ARTICLE OF FAITH 2 - PUNISHED FOR OUR OWN SINS, NOT ADAMS

WE ARE PUNISHED FOR OUR SINS OWN SINS AND NOT FOR ADAM AND EVE’S TRANSGRESSIONS.

Yes, I said Transgressions.  They did not Sin.  The scriptures explain this.
While Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden they were in a state of innocence, they knew no sin.

"Knowledge of good and evil is an essential element in the commission of sin and our first parents did not have this knowledge until AFTER they have partaken of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil."  (Mormon Doctrine by Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, p. 804) 

From there on they could sin.  Let’s look at what happened in the Garden of Eden.

The fall of Adam and Eve and the Atonement was a package deal, originating in the Pre-Existence. (Our spirit life before coming here to earth) 

If Adam and Eve were NOT going to fall, there would not have been a need for the Atonement. 

Because God knows the end from the beginning it was part of the Plan of Salvation that Adam and Eve would choose, with their own Free Agency, to partake of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Since Satan and one third of the Father’s children were cast down to the earth for rebellion, they would be used to tempt the other two thirds of His children (US) to have a choice in choosing between good and evil. 

Our needed experience in using our FREE AGENCY TO CHOOSE was very important along with gaining a physical body for our spirit thus becoming a living SOUL.  Spirit and body, connected together make the Soul. 

When they are separated, they are just a body and a spirit.

The scripture comes into being from Restored Ancient Scripture, The Book of Mormon, a Second Witness of Jesus Christ:

2 NEPHI 2: 22-27

22 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.

23 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.

24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

27 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.

The fall was meant to be, but was to be chosen by Adam and Eve on their own. 

Heavenly Father knows each of us by name, we are His children and He knows what experiences each of us need for our eternal progression. 

He set up this Plan of Salvation so each of us would come to earth and create physical bodies for our brothers and sisters in the spirit world to come down for their own tests and go through their own experiences.

We would learn by our choices, good from evil. 

WE WOULD SIN while here and learn from the experience. 

We would learn how to repent of our sins that WE commit and do the best we could do, then the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ would take care of the rest after all we could do.