Adam's posterity: the war between good and evil continues.

The effects of the Fall clearly followed the family of Adam.

What do I mean by this?  Well the next two-thousand years of history are filled with great examples of good and evil. 
Righteousness and wickedness. 
Happiness and sadness.
Clearly the 'war in heaven' you've read about here continued.

As soon as Adam and Eve taught their children right from wrong, and all the principles of the gospel, Satan started spreading lies, and turning many toward evil.  This was even before Cain and Abel were born (who were not the first two kiddies, by the way ...)

"From the time of the Fall the people of the world began moving in two opposite directions.  One group followed the teachings of Adam and Eve and continually strived for increasing righteousness and perfection.  The other group yielded to the deceitful enticings of Satan and his servants and moved deeper and deeper into depravity and wickedness.  Both these divergent paths were followed to their ultimate ends."  [1]

So both good and evil perpetuated in Adam's posterity.

(source)

See:

As you study the effects of the Fall, and the lives of Adam's posterity, you realise that - yes, we’ve been shut out of the physical presence of God, but it's disobedience that leads men even further away from God.


Do you remember the story of Abel and Cain?

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.
And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.   (Genesis 4:1-16)


This is the first example the scriptures give us of wickedness, of Satan's real power in the world.

Cain’s offering was rejected by the Lord - most likely for several reasons - but the fact remains that his sacrifice was not done in faith, nor was it in the prescribed and revealed manner.  He brought an offering of fruit, and he did it with a flippant attitude.  An angel of the Lord taught Adam how sacrifices should be done:  thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore (Moses 5:8).

Cain later entered into an unholy covenant with Satan, by which he became known as Master Mahan, or “master of this great secret,” and by which he could “murder and get gain” (Moses 5:29–31).  He and his descendants lived separately from the other descendants of Adam.



I thought it was interesting, however, that even after Cain’s unacceptable offering, the Lord did not reject Cain.  No.  Instead, the Lord gave Cain a hard and specific warning about the dangerous path he was walking.  He was pretty much chastised by the Lord to get his act together.

But Cain continued to reject the Lord, and Satan engineered his downfall step by step until he reached the point where “he glorified in his wickedness” and killed his brother at the suggested on Satan.


And that is where it all started.

Coming soon .. an example of the wickedness in Cain's posterity, and the righteousness in Seth's posterity.




[1] Old Testament student manual, 4-26

Thought for Friday.

 This is an example of something I will be performing in a week or so:

And now for something completely different ... something I came across by accident.  I loved it!!

And now this, simply because I'm a big fan of this movie which was released in the year I was born, and it just happens to be my birthday this weekend:

Have a great weekend, peoples!

Adam and Eve .. still in the Garden of Eden.

Adam and Even truly had agency in the Garden of Eden.

We looked at the principles of agency, making choices freely, but what about the other part of agency - accountability?
Were Adam and Eve really held accountable for their choices?

Of course they were!  I just told you that if agency exists, so does accountability.
Now see here:  (Lion King, anyone?)

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.   (Genesis 3:7-13; or see Moses 4:13-19)

Do you see all the questions the Lord asked them?  Where were you?  What did you do? 
The Lord already knew the answers, obviously.  But He still asked the questions, and gave Adam and Eve the opportunity to explain themselves.  (um, good parenting tip to follow?)

Now some people feel that God gave Adam two commandments that were in conflict with each other, and that that was an injustice.

Fair enough.  It certainly looks that way.

"If all decisions had but two alternatives, one clearly marked 'right' and the other clearly marked 'wrong', our personal development in spiritual muscle-building would not be nearly so strengthening.  Quite conceivably, the Lord recognised that man would gain much more learning and experience through dealing with conflict than with simple, clear-cut alternatives, and he therefore provided for this in our mortal period of life.  If it is not so, why did he place a set of principles in conflict before Adam and Eve in the very beginning?"  [5]

Well, say hello to Quinn McKay.  He offers three different ways to handle such situations created by principles in conflict.  His first is relevant here:

"Choose to obey the higher law when two principles are in conflict.  This is exactly what Adam and Eve did when they elected to eat of the fruit, what Nephi did when he slew Laban, and what the Saviour did when he forgave the adulteress.  And one of the important keys to obeying the higher law is to approach the decision with prayer."  [6]

So if alternatives seem to be in conflict, and an individual chooses to obey the higher law, or the most important principle, he does not sin.

Good to know.

It really becomes a matter of priorities - select the alternative that, in our judgment, is most consistent with gospel principles.

