Mortality

MORTALITY

The Fall

The Fall refers to the Fall of Adam from the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden, they were given two commandments: multiply and replenish the earth and do not eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge from good and evil, or The Tree of Life. Adam and Eve did not know good from evil, they were innocent. By keeping one of these commandments, they could not keep the other. Therefore, Eve was tempted by the devil to partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life, and upon so doing was cast out of the Garden of Eden, with Adam following (1). They now had a knowledge of good and evil and were subject to death. "And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin."(2 Nephi 2:22-23).

We must have opposition in all things, or we could not be happy. Consider the following, if you only had Ben and Jerry's Ice cream every day of your life, how would you know it tasted good? Or, if you only had spinach every day of your life, how would you know it tasted bad? The only way to know is to have multiple foods to know what tastes good and what tastes bad. So it is with life. If Adam and Eve would not have fallen, they could have known no joy or pain, because they knew not good from evil. "And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth" (2 Nephi 2:13). The prophet Lehi taught his son: "For it must needs 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 nor bad (2 Nephi 2:11).

The Fall was so important. Without it, we could not be happy. Adam fell by eating of the forbidden fruit, "and thus we see, that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people"(Alma 12:22). By partaking of the fruit, man was removed (or lost) from the presence of God and became subject to the enticings of the devil. "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man" (Mosiah 2:19). Now, because we have become like unto to the natural man, we must die. "And we see that death comes upon mankind...which is a temporal death; nevertheless there [is] a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God" (Alma 12:24).

1. 2 Nephi 2:15-20:
"And to bring about his [The Father's] eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents [Adam and Eve], and the bests of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.
"Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.
"...An angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven [Satan]; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God.
"And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.
"And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the Earth.
"And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of the earth."

The Atonement

The Savior said: "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (3 Nephi 12:48). This seems like an impossible prospect, especially when Christ was the only perfect man to walk the earth. We are all subject to sin, therefore we must repent or be punished. What can the atonement do for us?

Let's first define what the Atonement is. King Benjamin, a great leader over the Nephites around 124 B.C. taught some very important principles about the Atonement and what it is. He taught of the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and told how he would 'work mighty miracles' and heal the hearts of men. The purpose for Christ's coming to earth was to establish his Heavenly Father's kingdom, but also to suffer for our sins so that we might return again to live with our Father if we repent (1). King Benjamin said: "And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people. And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man...and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him. And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men" (Mosiah 3:7,9-10). Because Jesus Christ did this for us we are able to come and live again with him in heaven. This is what the atonement is.

Why do we need the atonement? To dwell with our Father in Heaven after we die we must have repented of our wrong doings and have served him on earth. But "I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another--I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants" (Mosiah 2:21). So, it is by grace through the atonement that we are saved and can return again to our Father in heaven. (2)

Now, when we die, we will be judged (see The Judgment ). When we are judged we are judged with justice, therefore we must pay for all our wrongs/sins through much suffering. But, because of the great sacrifice of the Savior, we need not suffer because of the plan of mercy (the Atonement). "For behold, justice exerciseth all [the Father's] demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved. And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also." (Alma 42:24, 15). Hence, because of justice we must repent and come unto Christ, but becuase we are not able to pay the full price, Christ can step in with the atonement and allow for our mercy. However, repentance is a painful process (see Repentance) and does not come without price. Many say that we can be saved by grace/mercy alone--that you can practice many sins if you just believe in Christ. This is not so, there must be justice also. "What, do you suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God" (Alma 42:25). So, we must do our part to repent of our sins.

(1) Doctrine and Covenants 19:15-19:
"Therefore I command you to repent--repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and 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.
"For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
"But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
"Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink--
"Nevertheless, glory to be the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men."

(2) 2 Nephi 25:23:
"For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."

(3)Alma 42:22-23:
"But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.
"But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, and according to the law and justice."

The Gathering of Israel

Israel refers to the seed of Abraham, the Lord's covenant people. Anciently, God promised Abraham that his seed would receive the blessings of the gospel and the priesthood and certain lands of inheritance. However, when Israel rejected the words of the prophets and turned their hearts away from God and 'stiffened their necks', they were 'scattered among all nations. (1)

However, God had made a promise to his son Abraham, therefore, they must be gathered again together. "Behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they (the children of Israel) shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance" (2Nephi 10:7).

What does it mean to gather Israel? Surely we cannot gather the entire seed into one place, for it is so numerous. The gathering means that the House of Israel is brought back into the fold of God and they accept Him as their Redeemer and Lord. "And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved. And then at that day...will they not come unto the true fold of God? Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel" (1Nephi 15:14-16). The gathering generally doesn't have to be in a specific place (although the Jews will gather in Jerusalem), but can be in our general church buildings.

One question this leads us to is: How are we, as Gentiles, to help aid in this process of gathering Israel? When we receive our patriarchal blessings, we are adopted into one of the 12 tribes of Israel, thus becoming part of the house of Israel. It is our responsibility, as Gentiles, to bring Israel together. How are we to accomplish this great task? There is one answer: Missionary work. The Book of Mormon and the restored gospel was brought forth in this day and age to gather Israel. In 1 Nephi 22:8 it reads: "And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed." This is referring to the Book of Mormon and the gospel being brought among us. "And it (the Book of Mormon) shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." The whole purpose of the Book of Mormon is "to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever--and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, namifesting himself unto all nations" (Title Page, Book of Mormon).

Missionary work is so important. By spreading the gospel to Israel, you are spreading the gospel to the world. "And the day cometh that the words of the book...shall be read upon the housetops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all thinkgs shall be revealed unto the children of men" (2 Nephi 27:11). What an amazing prophecy and promise.

(1) 2 Nephi 10:5-6:
"But becuase of preistcrafts and iniquities, they at Jerusalem will stiffen their necks against him (Christ), that he be crucified.
"Wherefore, becuase of their iniquities, destructions, famines, pestilences, and blookdshed shall come upon them; and they who shall not be destroyed shall be scattered among all nations."