The gospel is a beautiful thing. I had never really noticed before, but by studying the Book of Mormon as a student at Brigham Young University, and despite being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes mistakenly called the “Mormon Church”) my entire life, my heart and my eyes are continuously being opened by the things continued in the Book of Mormon, a record of the ancient people of America and a book of scripture to be used in addition to the Holy Bible.
One of the main focuses of The Church of Jesus Christ is allowing people to learn about the Atonement of Christ. Near the end of His ministry on earth, Christ went into the Garden of Gethsemane and suffered all the pains, afflictions, and sorrows of the world because He loved us so much. I have known this since I was a child. Of course, as a child, I never fully understood why such a sacrifice was asked of Him. The insights I have gained thus far in my Book of Mormon class have helped me to understand why the Atonement was necessary, and why it is so important. Allow me to share some of these thoughts with you.
One of chapters of scripture I turn to when discouraged can be found in 2 Nephi 9 in the Book of Mormon. The speaker is a prophet named Jacob, whose father Lehi, also a prophet in Jerusalem at the same time as Jeremiah, received a vision from the Lord telling Lehi to take his family and go into the wilderness and to the Promised Land. After leaving Jerusalem, wandering in the desert, and crossing the sea in a ship, Lehi and his family arrive in the Americas. Jacob had seen many trials, from surviving in the desert to dealing with his rebellious and wicked brothers, and has remained righteous and obedient to God the entire time. In this chapter, Jacob talks about and praises the Atonement of Christ.
When Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden and were cast out, man experienced what is called the Fall. Because of that transgression, man became mortal, which meant that we will someday die. When Christ was resurrected, He overcame physical death so that we may also be resurrected someday. Jacob said it this way:
For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall. . . . Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more (2 Nephi 9:6-7).
But physical death isn’t the only death we experienced. Every time we sin, we separate ourselves from God and experience a spiritual death. However, we are not perfect. But this is where the beauty of the Atonement comes in. In 2 Nephi 9:12, Jacob explains how the infinite Atonement delivers our spirits from spiritual death, or hell, if we are willing to let Christ into our lives and live as He did.
Because of the Atonement, we can return to our Heavenly Father again.
What really strikes me, however, is what Christ went through in order to give all of us the gift of the Atonement. Jacob says, “And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children,” (2 Nephi 9:21). This is just a small glimpse into the suffering of the Atonement. Christ is the ultimate example and empathizer. Every physical pain, every emotional agony, every emotion and suffering every person has ever done was inflicted upon Christ. His words, “O my Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me” only hint at the difficulty of His task. However, his following words are filled with love: “nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). He suffered so poignantly in the Garden of Gethsemane, an olive under a millstone, but He tolerated it because He was our Savior. His love for us overcame the sorrows of the world, and our love for Him can do the same.
This article was written by Kennerley R., a student studying English at Brigham Young University and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and enjoys writing, the arts, and good adventures.
Additional Resources:
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What are the basic beliefs of Mormons?
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