Lessons on the Plan of Salvation
Lesson No. Twenty-Three
Two Trees, Two Commandments, Two Falls, and the Solution
Two trees – Among the trees in the Garden of Eden was the tree of life, which is symbolic of eternal life, and also the tree of knowledge of good and evil which is symbolic of mortal life. This second tree can also be referred to as the “tree of knowledge” or the “tree of wisdom” because we learn wisdom and knowledge by experiencing opposition between good and evil.
Adam and Eve were first commanded to multiply and replenish the earth. This could not be done unless they became mortal by partaking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil which they were commanded not to do. Why two contradictory commandments?
Elder Orson Pratt explained: “God being perfect in goodness could not…inflict pain or misery upon innocent beings, like our first parents…Pain or misery must be the result of transgression…. The Lord formed the tree of knowledge….but did the Lord command them to eat this fruit? No, such a command would have been inconsistent with his goodness… “knowing that the fruit contained mortality and death within it.” Therefore, he warned them “of the consequences” of eating – knowing full well that they would eat. Only by becoming “mortal by their own acts” could they place “themselves in a condition to multiply and replenish the earth,” which was the “first great commandment.”
Adam was warned that if he ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil that he would die, but Father added something He has never said about any other commandment: “nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee” (Moses 3:17). Elder John A. Widtsoe also considered this to be “a warning…as if to say, if you do this thing, you will bring upon yourself a certain punishment; but do it if you choose.”
Adam and Eve exercised the agency God gave them (Moses 7:32), and the plan went forward.
Two Commandments – “The Fall came by transgression of a law, but there was no sin connected with it. There is a difference between transgression and sin. Both always bring consequences. While it may not be a sin to step off a roof, in doing so one becomes subject to the law of gravity, and consequences will follow” (Boyd Packer, The Things of the Soul, p 49).
“This suggested contrast between a sin and a transgression reminds us of the careful wording in the second article of faith: “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression (emphasis added). It also echoes a familiar distinction in the law. Some acts, like murder, are crimes because they are inherently wrong. Other acts, like operating a car without a license, are crimes only because they are legally prohibited. Under these distinctions, the act that produced the Fall was not a sin—inherently wrong—but a transgression – wrong because it was formally prohibited” (Dallin Oaks, Ensign, November 1993, p. 72).
Adam, like a little child, did not have to repent of partaking of the forbidden fruit, but he would have to repent of sins committed in mortality when he was accountable. (Moses 6:53)
Two Falls – By partaking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge Adam and Eve fell. All mankind inherits the consequences (but not the responsibility) of the fall of Adam. Because of the fall of Adam, and through no fault of their own, all mankind will experience physical death. Furthermore, as the posterity of Adam “begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts” (Moses 6:55). All accountable people sin, and thereby experience a personal fall and spiritual death.
The solution – Through the unconditional aspect of the atonement of Christ everyone will be resurrected, and physical death, resulting from the fall of Adam, will be overcome. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Through the conditional aspect of the atonement of Christ the posterity of Adam can be redeemed from their sins if they will repent: “And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance” (Helaman 5:11).
Therefore, the most important thing we can do in this life is to obey and repent so that we may come unto Christ and be perfected in Him and receive a remission of our sins so that where He is we may be also.