Three Talks About the Atonement

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

1/22

Elder David B. Haight The Sacrament and the Sacrifice

Ensign, April 2007

Six months ago at the April general conference, I was excused from speaking as I wasconvalescing from a serious operation. My life has been spared, and I now have the

pleasant opportunity of acknowledging the blessings, comfort, and ready aid of myBrethren in the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve and other wonderful

associates and friends to whom I owe so much and who surrounded my dear wife,

Ruby, and my family with their time, attention, and prayers.

The evening of my health crisis, I knew something very serious had happened to me.Events happened so swiftlythe pain striking with such intensity, my dear Ruby

phoning the doctor and our family, and I on my knees leaning over the bathtub for

support and some comfort and hoped relief from the pain. I was pleading to my

Heavenly Father to spare my life a while longer to give me a little more time to do His

work, if it was His will.

While still praying, I began to lose consciousness. The siren of the paramedic truck was

the last that I remembered before unconsciousness overtook me, which would last forthe next several days.

The terrible pain and commotion of people ceased. I was now in a calm, peaceful

setting; all was serene and quiet. I was conscious of two persons in the distance on a

hillside, one standing on a higher level than the other. Detailed features were notdiscernible. The person on the higher level was pointing to something I could not see.

I heard no voices but was conscious of being in a holy presence and atmosphere.

During the hours and days that followed, there was impressed again and again upon my

mind the eternal mission and exalted position of the Son of Man. I witness to you thatHe is Jesus the Christ; the Son of God; Savior to all; Redeemer of all mankind;

Bestower of infinite love, mercy, and forgiveness; the Light and Life of the World. I knew

this truth beforeI had never doubted nor wondered. But now I knew, because of the

impressions of the Spirit upon my heart and soul, these divine truths in a most unusualway.

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

2/22

I was shown a panoramic view of His earthly ministry: His baptism, His teaching, His

healing the sick and lame, the mock trial, His Crucifixion, His Resurrection and

Ascension. There followed scenes of His earthly ministry to my mind in impressive

detail, confirming scriptural eyewitness accounts. I was being taught, and the eyes ofmy understanding were opened by the Holy Spirit of God so as to behold many things.

The first scene was of the Savior and His Apostles in the upper chamber on the eve of

His betrayal. Following the Passover supper, He instructed and prepared the sacrament

of the Lords Supper for His dearest friends as a remembrance of His coming sacrifice.

It was so impressively portrayed to methe overwhelming love of the Savior for each. I

witnessed His thoughtful concern for significant detailsthe washing of the dusty feet of

each Apostle, His breaking and blessing of the loaf of dark bread and blessing of thewine, then His dreadful disclosure that one would betray Him.

He explained Judass departure and told the others of the events soon to take place.

Then followed the Saviors solemn discourse when He said to the Eleven: These things

I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall havetribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

Our Savior prayed to His Father and acknowledged the Father as the source of Hisauthority and powereven to the extending of eternal life to all who are worthy.

He prayed, And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and

Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Jesus then reverently added:

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had withthee before the world was (John 17:35).

He pled not only for the disciples called out from the world who had been true to their

testimony of Him, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word (John17:20).

When they had sung a hymn, Jesus and the Eleven went out to the Mount of Olives.

There, in the garden, in some manner beyond our comprehension, the Savior took upon

Himself the burden of the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world. His agony

in the garden, Luke tells us, was so intense his sweat was as great drops of blood

falling to the ground (Luke 22:44). He suffered an agony and a burden the like of

which no human person would be able to bear. In that hour of anguish our Savior

overcame all the power of Satan.The glorified Lord revealed to Joseph Smith this admonition to all mankind:

Therefore I command you to repent.

For I, God, suffered for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of

pain, and to bleed at every pore,

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

3/22

Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power;

and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments (D&C 19:1516, 18,

20).

During those days of unconsciousness, I was given, by the gift and power of the Holy

Ghost, a more perfect knowledge of His mission. I was also given a more complete

understanding of what it means to exercise, in His name, the authority to unlock themysteries of the kingdom of heaven for the salvation of all who are faithful. My soul was

taught over and over again the events of the betrayal, the mock trial, the scourging of

the flesh of even one of the Godhead. I witnessed His struggling up the hill in His

weakened condition carrying the cross and His being stretched upon it as it lay on the

ground, that the crude spikes could be driven with a mallet into His hands and wristsand feet to secure His body as it hung on the cross for public display.

Crucifixionthe horrible and painful death which He sufferedwas chosen from the

beginning. By that excruciating death, He descended below all things, as is recorded,

that through His Resurrection He would ascend above all things (seeD&C 88:6).

