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© 1990 Laurie Ashton

Adam, our first parent, was first placed on the earth as an immortal being. It was essential that Adam come to this earth a son of God without being subject to mortality. In this state there was no death, corruption, or procreation. It was a state of innocence. Adam still walked and talked with God and received counsel and commandments from Him.

But, it was also essential that he partake of mortality as a step on the way to eternal glory and become like God. Adam gained a mortal body. He entered mortal probation in which are found the testings and trials requisite to a possible inheritance of eternal life. It is necessary to pass through this probationary state to be tried and tested to see if, in this mortal estate, we will be true to every commandment our Eternal Father gives us here. It is by being tried and proved that we prepare to have glory added upon our heads for ever and ever, if we remain faithful. This is why it is a state of probation.

In 2 Nephi 2:25, we read that not only did Adam fall "that men might be" but also that men might prove themselves for an eternal reward after their resurrection. The Lord has prepared places for his children and they will receive rewards and punishments according to their works, and thus find their place in the eternity to come.

The Fall of Adam was a foreordained plan.

In Man: His Origin and Destiny by Joseph Fielding Smith, on page 365, we read that the purpose is to provide for the opportunity for the eternal progression and perfection of all the spirit children of our Father in Heaven. In order for this progression to take place, Adam had to fall. This was in conformity with the will of the Lord. Adam fell both spiritually and temporally. Spiritual death entered the world and man was cast out of the presence of the Lord. Temporal death also entered the world. Man and all created beings became mortal. In this mortal condition, it became possible for the body and spirit to separate, a separation which, by definition, is the natural or temporal death.

In Alma 42:6-8, we read:

“But behold, it was appointed unto man to die – therefore, as they were cut off from the tree of life they should be cut off from the face of the earth – and man became lost forever, yea, they became fallen man.

And now, ye see by this that our first parents were cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord, and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own will.

Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness.”

In state of mortality, man, being subject to both spiritual and temporal death, is now in a position to be examined relative to his worthiness to inherit eternal life.

In Alma 42:10, we read:

Therefore, as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare: it became a preparatory state.”

He became subject to corruption, disease, and all the ills of the flesh. Spiritually, he became required to walk by faith rather than by sight. This is demonstrated in a quote by Spencer W. Kimball in Tragedy Or Destiny, from the March 1966 edition of “The Improvement Era”:

"Now, we find many people critical when a righteous person is killed, a young father or mother is taken from the family, or when violent deaths occur. Some become bitter when oft-repeated prayers seem unanswered. Some lose faith and turn sour when solemn administrations by holy men seem to be ignored and no restoration seems to come from repeated prayer circles. But if all the sick were healed, if all the righteous were protected and the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled and the basic principle of the gospel, free agency, would be ended. If pain and sorrow and total punishment immediately followed the doing of evil, no soul would repeat a misdeed. If joy and peace and rewards were instantaneously given the doer of good, there could be no evil - all would do good and not because of the rightness of doing good. There could be no test of strength, no development of character, no growth of powers, no free agency, no Satanic controls."

Knowledge of good and evil could now come to him by actual experience. Being mortal, he could now have children, providing bodies for spirits.

In 2 Nephi 2:19-25, we read:

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 all the earth.

And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh: wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parent.

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.

It was all part of the plan, and it was all necessary, and we all agreed with it, as is evidenced by our presence here. God knows what he is doing. He knew it was the only way for us to progress and reach perfection and enter into his presence again. It was a necessary part of the plan.

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