Elder Marion D. Hanks said "Never let things which matter most be at the mercy of things which matter least."

Maybe you should read that again.  Coz that is gold.


According to one of the many books I read, some people have wondered, since the Fall is so necessary for eternal progression, why God didn't just place Adam and Eve in a fallen condition to begin with.  I confess, that's never crossed my mind.  Has it yours?

If so, think on this:  If Heavenly Father caused men to become mortal then, He would ultimately be responsible for all the pain, sin, and sorrow that would come to man. 

Adam needed to have the freedom to choose to eat the fruit and fall.


How's this for a change in subject ...  enter the adversary, Satan.
Satan seeks to thwart (what a great word) the Lord's plan - we briefly looked at that the other week as a key truth found in chapter 1 of Moses.  But it is important to know that Satan live, and that he seeks to destroy the work of God.

Elder Marion G. Romney stated:  "We Latter-day Saints need not be, and we must not be, deceived by the sophistries of men concerning the reality of Satan.  There is a personal devil, and we had better believe it.  He and a countless host of followers, seen and unseen, are exercising a controlling influence upon men and their affairs in our world today."  [7]

The methods he used on Eve are the same methods he uses on people today.
Let's compare:

Can you think of specific examples of these methods today?

The reason I briefly look at this, is because knowing how Satan works helps us avoid being deceived by him.

As a side note, even though Eve was deceived, she still brought about the purposes of God.  And even though Satan thought he was impeding or preventing God's plan, he in fact helped it along because he didn't understand God's plan.  Not very bright.

Look at Genesis 3:15.  What does "the seed of the woman" refer to?
The seed of the woman actually refers to Jesus Christ.

"The promise concerning the bruising of the heel and head means that while Satan (as the serpent) will bruise the heel of the Saviour by leading men to crucify Him and seemingly destroy Him, in actuality that very act of the Atonement will give Christ the power to overcome the power that Satan has over men and undo the effects of the Fall.  Thus, the seed of the woman (Christ) shall crush the head of the serpent (Satan and his kingdom) with the very heel that was bruised (the atoning sacrifice)."  [8]


Note in Genesis 3:16 - 'sorrow' should read distress; 'rule' should read preside.


Adam and Eve then had the gospel of Jesus Christ explained to them.  The Lord explained to them that redemption should come through Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father.  Read their reaction to this teaching in Moses 5:10-11.

Of course Heavenly Father's plan also includes the means by which He can redeem all of His children from this fallen state, but they must again exercise their agency and choose to accept the plan.

We see that in Genesis 3:14-15.
Physical death and Spiritual death came into the world because of the fall of Adam.

What is the difference between physical and spiritual death?
Physical death is the actual separation of the spirit and the body.  Dead.
Spiritual death is the actual seperation from God's presence.  We hang out, no more.

And the Saviour overcame physical death, and made it possible for us all to overcome spiritual death.

Yup.

WOO!!  That's pretty much what Adam and Eve said, when they were taught about the Saviour's mission and atonement.


And ... then they were cast out of the garden.  Bye bye paradise.  Hello weeds.

[source]

[5] Quinn G. McKay, "Principles in Conflict", Ensign, Jan. 1971
[6] ibid
[7] Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p.25
[8] Old Testament student manual, 3-8

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

I had hoped that my Institute class had read the readings I set in the book of Genesis. 

They had not.
(I shall chastise them with love, as the scriptures telleth us)

Which meant we needed to spend time looking at the events in Genesis, and then at the same events as recorded in the book of Moses.  Moses holds the doctrine lost from Genesis.


We left off around Genesis 2, when Adam and Eve had just been physically created, and were placed in the Garden of Eden.  Do you remember?

Before moving on, I want to recap a few points about the physical creation of man.
(Someone in my class asked about Eve being created out of the rib of Adam ...)

[source]

Have a look at Genesis 2:18.  As indicated by footnote 18b, the Hebrew term for the phrase "help meet for him" literally means 'a helper suited to, worthy of, or corresponding to him'.  The King James translators at the time rendered the phrase 'help meet' because the word meet in sixteenth century English meant 'fitting' or 'proper'.

But language changed.  And other silly translators came along.  In the seventeenth century, the two words help and meet were mistaken for one word.  So 'helpmeet' came to me 'a wife'.  THEN, in the eighteenth century, in a misguided attempt to make sense of this scripture, the spelling 'helpmate' came about.  The original meaning of the phrase had been obscured.

Why do I tell you this?  I want to understand the relationship God intended for Adam and Eve better. 

