Freedom, Agency, and the Restoration of the Gospel

From the beginning, God has honored the agency of His children. He created mankind with the ability to choose, to act, and ultimately to become. Agency is central to the Plan of Salvation, for without the freedom to choose, there can be no true faith, no genuine obedience, and no lasting conversion.

The scriptures teach that agency existed even before mortality. In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord explained:

“The devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:36).

Satan sought to destroy agency, but God preserved it. The Lord further declared:

“It must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:39).

Agency was also present in the Garden of Eden. God placed Adam and Eve in a setting of innocence but gave them a choice:

“Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat” (Genesis 2:16–17).

From the very beginning, God did not compel obedience. He allowed choice.

Lehi taught this principle plainly:

“Men are free according to the flesh… and they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death” (2 Nephi 2:27).

Agency is more than the freedom to act. It is the power to become. God does not force righteousness upon His children; He invites them to come unto Him willingly. Because agency is essential to God’s plan, the protection of agency within society is also of great importance.

A Land Prepared for Liberty

Throughout history, many governments restricted religious belief, controlled worship, and punished those who taught unpopular truths. Yet in the latter days, God prepared a land where freedom could flourish and where the Restoration of the gospel could take place.

The founding documents of the United States reflect eternal principles concerning the divine worth and rights of mankind.

The Declaration of Independence boldly proclaims:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

These rights were understood not to come from government, but from God Himself.

The Declaration further teaches:

“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

The Constitution of the United States established a system designed to preserve liberty and prevent tyranny. Its stated purpose was to “secure the Blessings of Liberty” for future generations. Through inspired principles such as separation of powers, checks and balances, and limited government, it created conditions where agency could thrive.

The Bill of Rights strengthened those protections, particularly through the First Amendment:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

These freedoms were more than political ideas. They were protections of moral agency. Freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press created an environment in which individuals could seek the truth according to their conscience and worship God without coercion.

President Dallin H. Oaks observed:

“Without a Bill of Rights, America could not have served as the host nation for the Restoration of the gospel.”

God Prepared the Way for the Restoration

The Lord Himself declared:

“I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:80).

The Constitution did not restore the gospel, but it protected the conditions necessary for the Restoration.

The Book of Mormon foretold a land established in liberty where God’s power would support a free people (see 1 Nephi 13:12–19). In that same land, sacred records would come forth to establish the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ (see 1 Nephi 13:35–36).

Consider what was required for the Restoration to move forward:

• A young boy publicly sharing a vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ.
• Angels appearing and their testimonies being recorded.
• Scripture being translated, printed, and distributed.
• A church being legally organized.
• Missionaries preaching openly.

Each of these developments depended upon freedoms protected by constitutional government:

• Freedom of religion
• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of assembly
• Freedom of the press

Without religious liberty, the Restoration could not have flourished as it did.

The Book of Mormon teaches this same principle:

“There was no law against a man’s belief” (Alma 30:7).

Faith must be chosen, not compelled. True conversion comes only through agency and the influence of the Holy Ghost.

Freedom Is Meant to Lead Us to Christ

Freedom, however, is not the ultimate goal. Agency is a means to a greater end: choosing Jesus Christ.

Samuel the Lamanite taught:

“Ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves” (Helaman 14:30).

Likewise, the Lord instructed:

“Men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:27).

Governments can preserve liberty, but they cannot save souls. Laws may protect freedom, but only the gospel of Jesus Christ gives freedom its eternal meaning.

The highest use of agency is not merely independence from restraint, but willing discipleship—freely submitting our hearts to God.

Joshua declared:

“Choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Joshua 24:15).

True freedom is found in choosing Christ.

Unity Through Christ, Not Compulsion

The gospel also teaches that unity cannot be created through force, control, or government systems alone. Lasting unity comes through covenant discipleship and Christlike love.

King Benjamin’s people were described as:

“Having their hearts knit together in unity and in love” (Mosiah 18:21).

We are not meant to become one through coercion. We become one in Christ.

President Oaks has emphasized that constitutional principles help preserve an environment where agency and peaceful disagreement can coexist. He taught that on contested issues, we should seek to “moderate and unify.”

In a free society, individuals may differ politically and socially while still respecting one another’s God-given agency. The restored gospel teaches correct principles and allows individuals to choose how they will respond.

The Divine Purpose of Liberty

President Oaks has identified several inspired principles embodied in the Constitution:

• Government derives its power from the people.
• Powers are divided between national and state governments.
• Separation of powers helps prevent tyranny.
• The Bill of Rights protects essential freedoms.
• The nation is governed by law rather than by individuals.

These principles safeguard agency and preserve liberty. Yet they also point to something higher.

Freedom is a gift from God. The Constitution helps protect that gift. The gospel teaches us how to use it.

The Restoration of the gospel came forth in a land prepared for liberty so that every person could freely hear the message of Jesus Christ and choose for themselves.

God prepared a land of freedom. He inspired wise men to establish laws that protect agency. He restored His gospel through a prophet. And through Jesus Christ, He invites every soul to choose liberty, eternal life, and lasting peace.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the greatest freedom is not political freedom alone, but freedom from sin and spiritual death through the Savior Jesus Christ.

As the Savior Himself taught:

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

God prepared a land where liberty could flourish. He inspired constitutional principles that protect agency. He restored His gospel in that land through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Yet all of these blessings point to a greater purpose—to help God’s children come unto Christ.

Agency allows us to choose. Liberty protects that choice. The restored gospel teaches us how to use it. And through Jesus Christ, we can become truly free—free from sin, free from spiritual bondage, and free to inherit eternal life.

The Restoration stands as a witness that God values agency and honors freedom. He invites each of us to exercise that agency wisely and to choose the path that leads to lasting peace, joy, and eternal life.

“Choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men” (2 Nephi 2:27).