2 Nephi 2
Chapter 2
Redemption comes through the Holy Messiah—Freedom of choice (agency) is essential to existence and progression—Adam fell that men might be—Men are free to choose liberty and eternal life. About 588–570 B.C.
1 And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my
firstborn in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren.
2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine
afflictions for thy gain.
3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be
spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast
beheld that in the
fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.
4 And thou hast
beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and
salvation is
free.
5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they
know good from evil. And the
law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is
justified; or, by the law men are
cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.
6 Wherefore,
redemption cometh in and through the
Holy Messiah; for he is full of
grace and truth.
7 Behold, he offereth himself a
sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto
none else can the
ends of the law be answered.
8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God,
save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who
layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the
resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.
9 Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make
intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.
10 And because of the intercession for
all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be
judged of him according to the truth and
holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the
punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the
atonement—
11 For it must needs be, that there is an
opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no
purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the
justice of God.
13 And if ye shall say there is
no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not
there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.
14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and
learning; for there is a God, and he hath
created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be
acted upon.
15 And to bring about his eternal
purposes in the end of man, after he had
created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the
fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the
forbidden fruit in
opposition to the
tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.
16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should
act for himself. Wherefore, man could not
act for himself save it should be that he was
enticed by the one or the other.
17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an
angel of God, according to that which is written, had
fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a
devil, having sought that which was evil before God.
18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he
sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all
lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God,
knowing good and evil.
19 And after Adam and Eve had
partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of
Eden, to till the earth.
20 And they have brought forth children; yea, even the
family of all the earth.
21 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 parents.
22 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.
23 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.
24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who
knoweth all things.
25
Adam fell that men might be; and men
are, that they might have
joy.
26 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.
27 Wherefore, men are
free according to the
flesh; and
all things are
given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to
choose liberty and eternal
life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be
miserable like unto himself.
28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great
Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;
29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the
evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to
captivate, to bring you down to
hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.
30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting
welfare of your souls. Amen.