Cast on the ground, it is seen in perspective. And we can increase our capacity to overcome the desires of the flesh and temptations, as described in [Mosiah 3:19], “through the atonement of Christ.” When we make mistakes—as we transgress and sin—we are able to overcome such weakness through the redeeming and cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Let us also not make the mistake of assuming that the "natural" inclinations of man began at the time of the fall. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 181). 2 Nephi 21 . It was only in this way that they could become as God, knowing good and evil. verse 8 This verse contains the succinct "bottom line." The origin of evil resides deep within each of us and has always done so. 2 Nephi 2:27 Lehi's teaching on the principle of agency. So really it was not in the true sense a transgression of a divine commandment....It was the divine plan from the very beginning that man should be placed on the earth and be subject to mortal conditions and pass through a probationary state as explained in the Book of Mormon." 2 Nephi 5. verse 13 This verse implies that the concepts of law, sin, righteousness, punishment, and God are so intimately interdependent upon one another that one cannot exist without the others. "they are free to choose liberty and eternal life" This expression, and the remainder of the verse, refers to the principle of agency. Freedom can be limited by physical laws or physical infirmities. "the way is prepared from the fall of man", There is a tendency to read this phrase, "And the way is prepared for the fall of man." They were now able to have children. The moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power. "in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow" The Book of Mormon account of the travels of Lehi's colony in the wilderness, after their departure from the valley of Lemuel, is reported in 1 Nephi 16 and 1 Nephi 17:1- 4. 2 Nephi 31:13 Follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no … The purpose of all creation, as we understand it, is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (. Punishment is inexorably "affixed" to the law of justice. They saw their loftiest responsibility as multiplying and replenishing the earth. 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. Indeed, the natural self of man is the greatest source of evil in the universe. All will be resurrected, and all will live forever. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions, yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee. They created the word at-one-ment or atonement. However, the mercy of God has allowed an intercessor. When the spiritual self has its way with us, the result is "good.". It is the purpose of man's very existence to obtain true joy. No matter how evil or rebellious the individual is, he or she will be resurrected at the last day. For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. Thus, the actual working out of one's salvation and ensuring that the blessings of the Lord's atonement will be applied to any individual are not in fact free. One might wonder if this wasn't something of an understatement! With no ethical issues, could we learn to use our agency in an edifying manner? As a matter of fact the entire English language did not exist at the time the Book of Mormon plates were engraved. The Creation was past, but mortality as we know it lay ahead. 2 Nephi 31. Though Adam and Eve did have some knowledge of good and evil, in their innocent state, they had insufficient knowledge to enable them to grow or progress spiritually in an optimal way. In the premortal world, these were the spirit children of God and came into mortality on the path to progress toward godhood. A specific example of this timelessness would have been particularly pertinent for Jacob. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren. Adam fell that men might be; Christ ascended that men might be in God's presence. The eternal joy of God's love is likened to the fruit of the tree of life, for it is the final reward of the righteous. The blessings of the Lord's atoning sacrifice are not contingent on when one is born during this earth's history. verses 6-13 Please do not take these verses for granted. Bad times have certain scientific value, according to Emerson. "thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother Nephi" "I know that thou art redeemed" Apparently it had been made manifest to father Lehi, presumably by the Holy Ghost, that the "callings and elections" of both Jacob and his brother Nephi have been made sure. In mortality we all are tempted by the flesh. Of this earthly joy, Brigham Young taught: "'Mormonism' has done everything for me that ever has been done for me on the earth; it has made me happy; it has made me wealthy and comfortable; it has filled me with good feelings, with joy and rejoicing. Sometimes our circumstances here in mortality are such that limitations are imposed upon us by forces from without ourselves, forces that we cannot control. Rather redemption is found in the combination of the two. Its benefits apply to Jacob just as much as they apply to any people who have ever lived on the earth in any dispensation, before or after Jesus's mortal ministry. The natural law would be his sole determinant. Biblical references to the fall of Lucifer are very scarce and veiled (Isaiah 14; Revelation 12). 