What Mormons Believe About Original Sin

Do Mormons (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) believe in "original sin"? Original sin is the belief that because Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (called 'the fall'), all infants born thereafter are tainted by Adam and Eve's sin. To become pure again all infants must be baptized.

The second Article of Faith of The Church states:

"We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression."

First, it's important to understand the difference between transgression and sin. Understanding this difference helps clarify what the second Article of Faith means by transgression.

In The Book of Mormon, and through other modern day revelation, we know that:

1. While in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were in a state of innocence¹
2. They could not have children¹
3. They could not fulfill God's first commandment to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:22,28) unless they transgressed God's second commandment not to eat of the fruit
4. Having children is good- and necessary- to God's plan
5. Eating of the fruit was not an evil thing in and of itself

President Joseph Fielding Smith, tenth president of the Church, said:

"I never speak of the part Eve took in this fall as a sin, nor do I accuse Adam of a sin.... This was a transgression of the law, but not a sin... for it was something that Adam and Eve had to do!"²

And in the Book of Moses we read:

"And the Lord said unto Adam: Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden.

"Hence came the saying abroad among the people, that the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world" (Moses 6:53-54).

Jesus Christ's Atonement overcame the results of the fall of Adam and Eve, thus we are not punished for their "original sin." This means that we, Mormons, do not believe in original sin and that babies do not need to be baptized, but are alive in Christ. Also, we will not be punished for the sins of our parents, children, spouses, siblings, or others,³ we will only be punished for our own sins.

Learn more about what Mormons believe or sign up for the e-course, LDS Church 101.

Notes:
1. See 2 Nephi 2:19-25
2. Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954–56, 1:114–15. As quoted in: "'The Great Plan of Happiness'," by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, Nov 1993, 72.
3. See Deuteronomy 24:16