The Atonement - Power To Become
"The Atonement - brought to you by Jesus Christ - Gives you more Power than Lifting Crosses"
I know, I know...it is a special kind of humor, but with something like this the Atonement could be advertised if it was a fitness program. In fact, it will give you power and strength, just like a fitness program. But then, it also is completely different because it does not make you look shredded, it allows you to overcome weaknesses and live forever.
First of all, what is the Atonement?! As you might have noticed, I spell this word with a capital A. I do this because this single event has changed the history of mankind forever and - to be honest - even beyond forever. The Atonement allows us to overcome the consequences of death and opens the gate for us that brings us back to our Heavenly Father who is the Eternal God of the universe. Also, I think this is a good time to correct my previous statements. This event has not just happened all by itself, no, but it has been performed by a very special person: Jesus Christ. So, to be correct, we should call it the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It was not done by any other person, in fact, no other human being could have done this. It needed a sacrifice that has the power to not just free people from the burden of sin in the future, but it also was necessary that people from the past can be freed from eternal separation from God. Therefore, Jesus suffered all the sicknesses and afflictions of every person ever in the garden Gethsemane. And not just that, He also sacrificed Himself up to be nailed to the cross to fulfill the Mosaic law for sacrifices.
But wait, why was that enough to free all humanity, wasn't He just a human being like everyone else?! Yes, and no. It is true that He was a human like us, but He also was a god and lived a life free of sin. This made Him a lamb free from any blemish and created a sacrifice strong enough to conquer death forever. >> It is completed. << (John 19:30, own translation) Those were a few of His last words before He gave up the ghost.
But wait, what is completed, why did we even need this sacrifice, and what if someone doesn't believe in your religion?! These are very important questions and I want to try to answer them now. First, as I briefly said before, the Mosaic law had been completed. In my humble opinion, the law is still active today - simply because God said that this is His eternal law - but Jesus fulfilled it forever. Meaning, we have been taken a heavy burden off our shoulders. The law has always been meant to point to Christ and to show us how much we need Him. Okay, next question, this sacrifice was needed because without it we all would fall short of the glory of God. >> Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation. << (see D&C 29:40). Lastly, it does not matter if someone believes in Christ and His Atonement in order to experience its effects. The Atonement of the Messiah will resurrect everyone, no matter the beliefs. Every soul will come to life again to be brought before the Lords and His judgement. Then, so our Latter-day Saint belief, everybody will be distributed into one of three kingdoms according to their life. But the good news is that nobody is lost. God loves ALL His children, even the ones that have never heard of Him.
All in all, the Lord's Atonement is a gift that we may not be able to fully comprehend, yet. He has done things for us that enable us to receive eternal salvation and exaltation. I can testify that this great gift has power because I have seen the changes in my life. As a teenager, I have been a terrible person to others. I have bullied other students, I stole from others, I vandalized others' property. There came a point in my life when I realized what terrible things I had done. It even took me a week full of mental and physical pain to receive the confirmation that I can undo this with the Lord's help if I would try to never do such things again. I made this promise to the Lord and He has taken control over my life since then.
You are invited to receive this gift, too. God loves you with all His heart and wants you to be happy, but not just happy, also full of eternal joy. Only through Jesus Christ and His Atonement we can finish this path. To close with Jesus' words: >> Come, follow me. << (Matthew 4:19, NIV)
Picture sources:
https://media.ldscdn.org/images/media-library/gospel-art/new-testament/crucifixion-christ-anderson-39598-wallpaper.jpg
https://ldsplanofsalvation.weebly.com/uploads/5/8/1/4/5814652/6134909.gif?584
I know, I know...it is a special kind of humor, but with something like this the Atonement could be advertised if it was a fitness program. In fact, it will give you power and strength, just like a fitness program. But then, it also is completely different because it does not make you look shredded, it allows you to overcome weaknesses and live forever.
First of all, what is the Atonement?! As you might have noticed, I spell this word with a capital A. I do this because this single event has changed the history of mankind forever and - to be honest - even beyond forever. The Atonement allows us to overcome the consequences of death and opens the gate for us that brings us back to our Heavenly Father who is the Eternal God of the universe. Also, I think this is a good time to correct my previous statements. This event has not just happened all by itself, no, but it has been performed by a very special person: Jesus Christ. So, to be correct, we should call it the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It was not done by any other person, in fact, no other human being could have done this. It needed a sacrifice that has the power to not just free people from the burden of sin in the future, but it also was necessary that people from the past can be freed from eternal separation from God. Therefore, Jesus suffered all the sicknesses and afflictions of every person ever in the garden Gethsemane. And not just that, He also sacrificed Himself up to be nailed to the cross to fulfill the Mosaic law for sacrifices.
But wait, why was that enough to free all humanity, wasn't He just a human being like everyone else?! Yes, and no. It is true that He was a human like us, but He also was a god and lived a life free of sin. This made Him a lamb free from any blemish and created a sacrifice strong enough to conquer death forever. >> It is completed. << (John 19:30, own translation) Those were a few of His last words before He gave up the ghost.
But wait, what is completed, why did we even need this sacrifice, and what if someone doesn't believe in your religion?! These are very important questions and I want to try to answer them now. First, as I briefly said before, the Mosaic law had been completed. In my humble opinion, the law is still active today - simply because God said that this is His eternal law - but Jesus fulfilled it forever. Meaning, we have been taken a heavy burden off our shoulders. The law has always been meant to point to Christ and to show us how much we need Him. Okay, next question, this sacrifice was needed because without it we all would fall short of the glory of God. >> Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation. << (see D&C 29:40). Lastly, it does not matter if someone believes in Christ and His Atonement in order to experience its effects. The Atonement of the Messiah will resurrect everyone, no matter the beliefs. Every soul will come to life again to be brought before the Lords and His judgement. Then, so our Latter-day Saint belief, everybody will be distributed into one of three kingdoms according to their life. But the good news is that nobody is lost. God loves ALL His children, even the ones that have never heard of Him.
All in all, the Lord's Atonement is a gift that we may not be able to fully comprehend, yet. He has done things for us that enable us to receive eternal salvation and exaltation. I can testify that this great gift has power because I have seen the changes in my life. As a teenager, I have been a terrible person to others. I have bullied other students, I stole from others, I vandalized others' property. There came a point in my life when I realized what terrible things I had done. It even took me a week full of mental and physical pain to receive the confirmation that I can undo this with the Lord's help if I would try to never do such things again. I made this promise to the Lord and He has taken control over my life since then.
You are invited to receive this gift, too. God loves you with all His heart and wants you to be happy, but not just happy, also full of eternal joy. Only through Jesus Christ and His Atonement we can finish this path. To close with Jesus' words: >> Come, follow me. << (Matthew 4:19, NIV)
Picture sources:
https://media.ldscdn.org/images/media-library/gospel-art/new-testament/crucifixion-christ-anderson-39598-wallpaper.jpg
https://ldsplanofsalvation.weebly.com/uploads/5/8/1/4/5814652/6134909.gif?584
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