The Articles of Faith #3

"We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel."

 Nowhere is this concept better illustrated than in the New Testament, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son ... that the world through him might be saved" (John 3: 16-17).  When it says, "the world" it means everybody.  The blessings of the gospel are available to everybody!  Or as stated in the third article of faith, "all mankind may be saved".  This is true.  Nobody is left out unless they choose to be.  The only way we can "be saved" is by truly accepting Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us.  We need to show our love for Christ and others.  We need to demonstrate that love by obedience to the Commandments (see John 14:15).  So without the Atonement of Christ, we cannot be saved.  Christ has made salvation possible!

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ suffered the sins of all of God's children.  He took upon Himself the punishment for every wrong choice we've ever made.  I encourage everybody to learn more of this atonement and pursue all that it makes possible.  I know there is a life after mortality.  I know that we can live forever with our Father in Heaven.  The atonement makes this possible.

For more on the Articles of Faith see http://mormon.org/articles-of-faith/.

Redeem Them From Their Sins

 

I read a great chapter of the Book of Mormon this morning.  Nephi & Lehi, the sons of Helaman, were getting ready to preach the gospel full-time.  There is a lot of chaos at the time and this is what they decide will be the best help to these people.  As they are preparing for their ministry among the Nephites and Lamanites, they recall the words of their father in relation to such work.  One part especially stuck out to me.  Speaking of the people whom Lehi and Nephi will teach, and all of God's children, Helaman says that Christ "should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins" (Helaman 5:10 italics added).  This inspired statement tells us how repentance works. 

Christ will receive us if we come unto Him

To truly repent we must do our best to stop doing what we know is offensive to God.  We must press forward with faith in Christ to overcome the problem that is holding us back.  Just as in the parable of the prodigal son, Christ is willing to help us and wants us to return to Him (see Luke 15:11-32).   But we need to be willing participants in our own repentance and salvation.  In this way Christ saves us not "in" but "from [our] sins".

I know that Christ lives and repentance is real.  Our Savior's atonement is what makes it possible.  I know that God loves each of His children.  He is willing to forgive us if we come to Him in sincere repentance and forsake our sins.