The Atonement of Jesus Christ

By Jhumer.

Central to the belief of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Mormon Church, is the role of the Savior Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind.  All the other teachings, doctrines, and principles taught by the Mormons are only appendages to the greatest and grandest event that ever happened in the history of mankind –the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Atonement is the ultimate sacrifice performed by the Savior by giving His life to redeem and save mankind from sin.

Paul declared to the Romans: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  Sin is willful disobedience to God’s commandments, and when men commit sin, they are separated from the presence of God.  Mormon doctrine explains that this separation from God because of sin is called “Spiritual Death.”  This death, if not overcome, will forfeit men’s opportunity to return to God’s presence.  Hence, the need of a Savior became mandatory, so repentance and forgiveness may be possible, and men and women can again be reunited with God.

The gospel of John proclaimed: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Savior of the world.  He was prepared before the foundation of this Earth to come and atone for all the sins of mankind.  (See Moses 4:2; Abraham 3:27.) He was sent to live a perfect life, sinless, and worthy to qualify as an eternal sacrifice that will appease the demands of justice for all the sins of men since the time of Adam until the very last person who will ever live on the earth.

Latter-day Mormon scriptures reveal that the atonement was a very hard and painful process for Jesus Christ. Even He, the greatest of all, trembled because of exceeding pain! (See Doctrine and Covenants 19:18-19.)  Some Christians are offended because Mormons believe that Christ’s suffering in Gethsemane is part of the Savior’s atonement.  In Gethsemane, Christ took upon Himself the wrath of God for our sins, plus all of our sorrows, shortcomings, and mistakes.  This developed in Him perfect compassion, that mercy might temper judgment when Christ judges us in heaven.

Only those who properly repent and obey God’s commandments will have the full effects of the atonement of the Savior in their lives.  Christ concluded the atonement by dying on the cross in one of the cruelest methods known to man.  He did it out of his selfless love for the world and perfect obedience to his Father in heaven.

After His resurrection, He visited a branch of the tribe of Joseph in ancient America and declared:

“Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.

“Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God.  Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved” (3 Nephi 9:21-22).

Aside from victory over spiritual death through forgiveness, the atonement also brought triumph over “Physical Death” – the separation of the spirit from the body at death.  After three days, Jesus was resurrected and became the “firstfruits of them that slept”. (See 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.)  Because of that, all men who have died will be resurrected and live again to attain immortality.  The spirit will be reunited to a perfect body, never to die again.  This is a free and unconditional gift for all men brought by the powerful effect of the atonement.  However, although everyone will be resurrected, only those who sincerely repent and obey God’s commandments will be able to return to Him and be saved.

This repentance and faith in Christ, plus participation in earthly ordinances enables us through Christ’s atonement and grace to attain eternal life, another phrase meaning eternity in God’s presence.  It is important to understand, however, that most of mankind will inherit a kingdom of glory in heaven.  Hell, which Mormons call “outer darkness,” is reserved for those who receive a perfect witness of Christ and then deny Him, thus in essence “crucifying Him anew.”  (To read Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon’s vision of the kingdoms of heaven, click here.)

Mormons have utmost respect for the Atonement. They commemorate it every Sunday by regularly participating in a sacrament meeting, where they partake of the bread and drink of the water which symbolizes the body and blood the Savior offered for the salvation of mankind.