**The Atonement ******
Chapter 12
Jesus Christ “came into the world … to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness; that through him all might be saved” (
D&C 76:41–42). The great sacrifice he made to pay for our sins and overcome death is called the
Atonement . . .“For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; … yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement” (
Alma 34:9).
The Atonement Was Necessary for Our Salvation
The fall of Adam brought two kinds of death into the world: physical death and spiritual death . . . If these two kinds of death had not been overcome by Jesus’ atonement, two consequences would have resulted: our bodies and our spirits would have been separated forever, and we could not have lived again with our Heavenly Father.
But our wise Heavenly Father prepared a wonderful, merciful plan to save us . . . Because of our sins and the weakness of our mortal bodies, we could not ransom ourselves (see
Alma 34:10–12). The one who would be our Savior would need to be sinless and to have power over death.
Christ Was the Only One Who Could Atone for Our Sins
There are several reasons why Jesus Christ was the only person who could be our Savior . . . He was the Only Begotten Son of God and thus had power over death . . . .
Jesus also qualified to be our Savior because he is the only person who has ever lived on the earth who did not sin . . .
Christ Suffered and Died to Atone for Our Sins
The Savior atoned for our sins by suffering in Gethsemane and by giving his life on the cross. It is impossible for us to fully understand how he suffered for all of our sins. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the weight of our sins caused him to feel such agony and heartbreak that he bled from every pore (see
D&C 19:18–19). Later, as he hung upon the cross, Jesus suffered painful death by one of the most cruel methods known to man.
. . . . .
The Atonement and Resurrection Bring Resurrection to All
. . . . . .Christ thus overcame physical death. Because of his atonement, everyone born on this earth will be resurrected (see
1 Corinthians 15:21–22). Just as Jesus was resurrected, our spirits will be reunited with our bodies, “that they can die no more … , never to be divided” (
Alma 11:45). This condition is called
immortality. All people who have ever lived will be resurrected, “both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous” (
Alma 11:44).
The Atonement Makes It Possible for Those Who Have Faith in Christ to Be Saved from Their Sins
The Savior’s atonement makes it possible for us to overcome spiritual death. Although all people will be resurrected with a body of flesh and bone, only those who accept the Atonement will be saved from spiritual death . . . . The Savior tells us, “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer … even as I” (
D&C 19:16–17). Christ did his part to atone for our sins. To make his atonement fully effective in our lives, we must strive to obey him and repent of our sins.
