God Doesn't Need a Plan "B"

In traditional Christian thought, God created a perfect plan. He created the Garden of Eden, and saw that it was good. He sent Adam and Eve as the first of His children, with it being their responsibility to multiply and replenish the Earth, and maintain life in this grand paradise. Unfortunately, they messed up. They sinned in the single way they could and partook of the forbidden fruit. They were no longer perfect, no longer worthy of living in Eden. God's very first children already ruined His plan. Infuriated, God had to create a Plan "B."

So, he created a law. He revealed this law to His servants, the prophets. One of the notable prophets this law was revealed to was Moses, hence the name "The Law of Moses." But Israel, God's chosen people, simply could not live up to the requirements of the Law of Moses. Unfortunately, man was fallen. We simply could not live up to the standard of the Law of Moses. On to God's Plan "C."

He sent His Only Begotten Son. This Messiah was able to pay the price for everyone else's shortcomings, because He was, in fact, perfect. When He suffered, He was paying a price that He did not owe. Now, if we do no more than accept His suffering for us, we can at long last return to our Father.

Now, how well does this fit in with the frequently found scriptural phrase, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8)? Or what about God's words to Malachi: "For I am the Lord, I change not" (Malachi 3:6)?

If we're already on Plan "C," who is to say that we are really on the final plan this time? What if people aren't able to live up to this new plan? What might Plan "D" be?

That simply would not be the way of an all-knowing God. That simply is not the way of our Heavenly Father.

Thanks to the Book of Mormon, these misconceptions can be cleared up.

Lehi makes the role of the Fall of Adam very clear. He tells his children, "Adam fell that men might be" (2 Nephi 2:25), explaining:

"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. 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" (2 Nephi 2:22-23).

Gospel Principles explains, "latter-day scriptures help us understand that their Fall was a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all of us. Because of the Fall, we are blessed with physical bodies, the right to choose between good and evil, and the opportunity to gain eternal life. None of these privileges would have been ours had Adam and Eve remained in the garden."

See, Adam and Eve had to fall to bring about free will, or agency. This was not a detriment to God's plan. In fact, it jump started God's plan. It made it so man could become mortal. It made it so that man could grow, and become more like our Father.

Now, how about the Law of Moses? Jacob makes the purpose of the Law very clear. He said,

"For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us. Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him" (Jacob 4:4-5).

This is echoed in Alma:

"But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they did look forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of Moses was a type of his coming" (Alma 25:15).

Do you see? God's glorious plan, the plan that caused "all the sons of God [to shout] for joy" (Job 38:7), has been the same since its great foundation was laid. We left the Father's side, knowing exactly what we were getting into. We'd agreed to His plan before it started. Adam was foreordained to bring about choice and agency; Jesus Christ was foreordained to redeem us from our poor choices. Preceding the Messiah's mortal reign, we had a law that helped us look forward to His coming. His suffering in Gethsemane and upon Calvary's Hill did not take away from our responsibility, but allowed us to learn from our mistakes without being condemned by them.

From the beginning, we desired agency, for it helped us grow. We knew that in order for agency, there must

be a law. We knew that if there was a law, it would at times be broken. We knew if it were to be broken, we would need a Redeemer.

See, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8, 1 Nephi 10:18, Mormon 9:9, Doctrine and Covenants 20:12).  He doesn't need a Plan "B."

We are still on Plan "A."