Jesus Christ died in the literal sense in which we will all die. His body lay in the tomb.The immortal spirit of Jesus, chosen as the Savior of mankind, went to those myriads of

spirits who had departed mortal life with varying degrees of righteousness to Gods

laws. He taught them the glorious tidings of redemption from the bondage of death, and

of possible salvation [that was] part of [our] Saviors foreappointed and unique

service to the human family.1I cannot begin to convey to you the deep impact that these scenes have confirmed upon

my soul. I sense their eternal meaning and realize that nothing in the entire plan of

salvation compares in any way in importance with that most transcendent of all events,

the atoning sacrifice of our Lord. It is the most important single thing that has ever

occurred in the entire history of created things; it is the rock foundation upon which thegospel and all other things rest,2as has been declared.Father Lehi taught his son Jacob and us today:

Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace

and truth.

Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all

those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends ofthe law be answered.

Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants

of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence ofGod, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who

layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit,that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all

the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved (2 Nephi 2:69).

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

4/22

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

5/22

President James E. Faust, The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope,

Ensign, Nov 2001

My beloved brothers and sisters and friends, I come humbly to this pulpit this morning

because I wish to speak about the greatest event in all history. That singular event was

the incomparable Atonement of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. This was the

most transcendent act that has ever taken place, yet it is the most difficult to

understand. My reason for wanting to learn all I can about the Atonement is partly

selfish: Our salvation depends on believing in and accepting the Atonement. 1Such

acceptance requires a continual effort to understand it more fully. The Atonement

advances our mortal course of learning by making it possible for our natures to becomeperfect. 2All of us have sinned and need to repent to fully pay ourpart of the debt.

When we sincerely repent, the Saviors magnificent Atonement pays the restof that

debt. 3

Paul gave a simple explanation for the need of the Atonement: For as in Adam all die,

even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 4Jesus Christ was appointed and

foreordained to be our Redeemer before the world was formed. With His divine sonship,His sinless life, the shedding of His blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, His

excruciating death on the cross and subsequent bodily Resurrection from the grave, Hebecame the author of our salvation and made a perfect Atonement for all mankind. 5

Understanding what we can of the Atonement and the Resurrection of Christ helps us to

obtain a knowledge of Him and of His mission. 6Any increase in our understanding of

His atoning sacrifice draws us closer to Him. Literally, the Atonement means to be at

one with Him. The nature of the Atonement and its effects is so infinite, so

unfathomable, and so profound that it lies beyond the knowledge and comprehension of

mortal man. I am profoundly grateful for the principle of saving grace. Many people think

they need only confess that Jesus is the Christ and then they are saved by grace alone.We cannot be saved by grace alone, for we know that it is by grace that we are

saved, afterall we can do. 7

Some years ago, President Gordon B. Hinckley told something of a parable about a

one room school house in the mountains of Virginia where the boys were so rough noteacher had been able to handle them.

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

6/22

Then one day an inexperienced young teacher applied. He was told that every teacher

had received an awful beating, but the teacher accepted the risk. The first day of school

the teacher asked the boys to establish their own rules and the penalty for breaking the

rules. The class came up with 10 rules, which were written on the blackboard. Then the

teacher asked, What shall we do with one who breaks the rules?

Beat him across the back ten times without his coat on, came the response.

A day or so later, the lunch of a big student, named Tom, was stolen. The thief was

locateda little hungry fellow, about ten years old.

As Little Jim came up to take his licking, he pleaded to keep his coat on. Take your

coat off, the teacher said. You helped make the rules!

The boy took off the coat. He had no shirt and revealed a bony little crippled body. As

the teacher hesitated with the rod, Big Tom jumped to his feet and volunteered to take

the boys licking.

Very well, there is a certain law that one can become a substitute for another. Are you

all agreed? the teacher asked.

After five strokes across Toms back, the rod broke. The class was sobbing. Little Jim

had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around his neck. Tom, Im sorry that Istole your lunch, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking my

licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever! 8

President Hinckley then quoted Isaiah:

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the

chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 9

No man knows the full weight of what our Savior bore, but by the power of the Holy

Ghost we can know something of the supernal gift He gave us. 10In the words of our

sacrament hymn:

We may not know, we cannot tell,What pains he had to bear,

But we believe it was for usHe hung and suffered there. 11

He suffered so much pain, indescribable anguish, and overpowering torture 12for

our sake. His profound suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He took upon

Himself all the sins of all other mortals, caused Him to tremble because of pain, and to

bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit. 13And being in an agony he

prayed more earnestly, 14saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

7/22

me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 15He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and denied

by Peter. He was mocked by the chief priests and officers; He was stripped, smitten,

spat upon, and scourged in the judgment hall. 16

He was led to Golgotha, where nails were driven into His hands and feet. He hung in

agony for hours on a wooden cross bearing the title written by Pilate: JESUS OFNAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. 17Darkness came, and about the ninth hour

Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God,

my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 18No one could help Him; He was treading the

winepress alone. 19Then Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up

the ghost. 20And one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came

there out blood and water. 21The earth did quake and when the centurion, and they

that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were

done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. 22In the words of the

hymn, Let me not forget, O Savior, / Thou didst bleed and die for me. 23I wonder how

many drops were shed for me.

What He did could only be done by Deity. As the Only Begotten Son of the Father in the

flesh, Jesus inherited divine attributes. He was the only person ever born into mortality

who could perform this most significant and supernal act. As the only sinless Man who

ever lived on this earth, He was not subject to spiritual death. Because of His godhood,

He also possessed power over physical death. Thus He did for us what we cannot dofor ourselves. He broke the cold grasp of death. He also made it possible for us to have

the supreme and serene comfort of the gift of the Holy Ghost. 24

The Atonement and the Resurrection accomplish many things. The Atonement cleanses

us of sin on condition of our repentance. Repentance is the condition on which mercy isextended. 25After all we can do to pay to the uttermost farthing and make right our

wrongs, the Saviors grace is activated in our lives through the Atonement, which

purifies us and can perfect us. 26Christs Resurrection overcame death and gave us

the assurance of life after death. Said He: I am the resurrection, and the life: he that

believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. 27The Resurrection is

unconditional and applies to all who have ever lived and ever will live. 28It is a free gift.

President John Taylor described this well when he said: The tombs will be opened and

the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and they shall come forth, they who have

done good to the resurrection of the just, and they who have done evil to the

resurrection of the unjust. 29

With reference to our mortal acts and the Atonement, President J. Reuben Clark Jr.contributed this valuable insight when he said:

I feel that [the Savior] will give that punishment which is the very least that our

transgression will justify. I believe that he will bring into his justice all of the infinite loveand blessing and mercy and kindness and understanding which he has.

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

8/22

And on the other hand, I believe that when it comes to making the rewards for our good

conduct, he will give us the maximum that it is possible to give, having in mind the

offense which we have committed. 30

As Isaiah wrote, if we will return unto the Lord, he will abundantly pardon. 31We are commanded to remember the singular events of the mediation, Crucifixion, and

the Atonement by partaking of the sacrament weekly. In the spirit of the sacramental

prayers, we partake of the bread and water in remembrance of the body and the blood

sacrificed for us, and we are to remember Him and keep His commandments so that wemay always have His Spirit to be with us.

Our Redeemer took upon Himself all the sins, pains, infirmities, and sicknesses of all

who have ever lived and will ever live. 32No one has ever suffered in any degree what

He did. He knows our mortal trials by firsthand experience. It is a bit like us trying to

climb Mount Everest and only getting up the first few feet. But He has climbed all 29,000

feet to the top of the mountain. He suffered more than any other mortal could.

The Atonement not only benefits the sinner but also benefits those sinned againstthat

is, the victims. By forgiving those who trespass against us (JST, Matt. 6:13) the

Atonement brings a measure of peace and comfort to those who have been innocently

victimized by the sins of others. The basic source for the healing of the soul is the

Atonement of Jesus Christ. This is true whether it be from the pain of a personal tragedy

or a terrible national calamity such as we have recently experienced in New York andWashington, D.C., and near Pittsburgh.

A sister who had been through a painful divorce wrote of her experience in drawing fromthe Atonement. She said: Our divorce did not release me from the obligation toforgive. I truly wanted to do it, but it was as if I had been commanded to do something of

which I was simply incapable. Her bishop gave her some sound advice: Keep a place

in your heart for forgiveness, and when it comes, welcome it in. Many months passed

as this struggle to forgive continued. She recalled: During those long, prayerful

moments I tapped into a life-giving source of comfort from my loving Heavenly

Father. I sense that he was not standing by glaring at me for not having accomplishedforgiveness yet; rather he was sorrowing with me as I wept.

In the final analysis, what happened in my heart is for me an amazing and miraculous

evidence of the Atonement of Christ. I had always viewed the Atonement as a means ofmaking repentance work for the sinner. I had not realized that it also makes it possible

for the one sinned against to receive into his or her heart the sweet peace of

forgiving. 33

The injured should do what they can to work through their trials, and the Savior will

succor his people according to their infirmities. 34He will help us carry our burdens.

Some injuries are so hurtful and deep that they cannot be healed without help from a

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

9/22

higher power and hope for perfect justice and restitution in the next life. Since the Savior

has suffered anything and everything that we could ever feel or experience, 35He can

help the weak to become stronger. He has personally experienced all of it. He

understands our pain and will walk with us even in our darkest hours.

We long for the ultimate blessing of the Atonementto become one with Him, to be inHis divine presence, to be called individually by name as He warmly welcomes us home

with a radiant smile, beckoning us with open arms to be enfolded in His boundless

love. 36How gloriously sublime this experience will be if we can feel worthy enough to

be in His presence! The free gift of His great atoning sacrifice for each of us is the only

way we can be exalted enough to stand before Him and see Him face-to-face. The

overwhelming message of the Atonement is the perfect love the Savior has for each

and all of us. It is a love which is full of mercy, patience, grace, equity, long-suffering,

and, above all, forgiving.

The evil influence of Satan would destroy any hope we have in overcoming ourmistakes. He would have us feel that we are lost and that there is no hope. In contrast,

Jesus reaches down to us to lift us up. Through our repentance and the gift of the

Atonement, we can prepare to be worthy to stand in His presence. I so testify in thename of Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. SeeMosiah 4:67.

2. SeeMoro. 10:32.

3. See2 Ne. 25:23.

4.1 Cor. 15:22.5. See Bible Dictionary, Atonement, 617.

6. SeeJacob 4:12.

7.2 Ne. 25:23; emphasis added.8. Pres. Hinckley: Christmas a Result of Redeeming Christ,Church News, 10 Dec.

1994, 4.

9.Isa. 53:45.

10. See1 Cor. 12:3.11. There Is a Green Hill Far Away,Hymns, no. 194.12. John Taylor, The Mediation and Atonement(1882), 150.

13.D&C 19:18.14.Luke 22:44.

15.Matt. 26:42.

16. SeeMatt. 26:4775;Matt. 27:2831.

17.John 19:19.

18.Matt. 27:46.

19. SeeD&C 133:50.

20.Matt. 27:50.

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

10/22

21.John 19:34.

22.Matt. 27:51, 54.23. In Humility, Our Savior,Hymns, no. 172.

24. SeeJohn 15:26.

25. SeeAlma 42:2225.

26. See2 Ne. 25:23;Alma 34:1516;Alma 42:2224;Moro. 10:3233.27.John 11:25.

28. SeeActs 24:15.29. The Gospel Kingdom, sel. G. Homer Durham (1943), 118. See alsoJohn 5:2829.

30. As Ye Sow ,[Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year] (3 May 1955), 7.

31.Isa. 55:7.

32. SeeAlma 7:1112.33. Name Withheld, My Journey to Forgiving,Ensign, Feb. 1997, 4243.

34.Alma 7:12.35. SeeAlma 7:11.

36. SeeAlma 26:15;Morm. 5:11;Morm. 6:17;Moses 7:63.

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

11/22

Teaching the Atonement

Elder Tad R. Callisteris a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy.

How can we as teachers of the restored gospel effectively teach the sublime anddeep doctrine of the Atonement? How have the prophets done so? And what can welearn from them?[1]

Although prophets through the ages have reflected varying talents and uniqueteaching skills, certain underlying principles occur again and again in their teachingministries. Set forth below are some teaching techniques and resources used by theprophets to explain the atoning doctrine and its infinite implications.

A Spiritual Shot across the Bow

King Benjamin called his subjects togetherbut not for a day of entertainment. Ifany had come with spiritual thimbles to receive his words, he was quick to inform themof the need for much larger receptacles: I have not commanded you to come up hitherto triflewith the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, andopen your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and yourminds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view (Mosiah 2:9; emphasisadded). His introduction was a warning shot that ears needed to be spiritually attunedand hearts softened to receive the message of supernal import that was about to follow.He then gave one of the most masterful sermons ever delivered on the Atonement.Years later, Elder Bruce R. McConkie began his never-to-be-forgotten sermon on theatoning sacrifice with these profound words: I feel, and the Spirit seems to accord, that

the most important doctrine I can declare, and the most powerful testimony I can bear,is of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.[2]

Just like King Benjamin, he first set the stage before launching into his inspiredmessage. As a result, ears perked up, minds became more focused, and hearts yieldedto receive the spiritual reservoir that was about to be released. The impact of thesemessages was life-changing for many. Those who heard the words of King Benjamincried with one accord, We believe all the words thou hast spoken unto us; and . . . wehave no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually (Mosiah 5:2).

These prophets began their sermons by firing a spiritual shot across the bow. Itwas a warning, a wake-up call, that the message to follow deserved far more than thelisteners casual attention. It required an intense alertness of all his spiritual faculties.Why? Because these prophets knew that the beautiful but difficult doctrine of theAtonement can be comprehended only by the spiritually prepared. Their messages arepoignant reminders of the spiritual tone we ought to set beforewe commence teachingwhat Robert L. Millet calls the doctrine of doctrines.[3]

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

12/22

Laying the Groundwork

A person could never master calculus without first mastering algebra. A certainorder of events is required in the learning process. Isaiah taught, Whom shall he teachknowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Then, he gave the

simple butprofound formula for mastering the doctrines of the Church: precept upon

precept; line upon line (Isaiah 28:910). President Ezra Taft Benson taught, No oneadequately and properly knows why he needs Christ until he understands and acceptsthe doctrine of the Fall and its effect upon all mankind.[4]

Students quickly learn the impossibility of adequately comprehending theAtonement without first understanding the Fall. Lehi gave a magnificent discourse onthe Atonement (see 2 Nephi 2). In the course of it, he first explained the conditions thatexisted in the Garden of Eden.

Then, he followed his introduction with a succinct summary of why the Saviorcame: The Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children ofmen from the fall (2 Nephi 2:26). Thus, we learn that the Atonement was necessary tocorrect certain conditions brought about by the Fall (that is, physical and spiritual death).Alma, in counseling his wayward son Corianton, discerned, I perceive there issomewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understandwhich isconcerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner. Then, he said, Nowbehold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee (Alma 42:12). In the next elevenverses, Alma laid the groundwork for his answer by detailing the conditions in theGarden of Eden and the consequences of the Fall. Only then did he proceed to explainthe relationships among justice, mercy, and the Atonement.

Because of the need to understand the Fall before we can fully comprehend thepurposes of the Atonement, I have found the following chart useful in helping studentsgrasp how the Atonement corrects or redeems the negative consequences of the Fall:

Before the Fall After the Fall After the Atonement

1. Immortality (+)

Genesis 2:17

1. Mortality (-)Genesis 2:17

1. Resurrection (+)(unconditional for all)

1 Corinthians 15:2022

2. Lived in God'spresence (+)Genesis 3:8; Moses 4:14

2. Spiritual death (-)a. First spiritual death (bornoutside God's presence)D&C 29:41; 2 Nephi 9:6b. Second spiritual death(separated from God

2. Overcame spiritual death(+)a. Unconditional becauseeveryone returns to God'spresence for judgmentpurposes

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

13/22

The Book of Mormon Comes to the Rescue

The doctrines of the Fall and the Atonement are the centerpiece of Christianity,yet many misconceptions exist concerning their underlying principles because the Bible,as inspired as it is, has had many plain and precious things taken away (1 Nephi13:28) from its original manuscripts. As a result, an exceedingly great many dostumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them (1 Nephi 13:29). ElderMcConkie once offered this challenge: Choose the one hundred most basic doctrinesof the gospel, and under each doctrine make two parallel columns, oneheaded Bibleand the other Book of Mormon. Then place in these columns what each

book of scripture says about each doctrine. The end result will show, without question,that in ninety-five of the one hundred cases, the Book of Mormon teaching is clearer,plainer, more expansive, and better than the biblical word. If there is any question inanyones mind about this, let him take the testa personal test.[5]

Nowhere is this invitation more applicable than with respect to the Atonement.Without the Book of Mormon, many misconceptions have arisen in the Christian worldon this keystone doctrine. For example:

First misconception:Many teach that Adam and Eve would have had children inthe Garden of Eden if they had been allowed to remain. After their transgression in the

garden, the Lord said that in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children (Genesis 3:16).Accordingly, some have interpreted this to mean that if no transgression had occurred,Adam and Eve would have had children without sorrow in the Garden of Eden. But theBook of Mormon reveals the truth: And they would have had no children (2 Nephi 2:23;see also Moses 5:11).

Second misconception:Some teach that Adam and Eve were living in a state ofblissof unparalleled joyin the garden. Again, the Book of Mormon teaches the truth:

because of individual sin)Alma 34:1516; Alma 42:1316

2 Nephi 2:20; 2 Nephi 9:38;Alma 12:15; Alma 42:23;Helaman 14:1518; Mormon9:1214b. Conditional because secondspiritual death is overcome

only if we repentHelaman 14:1518; Moroni9:1214

3. Innocent (-)2 Nephi 2:23

3. Knowledge of good andevil (+)Genesis 3:5; Alma 42:3

3. Unlimited knowledge ofgood and evil (+)John 14:26

4. Childless (-)2 Nephi 2 :23

4. Children (+)2Nephi 2:25; Moses 5:11

4. Children forever (+)D&C 132:19

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

14/22

They would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew nomisery (2 Nephi 2:23). As a result of the first two misconceptions, much of the Christianworld believes the Fall was a tragic step backward. They have innocently, butincorrectly, concluded that if Adam had not fallen, all of us would have been born in theGarden of Eden and thereafter lived in a state of eternal bliss. Such reasoning,

however, would have negated the need for the Atonement, an event that wasforeordained in the premortal life (see Ether 3:14). John so witnessed when he spoke ofthe Savior as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8).

Third misconception:There are those who teach that because of the Fall, allinfants are tainted with original sin. Mormon gave a scathing rebuke to those who sobelieved: I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize littlechildren. He quoted the Savior in explaining the reason why: The curse of Adam istaken from them in me, that it hath no power over them (Moroni 8:8, 9).

Fourth misconception:Some people believe that grace alone can save us,regardless of any works on our part. Nephi puts the doctrines of faith and works in theirproper perspective: For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, afterall we cando (2 Nephi 25:23; emphasis added). We do not earn our salvation, but Nephi taughtwe must contribute the best we have to offer. C. S. Lewis hit the nail on the head whilediscussing the age-old debate between faith and works: It does seem to me like askingwhich blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary.[6]

Fifth misconception:Another fallacy is that the physical Resurrection of theSavior is merely symbolic and that we will be resurrected without the limitations of aphysical body. Alma, however, left no doubt about the corporeal nature of theResurrection: The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul . . . yea,even a hair of the head shall not be lost (Alma 40:23).

Sixth misconception:Many people teach that the Atonement does not have thepower to transform us into gods; in fact, according to them, such a thought isblasphemous. The Savior Himself, however, extended the divine challenge: Whatmanner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am (3 Nephi 27:27).The concluding chapter in the Book of Mormon then reinforces this lofty doctrine: Yea,come unto Christ, and be perfected in him . . . by the grace of God, through theshedding of the blood of Christ (Moroni 10:3233).

Although Nephi knew that many plain and precious truths would be deleted fromthe Bible, he likewise knew that the Book of Mormon, among other sacred writings,

would come to the rescue: These last records, which thou hast seen among theGentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of theLamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been takenaway from them (1 Nephi 13:40).

President Ezra Taft Benson spoke of the absolute need for the Book of Mormonto comprehend the divinity and Atonement of the Savior: Much of the Christian worldtoday rejects the divinity of the Savior. They question His miraculous birth, His perfect

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

15/22

life, and the reality of His glorious resurrection. The Book of Mormon teaches in plainand unmistakable terms about the truth of all of those. It also provides the mostcomplete explanation of the doctrine of the Atonement. Truly, this divinely inspired bookis a keystone in bearing witness to the world that Jesus is the Christ. [7]

The Book of Mormon is a gold mine for discovering the magnificent truths of theAtonement. The following are but a sample of the many chapters filled with goldennuggets for those who are willing to do some panning:

2 Nephi 2 (Lehi) Alma 40 and 42 (Alma)

2 Nephi 9 (Jacob) Helaman 14 (Samuel)

Mosiah 25 (King Benjamin) 3 Nephi 11 (the Savior)

Alma 34 (Amulek) Moroni 10 (Moroni)

As we feast upon the words of the Book of Mormon, we will connect the spiritualdots that unveil the glorious picture of the Saviors atoning sacrifice.

The Power of a Good Question

How is the Saviors Atonement infinite? Did the Savior suffer for sins both in theGarden of Gethsemane and on the cross? Could He, a perfect man, understand what itis like to have weaknessesto be rejected? Was there a backup plan if He chose not toproceed? Could a person suffer for his or her own sins and be redeemed?

The power of a good question is of inestimable worth. In many ways, it is like amental alarm clock that awakens us out of our mental doldrums. It is a catalyst that

jump-starts our mental engines. It causes the cerebral wheels to move, and thrustsupon us a certain uneasiness, an anxiety that triggers a fixation on the subject at handuntil relief comes only in the form of an answer that is both satisfying to the mind andacceptable to the heart. Until that answer comes, it is like staring at a crooked picturewithout being able to fix it or working on a puzzle with one piece missingthere is anirresistible urge to straighten the painting and a compelling urge to find and place thefinal piece of the puzzle in its rightful place. Until that happens, ones mind is inoverdriveconsidering all the options, weighing, sifting, and sorting until the answercomes. A tremendous difference exists between being told the answer and discovering

it. It is somewhat like being given a picture versus painting one, receiving a bookcompared to writing one, or listening to Rachmaninoffs Piano Concerto No. 3 versusplaying it. Discovering the answer brings immense satisfaction, gives ownership, andmakes a permanent deposit in our memory banknot just some in-and-out entry.

There are many types of questions. There are factual questions to acquirebackground information. Such inquiries, however, are usually a means, not an end. Forexample: Where was the Savior born? How long was He in the Garden of

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

16/22

Gethsemane? These questions are helpful in setting the stage, but in and ofthemselves, they do little to stir human emotions or fire human resolve. Nonetheless, afactual setting is often a necessary prerequisite to discovering the greater truths.

There are questions that elicit a self-evaluation. Gods question to Adam, Whereart thou? (Genesis 3:9) was more than a request for Adams physical location. It wasalso an inquiry into Adams spiritual standing. The climax of Almas sermon to thepeople of Zarahemla consisted of eleven consecutive, introspective questions, such as,Have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in yourcountenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? (Alma 5:14). A thoughtful teacher might ask similar questions that require self-evaluation of ones faithand worthiness: Do you believe you can be totally cleansed of your sins because of theSaviors infinite sacrifice? Do you have faith that His Atonement provides a remedy foreach of your weaknesses, sins, infirmities, and shortcomings? Do you have a brokenheart and a contrite spirit?

There are other questions that heighten our level of commitment. Three times theSavior asked Peter, Lovest thou me? (John 21:1517). No doubt, Peter respondedeach time with greater passionan even deeper commitment to the Holy One.Teachers might ask similar questions: Do we love the Savior enough to forgive othersas He forgives us? Do we appreciate His sacrifice to the extent we are willing toconsecrate our all in furthering His cause?

Questions can also be effective answers. Corianton wondered why the coming ofChrist should be known so long beforehand. The answer his father Alma gave was inthe form of a series of questions: Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time asprecious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming? Is it not as necessary thatthe plan of redemption should be made known unto this people as well as unto their

children? (Alma 39:1718). Suppose a student were to ask, Is the Atonementretroactive? Could the people of Old Testament times receive its benefits beforethepurchase price was paid? Resisting the temptation to give the instant answer, a wiseteacher might respond with another question, Do we have anything in our currentsociety that allows us to enjoy the benefits beforewe pay the price? The resultingdiscussion might reflect the credit card as an example. This outcome might further leadto the fact that the Saviors credit was pure gold in the premortal existence becauseHe always kept His word. Accordingly, under the laws of justice, the benefits of HisAtonement could be enjoyed before the purchase price was paid because there was nodoubt He would pay the bill when it was presented to Him in the garden and on thecross (see Alma 39 headnote and Mosiah 3:13).

A good question can often be the springboard for an entire sermon or classdiscussion. So it was for Amulek who discerned that the great question which is in yourminds is whether the word be in the Son of God, or whether there shall be no Christ(Alma 34:5). In response, Amulek delivered his wonderful sermon on the infinite natureof the Atonement.

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

17/22

And Then More

How does a mere mortal understand and grasp the Saviors love and sacrifice ofinfinite proportions? Of course a mortal cannot fully do so. But the prophets have donetheir best to help bridge the gap by comparing the Atonement to two of the most

passionate, loving relationships known by man and then suggesting that it is all this plusmore, much more.

One example addresses the story of Abraham and Isaac. In speaking ofAbrahams sacrifice of Isaac, Jacob notes that the event was asimilitudeof God andhis Only Begotten Son (Jacob 4:5; emphasis added). It would be difficult, if notimpossible, for a father to contemplate a greater trial than to sacrifice his beloved son,the very one through whom the blessings of eternity were to flow. What father cannotempathize with Abraham as he bound his son and then stretched forth the knife to spillthe lifeblood of this promised child? The pain must have been bitterly acutetheemotions heart wrenchingas he raised his hand to make the fatal plunge. But at sucha moment, the angel of mercy released him: Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither

do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou has notwithheld thy son, thine only son from me (Genesis 22:12). Abraham then found a ramcaught in the thicket to be the sacrificial lamb in place of his son; but for our Father inHeaven, there was no ram to be caught in the thicket, no angel of mercy to stay thehand of death. Our Fathers sacrifice would be all that Abraham encountered, and thenmore.

Isaiah knew there was no love like the love of a mother for her nursing child. Andso he asked, Can a woman forget her sucking child? As unlikely as that possibilitymight be, he used it as his spiritual yardstick to show that Gods infi nite loveencompasses a mothers loveand then more:Yea, they may forget, yet, will I not

forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands (Isaiah 49:1516).Lest there be any question, the nail marks of the cross would be a tangible reminderthat His love transcended even the love of a mother for her infant child.

These examples cause us to plumb the depths of our emotional reservoirs. Theyare windows to the infinite. Although we cannot fully comprehend, they nonethelesshelp us momentarily glimpse the unbounded love of the Father and the Son.

The Pure Doctrine of the Atonement

Perhaps the most masterful discourse on the Atonement in the revealed

scriptures is that delivered by King Benjamin (see Mosiah 25). In his own words, hesaid, I have spoken plainly unto you that ye might understand (2:40). With clarity andconciseness, he proceeded line by line and verse by verse with compelling logic and anuncompromising testimony that cannot be refuted by the mind or spirit. This sermon is aspiritual missile launched with laser precision to the center of the soul. It is as thoughthe spiritually attuned are receiving the wondrous atoning truths in undiluted fashion,akin to a spiritual transfusion of pure doctrine. There is no need for outside collaboratingsources or historical evidences. None of that is necessary because these spiritually

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

18/22

mature Saints are ready and eager to receive the atoning doctrine in its fullest dose.And so they do.

Set forth below is the doctrine of the Atonement in the most concise and accurateway I can express it. Perhaps when we are spiritually prepared and our students arespiritually ready, we can, like King Benjamin, give the full dose and tell it like it is sothat he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both areedified and rejoice together (D&C 50:22).

The doctrine of the Atonement is the most supernal, mind-expanding, passionatedoctrine this world or universe will ever know. It is this doctrine that gives life and breathand substance to every gospel principle and ordinance. It is the spiritual reservoir thatfeeds the streams of faith, provides the cleansing powers to the waters of baptism, andsupplies the healing balm to the wounded soul. It is the focal point of the sacrament,temple, and other gospel ordinances. It is the rock foundation upon which all hope inthis life and eternity is predicated.

By definition, the Atonement is the foreordained mission of the Savior. It is thatlove displayed, that power manifested, and that suffering endured by Jesus Christ inthree principal locationsnamely, the Garden of Gethsemane, the cross of Calvary,and the tomb of Arimathea. It is the universal act of supreme submission in which theSavior completely yielded His will to that of the Father.

