Why was it necessary for Jesus Christ to sacrifice His life?
God lives and works by eternal laws that even He cannot break or He would cease to be God. He is so disciplined in living correct laws He would never break them. When we live them we draw close to Him… break them and we create barriers. Without a way to resolve this paradox, we would be unable to return to Him.
His son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, was without sin, so could pay for ours. In so doing the weight of our sins caused Him to feel such agony that He bled from every pore (Doctrine & Covenants 19:16-18) Of all men whoever lived, Jesus also suffered abuse, total abandonment and infinite pain in Gethsemane and upon the cross. It is impossible to put into words the full meaning of the Atonement, which is the most important and most transcendent event in the history of the world. This is the good news for all people!
To make His Atonement fully effective in our lives requires we daily strive to be like Him. This means we must have faith in Him, repent of our sins and live our lives closely following His example. Christ’s plan also involves sacred covenants (two way promises) and ordinances (such as baptism, confirmation to receive the Holy Ghost, and temple ordinances) under His divine direction and authority (not of man or men or assumed through scriptural canon). So doing provides a clear path back to Him and Heavenly Father. His part of the promise is made possible through His Atonement and means we have eternal possibilities of progression in becoming like Him.
This personal post above is one of many on Mormon.org authored with the Lord’s guidance. The idea being that we can share Gospel truths with others who don’t know or have forgotten them. Sister Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency spoke September 23, 2017 of us all learning to ‘articulate’ gospel teachings to anyone interested in a way that provides clarity to the LDS position. (see ‘Turn On Your Light’). Each post will be numbered and, as with this format, will include the Church position and my own thoughts. (k)
1. increasing faith in Jesus Christ 2. What is the Atonement of Jesus Christ 3. Why is authority to perform a baptism important? 4. How has attending church services helped you? 5. How has the Book of Mormon brought you closer to God? 6. Please share your feelings/testimony of Joseph Smith. 7. shielding family from unwanted influences 8. What do Mormons believe about family? 9. Make more right choices
