Light & Law #1 – Two Laws For Every Kingdom

Eric Smith – April 7, 2021

There is an eternal and unbreakable relationship between knowledge and accountability. Light and Law. Where there is more Light there is less Law. Where there is less Light, there is more Law. This is true in all realms throughout the Universe, and in every kingdom there is a law fit for that kingdom. “All kingdoms have a law given; And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom” (D&C 88:36-37).

And in every kingdom, the mobilization of the planet and its inhabitants is enabled by the existence of two eternal laws, which are described in Doctrine and Covenants:

“And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same. That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still” (v 34-35).

It is worth highlighting, and expounding slightly on these two laws, and the effects of broken law:

1. Law of Preservation
2. Law of Perfection and Sanctification
3. Broken Law

In every kingdom, there are laws given that are fit for that kingdom, allowing it to be preserved and to ‘abide’ in that condition forever, if its inhabitants abide in that law. The Law of Preservation is the same as what we typically think of as “the lower law” and is a law in which no ascension or descension is possible, were it to be the only law given in a kingdom.

Failing to live the Law of Preservation, is to ‘break the law’, ‘abide not’ in that law, and is to ‘abide in sin’. If broken, neither law nor mercy can have any sanctifying or ascending power on that kingdom or its inhabitants as it will surely slip further and further into the outer realms of God’s kingdom known as outer darkness – a kingdom of no glory. A kingdom where its inhabitants are ‘laws unto themselves’.

I see Father’s Kingdom as the Milky Way Galaxy, and is very much like a merry-go-round. When standing in the center, motion is almost undetectable, but the further you move toward the outer edges, there is continual effort and fighting against the momentum and inertia of the spinning. Without a focus on moving toward the center, it is easy to simply fling off the edge.

God, in His mercy and wisdom, provides a higher law that allows that kingdom to become perfected and sanctified, moving ever toward His home in the center, which if the inhabitants of the lower kingdoms in which they live not only satisfy the Law of Preservation (the lower law), but choose to live the Law of Perfection and Sanctification, they will assuredly cause themselves and the planet upon which they live to ascend in glory.

For us in this Telestial world, the pull outward is strong and constant, and requires more effort to stay focused on the center. Choosing to live the higher Law of Perfection and Sanctification would elevate our world into the Terrestrial realm of our Father’s Kingdom, where the outward pull lessens significantly. The result would be something like the conditions as they existed in the Garden of Eden, prior to the Fall.

Therefore, the world as we know it offers three outcomes. 1. We may abide in the law and remain a Telestial world. 2. We may break Telestial Law and hurl outward into a realm of no glory in Outer Darkness, or 3. We can live the Law of Perfection and Sanctification and ascend into a state of greater glory and lesser law in the Terrestrial realm.

Evidence of Lower and Higher Law

Both laws have already been declared in our Telestial world. Higher laws were given in the Garden of Eden when earth existed in its higher Terrestrial state. The laws were simplistic in nature and are given in the book of Genesis as follows: 1) Dress the garden and keep it. 2) Laws were given concerning the trees they could and could not partake of. The LDS temple endowment experience offers more to the garden narrative, adding at least two substantial pieces: 3) Eve and Adam were told to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and to be happy and have joy in their posterity. 4) The Law of Redemption. This law encompasses the atoning sacrifice of the Savior and was given as part of the Terrestrial Law as the Gods recognized the possibility that Eve and Adam would break the Law of Preservation. The Law of Redemption is at the heart of the Law of Sanctification, and therefore, the ability to ascend as individuals and as a planetary sphere.

There appears to be a direct connection, and perhaps divine law, in the relationship of a planet and the choices of its inhabitants; more specifically, inhabitants with some sort of covenant role. We know the earth fell when Eve and Adam partook of the fruit, but do we consider the power they exhibited in that action? Adam and Eve broke the Law of Preservation by their choice to eat, which caused the earth to descend from its terrestrial place in the galaxy to a Telestial place, making it subject to new physical and spiritual laws.

We see other examples of physical realms shifting in Light and Law by the choices of earth’s inhabitants. Consider the cities of Melchizidek and Enoch. Only after the citizens of those cities began living the Laws of Sanctification were their geographic regions literally removed from their Telestial realm into a higher realm. We learn from these advanced communities that collective communal action leads to physical changes. We also learn that action must be performed before the physical change takes place. In other words, they needed to live the Laws of Sanctification, before the higher physical changes in their geographic conditions could become effective.

In its new fallen state, laws were given to Adam and Eve fit for the conditions of the Telestial world, as follows: “…cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to the ground” (Genesis 3:17-19). The arduous Telestial effort required in their new world contrasts the Terrestrial conditions they were used to where fruits and flowers grew spontaneously.

Telestial laws were further added upon under Mosaic Law, where the minutest details of purification were articulated. Remember that the lower the Light, the more the Law, and vice versa. But just as lower laws have been added upon over time, the Terrestrial Law of the Garden, the Higher Law, or the Law of Sanctification has been added upon as well. Christ added to those higher laws when He came in the Meridian of Time.

All the components of a fully enabled creative period exist here on this earth. We have a planet, inhabitants, Laws of Preservation, consequence for breaking them, and Laws of Sanctification, enabling our ascension if we choose.

The Terrestrial Law, or the Law of the Garden, has been issued. The way for us and our planet to ascend in light and glory is to step out of the Law of Preservation into the Law of Sanctification and begin living it, thus following the pattern established by the cities of Melchizidek and Enoch. This can only be done in its fullness with a correct understanding of Terrestrial laws as they were given in the garden, and by laws given by the Divine Law-giver, whenever and wherever, He has taught His higher laws.

The metaphorical nature of the garden narrative and its two opposing trees should be literally understood in order to ascend. The understanding of the literal garden narrative may come by meditating upon the objects of the two trees, the fruit they bear, and what eating or partaking of that fruit means (essay #4 forthcoming). I invite you to ponder the italicized words above which are the key metaphorical objects of the garden metaphor. When you do indeed understand the true garden narrative, you will begin to see along with Eve, and have knowledge (Genesis 3:22).

The choice of ascension, preservation, or descension is ours individually and collectively. My hope is that those reading this and hopefully many more to come, will choose the path of ascension through the Laws of Sanctification, or higher law, along with living all of the requirements for purity and godliness. If you are directed by the Lord to live higher law, and your life is in harmony with its laws and conditions (D&C 88:36-38), then you will assist in transcending this Telestial world back to its Terrestrial state, in preparation of the Terrestrial rein of the Savior, Jesus Christ, during the Millennium.

We can’t simply wait for Him to give us the Terrestrial world we desire, without living in harmony with the Light and Laws of that glorious kingdom – we must create it by living it now.

Stay tuned for Light and Law #2 – The Key of Knowledge