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Since the fall of man, man has had the tendency towards evil habits. The sinful thoughts, actions, and tendency towards evil habits make the defective character. We automatically have this defective character when we are born and we continue to have this defective character until we are cleansed at the final atonement when God takes away our spots and blemishes.

The start of the defective character is when we are born with the natural tendencies towards evil; these tendencies cultivate sinful thoughts and feelings. Progressive conversion is needed to help stop this defective character, but one must go through the marriage and have God cleans them from their defective character and give them a Godly character.

We build our characters by developing our mental and moral powers. We must overcome every wrong thought and action with the help of the Holy Spirit. We also go through a progressive conversion process, which helps us, with the help of God, to overcome every wrong action, thought, and feeling.

Judgment, reason, memory, and understanding are all our mental powers. Our moral power is our conscience, self-control, and will. These two powers, mental and moral, are the workmen that help build our character.

When we are building, our character there is a very important aspect that we can not do on or own: changing our desires. Christ’s blood is the only thing that can cleanse our spots and blemishes and take away our selfish desires. Before we go through the time of trouble, it is necessary to go through the marriage. This is because during the last days we will have to stand without a mediator. If our character has spots and blemishes, we will be consumed. Therefore, it is necessary to have a blameless character if we are to stand. Spiritualistic theories teach that your own works can save you. They think that their character is good enough to go through the time of trouble, without a mediator, and they do not have to go through the marriage to remove their sinful nature. This belief gets rid of the final atonement and the necessity for the marriage.

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