Part 2-Our Own Responsibility in God's Plan

“ We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression."

It is a common believe in different faiths that we are punished because Adam partook of the forbidden fruit. As a consequence, we have a judgment upon us, which we are not responsible for. It is a hard concept to accept once we know God, as a loving Father, has given us the gift of free agency. The chance to freely choose between good and evil. The prophet Lehi, in the book of Mormon expresses this idea after a revelation from the Lord: “And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. [...]Wherefore men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they 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.1”

A) Adam and Eve’s responsibility in God’s plan
Since the beginning of time, the Lord established the truth that we have receive this wonderful gift of free agency. While giving some counsel to Adam in the Garden of Eden, he said: “...Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.2" The account of Moses gives us more insight on the creation " ...But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eat thereof thou shalt surely die.5” God gave him an opportunity to choose for himself.
Here on earth, there is an opposition in everything so that we may be able to learn to make correct choices. Lehi, talking to his son, said: “For it must be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good or bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.4”
“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.5”

God, a true and loving Father, gives us the conditions; the blessings for obedience and punishment as a result of disobedience. But we make our own choices. When we talk about the act of Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, we express the act as a transgression and not as a sin. Adam did not sin in eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil because, in His great plan, God had decreed that he should eat and fall. Why would God have given such a commandment? Another early prophet of the Church, Joseph F. Smith, gave is opinion on the Fall: “Just why the Lord would say to Adam that he forbade him to partake of the fruit of the tree is not made clear in the Bible account, but in the original as it comes to us in the book of Moses it is made definitely clear. It is that the Lord said to Adam that if he wished to remain as he was in the garden, then he was not to eat the fruit, but if he desired to eat it and partake of death he was at liberty to do so. So really it was not in the true sense a transgression of a divine commandment. Adam made the wise decision, in fact the only decision that he could make. 6” So the main question to be decided by Adam and Eve was to find out whether they desired to remain in the Garden of Eden. If they did, they were not to partake of the fruit of the tree. They would remain in their state forever and we would not be here now. If they partook of the fruit, the Lord would forbid them to stay in the Garden but they would be able to “be fruitful and replenish the earth.”
Once Eve had partaken of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, she would be cast out of the Garden of Eden7. Adam, having received the commandment to replenish the earth, saw the design of the Lord and his plan. So, he did partake of the fruit to be with Eve and to fulfill God's command “ to be fruitful and replenish the earth”
The fall was necessary for us. Without the fall, we would not be here and experience our mortal life. We believe that it was God’s plan since the beginning, just as much as it was His plan that Jesus Christ would be our savior.

B) Necessity of a Savior
Adam and Eve were cast out of the presence of God. As a result, they were subject to mortal death. To this end, God provided a Savior who would overcome this physical death. Through the Atonement, we can also overcome spiritual death, which come upon us as a result of our sins. We are not responsible for the transgression of Adam but we endure and suffer the consequences of physical and spiritual death. Those consequences help us grow and learn while in this life. It is also through those consequences that Adam and Eve were able to learn and grow spiritually by choosing between good and evil. Through the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, we will be able to return and live with our Heavenly Father.

C) Our free agency
Although Christ paid the price for us, it does not eliminate our personal and individual responsibility. We need to follow the steps that Christ set up while he was ministering on earth. During this life, we choose between good and evil. Sometimes, we fall short of perfection and we sin. Sin is to act knowingly and willfully against the will of God. The death and the sufferings of Jesus Christ in Gethsemane for our sins give us a chance to repent and be forgiven of these sins.
Because of our free agency, we will have to answer for the decisions we make during this life. Adam transgressed, but it is denying the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the power of redemption he offers us, to say that we are under condemnation.
Adam is not responsible for our sins and we are not responsible for Adam's transgression. We will be punished for our own transgressions: “ Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.8” It is a truth that has always existed and the Saints knew it in the Old Testament time.
“The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.9” Thus was the Law of Moses given. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son…10”

D) Children are free from Adam’s transgression
Because of our imperfectness, each of us sin and fall short of the example of Jesus Christ. That is the reason why repentance and baptism must be taught to every one who is accountable and capable of committing sin. The prophet Moroni recorded in the Book of Mormon: “ Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach- repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin…11”. Some religions believe that little children or babies need to be baptized because of the transgression of Adam. They teach that the punishment, as a result of this transgression, is over the little ones
The same Moroni, 400 years after Jesus Christ came and established His church on earth, knew that this practice would eventually come. He express his feelings about it: “ And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is a solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children.[....] Little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins. But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism! Wherefore if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell. Little children cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are all alive in him because of his mercy. And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption.12”

The Atonement of Jesus Christ removes all obstacles. The Atonement of Jesus Christ helps us overcome the obstacles of sin and death. Jesus Christ took upon him the effect of sins of all humanity. Through the Atonement, we will be back At– One with God; only if we use it in our life through repentance.

References:

1. 2 Nephi 2: 5, 27
2. See Genesis 2: 16
3. Moses 3: 17
4. 2 Nephi 2: 11
5. Helaman 14: 30
6. Joseph Fielding. Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 4: 81
7. See Genesis 2: 17
8. Exodus 32: 33
9. Deuteronomy 24: 16
10. Ezekiel 18: 20
11. See Moroni 8: 10
12. See Moroni 8: 9, 11-13, 19-20