Quiz

1. To have freedom, there must be:

a) law; b) punishment; c) personal accountability; d) a chance that although you are a perfect parent, you will lose many of your children; e) all the above.

Salvation was made possible by what three events?

Hint they are called the "Pillars of Eternity"

Creation, The Fall, The Atonement

Why ia agency so important?

Because it is through agency that we choose to follow God, to be like him, to Honor God so to speak it is impossible to force honor and honor is also an active process. Therefore, unless things can choose to honor God, God's honor (and power) are destroyed. So Satan sought to destroy the agency of man

(Mos 4:3).
3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; [used Christ to throw him out we will see this come into effect later on (power to crush his head)]

How can agency be destroyed?

First way that most of us think of is to force everybody to obey. But this would not only be difficult, it would be impossible for Satan to pull off because he cannot know and control our thoughts (D&C 6:16).

Now lets get really seductive...think like a devil for a moment

Clues are found in (Matt. 1:21; Alma 7:14; 3 Ne. 9:21) Which says that the plan that God purposed was to save people from their sins,

so what is another sinister plan to destroy agency?

Let's save them in their sins

(Alma 11:32-37).
32 And Zeezrom said again: Who is he that shall come? Is it the son of God?
33 And he said unto him, Yea.
34 And Zeezrom said again: Shall he save his people in their sins? And Amulek answered and said unto him: I say unto you he shall not, for it is impossible for him to deny his word.

35 Now Zeezrom said unto the people: See that ye remember these things; for he said there is but one God; yet he saith that the son of God shall come, but he shall not save his people--as though he had authority to command God.

36 Now Amulek saith again unto him: Behold thou hast lied, for thou sayest that I spake as though I had authority to command God because I said he shall not save his people in their sins.

37 And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.

Tricky, easier, far more seductive, no wonder so many of our brothers and sisters liked the idea. Let�s just not hold people responsible for their actions. Does that sound familiar? Oh the cunning plan of the evil one...

Now let's summarize: here are some scriptures you can read later Alma 42:17; and 2 Ne. 2:11-16.
1. If personal responsibility for the consequences of our choice is removed, then laws don't matter.
2. If laws don't matter, then the law is destroyed and it does not matter what choices we make.
3. If it does not matter what choices we make, it does not matter if we make any choice at all.
4. If it does not matter if we choose to do anything, it does not matter if we can't make choices.
5. If we can't make choices, we have lost our freedom to choose.

In other words, if any choice leads to the same consequence, there is no real choice to begin with-- hence the freedom to choose is destroyed. Being saved in sin sounds great but ultimately destroys freedom thus destroying God's honor, thus destroying God's power.

Now we go to the Garden of Eden and find that Satan is up to his old tricks. Why?

6 And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away many after him,) and he sought also to beguile Eve, for he [Satan] knew not the mind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world.

so what does he do?

Satan uses seductive philosophy of eliminating the consequences of choices... Remove accountability and provide security.

Mos 4:10-11 -

truth + lie

10 And the serpent said unto the woman: Ye shall not surely die;
11 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

someone quote the second article of faith?

We believe that man will be punished for his own sin's and not for Adams transgression.

Is there a difference between sin and transgression?

Legally a sin is something that is morally wrong, like murder

Transgression is just not accepted, while wrong example driving without a licence.

What was the state of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden?

Did they know good from evil?

If you don't know the difference between good and evil can you sin?

Why did Adam come to earth?

What was the first commandment that the Lord Gave Adam and Eve?

What is that One thing?

Moses 1:39

Moses 2:28
28 And I, God, blessed them, and said unto them: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion

[ What does it mean to have dominion over the earth

--Take care of it

What was the power given that provided for that dominion?

The priesthood] over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Helaman 14:30-31 God stresses the fact that to be free, there must be accountability for one's choices.
30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free.
31 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.

Mos. 3:16-17
16 And I, the Lord God, commanded the man, saying: Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat,
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, [ at least if you want to stay in my presence..if you don�t eat all the food on your plate you don�t get desert] nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but, remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

God affixed a consequence to eating the fruit. If he had not, as already discussed, Adam and Eve could not have chosen for themselves--could not have exercised agency--to eat it. Note that the consequence happened--Adam did die spiritually very soon after eating the fruit (was thrust out of the presence of the Lord but could still repent) and physically in the same day (of the Lord's time). had much more to do with a Word of Wisdom--note D&C 89:19. Also recommend reading Jesus the Christ, p. 30.

Gen 3:6/Mos 4:12 - Eve, not Adam, was deceived Eve wanted the knowledge of the tree and Satan promised her security from death

After Eve partook of the fruit what happened?

Let me get this straight the power of Satan could not get Adam to partake of the fruit but a women can...What does that teach us...is there a lesson there or what?

Adam and Eve quickly come to accept full responsibility for their actions. Mos 4:18- 19
18 And the man said: The woman thou gavest me, and commandest that she should remain with me, she gave me of the fruit of the tree and I did eat.
19 And I, the Lord God, said unto the woman: What is this thing which thou hast done? And the woman said: The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

After Adam partook of the fruit what happened?

Adam was cast from the presence of God...the earth too.

Gen 3:15 / Mos 4:21 God talking to Satan And I will put enmity [the attitude or feelings toward an enemy, hostitility] between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed [Jesus Christ who was the only one born without a mortal father]; it shall bruise thy head [Christ shall crush the head of the serpent (Satan and his kingdom) with the very heel that was bruised (the atoning sacrifice) ], and thou shalt bruise his heel [Satan bruised Christ's heel by getting people to kill Him].

What were the effects of the Fall?

Clues in 2 Ne 2:22-23; 9:6 Gen 3:16-23

They were in the presence of God

Not mortal, not subject to physical death Result Adam became first flesh (Moses 3:7)

State of innocense--did not know good from evil

They would have no children

Partakers of misery and wo

Ground was cursed, causing us to need to work

We can have joy in mortality

We can obtain eternal life

so were the results of the fall good or bad?

What does the account of the fall teach us about Satans ability to frustrate the work of God? Read D&C 3:1-2

Why is it important to teach the Atonement along with the fall?

Summary In the stories of the Fall and Next weeks rebellion of Cain we see Satan's first and fiercest two strategies: 1) destroy freedom by denying accountability and promising security; and 2) shame us into believing we are unworthy of God's love and forgiveness.

Mosesd 5:11
11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.

Why did there have to be a choice for Adam and Eve?

Alma 42:17
17 Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment?