Category: Atonement

I Have Glorified the Father in Taking upon Me the Sins of the World

~ Richard Rowley

After descending from heaven to visit a group of Lehi’s descendants gathered at one of their temples, Christ reminds them of who He is and the relationship He has with God the Father.

“…I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father has given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning…I am the God of Israel and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.” (3 Nephi 11:11,14)

Questions:

-How did Christ’s life and Atonement (won through incomprehensible and eternally meaningful suffering) glorify the Father?

-Was Christ’s unflinching loyalty to the Father closely tied to his similar loyalty to us (those for whom He worked out the Atonement)?

-What would it mean to you to strive to be as loyal to Christ as He has been to you and God our Father?

God Himself Atoneth for the Sins of the World

~ Richard Rowley

Alma teaches that Christ’s Atonement occurred because God desired to extend mercy to us while still upholding justice.

“…Thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence. And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.” (Alma 42:14-15)

Questions: -How many realize they are in the grasp of justice without Christ’s intervention (which He made for those who repent)?

There Can Be Nothing Short of An Infinite Atonement Which Will Suffice for the Sins of the World

~ Richard Rowley

Amulek (in about 74 B.C.) teaches that only Jesus Christ (a God filled with infinite and eternal power) could make the sacrifice necessary to offer salvation to the inhabitants of the Earth.  

“…It is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice…there can be nothing short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world…and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.” (Alma 34:10-14)

Questions:
-Do you believe God forgives sin without reference to the demands of justice?

-Does Christ’s willingness to meet those terrible demands help you understand how deeply He loves all who have ever lived?

All Must Perish Except It Be through Christ’s Atonement

~ Richard Rowley

Amulek teaches about the power and necessity of Christ’s Atonement.

“…The word is in Christ unto salvation…redemption cometh through the Son of God…Behold I say unto you that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it. For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made. (Alma 34:6-9)

Questions:

-How does a heart stray from God during a lifetime?

-How can a heart be softened after it has hardened (spiritually speaking)?

There is None That Knoweth These Things, Save it be the Penitent

~ Richard Rowley

Ammon, a Nephite missionary, teaches that the deepest spiritual truths can only be known after a person awakes to, and acts on, the absolute necessity of relying on Jesus Christ to cross over the abyss of spiritual death and obtain salvation.

“…In his great mercy [Christ] hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and misery, even to the salvation of our souls. And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent.” (Alma 26:21)

Questions:

-What brings a person face to face with the reality of spiritual death within him- or herself?

-How difficult is it to face the reality of spiritual death within oneself and then seek to reconcile oneself to God? How tenaciously does the “ego” within a person often fight this process?

The Grave Shall Have No Victory

~ Richard Rowley

Aaron, a Nephite missionary, teaches the Lamanite king about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

“…Since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance…and…[Christ] breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory…” (Alma 22:14)

Questions:

-What can be merited through the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

-Can anything be merited without it?

-Is Christ’s Atonement an invitation to good works, since nothing can be merited without the Atonement, but much can be merited (your good works can be magnified by God) with it?

-Are you willing to accept the victory of the grave? Or, do you choose to believe in the testimony of Aaron that death isn’t the end, but has been conquered by Jesus Christ?

There Could Be No Redemption for Mankind Save it Were Through the Death and Suffering of Christ and the Atonement of His Blood

~ Richard Rowley

Aaron, a Nephite missionary, teaches that…

“…There could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and suffering of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.” (Alma 21:9)

Questions:

-Does God redeem His children (mankind) outside of the demands of justice?

-Was there any other way to satisfy the demands of justice, while still showing mercy, without God providing an atoning Savior?

Teachings of Latter-day Prophets, Seers, and Revelators:

“Christ’s agony in the garden is unfathomable by the finite mind, both as to intensity and cause. … He struggled and groaned under a burden such as no other being who has lived on earth might even conceive as possible. It was not physical pain, nor mental anguish alone, that caused Him to suffer such torture as to produce an extrusion of blood from every pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only God was capable of experiencing. No other man, however great his powers of physical or mental endurance, could have suffered so” (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. [1916], 613).

O How Beautiful upon the Mountains are Their Feet!

~ Richard Rowley

O How Beautiful upon the Mountains are Their Feet!

The prophet Abinadi teaches of the vital roll prophets play in helping connect God’s children on earth to Christ and the power of His Atonement. Living before Christ, in the 100s B.C., Abinadi teaches how the prophets helped others look to Christ’s future Atonement.

“Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed? Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God. For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?” (Mosiah 15:10-12)

“Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are his seed. And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth! And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet! And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace! And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!” (Mosiah 15:13-17)

Questions:

-How important is it to hear the words of the prophets (past and present)?

-In our time do true prophets still help us look to, and receive, the Atonement that Christ has worked out in our behalf?

-Is it possible to publish the peace and meaning that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings without being a prophet?

God Breaketh the Bands of Death

~ Richard Rowley

The prophet Abinadi foretold (in about 148 B.C.) how Jesus Christ, during His mortal life on earth, would unfailingly do His Father’s will—even as doing so would lead to Christ’s suffering and death which He would endure in our behalf. Christ now stands, with great compassion and mercy, between all mankind and justice.

“…He shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.” (Mosiah 15:7-9)

Questions:

-Will justice still be applied to those who rejected Christ in this life (after coming to a full knowledge of His gospel) and who will reject Him at the time of the Final Judgement? Will He apply His merciful power against anyone’s will?

There is None Other Salvation Save This

~ Richard Rowley

King Benjamin declares the conditions for salvation for those who have received knowledge of the gospel and God’s goodness:

“If the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state—I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body—I say, that this is the man [or woman] who receiveth salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world. And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you.” (Mosiah 4:5-8)

Questions:

-Is there anyway to know the goodness of God and the power of Christ’s Atonement without a witness from the Holy Ghost?