Adam & Eve First Christians: Redeemed Episode Two

Adam, Eve, and all of their posterity will not have to suffer for sins because Jesus suffered spiritual death, which is separation from God. He suffered for all sins and overcame them. Only those who refuse to accept the gift of the price Jesus paid through repentance will suffer for their sins.

When the Father withdrew Himself from Jesus, He cried out "Abba, Father, why hast Thou forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46 Christ did not deserve spiritual death or physical death, yet He suffered both so that He would be given sole judgment when all humanity stands before the Father to enter His kingdom as joint-heirs with Christ. Spiritual death is separation from God. All people born will, one day, be reunited with God because of Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Death = Separation from the Presence of God

There are two ways we separate from God spiritually. First is the fall of Adam and Eve from Eden and to mortality. That separation is inherited by virtue of genetics. The second is separation due to our own sins and fallen natures as mortals. Without Christ, we do not recover from spiritual death because sin is permanent without him. "Spiritual death comes as a result of our own disobedience. Our sins make us unclean and unable to dwell in the presence of God (see Romans 3:23; Alma 12:12–16, 32; Helaman 14:18; Moses 6:57)." [1]

Physical Death = Separation of the Spirit from the Physical Body

Conception and birth unite the spirits of all humanity with physical bodies to enter life because of the sacrifices of Adam and Eve, who gave up paradise so we could enter mortality. Death is the separation of those spirits from the physical body.

Our spirits are eternal and will live no matter what course our lives take. Adam and Eve sacrificed immortal life for death to bring humanity to Earth. They represent the other part of the Atonement less often spoken of as The Fall. "Death is an essential part of Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation. In order to become like our Eternal Father, we must experience death and later receive perfect, resurrected bodies." [2]

Because He had no sins, Jesus could walk spiritually (and physically) back into the presence of God. He performed by proxy the atonement, standing in place of Adam and Eve to suffer for their sin. He stood in all humans' place to suffer for our sins--all He awaits of us is acceptance of the ordinance that He performed.

When Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, He did not bleed from every pore because He had a disease, but all diseases! He suffered spiritually and physically every injustice of mankind; every hurt and sickness; every pain and discrimination.

He suffered for all, that all might not have to suffer if we would follow Him and accept Him as our Master and King. If we accept Him as Intercessor, He'll speak for us as redeemed Saints. What does that mean?

We follow Christ because He completed the journey and knows the best way to make it through to the other side, He died, and came back permanently! He invites all to keep the commandments and repent, and He'll help us also come back permanently to live in heaven. He also informs that there is no other way to do it.

Since Jesus of Nazareth satisfied the demands of justice for all people, if they repent they could enter into the Father's rest. There's no reason for any person to remain dead once they die. The elements do not have to rebel against mankind because sin causes dishonor. Jesus paid for that dishonor! By one man sin came into the world, through Adam; by one man sin's removed from it by the first man to be resurrected, even Jesus Christ.

Adam and Eve didn't head down the path that led to the necessity of Jesus's suffering without prompting from the opposition to speed up the process. The devil helped them by putting a wedge in their marriage. The conversations between Eve and Lucifer could have gone like this:

Serpent: Surely the Lord will not allow you to utterly die my Queen. He is our Father and surely will save you. Do you not recall the other tree in this garden that gives eternal life?

Eve: I do remember it. I am free to partake of it serpent. It is a tree that I have come to know as most desirable of all the trees of the garden, as it also represents the love of God.

Serpent: Ah, I see you have been talking to other visitors from Father. I am sure they have told you much about the other tree that can make you wise. How do you really know it is not more desirable than the Tree of Life?

Eve: Well, I am not sure--being that I lack knowledge. I do not imagine it, the other tree, would be more desirable. I am not so sure....

Serpent: But, of course, you mustn't partake of it because Father said to avoid the tree, my Queen. I am certain that a small taste--just so that you may know why you avoid the tree--would not hurt. Why take the risk of being sure my Queen if it is forbidden?

Eve: I must diligently obey the Father. He taught Adam and me to labor for love, beauty, and knowledge. We are to be mother and father, as He commands, but I do not understand all things.

Serpent: I am sure Father does not mind you being diligent in all things to know why you should not partake of the tree--seeing that you seek knowledge and it is a tree of knowledge.

Eve: Yes, knowledge to become like Father. Is there any other way to gain the knowledge of good and evil than eating of the tree?

Serpent: No my queen. It is how Father obtained knowledge. He partook of a similar tree and gained knowledge.

It is how all the people called Adam or Eve and their children who have come before on all the worlds Father has called into existence obtained the knowledge of good and evil.

Eve: Serpent, I know only this world; yet, I see that to become like Father I must partake of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil if it was done in other worlds.

I will then immediately partake of the Tree of Life so that Father will not have to see my body crumble to dust. I will go tell Adam.

Serpent: No my queen! I am sure that thy husband will not envy if you partake of the fruit and then give unto him after.

No record exists that details the amount of time it took for Eve to take Lucifer's suggestion to break the trust of God in that ONE thing, partaking of the forbidden fruit with Adam. She could have resisted the idea for millions of years. All it took was one act to start what we call life today. Eve may have been tricked into partaking of the forbidden fruit but her actions are the reason humanity came to Earth. She did not do a bad thing in giving us this life because Jesus Christ was waiting in the wings to save humanity WHEN, not in case, Adam and Eve partook of the fruit.

Christ suffered for all and paid for that dishonor humanity heaped upon Him in the form of His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, and on the cross at Calvary. Therefore, when the Lord performs the resurrection ordinances for all, all will live again!

This bears repeating. All of humanity lives again because Jesus suffered for all of our infirmities--not only on the cross but also in the Garden of Gethsemane. His sufferings in the spirit were not limited to Roman guards nailing Him to a tree.

When He cried out on the cross that it is finished, then did He conquer all the sins of humanity destroying the power of spiritual death! Jesus had to stand alone to make effective the atonement for all humanity, and the Father let Him do so.