What "Mormons" believe about the fall of Adam and how I know my Savior knows me personally

Mormons or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that the fall of Adam was necessary and not a mistake for which we will all be punished. Our second Article of Faith is "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression." Choice has always been a component of our progression. If Adam didn't choose to eat the fruit, we would not have been able to come to earth. Adam and Eve would have remained in the idyllic setting of the garden of Eden, not knowing good from evil. Because they made the choice, they fell from the presence of God. Because they made the choice, they were able to have children and to experience opposition. Because they made the choice, we are able to come to earth and receive bodies and make choices here. I love the clear truths in The Book of Mormon. Before his death, the prophet Lehi explained the fall to his family. "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. 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" (2 Nephi 2:22-25).

"Men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25). That is one of my favorite scriptures. In order to have joy, we have to know good from evil, happiness from sorrow, health and sickness. We make choices. In making choices we sometimes sin. We are responsible for our own sins, the wrong choices we make on this earth. But we are not lost because of those choices. Because Jesus lives, we can repent of our sins and return to live with Him. Lehi also told his children, "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" (2 Nephi 26).

When Adam partook of the fruit, he fell from the presence of God and became unclean. No unclean thing can live with God. Because of the fall, the Atonement of Jesus Christ became necessary. The third article of faith teaches what be believe about the Atonement of Christ which I will discuss next week.

In preparing to explain our beliefs, I often study and think for awhile about what I'm going to write. This time I hadn't thought about it ahead of time. About a month ago I started reading again from the beginning of the The Book of Mormon and the New Testament. Today I happened to read 2 Nephi 2 which teaches about the fall of Adam and Matthew 28 which tells about Christ's resurrection.  On the very day I needed to learn about the fall of Adam, I was reading about it. And in Matthew I read that after Christ was resurrected he said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). That is how I know the Savior knows me personally. I was given today what I needed to learn and know.

Because Jesus lives, we can live again. Because Jesus lives, we can repent. We can follow Him. We can be comforted by Him. His Atonement can lift us from sin and sorrow. Because He lives, we can have joy. I invite you to watch the video produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about this Easter season and Christ's personal Atonement for you.
#BecauseHeLives