For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases. And he shall cast out devils or the evil spirits, which dwell in the hearts of the children of men. And lo, he shall suffer temptations, pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be His anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people. And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and His mother shall be called Mary. Mosiah 3:5-8
Importance of:
The scriptures point out that no law, ordinance or sacrifice would be satisfactory if it were not for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our Savior (Hebrew 10:1-9; 2 Nephi 9:5-24; Mosiah 13:27-32).
“No matter how hard we work, not matter how much we obey, no matter how many things we do in this life, it would not be enough were it not for Jesus Christ and His loving grace. On our own, we cannot earn the Kingdom of God, no matter what we do.” M. Russell Ballard Ensign, June 1998
Definition of:
Atonement: The word describes the setting “at one” of those who have been estranged, and denotes the reconciliation of man to God… Jesus Christ, as the Only Begotten Son of God and the only sinless person to live on this earth, was the only one capable of making an atonement for mankind. By his selection and foreordination in the Grand Council before the world was formed, His divine Sonship, his sinless life, the shedding of his blood in the garden of Gethsemane, his death on the cross and subsequent bodily resurrection from the grave, He made a perfect atonement for all mankind. Bible Dictionary
“This triumph of Jesus Christ over spiritual death by His suffering and over physical death by His resurrection is called the Atonement.” Preach My Gospel pp.52
Spiritual Death
2 Nephi 9, Due to the fall of Adam & Eve, we are all spiritually cut off from God, being shut out of His presence. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the righteous will be cleansed and clothed with purity. With this robe of purity and righteousness, we will be able to return the presence of our God.
Doctrine & Covenants 19:15-19, Christ suffered these things that we might not have to suffer if we repent, which suffering caused He, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain and to bleed at every pore. He asked if it be the Father’s will, not to have to do so, but nevertheless still did His Father’s will and did all that was required of Him that we might be saved.
Physical Death
2 Nephi 9, Death hath passed upon all men to fulfill the plan of God, therefore, there must be a power of resurrection, because of the fall. If not, we could not be made whole and our bodies would lay to rest, never to rise again, If so, our spirits would become subject to the devil and our spirits would become like him. But God created a way for us to overcome the grasps of Satan through the power of the atoning sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ, who broke the chains of death. Through Him our bodies and spirits shall be reunited. We thus become immortal and our bodies incorruptible.
1 Corinthians 15:22, All shall rise again & be resurrected, unconditionally because of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
In Our Lives Today
“For some reason, we think the Atonement of Jesus Christ applies only at the end of mortality life to redemption from the fall, from spiritual death. It is much more then that. It is an ever-present power to call upon in everyday life. When we are racked up or harrowed up or tormented by guilt or burdened with grief, He can heal us. While we do not fully understand how the Atonement of Christ was made, we can experience ‘the peace of God, which passeth all understanding’.” Boyd K Packer
Sacrament
Symbolizes the flesh that was torn (while the bread is torn into pieces) and the blood (water) that was spilt by our Savior Jesus Christ. SC
Matthew 20:21-23, Drinking the sacrament cup is accepting Christ’s Atonement.
“The Cup & Throne” were extricably latent & couldn’t be given separately. Jeffery R. Holland
Matthew 26:27-28, Christ is with us when we drink of it.
3 Nephi 11:11,18, Christ said he drank out of His bitter cup and he asks up to take his name upon ourselves by drinking out of His cup (taking the sacrament).
When we take the sacrament we promise to take upon us the name of Christ, always remember Him and witness that we will remember Him. In return, we are promised to always have His spirit to be with us and are sanctified and cleansed from our sins through the power of the Holy Ghost because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for us.
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