2Nephi 9:8

[Guest tbaird22]

O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil to rise no more.

Why is it that without the Resurrection we would become subject to the devil?

[slamjet]

Because without the Atonement we would be imperfect and cast out of the presence of God since no unclean thing can dwell in the Kingdom of God. Thus, joining Satan and his angels who already sealed themselves to that fate.

[Martain]

Would we become subject to the devil without a resurrection?

Hmm... I think it's more than just the resurrection. It's the atonement in it's entirety.

If not for the atonement of Jesus Christ, which encompasses Christ's victory over the grave and the promise of Resurrection, we would ultimately remain in a disembodied sinful and unclean state (post death).

Since no unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God, we would forever be cut off. A state where one is cut off forever from God and without physical body, whether disembodied or unembodied, is the state Satan is in.

Without the atonement and resurrection, having sinned we would be under the dominion of Satan for when we sin he is the master we serve. Hence subject.

Maybe I didn't exactly answer the question but I hope this helps.

[bytor2112]

It's actually Nephi II and you need verse 7 as well:

7Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.

Edited August 5, 2011 by bytor2112

[sixpacktr]

It has to do with the fact that we have a body and Satan doesn't. Joseph Smith taught that Satan cannot have any control over us except as we give it to him, that those with bodies are more powerful that he is. My opinion is that one reason we needed to receive a body was for that very fact: without one we could not resist him, he would be too powerful for us to contend with. With a body, however, we have the upper hand on him.

The atonement gives us the opportunity to be permanently 'welded' together, body and spirit, and thus we are more powerful than he is.

[Justice]

O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil to rise no more.

Why is it that without the Resurrection we would become subject to the devil?

Death is the eternal reward of sin. One who has died is, for all practical measures, stained with sin. Therefore we could not re-enter the Father's presence until death was overcome, and we were no longer dead.

[Javajot]

Hey OP, do you mean 2 Nephi 9:8? 1 Nephi 9:8 doesn't exist... Anyhoo...

It has to do with the fact that we have a body and Satan doesn't.

I'm not too sure about that. Alma 42:5:

"For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated."

He would have lived forever in his sins, not being able to repent. He would have been miserable forever, not being able to repent. He would have been immortal - still possessing a body, but under the power of the devil, miserable forever and angles to a devil forever.

If it was as simple as needing a body to overcome Satan the Lord God would not have placed cherubim and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the fruit. Take the fruit - immortal - done.

We need to die. Without it there is no repentance, for there would be no need to do so. Without repentance there is no forgiveness. Without forgiveness you remain in your sins. To remain in your sins is misery.

It's all in Alma 42.

[pam]

Quote:

Why would it be that one would remain forever subject to Satan in the spirit world if there had been no resurrection? Would this also be true of a good man, one who had lived a life of morality and decency? Jacob’s testimony was firm and his doctrine sound: had Christ not risen from the dead, we would all spend eternity in hell and eventually become servants of the father of lies.

The Resurrection was the physical proof of our Lord’s divine Sonship, the outward evidence that he was all he and his anointed servants said he was—the Messiah. If Jesus did not have the power to rise from the tomb—power to save the body—he did not have power to save the soul, the power to forgive sins”

(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 62. as taken from McConkie and Millet’s, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 240)

[sixpacktr]

Javajot,

Thanks for pointing that out, but to me it isn't what the OP was asking. He was asking why the resurrection was necessary in order to not be subject to Satan. My opinion is that our body protects us. Adam and Eve, by transgressing the law, were subject to the consequences of their actions. I never said (or at least never meant) that if you have a body you won't be subject to Satan. Obviously the sons of perdition, etc., are under his power. However, because they have a body they actually rule over him (remember the promise made to Cain).

The atonement led to the resurrection. By welding spirit and body together where they act as one instead of the body telling the spirit what it wants when it wants it. Go to verse 9, which states exactly what I'm saying: we would become like him, his angels.

Our body gives us tremendous power over Satan. The Prophet Joseph stated as much when he said that Satan only has power over us as we let him. I imagine a resurrected body, no matter the degree of glory it attains (since those that are thrust down to hell to pay for their own sins for a while are subject to him with no protection whatsoever), is so unbelievably powerful that Satan cannot do anything to it.

Also, Cain will be immortal. Adam will be exalted. Huge difference. Immortality has nothing to do with our power over Satan.

[Seminarysnoozer]

O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil to rise no more.

Why is it that without the Resurrection we would become subject to the devil?

Satan has been given dominion over the things of this world. Our bodies come from this world, the dust of the earth. In the resurrection we receive a body that is not of this world but of the kingdom for which we are assigned. One for the celestial, one for the terrestrial and various for the telestial as one star varies from another.