President Spencer W. Kimball taught that the term man in the story of the creation refers to "a complete man, which is husband and wife".  [1]  I should hope so!  He also taught that the detailed description of the creation of Adam and Eve describes their relationship (i.e. help meet) as "corresponding to each other", and prescribes the ideal of unity between a man and a woman.  The significance of the phrase "help meet" is that the woman is a creation who is a fitting and proper companion for Adam, because she is like him and corresponds to him.

I like that.

That concept is further solidified by the description of the creation of woman as being formed from the rib of Adam - a rib being a metaphor for a person corresponding to Adam.  It is to be taken figuratively.  [2]

"I presume another bone could have been used, but the rib, coming as it does from the side, seems to denote partnership.  The rib signifies neither domination nor subservience, but a lateral relationship as partners, to work and to live, side by side."  [3]

This proper role of the man and woman is clarified in the scriptural injunction that they should leave their parents and cleave unto each other, and become one flesh.

Yup.

Talking about flesh, read Genesis 2:7.  Note the word 'flesh'.  It means mortality.

Last week, we discussed the spirit creation of man - that all things were created spiritually long before they were created physically.  Which means they could not die.

When Adam and Eve 'fell', a change took place (it's described here in Moses chapter 4), and all things became natural, meaning they were now subject to death.  So Adam and Eve had natural physical bodies (go and read 2 Nephi 2:22).  If I were you, I'd mark the difference between spiritual and natural in your scriptures.  Or at least note their meanings.
(None in my class marked them ... do people still mark their scriptures these days?)

Here is a diagram of the difference stages in Adam's existence (as described in Genesis 2 and Moses 3):

(source: Old Testament Seminary Student Manual)

Hello.

Now let us look at how that Fall happened.
Remember, the world only has the Genesis account, which doesn't discuss any doctrine at all.
Also remember, the overall purpose of the events in Genesis 3 is this, as taught by Lehi:

"Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."  (2 Nephi 2:25, bold obviously added)

Before reading about the fall, consider these basic principles:

1. When Adam and Eve were placed in garden, they were not subject to the power of death.  They could have lived there forever, in a state of innocence, forever.  And if that happened, the earth would have remained in that same state forever too.  And everything on the earth.  In a type of limbo, if you like.
2. In that situation, there would have been no children.  No making babies.  No experiencing joy, sadness, labour pains, tough decisions, none of that stuff.  Hence the limbo.
3. By eating the forbidden fruit (and violating the law under which Adam was placed), their nature was changed.  It all changed.  Man became subject to (1) spiritual death, which is banishment from the presence of God; and (2) temporal death, which is separation of spirit and body.
4. So .. this transgression brought about mortality, and the children of Adam and Eve inherited mortal bodies and became subject to the mortal death.
5. And .. obviously the state of the earth and everything on it changed to suit the mortal condition of man.  Everything became subject to mortality, even the earth.
6. The is the best bit : to defeat the power which death had gained, it became necessary that an infinite atonement be offered to pay the debt.  It was necessary; it would restore Adam and Eve and all their posterity - in fact all things - to immortal life through the resurrection.

With these principles in mind, we now need to read Genesis 3:1-6 (and/or Moses 4:5-12):

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
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.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

So "... the forbidden fruit had the power to create blood and change his nature, and mortality took the place of immortality."  [4]  Woah.

Here's an interesting side note for ya:  Who did Satan tempt?
According to Genesis and Moses, he only approached Eve.  But he actually approached Satan first.  There are other scriptures that confirm this, as well as latter-day revelation.  Have a look, you'll find it's in there ...


Now let's talk about the agency that the Lord gave Adam and Eve.
Agency is the ability to make choices and be accountable for them.  It's absolutely necessary for everyone who desires to become like God.  Which means Adam and Eve needed to exercise their agency and partake of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, so they could progress to become like Heavenly Father.

PLUS, eating that fruit made it possible for the rest of Heavenly Father's children to come to earth and exercise their own agency.  Yay for fruit!

For agency to exist, four principles must be in operation:

1. You must have a choice.
2. You must know the alternatives.
3. You must have an indication of divine will.
4. You must have absolute freedom to choose.

Yup.

So were all four principles operating for Adam and Eve?

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 3:17)

What do you think?



[1] Ensign, Mar. 1976, p.71
[2] Spencer W. Kimball, ibid
[3] Russell M. Nelson, "Lessons from Eve", Ensign, Nov. 1987
[4] Doctrines of Salvation, 1:76-77