“The American tradition of freedom is essentially spiritual in its origin and its orientation. The Spirit of God, the Book of Mormon declares, is the spirit of freedom. The tradition of freedom in America commenced when the Spirit of God ‘wrought upon’ the early colonizers so that they prospered and established free institutions in this land. Christ declared to the Nephites that the Holy Spirit that would be poured out upon modern Americans would cause them to be ‘mighty above all’; and that they would ’be set up as a free people by the power of the Father.’ (3 Nephi 21:4) When men are responsive to the Spirit of God, this divine agent acts to strengthen the elements of character within them and to mature them toward a position of true independence under God.” (Hyrum L. Andrus, Liberalism, Conservatism, Mormonism, p. 65 - 66.)
Mark E. Petersen
"Without free agency there could be no gospel of Christ. The character development provided by the gospel will lead us to the perfection of which the Savior spoke in the Sermon on the Mount only if we elect to live the gospel. Otherwise we can never receive of its benefits. (Alma 12:18Alma 12:18.) That right of election—that right of free agency—must ever be preserved. If a man commits sin, he must have the liberty to turn from his ways and repent, and thus come under the purview of the gospel.
"Hence the gospel is called the ‘perfect law of liberty’ (James 1:25James 1:25), and those who are blessed by it enjoy the ‘glorious liberty of the children of God’ (Rom. 8:21Rom. 8:21).
“When Paul addressed the Corinthians he said: ’… where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.’ (2 Cor. 3:172 Cor. 3:17.) This was reflected in the Book of Mormon statement that ’the Spirit of God … is also the Spirit of freedom.’ (Alma 61:15Alma 61:15.)” (Adam: Who Is He? p.62.)