The Atonement was necessitated by the Fall of Adam. Lehi wrote, The Messiahcometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall (2Nephi 2:26). Adams transgression was called the Fall because Adam and Eve fell fromthe presence of God and, in addition, fell from immortality to mortality. Thus, one of theprime purposes of the Atonement was to redeem men and women from the negative

consequences of the Fall. The Savior did this in part by dying on the cross andsubsequently bringing about the Resurrection for everyone. Paul so testified: As inAdam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22). Inaddition, the Savior suffered for everyones sins, as evidenced by His bleeding fromevery pore, which act brought about the condition of repentance. Through His stripes,we can be healed. So complete is this healing process that Isaiah taught, Though yoursins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).

But there is yet another purpose of the Atonementit is not just to redeem us(that is, to reconcile the Fall) but to perfect us. The Atonement was designed to do morethan return us to the starting line, more than just wipe the slate clean, more than make

us innocent. It was designed to provide us with heavenly endowments that would helpus achieve godlike perfection. How is that accomplished? Because of the Atonement,we are cleansed in the waters of baptism. Because of that cleansing, we are eligible toreceive the gift of the Holy Ghost; and with that gift, we are entitled to the gifts of theSpirit (that is, knowledge, patience, love, and so forth), each of which is an attribute ofgodliness. Thus, as we acquire the gifts of the Spirit, made possible by the cleansingpowers of the Atonement, we acquire the attributes of God.

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

19/22

Because of its expansive and comprehensive nature, the Atonement wasreferred to by certain Book of Mormon prophets as an infinite atonement (2 Nephi 9:7;2 Nephi 25:16; Alma 34:10, 12).

It was infinite in divinenessin that it was performed by the Holy One, the Only

Begotten Son of God, who possessed every divine and godly attribute in unboundedmeasure (see D&C 109:77).

It was infinite in powerin that the Savior was the only one who possessed thethree powers necessary to save and exalt usnamely, the power to resurrect us fromthe dead, the power to redeem us from our sins, and the power to endow us with godlyattributes (see John 11:25; Alma 12:15; Moroni 10:3233).

It was infinite in time, both prospectively and retroactively (see Alma 34). Asdeclared by King Benjamin, Whosoever should believe that Christ should come, thesame might receive remission of their sins . . . even as though he had already comeamong them (Mosiah 3:13).

It was infinite in coveragesince it provided the resurrection for all living thingsand, in addition, the opportunity for redemption and perfection for every person of everyworld of which the Savior was the creator (see D&C 76:2324, 4043).

It was infinite in depthnot only in whom it covered but also in what it covered.The Savior descended below all things (D&C 88:6), meaning He descended beneathall our sins so that even the vilest of sinners (Mosiah 28:4) and the most lost of allmankind (Alma 24:11) could be redeemed by His mercy. Further, His sacrificedescended beneath the total human plight, even that which has no relation to sin.Therefore, He comprehends the loneliness of the widow; He understands the agonizing

parental pain when children go astray; and He can empathize with the excruciating painof cancer and every other debilitating illness of man. As difficult as it might be toconceive, He, a perfect man, understands the rejections and weaknesses of mortals.There is no temporal condition, however ugly or gruesome it may seem, that hasescaped His grasp. No one will be able to say at the judgment bar, You did notunderstand my unique plightbecause He does. He comprehendeth all things (Alma26:35) because He descended below all things (D&C 88:6). He not only has an infinitereservoir of redeeming powers but also an infinite reservoir of remedial powers. He notonly redeems us from our worst sins but also has the power to remedy our smallest hurtor most insignificant weakness. He is the Master Healer, the Master Counselor, theMaster Comforter. There is no hurt He cannot soothe, no rejection He cannot assuage,

no loneliness He cannot console, and no weakness He cannot strengthen. Whateveraffliction the world casts at us, He has a remedy of superior healing power. HisAtonement is infinite because it circumscribes and encompasses every finite conditionknown to mortals.

His Atonement is infinite in suffering. The Savior spoke of that awful, bitter cup,which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because ofpain (D&C 19:18). It commenced in Gethsemane, where in agony He bled from every

8/8/2019 Three Talks About the Atonement

20/22

pore, and concluded on Calvary, where He cried out, My God, my God, why hast thouforsaken me? (Matthew 27:46). He bore it all alonethe total human plight. His divinepowers were not a shield to His sufferingto the contrary, when the pinnacle of painwould have triggered the release mechanism of death or unconsciousness in a meremortal, the Savior summoned His divine powers, not to immunize Himself but to stay

such relief mechanism until He had suffered the pain endured by every person of everyworld. Only then would He voluntarily lay down His life.

Finally, His Atonement was infinite in loveboth the Sons and the Fathers. Thehuman mind cannot fully grasp such love. This is part of the sacredness and beauty ofthe event. It must be felt, not just reasoned. Someday we will understand that divinedisclosure: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (John3:16). Then, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ.

The Savior is our only hope for salvation and exaltation. There is no backupman, alternative way, or contingency plan. As King Benjamin taught, There shall be noother name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto thechildren of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Om