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Chapter 1 - The Beginning of Our Probation [message #98] Thu, 01 July 2010 19:47 Go to next message
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Please use this topic to discuss thoughts, questions and comments relating the chapter, "The Beginning of Our Probation".

[Updated on: Mon, 04 July 2016 22:51] by Moderator

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Re: The Beginning of Our Probation [message #108 is a reply to message #98] Sun, 04 July 2010 21:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
fairy is currently offline  fairy
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One minor question here. Can your probationary period start before you have actually sinned?

We like the detail explaining why our probationary period doesn't start at birth. Even though THIS LIFE is the time, it is only a portion of this life (and sometimes part of the next). There are those who do not have the mental capacity to be held accountable. For these rare exceptions, the probationary period never actually starts, according to current church doctrine. They must demonstrate a mental capacity equivalent to or greater than that of an eight year old child in order to be worthy of baptism. I have heard people say those are the ones Moroni referred to as 'without the law'. I've also heard people say those who have not received the law are the ones who are 'without the law'. This book makes it abundantly clear to us who is truly referenced as being 'without the law'.

- Fairy and Dragon
Re: The Beginning of Our Probation [message #118 is a reply to message #108] Tue, 06 July 2010 10:42 Go to previous message
Amonhi is currently offline  Amonhi
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Quote:
Can your probationary period start before you have actually sinned? - Dragon

Probation requires the ability to choose between Good and evil to see what you will consistently do. If you are like Adam and Eve in the garden, you could not choose between good and evil, and so could not be under probation. Also, they could not sin because that also requires a person to be able to choose between good and evil.

Those who are not accountable are not able to choose between good and evil. They may do things which are not what God wants, but they lack agency which requires the following:

(Taken from 2 Nephi 2):

  1. Multiple choices to choose from.
  2. The ability to choose one of the choices.
  3. Knowledge between good and evil and which choice is good and which is evil. Also, why the choice is good or evil based on its effects.
  4. A desire toward one of the choices.
  5. You get to experience the consequences of your choices, (good or bad).

All who are not accountable for their choices are covered unconditionally by the Atonement of Christ and their actions are called Transgressions not Sins. Transgressions are all covered unconditionally by the Atonement. Sins are covered by the Atonement on conditions of repentance.

If a person is not capable of sinning, then they don't have enough agency to be under probation. Testing them to see what they do is useless because they can't choose between good and evil. We can't know what side they have selected to support.

For these reasons, my I say that "Probation cannot start until a person is capable of sin".

But you asked a better question than that. You asked if probation can start before a person actually sins. Performs a sin.

I believe that this question could be focused on the Savior and is asking if Christ ever entered a probationary state or not?

What do you think?
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