The Twenty-First Annual Church E

The Twenty-First Annual Church Educational System Religious Educators Symposium

THE INFINITE ATONEMENT

David T. Durfey

Prepared for the 1997 CES symposium on the Book of Mormon at Brigham Young University

THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING THE ATONEMENT

“The reality of our total dependence upon Jesus Christ for the attainment of our goals of immortality and eternal life should dominate every teaching and every testimony and every action of every soul touched by the light of the restored gospel. If we teach every other subject and principle with perfection and fall short on this one, we have failed in our most important mission” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Sins, Crimes, and Atonement” [address to religious educators, 7 Feb. 1992], 3).

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE DOCTRINE OF THE FALL

“Just as a man does not really desire food until he is hungry, so he does not desire the salvation of Christ until he knows why he needs Christ.

“No one adequately and properly knows why he needs Christ until he understands and accepts the doctrine of the Fall and its effect upon all mankind. And no other book in the world explains this vital doctrine nearly as well as the Book of Mormon” (Ezra Taft Benson, in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 106; or Ensign, May 1987, 85).

ALL MANKIND WILL RETURN TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD

“The atonement of Jesus Christ redeems mankind, so far as the fall is concerned, unconditionally. Now, I want you all to understand this clearly. There is no faith, repentance, baptism, or works of any kind required on the part of man to be redeemed from the fall, or from the sins committed by our first parents.

“. . . Adam, before he fell, was in the presence of God, and could behold the face of his Maker, hear his voice, look upon his glory, behold his angels, and associate with those pure and holy beings. Will you be restored back to the presence of God? Yes, after the resurrection. . . . [W]e shall behold the face of our God and of Jesus Christ, and the face of his angels, and be able to converse with them, and hear them converse, as Adam did before the fall. Is not this a complete restoration? Yes” (Orson Pratt, in Journal of Discourses, 7:257).

ALL WHO WOULD HAVE RECEIVED AND LIVED THE GOSPEL WILL BE SAVED

“A marvelous internal evidence of the verity of the gospel, one not found in the theologies of men, is the manner in which it reaches out to embrace all who have not had the opportunity to embrace its teachings and participate in its ordinances in this life [see Mosiah 3:11; Moroni 8:22]. . . . Thus one of the unconditional benefits of the Atonement is the protection and deliverance from the demands of God’s justice for those who did not have access to the fulness of gospel law” (Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 4 vols. [1987–92], 1:252).

CHRIST UNCONDITIONALLY TOOK UPON HIMSELF THE PAIN OF ALL MEN

“Jesus thus not only satisfied the requirements of divine justice but also, particularly in His Gethsemane and Calvary ordeals, demonstrated and perfected His capacity to succor His people and his empathy for them. . . .

“. . . The agonies of the Atonement were infinite and first-hand! Since not all human sorrow and pain is connected to sin, the full intensiveness of the Atonement involved bearing our pains, infirmities, and sicknesses, as well as our sins” (Neal A. Maxwell, Not My Will, But Thine [1988], 51).

ALL BUT THE SONS OF PERDITION WILL BE REDEEMED

“Save for the exception of the very few who defect to perdition, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime

exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the atonement of Christ. . . .

“Some years ago I was in Washington, D.C., with President Harold B. Lee. Early one morning he called me to come into his hotel room. He was sitting in his robe reading Gospel Doctrine, by President Joseph F. Smith, and he said, ‘Listen to this!’

“‘“Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead; although he had accomplished the purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that have been or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time, except the sons of perdition. That is his mission”’” (Boyd K. Packer, in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 23–24; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 20–21).

EFFECTS OF THE ATONEMENT
UNCONDITIONAL Overcame the Fall of Adam and Eve3			CONDITIONAL Overcomes our fall, according to our faith and obedience4
EFFECTS OF THE FALL	SPIRITUAL DEATH1 Separation of man from God		• Everyone will be restored to God’s presence to be judged.5 • All children are innocent and alive in Christ.6 • All those who ignorantly sin, or die without the law, will be saved.7		• Spiritual rebirth10 • Perfection through Christ11 • Eternal life—life with God12
PHYSICAL DEATH2 Separation of body from spirit		• Christ took upon himself the pains, infirmities, and sicknesses of all men.8 • All mankind will be resurrected (immortality).9		• First Resurrection13 • Celestial glory and power14 • Eternal increase—exaltation15

1. See Genesis 2:17; 2 Nephi 9:6, 10, 12, 39; Alma 12:16; 42:9; Helaman 14:16; Doctrine and Covenants 29:41; Moses 6:48.

2. See 1 Corinthians 15:21–22; 2 Nephi 9:6, 9–11; Alma 12:23–24; 42:9; Helaman 14:16; Doctrine and Covenants 29:42–43; Moses 4:25; 6:48, 59.

3. See 2 Nephi 2:21; Mosiah 3:19; 16:3–4; Alma 12:22; Helaman 14:15; Ether 3:2.

4. See Alma 9:13; Helaman 14:18; Doctrine and Covenants 93:38–39; Moses 6:55.

5. See 2 Nephi 2:10; 9:4, 15, 38; Alma 9:13; 11:41; 12:8, 12, 15; 42:23; Helaman 14:15; Mormon 9:13–14; Ether 3:13.

6. See Mosiah 3:16; 15:25; Moroni 8:8–13, 22; Doctrine and Covenants 29:46–47; 74:7; 93:38–39; 137:10; Moses 6:54.

7. See 2 Nephi 9:25–26; Mosiah 3:11; 15:24; Alma 9:15–16; 42:21; Moroni 8:22; Doctrine and Covenants 45:54; 137:7–8.

8. See Isaiah 53:4; Matthew 8:17; 2 Nephi 9:21; Mosiah 14:4; Alma 7:11–12.

9. See John 5:28–29; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:21–22; Alma 11:40–44; Doctrine and Covenants 29:26; Moses 7:62.

10. See John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Mosiah 5:7; 27:25; Alma 5:14; 7:14; Moses 6:59, 65.

11. See Mosiah 3:19; Alma 12:15; Moroni 10:32–33; Doctrine and Covenants 76:68–69; 93:19–20.

12. See Doctrine and Covenants 14:7; 29:43; 76:60–70; 88:4; Moses 1:39; 6:59.

13. See Revelation 20:6; Mosiah 15:22–23; Doctrine and Covenants 76:64–66; 88:98.

14. See 1 Corinthians 15:39–42; Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–59, 92–95; 88:20–22, 28–29; 131:1–4; 132:15–20.

15. See Doctrine and Covenants 131:1–4; 132:15–20.