Children of God

One of my most favorite songs is entitled "I Am A Child of God" and was written by Naomi Ward Randall about 1957. It teaches and explains our true relationship to God. I learned this song when I was a child, probably soon after it was written.

"I am a child of God, and He has sent me here, has given me an earthly home with parents kind and dear. [Chorus] Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do to live with Him some day." The second verse states: "I am a child of God, and so my needs are great; help me to understand His words before it grows too late" followed by the chorus. The third verse is, "I am a child of God. Rich blessings are in store; if I but learn to do His will, I'll live with Him once more.” [Chorus]. The fourth verse was added later and states: I am a child of God. His promises are sure; celestial glory shall be mine if I can but endure" [Chorus].

This song teaches a very important doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ in a manner that even children can understand it. God is the Creator and the Ruler of this earth and many other worlds. He is all powerful and all knowing. He is also our Heavenly Father and loves us very much. All of us are children of our Heavenly Father, literal sons and daughters of God. “Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal [physical] body” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 335).

All people ever born on earth are spiritual brothers and sisters. Because God is our Father and we are His spirit children, we all have the potential to develop divine qualities. Jesus Christ, through His Atonement, made it possible for us to become like Heavenly Father and then to receive a fullness of joy.

We learn from the scriptures that prophets prepared themselves while they were still spirits in heaven to become leaders on earth (see Alma 13:1-3). While still in heaven, God foreordained or chose them to be leaders on earth. Jesus, Adam, and Abraham were among those who were foreordained to be leaders. (See Abraham 3:22-23.) Joseph Smith taught that “every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was [fore]ordained to that very purpose” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 511). Because God gave us all agency, everyone is still free to accept or reject any opportunity to serve.

Just as we are not identical here, we were not all alike as spirits. We were sons and daughters, males and females (see “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). We all had different talents and abilities and received different assignments on earth. Even though we do not remember our premortal life, Heavenly Father knows who we are and what we did in our life with Him.

Heavenly Father knew that we needed to leave His presence in order to progress and develop godlike qualities. In order to do this, we needed to be tested and tried and to gain experience. We also needed physical bodies, which we would leave at death but would be reunited with in the Resurrection. After our resurrection, our bodies would become immortal just like our Heavenly Father’s body. If we were obedient and passed our tests, we would receive the fulness of joy that Heavenly Father enjoys. (See Doctrine and Covenants 93:30-34.)
Our Heavenly Father called all of His spirit children together in a Grand Council and presented His plan for our progression (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 209, 511). He told us that we would become like Him if we would follow His plan. We would be resurrected; we would have all power in heaven and on earth; we would become heavenly parents and have spirit children just as He does (see Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20).

Heavenly Father told us that He would provide an earth where we would prove ourselves (see Abraham 3:24-26). We would not be able to remember our heavenly home because a veil would cover our memories. Heavenly Father wanted us to exercise our agency to choose good or evil without any influence of memories of heaven. He wanted us to obey Him because of our faith in Him, not because of our knowledge or memory of Him. He made it possible for all of us to recognize the truth when we heard it again on earth (see John 18:37).

Heavenly Father also told us that some of His children would be deceived, choose other paths, and lose their way. He told us that we would have trials such as sickness, disappointments, pain, sorrow, and death, but He also told us that these things would give us experience and be for our own good (see Doctrine and Covenants 122:7). He told us that these trials would purify us rather than defeat us if we would exercise our faith. He told us that trials would help us to have endurance, patience, and charity (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 15-16).

Heavenly Father informed us that because of our weakness, we would all sin – except little children (see Doctrine and Covenants 29:46-47). He told us that He would provide a Savior so we could overcome our sins and overcome death with resurrection. He counseled us to place our faith in Him, obey His word, and follow His example. If we did those things, we would be exalted, become like Heavenly Father, and receive a fulness of joy.

Besides His general plan of salvation for all of us, Heavenly Father has a specific plan for each of His children. His plan for us will help us to reach our full potential as His child. His plan makes it possible for each of us to learn the lessons that we personally need and to do the most good with our particular talents and personalities.

Our Father in Heaven loves each of His children. He sent us to earth to receive physical bodies and to develop godlike qualities. He did this in order for us to be tested, to gain experience, and to progress as individuals. We were sent here to prove ourselves by exercising our moral agency to choose good or evil.