According to the LDS faith, if our spirits lived with God before this life, why is spiritual birth during life on earth required? I am a member of the LDS faith, and based on the belief that our spirits lived with God before this life, then why is spiritual birth ("Being Born of the Spirit") during life on earth required? Based on scripture, in Rom 8:14 brought me to this question. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Now if all mankind had previously spiritually existed with God prior to our existence on earth, then shouldn't everyone be the sons of God, regardless of whether they are led by the spirit of God or not? I bring this point up due to my faith being firm on the Bible, and the scripture in Romans 8:14 is leading me to doubt spiritual pre-existence with God.

My take on this is that when born into this world after the Fall of Man occurred, we automatically obtained a spiritual death, which requires spiritual rebirth. If this is true, then a prior spiritual life with God before our earthly existence could be valid. As a member of the LDS faith, I wanted some advice on how I should think of this, without having to read the Doctrine and Covenants (D&amp;C) and/or The Pearl of Great Price, which came after the Bible. God's Word will not contradict itself, and in my belief in the LDS faith, scriptures among all the books (The Bible, The Book of Mormon, D&amp;C, and Pearl of Great Price) should be in one accord and in line, not contradicting one another. If that is not the case, I need to reconsider my beliefs.
You seem to have a misunderstanding of what death is. Death is separation, not ceasing to exist. Spiritual birth is required because of spiritual death.


spiritual death- separation from God (the first source is the Fall and the second is our own disobedience)
physical death- separation of the spirit from the body


Both deaths came because of the Fall, and both are overcome through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. See also


Helaman 14:16 - the Fall brought about both kinds of death
1 Corinthians 15:20-22 - the Fall brought death, through Christ we are made alive


Romans 8:6-7 on spiritual death


For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.


Being carnally minded leads to sin, or to disobey God. See also


Mosiah 3:19 - natural man is enemy to God


Being righteous means we are born of God.

1 John 2:29


  
  If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
  


On being spiritually reborn, see also


John 3:3-6 - baptism is part of spiritual rebirth
2 Corinthians 5:17 - new person in Christ 
1 John 3:9 - born of God when don't commit sin


In your first paragraph, you mention lots of thoughts or beliefs that you seem unsure of, there are many scriptures that let us know that we lived with God before we were here on earth and that we are his children. Also know that the Doctrine &amp; Covenants, Book of Mormon, and Pearl of Great Price all contain principles of the gospel that are restored truths (and so are not completely or at all in just the Bible, that's why all are considered scripture).

Pre-earth life


Moses 3:5 - God created us in heaven
Romans 11:2 - he foreknew man
Doc&amp;Cov 138:56 - received lesson before coming to earth


Children of God


Acts 17:29 - offspring of God
Romans 8:14-17 - children of God (read the next few verses, and verse 14 is about being heirs of God)