Lehi again bears witness of the Messiah coming to redeem all men from the Fall (v. 26). Again, the fullness of time apparently refers to the earthly ministry of Christ as suggested in the comments on 2 Nephi 2:3. Because of the Atonement, men are free forever, meaning the atonement has been made for all men. However, if they are acted upon rather than act for themselves as directed by the light and truth of Christ, the law will act upon them at the last day (v. 26). The Atonement will not pay for their sins, and they will suffer spiritual death. Once more their agency is emphasized; “they are free to choose ( agency) 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” (v. 27). They may follow Christ or Satan.
Lehi desires his sons to “choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit” (v. 28). In summary, the sons have the ability to choose. They have received the law and understand it. By making the right choices (acting by the Spirit) they will maintain their freedom and come back into his presence as the Lord had assured Lehi. He desires that the sons not follow the “ will of the flesh, and the evil which is therein” (v. 29). This verse should not be interpreted to mean that the flesh itself is evil. The flesh is the avenue through which the devil tempts man, and gives him power to captivate individuals. The Fall was “the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, and devilish, knowing evil from good, subjecting themselves to the devil,” and if he “persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him” (Mosiah 16:3, 5). The Spirit must be our guiding light, not the temptations that come because of our flesh.