2 Nephi 12. Thus the word intelligence teaches that an intelligence possesses agency or the ability to choose. Why does this verse say that his "sacrifice" applies only to those who qualify? God did place man in a situation where his agency is operational-in mortality, man may use his agency to progress spiritually. Hence, there would be no earth and no man, indeed nothing would exist. The justice of Almighty God demands that whenever a law is broken, that an irrevocably decreed price be paid for that transgression. Lehi opens Second Nephi with his prophecies concerning the future of his posterity. Paul is also of the opinion that his eternal power and Godhead 'are clearly seen in the creation.' To be redeemed in a spiritual sense, then, means to be rescued from the fall of man, to be saved in a degree of glory, to be snatched from the clutches of the Devil. He would have been subject to Satan's buffetings forever. If there had been no atonement, the fall of man would have been permanent. The second is that they could distinguish good from evil. "the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given", The phrase "ends of the law" refers to the demands of justice. Because of Satan's strategies and efforts, it is more difficult for us to resist our natural selves. 2 Nephi 6. . 'There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' Hence, here in mortality-"according to the flesh"-man has his agency. and not eternal death" The Book of Mormon does not teach the concept of "multiple heavens" or multiple degrees of salvation. We will learn that Jacob will become a uniquely sensitive and loving prophet. 2 Nephi 20. How much more ennobling and soul-satisfying is the true doctrine of the fall and the true notion of Adam, the assurance that Adam "fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." He has satisfactorily repented of his sins and therefore is qualified to receive the Savior's absolution or forgiveness. Likewise, problems or trials in our lives need to be viewed in the perspective of scriptural doctrine....Some people are like rocks thrown into a sea of problems. He could not progress. Thus there must be wickedness so there might be righteousness, death so there might be life, that which is satanic so there might be that which is godly" (Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, volume 1, 195). Please recall that because of Adam's transgression, all men will suffer a physical death, and all will also be temporarily separated from God-they will suffer a temporary spiritual death. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. The very elements out of which our bodies were created are by nature fallen and ever subject to the pull of sin, corruption, and death. The redemption of man, which comes "in and through" Christ, is not a matter of grace (his matchless love for us-proclivity his proclivity to grant us mercy) alone or truth (righteousness and obedience to the law) alone. 8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. Nephi also taught the necessity of baptism (2 Nephi 31:5-13), and then, referring to the baptism of the Savior, he counseled his followers to 'do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. They would have remained so if Adam and Eve had not fallen. It requires the sacrifice of the individual. It seems clear that man's natural self has always existed. verse 11 "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things." Here is the essential reason for Satan's fall from glory in the pre-existence. 24-5 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.86). However, he was apparently not taught as many of the specific details of that plan as we have today in this final dispensation. Turning to Brother Rasmussen he said, "Say it again, but not so fast." Man is in need of redemption from his own sins. The majority in the religious world maintain that every child born into this world is tainted with 'original sin,' or partakes of Adam's transgression in his birth. Without mortality, there is no need for a Resurrection. "physical death" This is separation of the body and the spirit. In order to make this agency operative in an especially meaningful way, he allowed Satan to operate in the world. Let us not be guilty of being too simplistic, however, and failing to understand Satan's role. When the individual's penalty for sin is removed, he or she is said to be "justified.". Its benefits apply to Jacob just as much as they apply to any people who have ever lived on the earth in any dispensation, before or after Jesus's mortal ministry. This joy, however, can only be obtained by an individual who has the opportunity and the ability to choose between good and evil, and he selects the good. Lifespans began to be cut much shorter. These commandments, when obeyed, will eventually result in the freedom to choose to enter the celestial heaven. See Ye Shall Know of the Doctrine, volume 1, chapter 13, Agency and Freedom. It is our "natural self" or "natural-man self" (see Ye Shall Know of the Doctrine, volume 1, chapters 5 and 6, The "Natural Self" and "Spiritual Self" and The Gospel and the Two Natures of Man). Apparently it had been made manifest to father Lehi, presumably by the Holy Ghost, that the "callings and elections" of both Jacob and his brother Nephi have been made sure. "the days of the children of men were prolonged", The use of the word "prolonged" here is a curiosity since the time a man spends on this earth is certainly a relative thing. 2 Nephi 4. The implications of a different interpretation are enormous. The "things to act" are the vast host of intelligences. 