The Atonement of Jesus Christ: Our Reconciliation with God

Another stellar article written by guest-writer Cody Bosch.

I would like to speak of the wonderful gift to mankind that is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. As Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cleverly phrased it, “Atonement is really three words:At-one-ment, meaning to set at one, one with God; to reconcile, to conciliate, to expiate.”

Elder Packer explains that the component parts of the word each have their own meaning. “At” as in place; “one” person, or God; and “ment” for a dictionary suffix which means to be at a state of condition due to action, or concrete result of action making, “to set” as it were. The atonement reconciles us with God.

“If punishment is the price repentance asks, it comes at bargain price. Consequences, even painful ones, protect us. So simple a thing as a child’s cry of pain when his finger touches fire can teach us that. Except for the pain, the child might be consumed.”

-Boyd K. Packer

Because of the fall of Adam and Eve--the descent of man from God's presence, to a fallen, sinful state--the Atonement was made necessary. The fall resulted in mankind being subject to death, temptation, and sin, conditions that one cannot overcome on their own. In order to reconcile us with God, a higher power needed to intervene.

The atonement was what Jesus Christ achieved in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary. He suffered, bled, and died for the sins and pains of the world. When we engage our end of this Atonement by repenting and looking upon Christ, we can be forgiven. Thanks to Christ's triumph over death itself, we are able to live again as resurrected beings in the hereafter.

There are two types of death that humans can experience. These are physical and spiritual death. The atonement allows us to conquer both of these. Spiritual death is separation from God. You can experience this multiple times. This is through sin. When obeying the Lord's commandments and acting righteously, we are entitled to the Lord's presence, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Light of Christ. When in sin, we forfeit this sacred presence, and must repent to get it back.

“An atonement was made. Ever and always it offers amnesty from transgression and from death if we will but repent. Repentance is the escape clause in it all. Repentance is the key with which we can unlock the prison from inside. We hold that key within our hands, and agency is ours to use it...I readily confess that I would find no peace, neither happiness nor safety, in a world without repentance. I do not know what I should do if there were no way for me to erase my mistakes. The agony would be more than I could bear. It may be otherwise with you, but not with me.”-Boyd K. Packer

Amnesty means an act of authority in forgiving a person or group of people. Every person except Jesus commits sins and transgressions, therefore putting them in need of amnesty and forgiveness. Repentance is the key that unlocks us from our spirit prison.

What is a Covenant?

This article was written by guest-writer, Cody Bosch.

“A covenant is a sacred promise, as used in the scriptures, a solemn, enduring promise between God and man. The fullness of the gospel itself is defined as the new and everlasting covenant.”-Boyd K. Packer. 
In an April 1987 address to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Boyd K. Packer related the story of the recent death of his fellow apostle, Elder A. Theodore Tuttle .The people of the Church were asked to fast and pray that he would recover from an illness that had been plaguing him.  Even with prayers of millions of faithful, however, Elder Tuttle eventually succumbed to his illness. During his address, Elder Packer, lest someone's faith be shaken, pulled out a sheet of paper that he originally had planned to read at Elder Tuttle's funeral, but at the time couldn't bring himself to do it.  Elder Packer informed the congregation of Elder Tuttle's humility and faith during his trying illness. In a visit to to Elder Tuttle's hospital bed, Elder Packer had heard the man say that he had prayed to God that all the blessings coming his way would be passed along to someone else who was more needful, more deserving.

“No matter what citizenship or race, whether male or female, no matter what occupation, no matter your education, regardless of the generation in which one lives, life is a homeward journey for all of us, back to the presence of God in his celestial kingdom.”-Boyd K. Packer. 

