Amulek continues explaining
the atonement. There had to be a
sacrifice. “And after many days an angel
of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the
Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know
not, save the Lord commanded me. And then the angel spake, saying: This thing
is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is
full of grace and truth” (Moses 5:6-7).
The sacrifice, however, could
not be made by a man. Scriptures made
this clear. For example:
“For
the life of the flesh is in the
blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your
souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus
17:11).
“Whom
God hath set [GR purposed, designed beforehand] forth to be a propitiation [GR mercy seat] through faith in his blood, to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God” (Romans 3:25).
“How
much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
himself without [GR blameless] spot to God, purge your conscience from dead
works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14).
“And
almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of
blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).
“Wherefore
Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered
without [GR outside of] the gate” (Hebrews 13:12).
As Jacob taught, it had to be
an infinite atonement. “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 9:7).
An infinite atonement could
only be made by a God. “And being made
perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him”
(Hebrews 5:9). Only Christ, part man,
part God, could have made that sacrifice for us.
No mere mortal can sacrifice
his own blood for the sins of another. “The
fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children
be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own
sin” (Deuteronomy 24:16). The law will
not take his brother’s life if a man commits murder. The law requires each person must answer for
their sins. “Therefore, choose you by
the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according to the laws
which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given
them by the hand of the Lord” (Mosiah 29:25).
Since a mortal cannot take
upon the sins of others, there had to be one great and last sacrifice. When that happens, the Law of Moses will be
fulfilled and no longer practiced. “And
ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices
and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your
sacrifices and your burnt offerings” (3 Nephi 9:19).
“And there were no
contentions, save it were a few that began to preach, endeavoring to prove by
the scriptures that it was no more expedient to observe the law of Moses. Now in this thing they did err, having not
understood the scriptures” (3 Nephi 1:24).
“Behold, I am he that gave
the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law
in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end”
(3 Nephi 15:5).
Amulek explains Christ’s
atonement is the meaning of the Law of Moses.
The Nephites were commanded to keep the Law of Moses.
“And,
notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look
forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled” (2
Nephi 25:24).
“And
now, behold, *two hundred years had passed away, and the people of
Nephi had waxed strong in the land. They
observed to keep the law of Moses and the sabbath day holy unto the Lord. And they profaned not; neither did they blaspheme. And the laws of the land were exceedingly
strict” (Jarom 1:5).
“And
they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice
and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses” (Mosiah 2:3).
“Yea,
and the people did observe to keep the commandments of the Lord; and they were
strict in observing the ordinances of God, according to the law of Moses; for
they were taught to keep the law of Moses until it should be fulfilled” (Alma 30:3).
The Law of Moses pointed to
Christ’s atonement. He will make the
infinite and eternal sacrifice as only the Son of God could. “And all other principles of the gospel that
were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves that they might
be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the
spirit” (D&C 138:34).
“By these things we know that
there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to
everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all
things which are in them … Which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God,
infinite and eternal, without end. Amen”
(D&C 20:17, 28).
Through Christ’s atonement, all whom believe
in Him will be encompassed by mercy if they have faith and repent.
What is mercy? “The spirit of compassion, tenderness, and forgiveness. Mercy is one of the attributes of God. Jesus Christ offers mercy to us through his
atoning sacrifice.”[1]
Looking at the etymology of
the word helps us better understand the meaning of mercy.
Mercy
– “God's forgiveness of his creatures' offenses,” from Old French mercit, merci (9c.)
“reward, gift; kindness, grace, pity,” from Latin mercedem (nominative merces)
“reward, wages, pay hire” (in Vulgar Latin “favor, pity”), from merx (genitive mercis)
“wares, merchandise” (see market (n.)). In Church Latin
(6c.) applied to the heavenly reward of those who show kindness to the
helpless. Meaning “disposition to forgive or show compassion” is attested
from early 13c. As an interjection, attested from mid-13c. In French largely
superseded by miséricorde except as a word of thanks. Seat
of mercy”golden covering of the Ark of the Covenant” (1530) is Tyndale's
loan-translation of Luther's gnadenstuhl, an inexact rendering of
Hebrew kapporeth, literally “propitiatory.”[2]
Justice demands we pay for our sins. “The unfailing consequence of blessings for
righteous thoughts and acts, and punishment for unrepented sin. Justice is an eternal law that requires a
penalty each time a law of God is broken.
The sinner must pay the penalty if he does not repent. If he does
repent, the Savior pays the penalty through the Atonement, invoking mercy.”[3]
Through the atonement, Christ
takes our sins upon Himself. To partake
of the atonement, we must accept Christ as our Lord and Savior; we must also
repent of our sins and obtain His forgiveness.
Once again, the scriptures
refer to God’s mercy.
“Blessed
be God, even the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians
1:3).
“But
God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when
we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are
saved;)” (Ephesians 2:4-5).
“Behold,
we count them happy which endure. Ye
have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the
Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (James 5:11).
“But
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
an holy enation, a peculiar
[GR purchased, preserved; note that in Ex. 19:5 the Heb. word is segullah, meaning "special
possession or property."] people; that ye should shew forth the praises of
him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in
time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not
obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
Thus, mercy “encircles [us]
in the arms of safety.” (Alma 34:16). He
who exercises no faith, rejects Christ, and refuses to repent must meet the
demands of justice.
“To better understand ‘arms
of safety’ it is important to remember that the Savior used tangible things,
such as coins, seeds, sheep, loaves, fishes, and body parts to teach gospel
principles.
“Arms are tangible, and we
use them to express affection and love. When I come home from the office, I am
encircled in the tangible arms of my wife. I have experienced arms of love and
safety throughout my service in Latin America by means of the common greeting, un
abrazo, or hug.
“As I have pondered how to
effectively teach the Atonement to others, the phrase ‘arms of safety’ has been
useful. When we were baptized and received the Holy Ghost by the laying on
of hands, we received two ordinances that introduce us to the arms of safety.
By coming humbly and fully repentant to sacrament meeting and worthily
partaking of the sacrament, we may feel those arms again and again.”[4]
“Therefore
ought ye not to tremble? For salvation
cometh to none such; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither can the
Lord redeem such; for he cannot deny himself; for he cannot deny justice when
it has its claim” (Mosiah 15:27).
“Therefore
God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of
redemption, that they should not do evil, the penalty thereof being a second death,
which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for
on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works of justice could
not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of God” (Alma 12:32).
“There is no physical pain,
no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness
you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first.
In a moment of weakness we may cry out, ‘No one knows what it is like. No one
understands.’ But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has
felt and borne our individual burdens. And because of His infinite and eternal
sacrifice (see Alma 34:14), He has perfect empathy and can extend to us
His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to
be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do
relying only upon our own power.”[5]
[1]Guide
to the Scriptures | M Merciful, Mercy.:Entry
[2] Online
Etymology Dictionary, Entry “mercy,” accessed August 5, 2015.
[3] Guide
to the Scriptures | J Justice.:Entry
[4] Arms
of Safety, Elder Jay E. Jensen, October 2008 General Conference.
[5] Bear
Up Their Burdens with Ease, Elder David A. Bednar, April 2014 General
Conference.
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