Alma 42:1

And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more

which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand —

which is concerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner;

for ye do try to suppose that it is injustice

that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery.

Alma 42:2

Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee.

For behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden,

to till the ground, from whence they were taken —

yea, he drew out the man,

and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden, cherubim,

and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the tree of life —

Alma 42:3

Now, we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and evil;

and lest he should put forth his hand,

and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live forever,

the Lord God placed cherubim and the flaming sword,

that he should not partake of the fruit —

Alma 42:4

And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent,

yea, a probationary time,

a time to repent and serve God.

Alma 42:5

For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately,

and partaken of the tree of life,

he would have lived forever, according to the word of God,

having no space for repentance;

yea, and also the word of God would have been void,

and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated.

Alma 42:6

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.

Alma 42:7

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.

Alma 42:8

Now behold, it was not expedient

that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death,

for that would destroy the great plan of happiness.

Alma 42:9

Therefore, as the soul could never die,

and the fall had brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal,

that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord,

it was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual death.

Alma 42:10

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.