A covenant, like the one made by the ailing Elder Tuttle, is essentially a two-way promise between God and man. In exchange for obedience to God and His commandments, the commensurate blessings based on those commandments can be awarded in the Lord's  time. One covenant that each must make is the covenant of baptism. By being baptized by the correct authority, we signify to God that we are willing to end our life of sin and start anew, taking upon ourselves the name of Christ. The Lord holds His end of the deal by washing us clean from our repented sins, and have the opportunity for repentance should we stumble later on.
If you would like to learn more about covenants and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you can follow this link to chat live with actual missionaries. Mormon.org/chat

We All Have Need of the Atonement of Jesus Christ

The following was inspired by LDS Apostle, Boyd K. Packer's October 2012 talk, "The Atonement"

If there is one thing I know about life is that it is not easy. Many a time, life seems cold and indifferent to the suffering of those living it. Any well-experienced person will tell you that life is not with trial, not without pain, and not without struggle. But many of those people will also tell you something else; it's worth it.
Life may give us trouble, but we are not alone in the journey. For a start, we have each other. One of the greatest assets we have been given in this life is our fellow man, whom we can learn from, teach, and give and receive assistance. But more importantly, God has given us what is without a doubt the greatest gift ever given: the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

What is the Atonement?
As mortal human beings, we are imperfect. Try as we might, we are all prone to weakness, and will occasionally slip up, violating the commandments God has given us. But God has said,
"Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence." 
(Moses 6:57)
Being imperfect, we naturally are unclean, and therefore cannot dwell with God without repentance. But then comes the tricky part. Being the creations of a benevolent God, who decided to create us, and give us life, we are eternally in His debt. To repent, we must pay the price for our sins to God. But how can we expect to even begin to pay Him back?
But God is merciful. He knew that the predicament of mankind stood in this cosmic catch-22, and He graciously gave us a solution. He would send His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth, to obtain a body, live as we do, teach us on behalf of the Father and share with us the sacred power of God. He would live a perfect life, performing the impossible (for us) task of never sinning in His entire earthly life. And then, the Son of God would take upon Himself all the pains, afflictions, guilt, and sins of all mankind. He would bleed from every pore, be betrayed by those He called friends, be tortured, beaten and spat upon, and finally suffer the agony of death by crucifixion. Three days later, He would rise from the dead and ascend to His Heavenly Father.
In these actions, Jesus Christ performed what is called the "Atonement." Perfect, pure, and sinless He offered Himself as a sacrifice, a payment to God. Thanks to these selfless acts, we are able to repent, by admitting our faults to God, doing all that we can to fix the problem, and begging forgiveness from God and any we have wronged. Then, as we remember the body of Christ, which was broken for us, His blood, which was shed for us, we are able to lay our sins at the feet of Jesus Christ, and be made clean once more. The Lord, in His infinite mercy, gave us a way to become more than we are, to become clean, and able to once more dwell with our Father.
Is the Atonement just for our sins?
The Atonement covers much more than our sins. Looping back to the introduction, life inevitably holds trial. We all have our obstacles to face, and we all have our own unique challenges in life. In the midst of these times, it can be tempting to think that God does not understand, that this trial is just too much, and that our life isn't fair. But thanks to the atonement, this is not the case. The Savior Jesus Christ felt every pain, disappointment, and hardship we have ever felt, and more. He understands.
"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."
(Alma 7:11-12)
Armed with the knowledge of how we feel, of the intricacies and nuances of our circumstances, Jesus Christ will advocate with our Heavenly Father on our behalf come Judgement Day. Our judgement will be completely fair, just, and merciful. Through the Atonement, the Lord offers us all things. ensuring our salvation and exaltation if only we obey His commandments and remember His sacrifice with deep gratitude and humility. We are eternally indebted to God, yet He saw fit to give us the ultimate gift in His Son.

Mormonism: Why is the temple so important?

