Power in the Atonement: Faith and Hope

I have thought a lot lately about the power of the atonement and how to have faith that I will overcome my weaknesses and be able to be cleansed and forgiven through Jesus Christ.

In Alma 11:32-37. Amulek makes it clear to Zeezrom that we cannot be saved IN our sins. Later on we are told, "And also remember the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins" (Helaman 5:10). In other words, we have to repent and change our behavior, minds, and hearts, before the atonement can come and cleanse us. Mercy cannot rob justice (Alma 42:13-15, 25).

Alma 24 and the example shared there of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies explains this very well.

So, I am convinced that Jesus Christ will not save us in our sins. Filthiness cannot live w/ Him. That is the whole purpose of mortality, to become as He is and thus, enjoy the life that He enjoys. After we have changed, our natures have changed, then the power of the atonement can pay the price of our sins. Jesus Christ can satisfy the demands of justice and liberate us from captivity and death. Then the Spirit of fire comes into our minds and hearts and purges out all that was evil. It would be reasonable to think that if God remembers our sins no more, then eventually we can obtain that same blessing.

So, how do we continue in this life when we make mistakes over and over again? I believe the answer is our faith and hope in Jesus Christ and our desire to persist and endure to the end. We know we fall short over and over. If we have a strong hope that we can eventually overcome and hope that Christ will step forward and His atonement will satisfy justice so He can extend mercy, then we will continue to work at overcoming our weaknesses and sins. With this hope we can endure. We have this faith and hope and thus we continue to work out our salvation. He will heal us in every way if we keep going and eventually change. This hope allows us to endure and keep going even though we feel totally inadequate at times.

Why Battle for Freedom

I think the real question is if we are willing to see what is really taking place and what is at stake. In the grand council in heaven, Satan, the evil one, tried to neutralize the purposes of mortality by eliminating personal responsibility for growth and personal sins. If he could do this, then there would be no need for a Savior and Redeemer. The purposes of God are to help us become like Him and enjoy the happiness He enjoys (Moses 1:39). Just as a wealthy father cannot give his heir everything and expect him to not waste it without time and experience and a series of tests to prepare him, so our Father cannot give us everything without time and experience and testing. We cannot have the character and integrity of God by Him gifting it to us. Time and experience create opportunities to use our agency to fail or prosper, both spiritually and temporally. As we experience failure, sin, then we must turn to the Savior to make up for the demands of justice. His conditions are such that He is willing to extend mercy to us if we change, repent, and turn to Him and become like Him eventually. Realizing that condition, charity, is the ultimate peace and satisfaction and rest that we desire.

Freedom and liberty are at the heart of God’s plan for His children. Take away the opportunity to fail and succeed and you have Satan’s form of government. The Constitution was established by God to promote freedom and agency (Doctrine and Covenants 98:5-10).

77 According to the laws and ^{aconstitution} of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the^brights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles;

78 That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral ^aagency which I have given unto him, that every man may be ^baccountable for his own sins in the day of ^cjudgment.

79 Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in ^abondageone to another.

80 And for this purpose have I established the ^{aConstitution} of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the ^bshedding of blood (Doctrine and Covenants 101:77-80).

It is not logical to think that Satan would abandon his plan to seek the agency of man (Moses 4:3). He still seeks to bind the minds and hearts of men and make them miserable like unto himself (2 Nephi 2:18, 27). He does this very subtly (Genesis 3:1; Moses 4:5; Doctrine and Covenants 123:12).

I have wondered how the Lamanite nation allowed Amalackiah to take over their government. I have wondered how the Nephites allowed wicked men to fill their judgment seats. The pattern is set out clearly in the Book of Mormon and by the teachings of latter-day prophets. Those that are seeking for power, prominence, property, and prosperity (wealth) will do anything and everything to get there, just as the wicked political leaders of every age have done, as laid out in the Book of Mormon.

If we don’t recognize what is happening then our power to resist the currents of evil will be swept away with false understanding. It is easy to be lead to believe that “all is well in Zion” (2 Nephi 28:21) because the devil and his agents are masters at “flattery” (telling the people what they want to hear) and are quick to “pacify and lull [us] away into carnal security” (2 Nephi 28:21-22). He seeks to neutralize those that speak up by lying to and deceiving the people until they are set against the truth and revile against it and cast out those who speak it (Alma 12:4). There is a reason the building high in the air was “spacious” and “filled with people” (1 Nephi 8:26-27). It is easier to mock and scoff then to think critically and be open to the truth (1 Nephi 8:27-28).

2 Nephi 2:1, Multiply and Replenish the Earth

Elder Neil L. Andersen, in the October 2011 General Conference, referenced this verse as applying to the command to exercise our faith in having children even when it is not convenient. It was grateful for the talk. I have heard many in the church acting as if this commandment, to multiply and replenish the earth, refers to after graduation or the perfect job, or after establishing a successful career. They fail to see that we have children with faith, just as we pay tithing with faith. We don't wait until our savings is full to pay tithing rather we pay tithing as we earn income. We have children when we covenant to do so over the sealing alter.