2 Nephi 2:15-16 He Was Enticed By the One or the Other (2/5/2015) Chapter 3 “He Shall Do a Work…Which Shall Be of Great Worth” – 2 Nephi 3:7 (1/17/2021) The scriptures teach clearly that if there had been no Savior and no atonement, then all mankind would sojourn with Satan in outer darkness forever (2 Nephi 9:8-9). Jacob. 2 Nephi 23. 6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. 2 Nephi 2. 2 Nephi 31. These commandments, when obeyed, will eventually result in the freedom to choose to enter the celestial heaven. Man would never have had the freedom to return to God's presence and realize his ultimate potential. We ascribe to God the epitome of intelligence and the quintessence of spiritual gifts. The notion then evolved to the assumption that all mankind inherited their evil tendencies. The second period is the actual placement of modern life forms on the earth. 2 Nephi 13. "It is also recognized by a majority of the great scientists that there is a God and that he is the source of truth. The same concept is restated later in this verse-"their time was lengthened." They are vital and contain some of the clearest teachings on the doctrine of the atonement found in all of the scripture. These concepts are discussed in Ye Shall Know of the Doctrine, volume 1, chapter 12, The Law of Justice, and chapter 19, The Essence of the Lord's Atonement. A brief outline of 2 Nephi, worth committing to memory, is as follows: 2 Nephi 1-4 Father Lehi counsels and blesses each of his sons. verse 2 "he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain" Here is an important doctrine: The Lord will turn suffering and tribulation into blessings. Though Adam and Eve did have some knowledge of good and evil, in their innocent state, they had insufficient knowledge to enable them to grow or progress spiritually in an optimal way. Indeed, would we in fact possess any meaningful agency? 2 Nephi 22. 2 Nephi 2:14 Things to act and things to be acted upon. There are "unconditional" blessings or benefits of the atonement and "conditional" blessings of the atonement. They point out that, while Elder McConkie's interpretation of 2 Nephi 2:22 is one possible interpretation, "It has not received official sanction as a doctrine; and it has no explicit foundation in scripture. Read-along with the Book of Mormon - 2 Nephi Chapter 2, in which Lehi blesses his son Jacob. Every intelligence has a "natural" self and a "spiritual" self. 21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. "who layeth down his life according to the flesh" Jesus's agony and death in Gethsemane and on the cross was not mitigated by his being the God Jehovah and his being sired by the Father. All that has changed with the fulfillment of the law of Moses is a change in the nature of the sacrifice. Wherefore, men are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself . Paul also spoke of 'the dispensation of the fulness of times' as the day in which we live- the day in which all things are to be restored (see Ephesians 1:10). 2 Nephi 10. The only individual who met the qualifications needed to act as an intercessor was Jesus Christ. As he began the process of creation, he was given, by the family of Gods, a vast repository of primal building blocks-elements (unorganized matter) and intelligences which he organized together. In this case part of his underlying "natural" inclinations were profound fears that he would fail to return to his former place of prominence. The simplest answer is that Joseph did not decide to use the word atonement. None would know death, none would know corruption or change of any kind, and none could produce after their own kind. Satan mimics the plan of the Lord. These were brought to the temple and given to the priests for their support. Adam lived 930 years, Seth lived 912 years, Methusaleh has the record with 969 years, and Noah lived 950 years. Further, it would seem that in that dispensation the Lord was particularly inclined to send to the earth angels to preach his gospel (Moses 5:58; Moses 7:27). For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all (James 2:10). Also we are instructed that in order for man to exercise fully his agency, both good and evil choices must be associated with some enticement. Here, Lehi explains that he was "an angel of God." 2 Nephi 8. The phrase "in the end of man" is perhaps best interpreted as meaning "in the life of man" or "in the lives of men.". "things to act and things to be acted upon" In one sense these may be regarded as the building blocks available to the Father as he began the process of creation. Here is a profoundly important principle. What a simple concept? As the Lord deals with us in this dispensation, so he has dealt with all people in all dispensations of time since the human family inhabited the earth. Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning 'a close embrace'-no doubt related to the Egyptian ritual embrace....While the words atone or atonement, in any of their forms, appear only once in the King James translation of the New Testament, they appear 35 times in the Book of Mormon. For example, Amulek described the resurrection as a state in which body and spirit are united "never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption" (Alma 11:45, italics added). The apostate doctrine of original sin seems to be based in part on the notion that Adam and Eve's disobedience was an act of overt rebellion against God, an attempt to usurp the knowledge available only to the gods. 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