garden of Eden prior to the fall. Our progression does not require us to fall to a Telestial state/phase, however many do. The children of Israel were first given an opportunity to progress to Phase 3, which some call the Higher Law, however, they rejected that opportunity and fell to a Telestial State. The converted Gentiles were given the same opportunity to become Sons/Daughters of God without falling to a Telestial state and they accepted it and avoided the fall, (Acts 15:1-11).

Phase 2 – The Servant, Slave or Bondman

This phase is given to the transgressor or the wicked and to their children who are born outside the covenant. When we are under the Preparatory Gospel or Law of Moses phase of our progression, obedience like a slave obeys his master is required. In this phase, obedience to the law is required. We don’t ask questions as there is no communication with the master or lawgiver. We don’t understand why the law was given, our only concern is that it was given and we are required to obey it. This is the Telestial or Slave phase of our progression.
In the New Testament, the Greek word “doulos” meaning “a slave, bondman, man of servile condition” is often translated to “Servant”. This becomes confusing compared with the Servants of the Lord who are actually in the Son or even Friend phase of their progression because they are able to communicate with God. However, it is easy to determine when a person is a Servant/Bondman and when they are a Son based on if they are under strict obedience to the law or have received the Holy Ghost.
Jesus was born and circumcised under the law and so became a debtor to the whole law. To fulfill all righteousness, he, like all those who are born under the law, was obligated to keep the whole law until it was fulfilled in him.
Galatians 5:2-3
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
For a detailed discussion regarding the transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2 and the difference between them, see “The Preparatory Gospel or Law of Moses“

Phase 3 – The Son

When we are converted and receive the Holy Ghost, the law or preparatory gospel is fulfilled and we become sons/daughters of God, no longer servants. 

Galatians 5:18
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Galatians 4:4-7
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant (“doulos” meaning “a slave, bondman, man of servile condition”), but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

We communicate with our Father through the Holy Ghost which is His voice. All of the old laws are done away and all things become new. We learn from and obey the voice of God directly rather than keep the old law. We still obey, but in this phase we ask questions like a child learning from a parent. This is the Terrestrial of Son Phase of our progression.

For a detailed discussion regarding the transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2 and the difference between them, see “The Preparatory Gospel or Law of Moses“

Phase 4 – The Friend

When we have learned enough from the Father, and the Father deems us ready, He gives us the promise of Eternal Life or C&E. With that promise, God gives us all things. We now enter into a new phase where God stops dictating to us and begins asking us what to do. He is grooming us to be God’s and to solve the problems using all the principles and information we have learned. God asks us to stand on our own saying, “I’ve already taught you. Now you need to apply what I taught.” God begins asking for our opinions and God even submits to us or changes his plans based on our input. This is the Celestial or Friend stage of our progression.

In this phase, our relationship with God is that of an equal friend with mutual respect. God continues to teach and offer suggestions, but there is no penalty for rejecting those suggestions.

In this phase, the person has become so righteous that God has promised that no matter what they do they will be exalted. There is no more requirement for obedience and the law cannot disannul the promise making it of no effect. This means that no matter what they do, they will be exalted with the single exception being that they commit murder and assent to the death of Christ.

Hebrews 6:13-17
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
…
16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

Galatians 3:17-18
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

D&C 132:26
26 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man marry a wife according to my word, and they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; but they shall be destroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the Lord God.
27 The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye commit murder wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after ye have received my new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord God; and he that abideth not this law can in nowise enter into my glory, but shall be damned, saith the Lord.

Romans 4:13-14
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

Examples of this relationship are found in the scriptures when the Lord negotiates with man, asks man what to do or presents a plan that is rejected by man. One such example is given in Exodus when the Lord suggest to Moses that He wipe out the children of Israel and keep the promise he made to Abraham through Moses, making Moses seed innumerable as the starts. The Lord couldn’t exicute this plan with Moses approval because if Moses disapproved the Lord would be unable to keep His promise to Abraham. The Lord presents the plan to Moses. Moses rejects the plan saying that he will not coopperate and the Lord would not be able to keep His covenanted promise to Abraham. Not having Moses support, the Lord repents or gives up the plan. In this, Moses disagreed with the Lord yet didn’t risk his exaltation or blessing. There was no penalty for Moses to reject the Lord’s plan.

Exodus 32:9-14
9 And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
11 And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.