Anyone familiar with Mormonism probably has had some sort of exposure to the concept of temples. But many people are somewhat mystified by these buildings. What is their purpose? What goes on in there? And why does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stress so much importance on the temple attendance of its members?
Everything that goes on in Mormon temples is centered around the family and their relationship with Jesus Christ. All things done inside are to ensure the salvation of all and to bind families together for eternity. Simply stated, members of the Church go to the temple to perform essential ordinances and to make covenants with the Lord. It is a place of peace, a House of the Lord. Members go there for clarity, to reflect, to be nearer to God, to pray.
Another key purpose of LDS Temples is the redemption of the dead. Ancestors who died without baptism or the other essential ordinances of the Temple can do so by proxy. A living member of the Church, worthy to enter the temple, may perform these ordinances on behalf of the deceased by being baptized, confirmed, etc. in their place. Some outside the Church take issue with this, as it seems to them that the Church is forcibly converting people after death. But this is not the case. Members can only submit the names of direct ancestors, and if they wish to submit someone else's ancestor, they need express permission from a living descendant. According to the teachings of the LDS Church, there is an element of choice inherent in these proxy ordinances. Those on the other side have the choice as to whether they accept the ordinances, just as a person would have a choice here on earth. Members serving in the temple are merely opening a door for their ancestors; whether they walk through it or not is their choice.
One question often leveled to the Church is "Why is there so much secrecy surrounding the temple?" Most of what happens inside remains a mystery to non-Mormons, and even to those Mormons who have not been through the temple yet. Those who do know, usually don't talk about it outside the temple. If it's such a great place, why can't everybody know the intricate details?
There are a few reasons for this, the first being the sacredness of the temple and the mysteries learned therein. The temple is a sacred place, and only members of the Church who are worthy--meaning they obey the teachings of the Church to the best of their ability--may enter inside. These individuals may enter because they have disciplined themselves, and have proven themselves in the eyes of God that they can respect and cherish the blessings and teachings they receive inside the temple. Those who go through the temple have usually learned enough that what happens in the temple makes sense on some level, and has context. This is another reason that the inner-workings of Mormon temples are not trumpeted from the rooftops. They lack context. Without an understanding of the background of these ordinances, and their symbolic and spiritual implications, it's easy to discount them, to make light of them, and disrespect their holiness. The perceived "secrecy" is to protect the holy covenants of the temple from ridicule, and also to protect those who might mock them from judgement, as they do not have the full picture.
This is not to say that one trip to the temple can give you all the knowledge you need or instantly make you perfect. Members often describe themselves as continually learning new things, gaining new insights on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and gaining personal revelation for their lives. Even prophets, the men who lead, and receive revelation for the whole Church, have said that they are still learning on each visit to one of these sacred houses of the Lord.

On other sacred ordinances of the LDS Church, read this article about the importance of the sacrament.

Principles of Mormonism: Learning by the Holy Ghost

In my mind, one of the most touching principles of Mormonism, and much of Christianity for that matter, is the influence of the Holy Ghost. As a member of the Godhead, and one who quite personally influences us, the Holy Ghost--or Holy Spirit--has much to teach us, and we have much to learn.
What other names does the Holy Ghost have?
The Holy Ghost has, over the eons, been called many different names by many different people. Each of these names testifies of His power, and can introduce many nuances of His roles and abilities. Here are just a few of His names:

• Holy Ghost
• Holy Spirit
• Spirit of Promise
• Spirit of Truth
• Spirit of Might
• Spirit of Counsel
• Spirit of Knowledge
• Comforter
• the Still, Small Voice
• Breath of God
• many other names

What does the Holy Ghost do?

The Holy Ghost does not have a physical body, whereas Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ both have bodies of flesh and bone. The Holy Ghost, being a spirit, is able to speak directly to our spirits. When a person is humble, obedient to God's commandments, and desires to know the truth, the Holy Ghost can speak to them, and if they are ready to hear it, a person can be taught and uplifted by its message. The Holy Ghost exists to testify of sacred truths, to bear witness the greatness and divinity of God the Father and Jesus Christ. In times of sorrow we can be comforted and strengthened by the Holy Ghost, or in danger (be it spiritual or physical) we can be warned, prepared, and/or guided to safety. The Holy Ghost can do many things for us--and through us--if we righteously, humbly ask for His presence.

