Post # 122 -- The Atonement of Jesus Christ
Dear Family and
Friends
During
the past few days I have been thinking about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Lately it seems that it has been on my mind a lot. I wanted to lean more about
it for myself, so I thought I would share my study with you. As you remember,
the last general conference was in April of 2019 just before Easter. There was
a talk titled:” The Atonement of Jesus Christ.” By Tad R. Callister -- Recently Released
Sunday School General President. He has explained the Atonement of Jesus
Christ so well, he made it quite easy to understand. I found that he
answered all of the following questions in his talk:
What then
is the Atonement of Jesus Christ?
What was
the motivation for Jesus to make this atonement for each oe of us?
What was
the mission of Jesus Christ?
What were
the requirements of the Atonement?
What then
was its purpose?
How was
this purpose accomplished?
How can
the Savior accomplish this without violating the laws of justice?
What law
are we subject to?
What is
the only way we can be saved?
What are
the four obstacles that Jesus Christ overcame with His Atonement?
How do we incorrectly
placed limits on the Savior’s redemptive powers?
How do we
release the protective powers of the Savior are unleashed on our behalf?
What are the
four obstacles that can prevent our spiritual progress?
How is the
Atonement of Jesus Christ infinite?
Why is it
so essential to understand the Savior’s Atonement and its infinite implications?
What do
you need to remember of you feel you have sunk farther than the light and
sweeping intelligence of Jesus Christ can reach?
What do we
learn from Doctrine and Covenants 88:6?
How do I
know if I have been forgiven of my sins?
If I am
forgiven, why do I still feel the guilt?
Is it
possible, then, to remember our sins and still be free of guilt?
How could
he remember his sins but have no pain or guilt?
What did Alma
say was the reason for Christ to go “forth, suffering pains and afflictions and
temptations of every kind? “
How does
Christ succor His people -- how does He accomplish this?
“Succor. Do you know its
meaning? It is used often in the scriptures to describe Christ’s care for and
attention to us. It means literally ‘to run to.’ What an absolutely magnificent
way to describe the Savior’s urgent effort in our behalf. Even as he calls us
to come to him and follow him, he is unfailingly running to help us”
(Jeffrey R. Holland, “Come
unto Me”[Brigham Young University fireside, March 2,
1997)], 9, speeches.byu.edu).
“To
succor means to ‘run to.’ I testify that in my fears and in my infirmities the
Savior has surely run to me. I will never be able to thank Him enough for such
personal kindness and such loving care” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “He
Hath Filled the Hungry with Good Things,” Ensign, Nov.
1997, 66).
What are two of the channels or means of availing ourselves of
those enabling powers that were mentioned in this talk?
What is our duty ‘if any of us are imperfect?”
As you each read and study this talk with me be sure that you
are looking for the answers to all of the questions listed above and if you
find other questions that were answered in the talk that I missed, please feel
free to let me know if them in the comments section😊
okay – let’s get started learning together::
The Savior’s Atonement is not only infinite in scope but
also individual in reach.
At this season of the
year we particularly rejoice and reflect upon the Savior’s Atonement. It is
indeed the most supernal, mind-expanding, passionate doctrine this world or
universe has ever known. It is what gives hope and purpose to our lives.
What then is the Atonement of Jesus Christ?
In one sense, it is a series of divine events that
commenced in the Garden of Gethsemane, continued on the cross, and culminated
with the Savior’s Resurrection from the tomb.
It was motivated by an incomprehensible love for each of
us. It required a being who was sinless; who had infinite power over the
elements—even death; who possessed a
boundless capacity to suffer the consequences of all our sins and ailments; and
who, in fact, descended beneath it all.1
This was the mission of Jesus Christ—this
was His Atonement.
What then was its
purpose? It was to make it possible for us to return to God’s presence, become
more like Him, and have a fulness of joy. This was done by overcoming four
obstacles:
1.
Physical death
2.
Spiritual death caused
by Adam and by our sins
3.
Our afflictions and
infirmities
4.
Our weaknesses and
imperfections
But how can the Savior
accomplish this without violating the laws of justice?
Suppose for a moment a
man contemplating an exhilarating free fall makes a rash decision and
spontaneously jumps from a small plane. After doing so, he quickly realizes the
foolishness of his actions. He wants to land safely, but there is an obstacle—the
law of gravity. He moves his arms with astounding speed, hoping to fly, but to
no avail. He positions his body to float or glide to slow the descent, but the
law of gravity is unrelenting and unmerciful. He tries to reason with this
basic law of nature: “It was a mistake. I will never do it again.” But his
pleas fall on deaf ears. The law of gravity knows no compassion; it makes no
exceptions. Fortuitously, though, the man suddenly feels something on his back.
His friend in the plane, sensing the moment of foolishness, had placed a
parachute there just before the jump. He finds the rip cord and pulls it.
Relieved, he floats safely to the ground. We might ask, “Was the law of gravity
violated, or did that parachute work within that law to provide a safe
landing?”
