Why was Christ Chosen to be Our Savior and Why Did He Have to Suffer and Die for Us?

     My husband, Dan, and I have been discussing the atonement of Jesus Christ and wondered, “Why couldn’t Heavenly Father just forgive us when we really repent and punish those who don’t in the hereafter?” He asks us to forgive everyone; why couldn’t He do the same? Why did he send His perfect Son to suffer and die for our sins?

     This paper is to discuss that very question.  Any words or sentences that are in bold and italicized are my own emphasis.

THE SITUATION

     To answer the first question of why the need for the atonement, it is vital we understand our situation here in mortality.  Like Adam and Eve, we chose to enter this life to gain the knowledge of good and evil, and in order to do so, we needed to have the agency to choose the good.  Because of the Fall, we are cut off from the presence of God and inherit the “natural man” tendencies to aid us in that knowledge.  The “natural man” is easily seen in small children through adulthood as selfishness, impatience, anger, laziness, etc. and is an “enemy to God.” (Book of Mormon |Mosiah 3:19) To counter that, each person is given the light of Christ, sometimes regarded as our conscience, to teach us to be patient, long-suffering, unselfish, and humble.  Metaphorically speaking, we have a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other shoulder, whispering in our ears opposite instructions.  On top of that, Satan and his mighty host of devils were cast down to earth to continually tempt us.  In this situation, being cut off from the presence of God and also having no memory of our previous life, we live in an atmosphere where we could feel free to choose between good and evil without compulsion of any kind.

     “And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of the devil—for, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me [Christ], saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me [Christ] because of their agency; and they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels.” (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 29:36)

     “And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet—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. Wherefore, I, the Lord God, caused that he should be cast out from the Garden of Eden, from my presence, because of his transgression, wherein he became spiritually dead, which is the first death, even that same death which is the last death, which is spiritual, which shall be pronounced upon the wicked when I shall say: Depart, ye cursed.”(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 29:39 - 41)

     We left a world of love and light and entered into a dark and dreary world of deceit, hate, violence and death, with no possible escape except through the atonement of Jesus Christ.  In other words, we were all born in prison!!

     Alma says, “And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence.” (Alma 42:17)

     Alma also said, “And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience.  Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice.  Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God. And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence.” (Alma 42:13-14) Redemption cannot be brought about except upon the conditions of repentance.  

OUR CREATOR

     King Benjamin testified, “And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.” (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 3:8)

     Jesus said, “For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance.  And whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive. For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world; for it is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand. For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand. And it shall come to pass that when the second trump shall sound then shall they that never knew me come forth and shall stand before me. And then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, that I am their Redeemer; but they would not be redeemed.” (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 26:22 - 26) The reason they don’t know their God is because they haven’t repented.

     Jesus also told the Nephites, “Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God.  I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.  I was with the Father from the beginning.  I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name. I came unto my own, and my own received me not.  And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled. And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled. I am the light and the life of the world.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.”(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 9:15 - 18)

     The above scriptures clearly state that Jesus created the earth and everything in it, including us.  In the account of the creation in Abraham chapter four, it records that the Gods watched each stage of the creation until it or they obeyed. Gods saw that the animals would obey, but says nothing about man’s obedience.  I believe it is because they are still watching to see if we will obey!  I believe that the creation process is ongoing in each of us and that Christ wants to create us into our full potential.  He is limited though by the degree in which we are willing to let Him direct our lives and our repentance of the things that stop our progression.

OUR LAWGIVER AND THE LAW

      Jesus said, “Behold, I am the law, and the light.” (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 15:9)

“And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil.  And the law is given unto men.  And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off.  Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever. Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.” (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:5 -9) 

     It is interesting that Christ is the author of the law, yet the law could not save us.  It is like God gave us commandments He knew we couldn’t live perfectly.  Why?  He wanted us to learn the difference between good and evil and the best way is to learn from experience in this mortal existence.  He wants us to find out for ourselves that wickedness does not bring happiness.  The law actually convicts us, it show us where we need to repent.  Because God knew that we would “fall” into temptation, He provided the means whereby we could escape the grasp of Satan and justice.  He, himself, became the intercessor for our sins.  Paul testified, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.”(New Testament | Romans 10:4)

     Nephi said, “For, for this end was the law given.”  What end? Just prior to that statement, he wrote, “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”  In other words, the end is reconciliation with God and Christ through Christ’s fulfillment of the law of His sacrifice in our behalf.   The Pharisees were very good at keeping the law, yet their motives, or their hearts, were far removed from their Lord.  Thus keeping the law brought them no closer to Christ.

     Nephi continues, “Wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments. And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ, and know for what end the law was given.” (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 25:23 - 27)

     Christ was the author of the law, and the only one who could fulfill the demands of the law through His death.  “And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.” [Alma 42:15-16]

     Paul explains, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin?  God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (New Testament | Galatians 2:16 - 21) John Paul Williams, a friend, explained, “What Paul was trying to say when he used the words “end” and “fulfilled” is that Christ gave the law its maximum meaning and purpose and power through his life and sacrifice. In other words, the law isn’t done away – the law is simply given immense meaning and transforming power for those who obey it, where if Christ had never come the law would have zero meaning and transforming power.”  