What is the difference between the Holy Ghost and the "Light of Christ"?

 Though sometimes referred to by the same names and used almost interchangeably by many, the Holy Ghost and the Light of Christ are two separate and distinct concepts. The Light of Christ is not being, but a force. Its nature is much like the name implies. It is the radiating, ever-permeating influence of God. This is God's power and love spanning the universe, all things, and all people. Anyone who is humble and righteous can feel the Light of Christ and its warmth.

On the other hand, The Holy Ghost is one specific being, the third member of the Godhead, who is able to become our constant companion after baptism, confirmation, and continued righteousness. The Holy Ghost brings us peace, knowledge and comfort and can direct our hearts and attention to the Light of Christ.

How does the influence of the Holy Ghost feel?

This is a common question among those looking into Mormonism. Though pure and simple, it can often be difficult to explain. A common metaphor used is to pose another question; "Describe to me the taste of salt--and don't say 'salty'."

 Though it's really quite a simple thing, you might be surprised at how difficult it is to tell someone how salt tastes. "Well... it's not sweet," you might answer, "and its sort of like... I don't know."

The feeling one gets from the Holy Ghost is much the same, in that it is hard to describe to someone who doesn't know what it feels like. What's more is that it can be different for anyone. Some describe it as a sweet, warm sensation in the chest, others as a general feeling of lightness. Personally, I normally feel it by the presence of an inner peace that I know I don't have the ability to feel on my own. I've tried to replicate this peace through other means, but it never comes close to what the Holy Ghost has to offer. I know that it is a feeling that came from outside me. There are many different ways to experience it. We just have to be open to it, and recognize it when it comes.

Much of the time, the Holy Ghost is soft and gentle. It requires one's attention in that it can sadly be overlooked when one is distracted. Many influences vie for our time, attention, and energy, and try to overpower the Holy Ghost by shouting their messages to us, often quite literally. Though the Holy Ghost as much to offer, it will not force a person to pay attention. Each of us have the ability to choose for ourselves whether to listen to the voice of good, or to the voice of evil. But in order to hear the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, we have to be listening for them.

Does the Holy Ghost literally "speak" to us?

It depends really. Though some describe physically hearing a soft voice of guidance at times, more often than not, the Holy Ghost "speaks" to us through feelings and promptings. He can lead our thoughts to what He would have us learn, and answer our questions gentle prods and careful nudges to the the truth. Though He can physically speak to us, He usually communicates to us by revelation and feelings of divine truth.

The Holy Ghost and Prayer

Simply by utilizing the power of the Holy Ghost, we can learn all the mysteries of God. When used in tandem with prayerful scripture study, the Holy Ghost can teach us nearly anything. But we must be willing to act. If we earnestly pray to our Heavenly Father, and exert our efforts to learn, think, and do what the Lord asks of us, the guidance of the Holy Ghost can solidify and confirm the truth of what we have learned, or teach us something more altogether. It is up to us to work for it, and on God's timetable, He can speak truth to us.

If you would like to learn a little more about Mormonism (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), the Holy Ghost, or other topics, please follow this link to chat live with real missionaries!

