Scriptures Teaching the Plan of Salvation

Why is it important to know the scriptures that support our beliefs? This is one of the reasons we encourage memorizing scriptures, especially in Seminary. But it is even more important to learn where they are so we can reference them, even if we can't recite them word for word.

Pre-mortal Life
Did we exist before we were born?
God is the father of our spirits (Hebrews 12:9)
God knew Jeremiah before he was born (Jeremiah 1:5)

We shouted for joy at the creation of the earth (Job 38:4-7)
The spirit shall return to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
Chosen of God before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4)
Poetically teaches we were with God before the creation (Proverbs 8:22-31)

What happend in the pre-mortal life?
Abraham saw the pre-mortal life in vision, including the "war in heaven" (Abraham 3:21-28)
War in heaven (Revelations 12:7-9)
Reference to the angels that kept not first estate (Jude 1:6)
Learning "first lessons" and preparation (D&C 138:56)
We were given callings and purpose (2 Timothy 1:9)

Creation
God tells Moses it was his Only Begotten that created all things (Moses 2:1)
Abraham's vision of the Son saying, "we will go down...and we will make an earth" (Abraham 3:24)
Jesus created all things (John 1:1-3) - The JST changes this quite a bit, but both ways are pretty clear that it was Jesus that created. Verse 14 clarifies that The Word = Jesus.

Fall
The fall of Adam was a necessary and foreseen part of the plan (2 Ne 2:22-25).
Without the Fall we could have never come to earth (2 Ne 2:22-25).
Alma 12:22-34 - Because of the fall, we are also fallen, meaning we sin (22). Physical death is a result of the fall (24). Because of the Fall we have the Atonement (33-34)

Earth Life (What is the Purpose of Life?)
This is the time for man to perform his labor, improve himself, repent and prepare for eternity (Alma 32:32-33)

Mosiah 3:19 - We must put off the natural man

This is a probationary state (Alma 12:24)

Alma teaches his son that this is a time to prepare to meet God, to repent and serve Him, a probationary state, so that they can overcome the Spiritual Death introduced by the fall (Alma 42:4,9-10)
But we have our choice on earth (agency) to choose the way to Eternal Life or captivity and death (2 Ne 2:27)
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)
No unclean thing can enter into God's kingdom (3 Ne 27:19)
We kept our first estate by bringing our Spirit in subjection to God's will. We must keep our second estate by also bringing our physical body in subjection to God's will (overcoming the natural man). See Abraham 3:25-26 and Mosiah 3:19.

Atonement
The Fall brought both Spiritual Death (sin) and Physical Death into the world. Both must be overcome to dwell with God. Because of justice - and the fact that no unclean thing can dwell in God's presence - any sin would prevent us from ever being with Him again, for we all sin. And because of the Fall we would all die, losing our physical bodies that we came to earth to gain. All of this was part of God's plan, which is why Jesus was chosen before the world was even created to be our Savior. Jesus came to the earth to atone for our sins (pay the price for us so that we could be cleansed from our sins) and also to over come death through the resurrection which makes it possible for all of us to also be resurrected. He doesn't just make up the distance for us, he makes all the difference for us.

Death
All men die because of the fall (1 Cor 15:20-22)

Spirit World
The righteous go to a paradise where they rest in a state of happiness and peace (Alma 40:11-14)
The wicked will be in darkness and fear as they receive the just wrath of God, suffering for their own sins, until the resurrection (Alma 40:11-14)
The same spirit that you have now will be yours then (Alma 34:34)
Spirit returns to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
Gospel preached to the dead - 1 Peter 3:19-20 & 1 Peter 4:6
Read D&C 138!

Resurrection
All men will be resurrected because of Christ (1 Cor 15:20-22)
Just and the wicked to be resurrected (John 5:28-29)
Our resurrection will make us perfect (no corruption) (Alma 5:15)
Resurrection is because of Christ and brings us to the bar of God for judgment (Jacob 6:9)
Resurrection is before judgment (2 Ne 9:15)

Judgment
All men will be judged (both good and bad) by their works as recorded in the Book of Life (Rev 20:12-13)
The resurrection comes to all so that they can then be judged according to their deeds (Alma 5:15)
Every man will be judged and receive his own dominion/mansion/reward according to his own works (D&C 76:111)
Mercy versus Justice - Alma 42:13-15
Alma calls on introspection in teaching about the judgment and preparation for that time (Alma 5:15-21)
No man comes unto the Father but by Jesus (DC 132:12)
Father does not judge, but by the Son (John 5:22)
All men judged according to works and desires of their hearts (DC 137:9)

Heaven (Degrees of Glory)
Everyone who does not go to outer darkness (99.9999% of us) will be redeemed through the "triumph and glory" of Jesus Christ (D&C 76:38-39).
The Bible talks about three degrees of glory (even clearer in the JST): 1 Corinthians 15:40-42

Celestial = Those who had faith, repented, were baptized, kept commandments, had temple ordinances,  overcome adversity with faith, members of Christ's church, Priesthood bearers (or married to one) (D&C 76:50-70)
Those who die without the gospel that would have accepted it given the chance, will receive this glory because they'll have a chance in the Spirit World to receive it (D&C 137:7-10).
Those who die before the age of 8 will also inherit the Celestial kingdom (D&C 137:7-10).

Terrestrial = Those who died without law, honorable men who were blinded by world, had the gospel but did not live valiantly (D&C 76:71-80)

Telestial = Those who receive not the gospel or a testimony of Jesus - even this level of glory "surpasses all understanding" (D&C 76:81-89) and includes liars, sorcerers, adulterers (D&C 76:103-105)

Outer Darkness
Only suffered by those who "deny the Holy Ghost" and "crucify" Christ (figuratively). Better for them to have never been born. Includes the 1/3 that followed Lucifer in pre-mortal world. (D&C 76:30-37)

Exaltation (highest degree of Celestial Kingdom)
The requirements for Celestial glory are high, but insufficient for Exaltation, which is the highest degree of glory possible - that which allows us an eternal increase. (DC 131:1-4)