When we sin, we are
like the foolish man who jumped from the plane. No matter what we do on our
own, only a crash-landing awaits us. We are subject to the law of justice,
which, like the law of gravity, is exacting and unforgiving. We can be
saved only because the Savior, through His Atonement, mercifully provides us
with a spiritual parachute of sorts. If we have faith in Jesus Christ and
repent (meaning we do our part and pull the rip cord), then the protective
powers of the Savior are unleashed on our behalf and we can land spiritually
unharmed.
This is possible,
however, only because the Savior overcame the four obstacles that can prevent
our spiritual progress.
1. Death. He overcame death through His
glorious Resurrection. The Apostle Paul taught, “As in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive.”2
2. Sin. The Savior overcame sin and
guilt for all those who repent. So deep and expansive is His cleansing power
that Isaiah promised, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white
as snow.”3
On occasion, I have
met with good Saints who have had trouble forgiving themselves, who have
innocently but incorrectly placed limits on the Savior’s redemptive powers.
Unwittingly, they have converted an infinite Atonement to a finite one that
somehow falls short of their particular sin or weakness. But it is an infinite
Atonement because it encompasses and circumscribes every sin and weakness, as
well as every abuse or pain caused by others.
Truman G. Madsen
made this comforting observation:
“If there are some of
you who have been tricked into the conviction that you have gone too far, …
that you have had the poison of sin which makes it impossible ever again to be
what you could have been—then hear me.
“I bear testimony that you cannot sink farther than the
light and sweeping intelligence of Jesus Christ can reach. I bear testimony
that as long as there is one spark of the will to repent and to reach, he
is there. He did not just
descend to your condition; he
descended below it, ‘that he
might be in all and through all things, the light of truth.’ [Doctrine and Covenants 88:6.]”4
One reason it is so
essential to understand the Savior’s Atonement and its infinite implications is
that with increased understanding comes an increased desire to forgive
ourselves and others.
Even though we may believe in Christ’s cleansing powers,
the question often arises: “How do I know if I have been forgiven of my sins?”
If we feel the Spirit, then that is our witness that we have been forgiven, or
that the cleansing process is taking place. President Henry B. Eyring
taught, “If you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost … , you may
take it as evidence that the Atonement is working in your life.”5
Some have asked, “But
if I am forgiven, why do I still feel guilt?” Perhaps in God’s mercy the memory
of that guilt is a warning, a spiritual “stop sign” of sorts that, at least for
a time, cries out when additional temptations confront us: “Don’t go down that
road. You know the pain it can bring.” In this sense, it serves as a
protection, not a punishment.
Is it possible, then,
to remember our sins and still be free of guilt?
Alma remembered his sins, even years after he repented. But
when he cried unto Jesus for mercy, he said, “I could remember my pains no
more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.”6
How could he remember his sins but have no pain or guilt?
Because when we repent, we are “born of God.”7 We become, as
the scriptures say, “new creatures”8 in Christ. With
perfect honesty we can now say, “I am not the man or woman who committed those
past sins. I am a new and transformed being.”
3. Afflictions and Infirmities. Alma prophesied that Christ
“shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every
kind.” Why? “That his bowels may be filled with mercy, … that he may know
according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their
infirmities.”9
How does He accomplish this? Sometimes He removes the
affliction, sometimes He strengthens us to endure, and sometimes He gives us an
eternal perspective to better understand their temporary nature. After Joseph
Smith had languished in Liberty Jail for about two months, he finally cried
out, “O God, where art thou?”10 Instead of
providing instant relief, God responded, “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine
adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou
endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high.”11
Joseph now understood that this bitter experience was but a
dot on the eternal spectrum. With this enhanced vision, he wrote the Saints
from that same prison cell, “Dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all
things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost
assurance, to see the salvation of God.”12 Because of the
Savior’s Atonement, we can have an eternal perspective that gives meaning to
our trials and hope for our relief.
4. Weaknesses and
Imperfections. Because of His
Atonement, the Savior has enabling powers, sometimes referred to as grace,13 that can help us
overcome our weaknesses and imperfections and thus assist us in our pursuit to
become more like Him.
Moroni so taught: “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected
in him, … that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ.”14There seem at least
two channels or means of availing ourselves of those enabling powers that can
refine—even perfect—us.
First, the saving ordinances. The scriptures tell us, “In
the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.”15Sometimes we may think
of ordinances as a checklist—necessary for
exaltation; but in truth each unleashes a godly power that helps us become more
like Christ. For example:
·
When we are baptized
and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, we are made clean—thus
becoming more holy like God.
·
In addition, through
the Holy Ghost, our minds may be enlightened and our hearts softened so we can
think and feel more like Him.
·
And when we are sealed
as spouses, we inherit the right to “thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and
powers”16 as gifts from
God.
A second channel for these enabling powers is the gifts of
the Spirit. Because of Christ’s Atonement, we are eligible to receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost and its accompanying spiritual gifts. These gifts are
attributes of godliness; therefore, each time we acquire a gift of the Spirit,
we become more like God. No doubt that is why the scriptures enjoin us on
multiple occasions to seek these gifts.17
President George Q. Cannon taught: “No man ought to
say, ‘Oh, I cannot help this; it is my nature.’ He is not justified in it, for
the reason that God has promised to … give gifts that will eradicate [our
weaknesses]. … If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift
that will make us perfect.”18
In summary, the Savior’s Atonement gives us life for death,
“beauty for ashes,”19 healing for
hurt, and perfection for weakness. It is heaven’s antidote to the obstacles and
struggles of this world.