Children are the perfect opportunity to learn to become like God. I have seen my weaknesses magnified and have had many opportunities to learn to teach as God does with me. God teaches gently, directly, quietly, appropriately, timely, patiently, justly, mercifully, correctly, etc. I have learned that the Holy Ghost is essential to correct teaching. I must strive to follow the commandments of God to be blessed with His influence. I must seek out the examples found in the way Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father teach in the scriptures. The prophets also show how to teach.

One example is when Lehi ceased speaking to them, Laman and Lemuel (1 Nephi 8:38). The Lord will not always speak to us if we quit listening. Sometimes with our children, we have to judge when we have said enough and it is time to let them choose.

Children bring great joy and happiness as has been promised to us. I once heard or read where Elder Bruce C. Hafen recalled how children squeeze the selfishness out of us. That is so true. And because selfishness is sin, we find greater and greater happiness as we lose our selves in the work and joy of raising children. We take part in God's work and glory in bringing to pass the eternal life of His children (Moses 1:39).

I'm so grateful for my children. I'm grateful I was taught the importance of having children with faith. I been blessed tremendously, temporally and spiritually, for following this commandment. I know children are an heritage of the Lord (The Family, A Proclamation to the World).

The Doctrine of the Restoration, Alma 39-42

What a beautiful doctrine, the doctrine of the restoration. We are not going to have some miraculous change come over us after death. We are developing into who we want to become. These chapters are so beautiful!!! They are simple and easy to understand. Alma 41:2 calls it, "the plan of the restoration."

It is also interesting that these chapters are the words of Alma to his disobedient son. He was teaching him of the simple truths of the gospel found in the plan of salvation and the plan of the restoration. He explains that who we become in this life will be who we are in the next. If we live a life of sin and unhappiness then that is who will be in the next life. If we live a life of righteousness and happiness then that will be restored to us in the next life.

What a great key to know what to teach our children. We teach the pure, simple doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If we have become a new creature, then Christ's atoning blood can blot out our sins through the penalty being paid by our Lord, Jesus the Christ. I'm so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. This is my hope and salvation. I pray for the strength to live after the manner of happiness by following my Lord.

Helaman 14:30-31, These are great verses as well that emphasize the doctrine of the restoration. These verses emphasize that we are free to choose and that, "whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself...". It is interesting in life that the way to happiness is so straight forward, keep the commandments of God and be blessed, reject them and suffer. Yet, people still try to be happy without following God. They keep doing "iniquity... unto [themselves]". It affects every aspect of their lives and those lives eventually crumble in pain, sorrow, and anger.

Charity

Last night we decided to make our family mission statement out of Moroni 7:45. "And [a Hymas] suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." That is a very tall order and humbling to say. Then I put my own first name in there. It wasn't true. At times but I have not changed to the point that I can say that truthfully. It is a goal and expectation. One worth striving and living for. I want so dearly to become full of charity, especially at home. I feel that is the great proving ground.

One Thing Jesus Cannot Do

I love the discussion between Zeezrom and Amulek. Amulek explains correctly that Jesus Christ cannot save us IN our sins. Amulek explains this well and Alma 42 explains this well too. I also like the explanation in Helaman 5. I love Helaman 5:10-11. These chapters and verses in the Book of Mormon clarify the simplest and most profound doctrines and truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They make it clear why we worship our Lord and Savior. Otherwise, repentance becomes a joke. To confess Christ as a Savior without so much as giving lip service to Him. What does that do to us or for us or for Him? As stated in Helaman 5:10-11, I want to be brought unto the power of the Redeemer because of repentance, because I change my ways and can be cleansed through His blood.

"...for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins. And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls" Helaman 5:10-11

What powerful verses! Precious pearls of great price that many are starving to hear and understand.

Why Did They Kill Jesus Christ?

In the past I have wondered why Jesus Christ, a perfect, sinless, kind, loving, and patient person was crucified. Not only did he have the saintly characteristics that we view as charitable, but he had all the other characteristics of charity. He loved people enough to teach them the right way. It takes pure love to teach people a better way. It would be easier to just be a gentle, kind person that quietly hides under a rock and doesn't want to ever be controversial, but Jesus wouldn't seclude himself. John's description of why they crucified the gentle Christ is profound.

Many people read John 3:15-17 and quote them often without including the next few verses, thus distorting the message of Christ.

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 ¶For ^aGod so ^bloved the ^cworld, that he ^dgave his ^eonly begotten ^fSon, that whosoever ^gbelieveth in him should not perish, but have ^heverlasting ⁱlife.

17 For God ^asent not his Son into the world to ^bcondemn the world; but that the world through him might be ^csaved.

18 ¶He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that^abelieveth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the ^bname of the only begotten Son of God.^c

Many read these past few verses and think, "all is well. I believe in Jesus Christ and that He has saved me." They need to keep reading from verse 19-21.

19 And this is the condemnation, that ^alight is come into the world, and men loved ^bdarkness rather than light, because their^cdeeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth ^aevil ^bhateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that ^adoeth ^btruth cometh to the ^clight, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

What a beautiful explanation of why people crucified the Christ and fail to really learn of Him and do His acts today...because they don't want to know how to improve their lives, repent.