Question
Gramps,
I have had this question for a while and have found other interesting questions Gramps has answered, and I thought this would be a good place to ask. My question is: Why would Satan tempt Eve to partake of the fruit if it was part of God’s plan all along to have us use our agency and become imperfect so that we can return to him? When he tempted them, didn’t he do what God wanted to happen from the beginning? I assume that Satan would want to undermine God in all things.
Kent
Answer
Kent,
When discussing the events of the Garden of Eden, a persistent and intriguing question arises for many followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Did Lucifer, in tempting Adam and Eve, realize he was fulfilling a crucial part of Heavenly Father’s plan? Was he merely doing that which he had seen done on other worlds? And if so, what does this say about his motives and understanding?
Their transgression—commonly called “the Fall”—was not just an act of disobedience but an essential step in Heavenly Father’s plan for His children. Yet, central to this narrative is the role of Lucifer, who, through cunning and deceit, lured Adam and Eve into partaking of the forbidden fruit. Was Lucifer simply acting out a “necessary evil,” dutifully fulfilling a role required for the plan’s success? Or was his rebellion truly an act against God, one which had been seen before in the eternities? Understanding Lucifer’s intentions and knowledge at the time offers insights not only into ancient scriptural events but also into the nature of agency, temptation, and the eternal interplay between good and evil.
The phrase “doing that which was done on other worlds” is intriguing in Latter-day Saint discussions about the Fall. Some members wonder if Satan’s actions in the Garden of Eden were a re-enactment of roles he or others played in previous creations.
Satan was a liar from the beginning (Doctrine & Covenants 93:25). If he did do that which was done in other worlds, then in those other worlds it was equally deceptive and sinful to tempt the first inhabitants to disobey the commandments of God. Although it was necessary in the Father’s grand plan to present Adam and Eve with conflicting commandments so they would be forced to exercise their agency by choosing to obey one or the other, Lucifer, the archenemy of God, sought to destroy the plan, not knowing the mind of God.
This answer emphasizes two critical aspects:
If similar events happened on other worlds, Satan’s methods were always rooted in deception and opposition to God.
Lucifer did not act as a cooperator in a divinely orchestrated play but as a true opponent, seeking to thwart, not fulfill, the divine plan.
In the scriptural book of Moses, we read: “…he knew not the mind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world” (Moses 4:6). This provides doctrinal confirmation that, while Lucifer’s actions were foreseen and even necessary for the plan, he acted in opposition to God, not as an unwitting accomplice.
It is tempting for some to see Lucifer almost as a tragic antihero—someone who takes on the grim work of temptation so that agency and progression can exist. But Church doctrine explicitly rejects the idea that Satan was collaborating with Heavenly Father.
He wasn’t playing along with our Heavenly Father’s plan. Rather than feeling any gratitude towards the master tempter, we should thank our Heavenly Father for creating a plan that provides a Redeemer should we succumb to temptation.
Despite having been present at the Council in Heaven and knowing the broad outlines of the Plan of Salvation, Satan fundamentally misunderstood the path and purpose of agency, redemption, and the Atonement. His selfishness, pride, and desire for glory clouded his judgment and perspective.
Knowing and understanding are two very different things. Satan knew the Lord’s plan, but he did not understand it. … Satan is intelligent and cunning, but he lacks wisdom. This distinction is crucial: Lucifer’s intelligence did not equate to spiritual discernment or acceptance of God’s loving, selfless motives.
Satan’s aim, therefore, was not reluctant service but conscious rebellion. He saw offering temptation as a way to undermine the plan, not further it. His own plan, argued in the premortal council, was meant to eliminate agency—as he considered it too risky and unpredictable—and demand glory for himself. When the Father’s plan was accepted, Lucifer’s pride and jealousy fueled his opposition and ongoing war against God and His children.
At the heart of these questions lies a profound doctrinal truth: agency (free will) and opposition are essential for growth. The plan presented and accepted in the premortal existence involved risk—some of God’s children would not choose to return—and thus, a Redeemer was provided.
Church leaders and scholars have noted that, although Adam and Eve were given commandments that seemed at odds—to not partake of the fruit and to multiply and replenish the earth—it was their agency that required such a choice. The existence of contrasting commandments enabled a real, meaningful opportunity to choose and thus to learn, grow, and ultimately become like God.
The Lord knew the choice Adam and Eve would make, but He allowed them to exercise their free agency and provided a Savior for all of us. This is the grand plan of salvation that was presented and which we accepted in the pre-existence.
Scripture brings this home in 2 Nephi 2:27:
Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; … they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
From this, we see that opposition is permitted, even required, in the cosmic drama of growth—but it is not to be lauded. Satan’s evil designs are co-opted and overridden by God’s superior wisdom. Because of the great wisdom of God, He can turn Satan’s evil designs to his own good. Satan is not to be thanked; instead, gratitude is due to God for making a way to overcome evil.
A further question sometimes arises—if this happened on other worlds, is there a universal pattern for testing the children of God? The doctrine is clear that each world created by God follows the essential principles of agency, opposition, and redemption. Deception and temptation are, sadly, a recurring feature—but always as a result of evil intent.
One unique detail in this discourse is that our earth, according to scripture, is perhaps the most wicked in the universe, a fact mentioned to Enoch by the Lord: “among all the workmanship of mine hands there has not been so great wickedness as among thy brethren” (Moses 7:36). This doesn’t mean God is the author of wickedness, but rather, that the depth of opposition here makes the opportunity for growth and redemption all the more profound.
While the precise mechanics of other worlds remain a mystery, we are assured that by being subjected to and overcoming the influence of the adversary, we gain moral strength until we can overcome all evil with righteousness. Such opposition is necessary for us to gain the moral power to overcome all evil and thus be prepared to become one with the Savior.
Let us remember, then, to draw near unto God as we serve others selflessly, and we will feel His spirit and feel the joy that is our reward for following in His footsteps. Satan will never fully understand His Plan and will never experience that joy, because he is selfish and seeks only his own gain. In understanding Lucifer’s limited knowledge and destructive motives, we are brought back to gratitude for a God whose plan brings growth and redemption to all who seek it.
Gramps