In the Savior’s final week of mortality, He said, “In the
world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the
world.”20 Because the
Savior performed His Atonement, there is no external force or event or person—no
sin or death or divorce—that can prevent us from achieving
exaltation, provided we keep God’s commandments. With that knowledge, we can
press forward with good cheer and absolute assurance that God is with us in
this heavenly quest.
I bear my witness that
the Savior’s Atonement is not only infinite in scope but also individual in
reach—that it can not only return us to
God’s
presence but also enable us to become like Him—the
crowning goal of Christ’s Atonement. Of that I bear my
grateful and certain witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Now that you
have studied this talk and learned so much about the Atonement of Jesus Christ
and found answers to all of the questions listed before the talk. I challenge
you to answer the following statement with as many answers as you can find in
the talk---
Because of
the Atonement of Jesus Christ…
If you would
like to add to your knowledge of the Atonement of Jesus Christ be sure to check
out the following:
The Atonement of Jesus Christ By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland - Of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles --- found here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2008/03/the-atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng
Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ By Elder
Dallin H. Oaks - Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ---- found here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/10/strengthened-by-the-atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng
Atonement of Jesus Christ – found here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng&_r=1
The Atonement of JESUS CHRIST By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland ---
you can find it here: http://www.jesuschrist.lds.org/his-life-and-teachings/articles/the-atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng
The Atonement -- Russell M. Nelson --Of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles you can find this one here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1996/10/the-atonement?lang=eng
I guess that is enough
resources for you to check out for now, I hope you will enjoy learning more
about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the importance it can make in our lives😊
I still need to read through several of these, as I want to learn more about
the Atonement of Jesus Christ so I can be sure that I am applying it in my life
as I need to do. I believe that it is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ
that I can feel such peace in my life,
Especially while going
through this journey with breast cancer and all of the side effects that have
come with the diagnosis – my new normal😊 I believe that it was
through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that I was able to live and work through
the pain until I was able to get both of my knees replaced😊 I
know that I could not have managed without the power of Priesthood blessings in
my life – I feel as though Jesus Christ Himself was there with His hands upon
my head during each blessing I have received😊
His sacrifice benefits each of
us and demonstrates the infinite worth of each and every one of Heavenly
Father’s children.
“Even though His life
was pure and free of sin, [Jesus Christ] paid the ultimate penalty for sin—yours, mine, and everyone who has ever lived. His mental,
emotional, and spiritual anguish were so great they caused Him to bleed from
every pore (see Luke
22:44; D&C
19:18). And yet Jesus
suffered willingly so that we might all have the opportunity to be washed clean—through having faith in Him, repenting of our sins, being
baptized by proper priesthood authority, receiving the purifying gift of the
Holy Ghost by confirmation, and accepting all other essential ordinances.
Without the Atonement of the Lord, none of these blessings would be available
to us, and we could not become worthy and prepared to return to dwell in the
presence of God. …
“… I believe that
if we could truly understand the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, we would
realize how precious is one son or
daughter of God. …
“… The irony of the Atonement is that it
is infinite and eternal, yet it is applied individually, one person at a
time. …
“… Never, never
underestimate how precious is the one”
(M. Russell Ballard, “The
Atonement and the Value of One Soul,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 85–87).
Jesus Christ’s atoning
sacrifice provided the only way for us to be cleansed and forgiven of our sins
so that we can dwell in God’s presence eternally.
“Only through repentance do we gain access to
the atoning grace of Jesus Christ and salvation. Repentance is a divine
gift. …
“Repentance exists as
an option only because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ” (D. Todd Christofferson, “The
Divine Gift of Repentance,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 38).
Repentance includes recognizing
our sins; feeling remorse, or godly sorrow, for committing sin; confessing our
sins to Heavenly Father and, if necessary, to others; forsaking sin; seeking to
restore, as far as possible, all that has been damaged as a result of our sins;
and living a life of obedience to God’s commandments.
I hope and pray that each of you have learned
as much as I have in our study of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and I also hope
and pray that each of you will accept my challenge to continue to learn about all
the Savior has done for each one of us individually – to remember that His Atonement
is infinite and eternal and that He has paid the price and felt the pain of every
sin and transgression, every hurt, infirmity, every heart ache, every disease,
infliction, and so much more that we cannot comprehend. He willingly has done
this great thing for each of us our of His great love for us.
Well I guess this is enough of my rambling
for today😊 remember who you are! You
are a son or a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father who loves each one of you
more than you can imagine. Please continue to study the scriptures with me, and
be sure that you are saying your prayers – remember your prayer is your direct
line to your Heavenly Father😊 be sure you use that direct line every day—if you are
anything like me you are using that direct line constantly😊 until my next post, please make it a great
week!
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