Luke 1:1-4; John 1:1-18, 17:1-5

The angel asked Nephi –

“…Knowest thou the condescension of God?” (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 11:16)

To which Nephi answered –

“…I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 11:17)

John gives us some great insight on the condescension of God as he writes –

“IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.” (New Testament John 1:1 - 2)

For some this verse may seem confusing without a 1916 statement by the First Presidency –

“Among the spirit children of Elohim the firstborn was and is . . . Jesus Christ to whom all others are juniors.” (Clark, Messages of the First Presidency [Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, Charles W.Penrose], 5:33.)

The Savior was the birthright son, and he retained that birthright by his strict obedience. Through the aeons and ages of premortality, he advanced and progressed. Abraham earned by revelation that –

“…by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.
33 And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.” (Pearl of Great Price Moses 1:32 - 33)

As one studies the magnitude of worlds in our galaxy and the number of galaxies scientists have presently suggested, we begin to understand the greatness and experience of he who came to earth to atone for our sins. It was by his obedience and all he created, in this pre-existence estate that we read –

“…there stood one among them that was like unto God…” (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:24)

Before coming to the earth, our Savior, Jesus Christ – the “Word” was like unto God. And being like a God was also a God. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught –

“Our Savior was a God before he was born into this world and he brought with him that same status when he came here. He was as much a God when he was born into the world as he was before.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:32.)

In this premortal estate, Jesus was, under the Father, the Creator and Redeemer of the Father’s worlds.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (New Testament John 1:14)

As we ponder this, I think we can better understand the “condescension of God”. Alma taught –
“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance…” (Book of Mormon Alma 7:11 - 13)

“…Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—“ (Doctrine and Covenants Section 19:15 - 18)

In his intercessory prayer, the Savior prayed –

“…O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” (New Testament John 17:5)

Nephi was right –

“…I know that he loveth his children….” (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 11:17)