“Little Children”

D. Kelly Ogden, Andrew C. Skinner

Through the transgression of Adam and Eve, every child of God enters mortality with a natural propensity to sin. “By nature” human children are inclined to sin and worldliness, but the blood of Christ atones for their sins; he covers for them until the age of accountability (age eight; see JST, Genesis 17:11). Little children are innocent because Christ made them so, not because they do not know how to sin until age eight. Only through Jesus Christ and the cleansing and strengthening that comes through his atoning blood can anyone see the face of God, live with him, and be like him (see also D&C 84:19–22). There really is no other name, nor way, nor means to gain salvation except through the name and sacrifice of Christ, as both King Benjamin and the apostle Peter declared in almost the same language (compare Mosiah 3:17 and Acts 4:12).

Verse by Verse: The Book of Mormon: Vol. 1

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