Mormon Dilemma 549

A Fall Upward

2 Nephi 2:22-25; “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.”

James 1:13-15; “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Joseph Smith has tried to introduce the idea that God set Adam up to fail. If it hadn’t been for Adam’s sin, man wouldn’t be… 

This is nonsensical!  God abhors sin – Psalm 5:4-5; “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” 

Why would God go to all the trouble of creating man and set him up to fail? Do you as a parent do that to your kid? That’s the meaning of malevolent!  

God is loving, judicious and full of grace and truth – John 1:14.

How can He be full of truth and tempt Adam to sin? 

How could He be full of grace and set Adam up to fail by telling him he had to sin to fulfill all commandments?