     Mark Sandlin wrote, “Sin is any action which separates us from God. The actions that separate us from God are unloving actions. Jesus came to teach us that the Law was designed to help us avoid those kinds of unloving actions. If you believe that God is love, you understand the importance of Jesus’ lesson: When we act in unloving ways, we distance ourselves from God – and that is the one and only sin: actions that separate us from God. At the heart of considering whether or not an action separates us from God (and at the core of the Law) is the question of love. Does this action come from a place of love? You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you… For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same?’ He also came to show us what the fullness of love looks like in action--It looks like healing people who are hurt. It looks like feeding people who are hungry. It looks like loving people who are shunned. It looks like defending people who are overwhelmed. It looks like friends sharing food together. It looks like grieving over the loss of a friend. It looks like a conversation over a drink of cool water. It looks like helping the celebration along at a wedding. It looks like helping the lost find meaning in life. It looks like dying for mankind.” [The God Article, by Mark Sandlin]

PUNISHMENT

     Alma wrote, “Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul. Now, how could a man repent except he should sin?  How could he sin if there was no law?  How could there be a law save there was a punishment?” (Book of Mormon | Alma 42:15 – 17)

     Lehi said, “And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him.  Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement.” (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:10 - 11)

     Our Criminal Justice System is not perfect and some get away with little or no punishment for their crimes against society, while others pay too much for their breaking of a law.  What is God’s punishment for sin?   Is there a different punishment for stealing vs. adultery or breaking the Sabbath day?  Or is the punishment the same, but we are punished longer for some sins than others?

     King Benjamin said, “And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved—I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples.” (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 2:36 - 37)

     Jesus said, “Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit.”  (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 19:15 - 20)  So, the withdrawal of God’s spirit is one of the punishments.  We are cut off from His guidance and blessings.

     Before our judgment by the Lord, we should earnestly seek our current standing before Him, to ask what we “lack yet” and what we need to improve on.  In many cases, this view in God’s mirror so to speak, causes the mighty change of heart or the spiritual rebirth.  Alma prayed for his son Alma that he might have a mighty change of heart to turn him away from his wickedness.  His prayer was answered, for the younger Alma got a taste of reality.  This knowledge is what we call Godly sorrow for our sins and it is this sorrow or pain that motivates us to change. Alma the younger, prior to the visitation of the angel, seemed to not be bothered by his sins.  After the visitation and rebuke of an angel, he became acutely aware of them.  His sins were brought to his remembrance and he saw them with God’s perspective which does not give any excuse or cloak for them.

     The best way to see how dirty a room really is, one must turn on bright lights to see the stains, the dust, and the filth.  Alma saw his life under the bright lights of God’s perspective and exclaimed, “I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins. Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments. Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror. Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.” (Book of Mormon | Alma 36:12 - 15) 

     I found that God didn’t show me all of my sins at once, but just enough to cause me to realize that I had wandered from Him in my pride, my selfishness and self-justifications.  It shocked me so much that I fell to my knees and asked forgiveness and asked God to show me the way.  Just keeping the “good Mormon list”, or the law, clearly wasn’t saving me!  I had a mighty change of heart and then over time, He continued to give me His perspective on my behavior [past and present], and my motives and actions.  The repentance process is ongoing, but hopeful.  It really is a matter of maturing into His likeness.

     From the scriptures, we learn that because of sin, we are all cut off from the presence of God.  We have all rebelled against him, whether or not we have realized the extent of it yet.  Now, either in this life or at judgment day, we will have to see things as they really are, like Alma the younger, to get the bright light of God’s perspective of our conduct in this life.  It isn’t pretty.  We will have all of our coverings of self justifications, our rationalizations, our ignorance and self deceit regarding our motives and our actions taken away, as we stand exposed before the Lord.   “Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness...” (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:14) Likewise Mormon stated, “For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you.” (Book of Mormon | Mormon 9:5)

     That fire is to change our hearts, to get us to recognize our fallen condition, our pride and rebellion against God. The only way that fire can be quenched is through repentance. Otherwise it becomes a punishment until we do.  We will see our sins as God sees them and the pain that we caused others. Alma exclaimed, “Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds. And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul. And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world. Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!” (Book of Mormon | Alma 36:15 - 20)

     Another punishment is death.  “For the wages of sin is death.” (New Testament/Romans 6:23)  All of us will die at some point.  Is our death a punishment for sin?  Well, sort of, because it is one of the effects of Adam and Eve’s Fall.  Death is the penalty for sin, and that is precisely the price Christ paid in our place.  Did Christ have to die to appease God’s justice for our sins? Bryan Zahnd wrote, “The Bible is clear, God did not kill Jesus. Jesus was offered as a sacrifice in that the Father was willing to send his Son into our sinful system in order to expose it as utterly sinful and provide us with another way. The death of Jesus was a sacrifice in that sense. But it was not a sacrifice to appease a wrathful deity or to provide payment for a penultimate god subordinate to justice…the cross is not about the appeasement of a monster god. The cross is about the revelation of a merciful God. At the cross we discover a God who would rather die than kill his enemies. The cross is where God in Christ absorbs sin and recycles it into forgiveness. The cross is not what God inflicts upon Christ in order to forgive. The cross is what God endures in Christ as he forgives. Once we understand this, we know what we are seeing when we look at the cross: We are seeing the lengths to which a God of love will go in forgiving sin.” [How Does “Dying For Our Sins” Work?]