Mormonism, My Family, and Christmas

Though Mormonism is not unique for the mere act of celebrating the Christmas holiday, I feel that, throughout my life, the Christmas season  has always been a great bolster to my faith , as well as a blessing and uniting force over my entire family. Being conveniently located at the end of the calendar year, it provides a wonderful opportunity for reflection and personal growth. The family seems much closer, and the love is palpable.
One thing I am ever-thankful for is my father and mother's insistence that we keep the focus on the first syllable of the the word. "Christ". Like many children, we were also taught the magical, if silly, legend of Santa Claus, who lived up north, had a weight problem, and flew around the world to deliver presents to all the good little boys and girls. But my parents also stressed the Savior in all of our Christmas merriment. Being a family of history buffs, which may have been prompted by our father, we would often talk about the symbolic meanings and historic origins of the various decorations we were decking the halls with; how this or that pointed to Jesus Christ in some symbolically meaningful way, why people started doing it, etc.
At some point in the month, we schedule a time for what we call a "Back to Bethlehem" dinner. We discuss the Savior and His birth, and hold a feast, in which we put a large sheet on the family room floor, and have everyone sit in a big circle, while dining on finger foods, such as bread, meats, vegetables and fruits, somewhat like they would have eaten in the time of Christ, though we don't stress historical accuracy too much.
The festivities remind us of our roots, and make me thankful, not only for my Mormon upbringing, but for each of these opportunities to enrich my faith, and how often I am given the chance to testify of Christ, or have Him testified to me.
Every Christmas morning, before parading downstairs to see what "Santa" brought us, our parents would gather us all together in one room, and we'd kneel as a family and offer thanks to God for the ultimate gift that He had given us for Christmas: His Son. All in all, the Lord Jesus Christ features heavily throughout the whole affair, as well He should, and we try to use every opportunity to express our love for one another, and our gratitude for Jesus and His eternal sacrifice.

If you'd like to learn a bit more about Jesus or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please don't hesitate to follow this link to chat live with actual missionaries!

On the Christianity of Mormonism.

Jesus Christ: His Matchless Love

Jesus Christ loves you. If you aren't a particularly religious person to begin with, it may seem like an odd notion, but it is true nonetheless. He loves you more than you could possibly comprehend. Think of the person you love the most. It might be a spouse or significant other. It could be a parent, a sibling, a child, or even a close friend. It doesn't take anything away from the deep love you feel for that person, but the love of Jesus Christ, is so much deeper, so much purer, and so much greater than anything we can imagine.
Why does He love us?
Christ know us on a deeply personal level. He and our Heavenly Father know all about us: our motives, our thoughts, our desires, our actions, and everything in between. At the thought of this concept, many of us might make the mistake of thinking He has less reason to love us. After all, we have each and every one of us made one mistake or another in this life, and the thought that someone might know all the intricate details of our misdeeds is terrifying. So why would Jesus, the Son of God, and the most perfect being ever to walk the Earth, put up with such vile sinners for even a second? Surely He could find more worthy subjects than us. But the truth is, even as Christ knows all about our mistakes, our sins, and our misdeeds, He also sees and knows what we may become. He understands the context of our mistakes because He lived them. In the   Garden of Gethsemane, and on the cross in Golgotha, Christ suffered for all the sins and all the pains of mankind. Everyone that has lived, is living, or will live is cleansed through the ultimate self-sacrifice of the perfect, unblemished Son of God, but only if we allow it to.
When we sin, no matter how major our sin is, we have the opportunity and the duty to repent. When we correct the situation, asking forgiveness, and leaving our sins behind, we can then approach our Lord and Savior by praying with an eye single to Him and appreciation of His redeeming sacrifice. When we do this earnestly, He will forgive us.
Jesus Christ loves us so much, that He was willing to sacrifice everything He had--and more--that we might be cleansed from wickedness, and brought to the eternal happiness that comes from a clean conscience, and closeness to the Lord, our God. Because of His sacrifice, we are able to reach our full potential, and rise to the level of that person that Jesus knows we may become. With an eye single to Him, and a sincere love for all we meet, there is no limit to our progression in righteousness, our understanding of the mysteries of God, and  our ability to love in the supreme way that Christ the Lord did.
I leave this with you in His holy name, Jesus Christ--Amen.

Any questions about Jesus Christ, or other principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Please click here to chat with real missionaries and ask them directly!

On Mormonism and Christianity: is there a difference?
For an exploration of the nature of the Holy Ghost, click here.
Sacrament or Communion?