Our relationship with God is described by several terms, and there is a spiritual progression—from enemy, to servant, to son or daughter, to friend. We begin with the natural, or carnal man, who is far from God and cares only for the things of the flesh (Rom 8:5). He receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him (1 Cor 2:14). As we turn to the Lord and become baptized, we become his servants. The baptismal applicant must be willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end (DC 20:37). Next comes the process of spiritual rebirth which makes us a son or daughter of Christ, ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you (Mosiah 5:7). The last stage is that of friendship with God. It is to be paid the great compliment that few have received, to be referred to as the Lord's friend, I say unto you, for you are mine apostles…ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends (DC 84:63). The Lord explained further, Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you (Jn 15:14). Therefore, our journey is to make that great transition, from the natural man to the spiritual man—from the enemy of God to the friend of God.
"One of the most disputed issues among so-called Christian theologians has been the question of the basic nature of man. Some of these theologians have argued that man is born evil into this world as an infant; thus the only way this evil can be removed is by receiving the sacrament of baptism. Still other theologians have argued that man is born innocent and remains basically good; some of them thus conclude that inasmuch as man is basically good he has no need for a redeemer to atone for his sins.
"It should be clear to students of the Book of Mormon that the prophets definitely reject both the doctrine of the natural depravity of man and the doctrine that man is so good by nature he has no need for a redeemer. Benjamin, the prophet and king of the Nephites, said that 'an angel from God' taught him that although infants are born in a state of innocence, after they become accountable they can become enemies to God if they do not accept the saving principles and ordinances of the gospel." (Daniel Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon, pp. 177-8)
Brigham Young
"How difficult it is to teach the natural man, who comprehends nothing more than that which he sees with the natural eye!…Talk to him about angels, heavens, God, immortality, and eternal lives, and it is like sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal to his ears; it has no music to him; there is nothing in it that charms his senses, soothes his feelings, attracts his attention, or engages his affections, in the least." (JD 1:2 as taken from King Benjamin's Speech: Made Simple, by John W. Welch, and Stephen D. Ricks, p. 17)
Hartman Rector Jr.
"(Speaking of Mosiah 3:19) This is strong testimony borne against man, but a perusal of the pages of history leaves little doubt as to its truthfulness. Man's inhumanity to man has always been and is now everywhere in evidence.
"How can fallen human nature be changed from evil to good? Basically, this must be the most important question confronting mankind. All other questions seem to pale into insignificance when compared to this one, because man cannot be saved in his sins. And yet there are those who say, 'You can't change human nature.' This claim is very frequently and flippantly made. Of course it is false. President David O. McKay taught something completely different from this in 1945 when he said: 'Human nature will have to be changed on an enormous scale in the future or the world will be drowned in its own blood.'" (Conference Report, Apr. 1970, p. 102)