     Those who choose not to repent will suffer the second death and be cut off from the presence of any kind of the glory of God after their judgment day, because they love Satan more than God.  Because of this, they are cut off from God’s presence, and are turned over to Satan and his hosts and it will be torment.  I believe their torment is that they have to live with each other.  There will be no kindness, mercy, forgiveness, or love.   “Then is the time when their torments shall be as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever; and then is the time that they shall be chained down to an everlasting destruction, according to the power and captivity of Satan, he having subjected them according to his will. Then, I say unto you, they shall be as though there had been no redemption made...”(Book of Mormon | Alma 12:17 - 18)

     Nephi states, “And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of which I have spoken, and the devil is the preparator of it; wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that justice of which I have spoken.” (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 15:35)  He also said, “Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment–seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.” (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 10:21)

     Some have, in this life, rebelled against the light of Christ to the point they are past feeling guilt or remorse for their actions and choose not to repent.  After this life, they will be given an opportunity to see their sins with God’s perspective.  Some will be so hardened that even that will not cause remorse. Because they delight in evil, and love Satan more than God, they have become devils and will dwell with Satan and his evil hosts.

JUSTICE AND MERCY

     Now that we have established that Christ is our God, our creator, and our lawgiver, why did He have to come to earth to suffer?  He set the rules for this mortal probation.  Couldn’t he just forgive us? 

     Alma stated, “And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience; Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice.  Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God. And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence. And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.” (Book of Mormon | Alma 42:12 - 15)

     Alma continued, “Now, how could a man repent except he should sin?  How could he sin if there was no law?  How could there be a law save there was a punishment? Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man. … And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not be afraid to sin.” (Book of Mormon | Alma 42:17 - 20)

     In this world, it is the justice which is attached to the law that helps keep our society civilized.  Otherwise, men would not be afraid to sin, as Alma stated.  In the eternal scheme, however, does justice need to be part of the law?

     The answer is “yes”, for if there were no consequences for our actions, we would not be afraid to sin and not learn from our actions. We would feel no guilt and evil would run unhampered.  Our love for God and our fellowmen would be greatly diminished.  ”And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Pearl of Great Price | JS-Matthew 1:10)

     Alma stated that God would cease to be God if there were no justice.  I agree.  Remember we came to this earth to learn the difference between good and evil and to learn that wickedness is not true happiness and to choose the good. For God to simply forgive us would rob us of learning from our mistakes and wrong choices.   

     However, the justice of this mortal probation I also think is connected with Satan.  He is the one who, along with his evil hosts, tempt us to break the law, to love a lie, and to hate God and our fellowmen.   And he succeeds in doing so!  Also, Satan demands justice if it will bring us into his captivity.  

     Nephi wrote, “Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also. But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for that which is filthy. And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of which I have spoken, and the devil is the preparator of it; wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that justice of which I have spoken.” (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 15:33 - 35)

     Those who died without a knowledge of Jesus Christ or the law, are covered by the atonement.  Justice has no power over them Jacob said, “For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel.” (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:26)

     It is only through the atonement of Jesus Christ that mercy can be obtained.

THE SHEDDING OF CHRIST’S BLOOD

     According to the scriptures, Christ had to shed blood in order to atone for our sins.  He couldn’t atone by hanging, or suffocation, for example.   And a simple stabbing wouldn’t do. Why was the shedding of Christ’s blood such an important part of the atonement? Joseph Fielding Smith said, “When Adam was in the Garden of Eden, he was not subject to death. There was no blood in his body and he could have remained there forever. This is true of all the other creations.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:76–77) “Blood became the life of the body instead of spirit. And blood has in it the seeds of death, some mortal element. Mortality was created through the eating of the forbidden fruit.” (Smith, “Fall—Atonement—Resurrection—Sacrament,” 125)  Joseph Smith taught, “Concerning resurrection, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, or the kingdom that God inherits or inhabits, but the flesh without the blood and the Spirit of God flowing in the veins instead of the blood, for blood is the part of the body that causes corruption. Therefore we must be changed in the twinkle of an eye or have to lay down these tabernacles and leave the blood vanish away. . . . Blood is the corruptible part of the tabernacles.” (Joseph Smith, The Words of Joseph Smith, pp. 370-71; standardized)  For all of us, blood is essential to life, but also is the cause of our mortality.  Christ’s blood proved He was mortal, yet it was not corruptible and He did not have to die.  The shedding of His blood literally atones for our blood or the effects of the Fall.

     “Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.” (Book of Mormon | Alma 21:9)

     From Adam until His death, Christ instituted animal sacrifice in order to give the people a similitude of His infinite sacrifice—to teach them that He would die for their sins if they would repent and let Him guide them in their lives.  After His resurrection, animal sacrifice was no longer required.  “And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that old things had passed away, and that all things had become new. Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses. 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 fulfill the law; therefore it hath an end.” (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 15:2 - 5) 

     Regarding the Mosaic sacrifices, Moses stated, “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.”(Old Testament | Leviticus 17:11) “And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel.” (Old Testament | 2 Chronicles 29:23 - 24)

     “For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (New Testament | Hebrews 9:19 - 22)

     Clearly, blood was the atoning ingredient in the Old Testament sacrifices and a type and shadow of the atoning blood of Christ.

     Interestingly enough, the scriptures also equate blood with sin.  “And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness?  Behold, what will these things testify against you? Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and also that ye are guilty of all manner of wickedness?” (Alma 5:23)

     True prophets, called of God, were put under quite an obligation to teach the people, otherwise the people’s sins [blood] would be upon the prophet if they were taught the commandments.  Ezekiel 33:8-9 is an example of this.  “If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.”

     Jacob explains, “And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.” (Book of Mormon | Jacob 1:19)

     Parents are under the same obligation.  “And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents.” (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 68:25)

     Pilate was anxious to not have Christ’s blood on his hands.  “When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.” (New Testament | Matthew 27:24)

     Several scriptures say that Christ’s blood will purify us, make “our garments white”.  Alma said, “I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins.”(Alma 5:21) “And the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments were white even like unto the Lamb of God.  And the angel said unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him.” (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 12:9 - 11)

     King Benjamin’s people, after spiritually viewing themselves in their carnal and sinful state cried, “O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things”(Book of Mormon | Mosiah 4:2)  The next verse says, “And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ, who should come.” (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 4:3) They received a remission of their sins, not by the literal blood of Christ, but because of the blood that would be shed by Christ. 

     It appears that blood is representative of our sins.  However, Christ’s blood is not only pure but has the capability to purify our “blood” and take away our sin.  I find it interesting that in Doctrine and Covenants 19:18, Christ said that he bled from every pore, indicating to me, and perhaps satisfying Satan’s demands, that His payment was in full.  I personally believe the Shroud of Turin to be the burying cloth of Christ.  The image on that cloth shows a crucified man that was completely covered with marks of being scourged.  I was shocked when I first saw that image.  That was one of the convincing things to me that it was Christ because he paid the full price, not just a few lashes of the whip.  After bleeding from every pore in Gethsemane, being scourged over his entire body, wearing a crown of thorns which caused a lot of bleeding from his head and then the piercing of the nails in his hands and feet, He really did shed His blood in our behalf.  Satan’s justice wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less. In this mortal world, the loss of blood kills life, but with Christ, the loss of His blood kills death and sin.

     Jesus said, “Behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit.” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-18)

FOR WHOM WAS IT DONE?

     Some have wondered if Jesus had to suffer for each and every sin by every individual or was it more of a general payment for sin. In Hebrews 2:9 we read, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

     Did Christ actually pay the penalty for everybody's sins?  Some think that the actual atonement was made only for those who would believe in Christ and repent of their sins. Only their sins were expiated; otherwise nobody could go to hell if Christ had paid the punishment for their sins. There would be no sins for them to be punished for.  They do not believe that the sin has to be paid for twice - once by Christ and then by the unrepentant. 

      Let’s see what the scriptures say:

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.  And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (New Testament | 1 John 2:1 - 2)

     Abinadi testified, “Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed.  And now what say ye?  And who shall be his seed? Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God. For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions.  And now, are they not his seed?” (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 15:10 - 12)

     “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I.”  (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 19:16 - 17)

     “I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified for the sins of the world, even as many as will believe on my name, that they may become the sons of God, even one in me as I am one in the Father, as the Father is one in me, that we may be one.” (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 35:2)

     “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (New Testament | 1 Timothy 2:5 - 6)

     From the above scriptures, it looks like it could go both ways – that Christ did suffer for the sins of alI mankind and perhaps only for those who will repent.  Personally, I believe that Christ did pay for the sins of everyone and overcame death for all in order to bring everyone back into the presence of God to be judged.  I believe He paid the penalty that nullifies Satan’s claim on us.  However, before that judgment day, those who have not repented before the second coming of Christ will be burned at His coming and will not be resurrected in the first resurrection, but will be in hell during the thousands years. 

     In Revelations 20: 4-6, we read “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.  This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” 

     Yet, through modern revelation, we know that many of those will repent after their duration in hell and inherit a kingdom of glory. “And again, we saw the glory of the telestial, which glory is that of the lesser, even as the glory of the stars differs from that of the glory of the moon in the firmament. These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus. These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit. These are they who are thrust down to hell. These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work.” (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 76:81 - 85)

     I believe that God provides this “thousand year period” in hell as one last chance for repentance before their final judgment. Christ has paid for their sins, so justice has been satisfied.  God is giving them one more opportunity to repent. The sufferings that these people go through, is still designed to help them choose the good.  They will suffer the effects of sin, like Christ, in order to help them realize that wickedness is not happiness.  Then they will judged by Christ and those who have not partaken of His atonement, who have not repented, will suffer the second death, which is basically living eternally with Satan and his hosts.  They have become devils themselves and this is what they have repeatedly demonstrated as their choice.

DID CHRIST BECOME SINFUL DURING THE ATONEMENT?

     Did bearing the sins of mankind make Christ sinful? Some scholars allege that when Jesus died he literally bore our sins in his body on the cross. Others believe that Christ only bore the penalty for sin. Peter’s statement, that the Savior “bore our sins” (1 Peter 2:24), does not suggest that the Lord carried the “guilt” of human sin in his body personally. Here the term “sins” conveys the sense of “the penalty of sin” that justly was due us. Martin Luther, the prominent Protestant reformer, in his commentary on Galatians (as reflected in 1838), taught that the prophets of the Old Testament foretold “that Christ should become the greatest transgressor, murderer, adulterer, thief, rebel, and blasphemer, that ever was or could be in the world.” He alleged that the Lord lost his innocence at Calvary, and died as a sinful being.

     Likewise Stephen Robinson in his bestselling book, Believing Christ said, “Jesus Christ did not just assume the punishment for our sins--he took the guilt as well.” [pg. 117] Regarding when Christ on the cross cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!” Robinson wrote, “Could God have abandoned him in this most sacred and terrible hour?  Yes, indeed.  For Christ had become guilty of the sins of the world, guilty in our place.  What happens to the rest of us when we are guilty of sin?  The Spirit of God withdraws from us, the heavens turn to brass, and we are left alone to stew in our guilt until we repent.  In Gethsemane the best among us vicariously became the worst among us and suffered the very depths of hell.” [pg. 118-119] I believe Luther and Robinson to be wrong in this regard.

     In the Mosaic sacrifices, the Priest and/or the Israelite would place his hands on the animal and “transfer” the sins of Israel or his individual sins symbolically to the animal.  Then the animal was slain.  Was the animal guilty of the sins?  Of course not.  Yet it was slain for them.

      If Christ was “guilty” of sin on the cross, then his punishment was just. A person cannot be “sinful” by the act of another (Ezekiel 18:20). Generally speaking those who hold this view of “imputed sin” also contend that in the process, the “righteousness of Christ” is imputed to the pardoned sinner. Neither is correct. All humans suffer the consequence of Adam’s sin (Romans 5:12), though not the guilt.  And as a result of Christ’s atoning death, and our obedience to him (Romans 6:17-18), we are “reckoned” as righteous before God (Romans 4:5). In a manner of speaking, his perfect sacrifice was “credited to our account.” No personal “righteousness of Christ” is transferred to us directly. Though Christ was free from sin, he underwent the punishment of death, which is the consequence of sin: he was accounted as a sinner—though he was not. Literally, Christ could not be sin; He was wholly without sin. He became a sin-offering for us. Peter’s statement, that the Savior “bore our sins” (1 Peter 2:24), does not suggest that the Lord carried the “guilt” of human sin in his body personally. Here the term “sins” conveys the sense of “the penalty of sin” that justly was due us. [Wayne Jackson, “Did Christ Literally Bear Our Sins Upon the Cross?”]

WHAT DID CHRIST SUFFER IN GETHSEMANE?

     Alma said “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. Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance.” (Book of Mormon | Alma 7:11 - 13)

     It wasn’t only sin that caused Christ to suffer.  Apparently He suffered for our infirmities, sicknesses and pains, whether physical or emotional, as well.  The Atonement was not an easy task by any means.

     One man’s vision of Christ’s suffering in Gethsemane recorded that Christ did suffer the physical infirmities of this mortal probation and he saw Christ suffer sickness and physical injuries.  “His flesh was torn which He healed using the power of the charity within Him.  The Lord had such life within Him, such power and virtue within Him, that although He suffered in His flesh, His injuries healed and His flesh restored. His suffering was both body and spirit, and there was anguish of thought, feeling and soul….Indeed it was charity or love that allowed Him to overcome.” [Denver Snuffer, O Come Let Us Adore Him, pg. 217-218]

     I believe that Christ suffered in three segments in Gethsemane because he checked in on the apostles twice in between each time, to admonish them to stay awake. He started each segment with a similar prayer, indicating that the process was getting more severe.  Denver Snuffer recorded, “The Lord’s suffering progressed from a lesser to a greater portion of affliction; for as one would be overcome by Him, the next, greater affliction would then be poured out.  Each wave of suffering was only preparation for the next, greater wave.  The pains of mortality, disease, injury and infirmity, together with the sufferings of sins, transgressions, guilt of mind, and unease of soul, the horrors of recognition of the evils men had inflicted upon others were all poured out upon Him.” [IBID, pg. 218]

     Snuffer also saw that “The waves of torment suffered by the Lord came in pairs which mirrored each other.  The first of each wave poured upon the Lord those feelings, regrets, recriminations and pains felt by those who injured their fellow man.  Then followed a second wave, which mirrored the first, but imposed the pains suffered by the victims of the acts committed by those in the first wave.  Instead of the pains of those who inflict hurt or harm, it was now the anger, bitterness and resentments felt by those who suffered these wrongs…This is why, in the vision of the suffering of the Lord, it was in the second waves that there appeared oftentimes to be injuries to His body. The greater difficulty in these paired waves of torment was always overcoming the suffering of the victim.  With these waves, the Lord learned to overcome the victim’s resentment, to forgive, and to heal both body and spirit.” [IBID, pg. 220-221

     These waves have the image of a woman’s travail during childbirth.  Likewise, Isaiah prophesied, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.”(Old Testament | Isaiah 53:10 - 11)

DID CHRIST WAVER?

     Most Christians believe Christ’s agonizing prayer was because he knew he was going to be crucified and was asking God if there was another way out, but still submitted to God’s will.  Jeremy Myers wrote,

     “First, the plan of the cross had been established from the very foundations of the world. In Ephesians 1:4, Paul writes about this plan. The fact that it would include the slaying of God’s own Son is recorded in Revelation 13:8. Before Jesus was even born, He knew that He must die on earth.

      Second, numerous times during His ministry, Jesus spoke of His coming death in graphic detail and referred to it as “drinking the cup.” In Matthew 16:21 Jesus began to teach His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to suffer and die (cf. Matt 17:22-23; Luke 9:22). He even knew many of the details, that He would be arrested, condemned, mocked, whipped, spit upon, and killed (Mark 10:32-33).

      Furthermore, He occasionally used the imagery of drinking deeply from a cup to describe this painful suffering and death He would endure (cf. Matt 20:22-23). Also, in an earlier prayer, He stated that He would not pray for God to save Him from the suffering that was to come (John 12:27-28).

     Third, after the prayer in the Gethsemane, Jesus continued to show willingness to drink the cup. In John 18:11, after Jesus had finished praying, and as He was being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter tried to rescue Jesus by pulling a sword on the Temple guards. But Jesus stopped Peter, and asked him, “Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

      So if both before and after the prayer in the Garden, Jesus knew what His death would entail, and showed complete acceptance of it, how can we understand His prayer in the Garden for the cup to pass from Him? Did He have a moment of weakness? Was He losing His resolve? Was He afraid of the pain? Did He change His mind? The answer to all of these is “No.”

      So in Matthew 26:39, in place of the Greek word parerchomai, the Ginsburg Hebrew New Testament contains the Hebrew word abar, which means “to pass through.” This is crucial word in the account of the Passover (cf. Exodus 12:12, 23). In that account, the Lord “passed over” (Heb. pesach), the houses of the Israelites which had blood of the lamb on the doorpost, but He “passed through” (Heb. abar) the houses of the Egyptians which did not.

      It appears that when Jesus prayed to let this cup pass, He used the word abar. He was not praying to escape the pain and suffering, and have it pass over (pesach) Him, but was praying to take it on fully, to experience the pain, death, and suffering of the cup of God’s wrath.

      Jesus was not asking God to let Him avoid the cup, but was asking to let Him take on as much of it as He possibly could, and if possible, if it was God’s will, to let Him drink every single drop, down to the bitter end.

      This is how the statements about not doing His own will, but the will of God, are to be understood (Matt 26:39, 42). Jesus was not praying to bypass the cup of pain and death, but was praying to end the reign of sin and death once and for all, in Himself, on the cross. Jesus was praying to finish the plan, to bring it to completion. Was He looking forward to the pain and suffering? Of course not. But nor was He shying away from it. So when Jesus prays, “Let this cup pass from me,” He is not saying, “I don’t want to drink it,” but is rather praying, “Let me drink of it as deeply as I possibly can before I pass it on to humanity. Let me empty it. Let me drain it. Let me drink all of it, even the bitter dregs at the bottom of the cup.” [The cup passes from Him after He has drained it]

       So Jesus, in His prayers to His Father, is saying, “God, this is why I have come. This is why I am here. This has been our plan from the very beginning. I want this. I want to drink this cup. I want to drink it fully. I want to drink every drop. I will not pass any bit of it on to the rest of humanity. I want to drink fully of the cup of your wrath (Jeremiah 25:17-38; Isaiah 51:17-23). This is how much I love them. This is how much I long for their redemption and forgiveness. Let me do this. This is my will. But ultimately, God, it is up to you. It is your choice.
        If Jesus was uncertain of anything, it was not His own will to drink of the cup, but of the will of God to take the sin of all mankind and pour it out upon His Son. In His prayer, Jesus was asking God to finish what they had started.
        Oh, and by the way, I don’t think God hesitated for a second either. Jesus says that if we have seen Him, we have seen the Father. Therefore, God the Father loves us just as much as Jesus does. There was never any question about what would happen on the cross. Jesus did not change His mind about the cross, and neither did God the Father. Together, they endured the cross, despised its shame, so that Jesus could once again sit down at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, and we could be offered eternal life.

       The implication for Jesus’ prayer is this: As in this passage (Isaiah 51:19-22), where God will remove the cup of his wrath from his people after they have drunk it, so Jesus prays that the cup of God’s wrath for sin, which he drinks for all, will in the same way be removed from his hand by the Father after he has drunk it.” [Jeremy Myers,“Let This Cup Pass – Did Jesus Change His Mind?”]

     I really liked what Jeremy had to say and I think it has merit.  However, he does not address Luke’s account where Jesus says, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me…” and I wonder if the translation we have of Luke’s account is correct.  Considering that Christ is the author of our salvation, I think He faced it head on, without wavering.  If, however, it was harder than even He anticipated, He still drank that cup.

THE CROSS

     Over the ages, men have suffered death by the hands of wicked men in the most painful, prolonged, horrible, torturous ways.  Crucifixion is certainly one of those.  While Christ certainly felt the weight and sorrow of mankind’s sins in Gethsemane, He physically paid that awful price on the cross.

     Jesus started his ministry by reading from Isaiah to his local synagogue. “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias.  And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

     The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down.  And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” (Luke 4:17 - 21) 

     The audience must have been surprised that he didn’t finish the verse which says “To preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God.” [Isaiah 61:2] Just as He started his ministry by quoting scripture, He finished his ministry on the cross by quoting from Psalms 22.  This psalm of David is one of the most messianic prophecies of the Old Testament.  Let us look at some of the verses:

      Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Even though Christ quoted the first part of this verse, we cannot assume that Heavenly Father forsook him.  Christ never referred to Heavenly Father as God, but always as my Father.  However, to many standing around at the scene, it certainly appeared as if God had forsaken this man who had claimed to be His Son.

      (6) But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

The word “worm” here is very interesting; it is the Hebrew word tola, which is not the ordinary word for worm. Rather, this was a worm from which crimson or scarlet dye was obtained. Jesus was covered in blood, hanging on the cross from all the lacerations from the scourging.
      (7-8) All they that see me, laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying,
“He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him."

      In Matthew 27:41-43, we read “And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, ‘Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself.  If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, ‘He saved others; himself he cannot save.  If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.’” That very prophecy was unfolding right in front of their eyes, and Jesus was trying to call their attention to it.
      (10-11) …thou art my God from my mother's belly. Be not be far from me; for trouble is near for there is none to help.

      “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” (Matthew 26:30 - 31)  His disciples fled and Peter denied Him.  Jesus also said that he has “trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me.” (Doctrine & Covenants 133:50 | Isaiah 63:3)

        (12) Many bulls have compassed me; strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

Bashan was the chief cattle-raising area of Israel where the biggest and strongest bulls came from. Figuratively, Jesus is referring to the religious “top brass” of Israel. It was the Pharisees who were the ones responsible for Jesus’ death.
        (14-15) I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou has brought me into the dust of death.

       Using metaphorical language, these verses clearly describe a person dying. “All my bones”—we say things like that: “Every bone in my body is tired.” That doesn’t mean literally every bone, but it is a figure of speech. In regard to Jesus, crucifixion dislocated a number of his bones, and no doubt it felt like all of them. His heart, the most critical organ in his body, “turned to wax.” A “potsherd” was an old piece of pottery dried by the sun—Jesus’ strength had ebbed away. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth—from the cross he said, “I thirst.”
         (16) For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

      When the Romans crucified someone, they formed a cordon of soldiers around the cross to keep the people away. And the Jews referred to uncircumcised people like the Romans as “dogs.”

         (17) I may tell all my bones; they look and stare upon me.

      That’s another figure of speech meaning that in his many beatings and floggings, some of Jesus’ bones may have been exposed. People spit on him, taunted him, and gloated over him.           
         (18) They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture.

      The Roman soldiers cast lots for His clothing. “And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” (Matthew 27:35)

         (23-24) Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.

      From these verses, it is clear that the Father did not forsake Christ.

         (25-31) My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live forever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

     The last clause of verse 31 “he hath done this” is the victorious statement by Christ, “it is finished!” [John 19:30]

     Jesus Christ fulfilled through his words and the events surrounding His crucifixion a passage of scripture that the Jews knew very, very well. And as these last verses stated, all the ends of the world shall remember and worship the Son who lived, who suffered and was crucified for our sins, who redeems us, perfects us and will govern us.

THE RESURRECTION

     Through Christ’s death the law was fulfilled for those whom He redeems.  His resurrection represents the new life we can experience in our re-birth that comes through our remission of sins.  The ordinance of baptism, as Paul explains, represents the death of the old carnal man and coming up out of the water, the new life in Christ. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”(Romans 6:3 - 11)

     In the Book of Mormon, they understood this concept. “…both Alma and Helam were buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit.” (Mosiah 18:14)

     Jacob testified, “For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfill the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord.” (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:6)

     Jacob said that if it were not for the atonement of Jesus Christ, we would have remained both spiritually and physically dead and become subject to Satan.  “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. O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace!  For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more. And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself.” (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:7 - 9)

     Paul wrote, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:22 - 26)

     My friend, Sharon Cupp, said, “Christ’s atonement is infinite because it covers everything that we must overcome, which leads us to the attainment of eternal life:  Sickness, disappointment, betrayal, injustice—everything.  Also, it is infinite because it continually unfolds to our view, as we pass from one level to the next.  Our lives are constantly changing, and, as we become worthy of further knowledge, the atonement—a living ordinance—reveals that which we still need to accomplish and which we were unaware of previously.” 

     Christ’s victory over death gave Him the power to redeem us both spiritually and physically, enabling all of mankind to be brought back into the presence of God.

OUR ADVOCATE

     Jesus is also our advocate with the Father.  From the website, GotQuestions?, the question was, “What is the purpose of Jesus interceding for us in Heaven?”  The following was the answer given and I thought it was very good in explaining the role of Jesus Christ as our advocate.

    “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). This verse (and others like it) tells us that although Christ’s work to secure the salvation of the elect was completed on the cross, as evidenced by His cry “It is finished!” (John 19:30), His care for His redeemed children will never be finished.
     Jesus did not go to heaven after His earthly ministry and “take a break” from His role as eternal Shepherd to His people. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10, emphasis added). If when humble, despised, dying, and dead, He had the power to accomplish so great a work as reconciling us to God, how much more may we expect that He will be able to keep us now that He is a living, exalted, and triumphant Redeemer, raised to life and interceding on our behalf before the throne (Romans 8:34). Clearly, Jesus is still very active on our behalf in heaven. Christ alone mediates and intercedes between God and man. “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

      One of the most glorious truths of the Christian life is that the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose for our justification, now lives to intercede for us before God. The greatest example of intercessory prayer in the Bible is in John 17, where the Lord poured out His heart for His disciples. "I pray for them," He said, "I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine" (John 17:9). But that was not all! "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John 17:20). And that's us! That includes us! 

      What is it that He prays for us? First of all, He prays for our security. "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are" (John 17:11). Then He prays that we might have real victory over sin and the devil. "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil |or 'the evil one'|" (John 17:15).

       His next request is: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17). Our sanctification will come, therefore, not through some special experience, but through God's Word. He also prays for true unity among His true disciples: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 17:21).

        Finally, He prays for our ultimate glorification. "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me" (John 17:24).”

      In addition, from the Doctrine and Covenants, Jesus said, “Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.” (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 45:3 - 5)

     “For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.” (Book of Mormon | Moroni 7:28)

WHY CHRIST?

     I think that the reason Christ is the only one who could atone for our sins is in connection with His other roles as our creator, our advocate, our lawgiver and our judge.   He has so much invested interest in us!  Truly He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of our creation.  Because of these roles and His atonement in our behalf, He is our Father, our Lord and God.  Abinadi’s last words to King Noah and his priests was “Teach them [the people] that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father.” (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 16:15)

OUR ETERNAL JUDGE

     Because Jesus Christ is our creator, savior, redeemer, counselor, role model, and advocate, He is qualified to be our judge.

     Moroni testified, “And now I bid unto all, farewell.  I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead.” (Book of Mormon | Moroni 10:34)

     Likewise, Mormon declared, “And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all.  And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment–seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil.” (Book of Mormon | Mormon 3:20)

ALPHA AND OMEGA

     In the Doctrine and Covenants, Christ declares, “I AM Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world. I, having accomplished and finished the will of him whose I am, even the Father, concerning me—having done this that I might subdue all things unto myself—Retaining all power, even to the destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of judgment, which I shall pass upon the inhabitants thereof, judging every man according to his works and the deeds which he hath done.” (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 19:1 - 3)

     From this scripture we learn that Christ is involved in the mortal lives of mankind from the very beginning to the very end and that is why He is Alpha and Omega.  He created us, He guides us if we let Him, He suffered for us in order to redeem us, and He will judge us at the last day.  In other words, as the scriptures clearly testify, Christ is our Lord, our God, and our Redeemer.

      “And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end. And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost…relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.” (Book of Mormon | Moroni 6:3 - 4)

THE SACRAMENT

     “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” (New Testament | John 6:53 - 57)

     Regarding the above verse, Dr. Andrew M. Fountain wrote: Perhaps the most powerful image that these words have is simply that of the food and drink that sustains our lives. Food is something we all need moment by moment to sustain us. We cannot go long without a drink because liquid is vital for our bodies. Jesus is teaching us that we need to depend on Him utterly, moment by moment, in order to survive.

     There is another place in John’s Gospel where Jesus uses an image to demonstrate how the believer is sustained moment by moment from Himself. It is the image of the vine and the branches. A branch, cut away from the vine, is cut away from the sap—that source of nourishment and fluid flowing up—and would die straight away. We must be joined to Christ and constantly feeding from Him and drawing sustenance from Him in order to be sustained.

     Let us step back for a minute and look at Jesus Christ Himself. The key verse is John 6:57: "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me." The key is to understand what Jesus means when He says that He lives because of the Father. At first sight it seems to be a contradiction. Does He not live anyway because He is God? Surely He is not dependent on the Father for His life?

     We find part of the answer in John 4:32 and 34 where Jesus has been witnessing to the woman at the well. When I first made the connection between these verses I was very excited because it all fitted together so well. In verse 32, the disciples came to Him and urged Him to eat: "But He said to them, ‘I have food to eat of which you do not know.’" Then verse 34, "Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.’"

     There is a pattern in these verses. Jesus describes our relationship with Him in the same terms as His relationship with the Father. We must feed on Him as He feeds on the Father. He does this by utter submission and dependence, just as we should submit to Christ and depend on Him. In chapter 4, Jesus had been so busy serving His Father that He had not eaten. Doing the Father’s will, was His food, because His obedience was so complete that it amounted to a moment by moment dependence.

Jesus placed himself into a relationship with the Father which is a pattern for our relationship with Him.

     When Jesus was on earth, He was still God as well as man, but He voluntarily laid aside His own divine power and relied entirely on the power that came from the Father. For example, when Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness and had been fasting for forty days, He was hungry. Satan came to Him and tempted Him to turn the stones into bread. Could He turn the stones into bread? Did He have the power to? Of course He did! He was God. But He had voluntarily chosen to put Himself in a position on earth where He was not using that power but was relying on the Father for everything. At any moment He could easily have reached for His divine power and used it, but that would have spoiled His ministry.

     Jesus' answer to Satan was that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." What Jesus is teaching us here is that our relationship with Him is very similar to His relationship to the Father. We have the same kind of relationship. Jesus’ utter dependence on the Father is a pattern for us. I am convinced that if we want to understand the Christian life and how to please God, we must study Jesus Christ and how He related to the Father.

When Christ came to earth His self-will was put aside. His own agenda was put aside. That is something we are called to do. We have dreams, ambitions, desires, good things that we want to do, but Christ calls us to put those aside, to have only one ambition and that is to please Him, only one dream and that is to serve Him. Can you imagine Jesus waking up one day and thinking, "I am going to have a day for myself today... what shall I do?" Jesus did do things that were pleasurable, things that relaxed Him, but not on His own agenda. Every day He woke up and His mind was concentrated on how to serve the Father that day. (I am not saying we should not have relaxation because in order to be efficient with our bodies, to serve Him better, we need relaxation. But the whole focus of His life was not in any way to please Himself, but in every moment, every breath, to please the Father.)

Before I was a Christian, I used to try to work up in myself enough strength to believe in Him. It didn't work! We have to cast ourselves on Him in utter surrender and say, "Lord, I am nothing. I cannot do anything. I surrender my life to you and my only hope is that you will be gracious to me and save me."

      Before you pray for Christ to come and live in you, you have to understand the implications. If Christ lives in us then we are going to live a life like He lived. It was a life of sacrifice, poured out moment by moment for the Father. Do we want to live that kind of life? This is the challenge, and it applies both to believers and to unbelievers. Jesus says, "Feed on Me. Follow Me. Believe on Me. Abide in Me. I will come and live in you so that you are able to do this. He who feeds in Me will live because of Me."(Dr. Andrew M. Fountain, “Eating Christ's Flesh and Drinking His Blood”)

     We are in need of constant nourishment, physically, spiritually and emotionally.  Lack of physical nourishment brings physical death.  Lack of spiritual nourishment brings rebellion in the form of pride, selfishness, and a multitude of sins and result in spiritual death.  Lack of emotional nourishment brings depression and defeat, which can hasten the other two deaths.  Christ has provided everything we need to return to Him and the Father.  He personally assumed all the roles in order to open the way, to clear the path, to rescue us and to perfect us.  He truly gave His life for us.  He will never force us to give our agency to Him. Yet, in reality, our agency is the only thing we can offer to Him and by so doing, He will show us what we need to do to grow up into His likeness. The emblems of His body remind us of what He has and continues to do for us.  It is through the atonement of Jesus Christ that we can gain eternal life and all that the Father has to give us.  There is no other way.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (New Testament | John 14:6)  I believe that we simply do not realize how involved He is and wants to be in our life, how much He does for us “behind the scenes”, how His heart aches for us when we persist in our rebellious ways, how patient and long-suffering He is with us, how much He really loves each one of us and desires to bless us.