Fall

In the Garden of Eden, God commanded, “Of every tree of

the garden thou mayest freely eat, 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 eatest thereof

thou shalt surely die” (Moses 3:16–17). Because Adam and Eve

transgressed this command and partook of the fruit of the tree

of the knowledge of good and evil, they were cast out from the

presence of the Lord (see D&C 29:40–41). In other words, they

experienced spiritual death. They also became mortal—subject

to physical death. This spiritual and physical death is called

the Fall.

Our Fallen Condition

As descendants of Adam and Eve, we inherit a fallen condition

during mortality (see Alma 42:5–9, 14). We are separated

from the presence of the Lord and subject to physical death.

We are also placed in a state of opposition, in which we are

tested by the difficulties of life and the temptations of the

adversary (see 2 Nephi 2:11–14; D&C 29:39; Moses 6:48–49).

In this fallen condition, we have a conflict within us. We

are spirit children of God, with the potential to be “partakers

of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). However, “we are unworthy

before [God]; because of the fall our natures have become

evil continually” (Ether 3:2). We need to strive continually to

overcome unrighteous passions and desires.

Repeating the words of an angel, King Benjamin said,

“The natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the

fall of Adam.” King Benjamin warned that in this natural, or

fallen, state, each person will be an enemy to God forever

“unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth

off the natural man and becometh a saint through the

atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive,

meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit

to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even

as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19).

Benefits of the Fall

The Fall is an integral part of Heavenly Father’s plan of

salvation (see 2 Nephi 2:15–16; 9:6). It has a twofold direction—

downward yet forward. In addition to introducing

physical and spiritual death, it gave us the opportunity to be

born on the earth and to learn and progress. Through our

righteous exercise of agency and our sincere repentance when

we sin, we can come unto Christ and, through His Atonement,

prepare to receive the gift of eternal life. The prophet

Lehi taught:

“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 [Adam and Eve] 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.

“But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of

him who knoweth all things.

“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they

might have joy.

“And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he

may redeem the children of men from the fall” (2 Nephi

2:22–26; see also verses 19–21, 27).

Adam and Eve expressed their gratitude for the blessings

that came as a result of the Fall:

“Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy

concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be

the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are

opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh

I shall see God.

“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” (Moses 5:10–11).

Redemption from the Fall

Because of our fallen, mortal nature and our individual

sins, our only hope is in Jesus Christ and the plan of redemption.

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, everyone will be

redeemed from the effects of the Fall. We will be resurrected,

and we will be brought back into the presence of the Lord to be

judged (see 2 Nephi 2:5–10; Alma 11:42–45; Helaman 14:15–17).

In addition to redeeming us from the universal effects

of the Fall, the Savior can redeem us from our own sins. In

our fallen state, we sin and distance ourselves from the Lord,

bringing spiritual death upon ourselves. As the Apostle Paul

said, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”

(Romans 3:23). If we remain in our sins, we cannot dwell

in the presence of God, for “no unclean thing can dwell . . .

in his presence” (Moses 6:57). Thankfully, the Atonement

“bringeth to pass the condition of repentance” (Helaman

14:18), making it possible for us to receive forgiveness for our

sins and dwell in the presence of God forever. Alma taught,

“There was a space granted unto man in which he might

repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time

to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless

state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection

of the dead” (Alma 12:24).

Gratitude for the Savior’s Atoning Sacrifice

Just as we do not really desire food until we are hungry,

we will not fully desire eternal salvation until we recognize

our need for the Savior. This recognition comes as we grow in

our understanding of the Fall. As the prophet Lehi taught,

“All mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever

would be save they should rely on this Redeemer” (1 Nephi

10:6).

Additional references: Genesis 3; Mormon 9:12–14; Moses 4

See also Agency; Atonement of Jesus Christ; Original Sin; Plan of

Salvation; Sin