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Conditional Blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ: Forgiveness, salvation, exaltation, eternal families, hope,
overcome weaknesses, godly character/divine attributes, self control, guidance,
comfort, joy, peace, strength, healing, etc.
To receive the conditional blessings
of the atonement, we must live the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
·
Faith- belief in, trust in, and
commitment to obey Christ
·
Repent- submit will to Christ
and change behavior to follow Him; seek forgiveness and a change of heart
·
Covenants- make/keep promises by
priesthood authority to follow the example of Jesus Christ, such as baptism.
·
Holy Ghost- receive the Gift of the Holy
Ghost, invite and follow His guidance
·
Endure to the end- consistently grow
our faith, repent, keep our covenants, and receive the Holy Ghost
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1. "Therefore may
God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto
repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy
upon you; Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save" (Alma
34:17-18).
"Remember the
worth of souls is great in the sight of God; For, behold, the Lord your
Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all
men, that all men might repent and come unto him. And he hath risen again from
the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.
And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!" (D&C18:10-13).
"For behold, this life
is the time for men to prepare to meet God... therefore, I beseech of you that
ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after
this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do
not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness
wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to
that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit
which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that
same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world (Alma
34:32-34).
"Come now, and
let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they
shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as
wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land"
(Isaiah 1:18-19).
Jesus taught,
"Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to
save the world from sin. Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a
little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life,
and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the
earth, and be saved" (3 Nephi 9:21-22).
"Behold, he sendeth an
invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and
he saith: Repent, and I will receive you. Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye
shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of
the bread and the waters of life freely" (Alma 5:33-34).
Sin
Jesus told the
following parable to teach us about sin and repentance:
"A certain man had two sons: And the
younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that
falleth to me. And he divided unto them
his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and
took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with
riotous living.
"And when he had spent all, there arose
a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and
joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to
feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the
swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
"And when he came to himself, he said,
How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I
perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him,
Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to
be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his
father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed
him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in
thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to
his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on
his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it;
and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he
was lost, and is found" (Luke 15:11-24).
2. "James said, “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to
him it is sin” (James 4:17). John described sin as “all unrighteousness” (1
John 5:17) and “the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4)" (Gospel
Principles, Repentance).
Q What is sin? What effects do our sins have on us?
Sin damages our relationship with God and
distorts our view of Him, ourselves, and the world around us. Sin brings
spiritual, mental, emotional, and sometimes physical pain to ourselves and
others around us. Because of the miracle of the atonement we can repent and
have our relationship with God and view of Him, ourselves and the world around
us healed. We can receive forgiveness and a change of heart, losing the very
desire to sin.
Q Why does God want us
to repent? What is His attitude towards those in need of repentance (which is
all of us)?
Q Why does the devil
want us to procrastinate our repentance?
Q How has repentance helped
you receive forgiveness and healing from sin? How else has repentance blessed
you?
3. "The remission
of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and
lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter
filleth with hope and perfect love" (Moroni 8:26).
Principles of Repentance
·
Recognize we
have sinned
·
Develop a
broken heart and a contrite spirit
o
Experience
godly sorrow
o
Turn to Christ,
submit and commit ourselves to Him
§ Confess our sins
§ Forsake our sins
§ Make restitution where possible
§ Forgive others and ourselves
§ Live righteously (align our will with God's and
covenant to obey Him through baptism)
·
Seek
forgiveness and a change of heart
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Recognize we have
sinned
Q How can we recognize
sin?
(Prophets, scriptures, Holy Ghost, etc.)
Develop a broken heart
and a contrite spirit
"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" (2 Nephi 2:6-7).
Broken
Heart
~ godly sorrow
"Now I rejoice,
not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were
made sorry after a godly manner... For godly sorrow worketh repentance to
salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh
death" (2 Cor 7:9-10).
4. "There is an important difference between the sorrow for sin that leads to repentance and the sorrow that leads to despair..... Godly sorrow inspires change and hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Worldly sorrow pulls us down, extinguishes hope, and persuades us to give in to further temptation.... True repentance is about transformation, not torture or torment. Yes, heartfelt regret and true remorse for disobedience are often painful and very important steps in the sacred process of repentance. But when guilt leads to self-loathing or prevents us from rising up again, it is impeding rather than promoting our repentance" (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2013 General Conference).
Q What is the
difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow? What counterfeits does
Satan have for godly sorrow?
(too little sorrow- sorry
got caught and would sin again if no witnesses; too much sorrow- remain in sin
due to discouragement).
Contrite
Spirit
~ Turn to Christ, submit and commit ourselves to Him
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:7-9).
5. "The key to Alma being able to break the chains that held him back was that he was brave enough to focus his thoughts on Jesus Christ, the Redeemer. He exercised faith in the Savior’s power to take away his pain. It is important to note that he moved his thought away from the pain, away from his sins, away from the chains that held him back, and focused on Jesus Christ. He looked up to Christ, not down at the chains" (Walter F. González, BYU Speeches, November 03, 2009).
5. "The key to Alma being able to break the chains that held him back was that he was brave enough to focus his thoughts on Jesus Christ, the Redeemer. He exercised faith in the Savior’s power to take away his pain. It is important to note that he moved his thought away from the pain, away from his sins, away from the chains that held him back, and focused on Jesus Christ. He looked up to Christ, not down at the chains" (Walter F. González, BYU Speeches, November 03, 2009).
“Repentance means
more than simply a reformation of behavior. Many men and women in the world
demonstrate great willpower and self-discipline in overcoming bad habits and
the weaknesses of the flesh. Yet at the same time they give no thought to the
Master.... Such changes of behavior, even if in a positive direction, do not
constitute true repentance. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation
upon which sincere and meaningful repentance must be built. If we truly seek to
put away sin, we must first look to Him who is the Author of our salvation”
(Ezra T. Benson, Ensign, Oct 1989, 2).
6. "After
His Resurrection, Jesus Christ declared to the people in the New
World: And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite
spirit (3 Nephi 9:19).... When our hearts are broken, we are completely open to
the Spirit of God and recognize our dependence on Him for all that we have and
all that we are. The sacrifice so entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its
forms.... Those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are willing to do
anything and everything that God asks of them, without resistance or
resentment. We cease doing things our way and learn to do them God’s way
instead. In such a condition of submissiveness, the Atonement can take effect
and true repentance can occur" (Bruce D. Porter, October 2007 General Conference).
Q What is a broken
heart and a contrite spirit? Why is this essential for repentance? How can we
cultivate it?
Q What are some of Satan's
counterfeits for a broken heart and a contrite spirit?
Q Why should we seek to
have a broken heart and a contrite spirit at all times?“Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:5-6).
"This absolute requisite of “a broken heart and a contrite spirit” prescribes the need to be submissive, compliant, humble (that is, teachable), and willingly obedient" (Richard G. Scott, April 1997 General Conference)
Having
a broken heart and a contrite spirit leads us to have the courage and ability
to do whatever Christ asks of us to receive forgiveness and healing. These will
include the following actions:
Confess our sins
7. "I,
the Lord, forgive sins, and am merciful unto those who confess their sins with
humble hearts" (D&C 61:2).
8. "We must confess all our sins to the Lord. In addition, we must confess serious sins—such as adultery, fornication, homosexual relations, spouse or child abuse, and the sale or use of illegal drugs—which might affect our standing in the Church, to the proper priesthood authority. If we have sinned against another person, we should confess to the person we have injured. Some less serious sins involve no one but ourselves and the Lord. These may be confessed privately to the Lord" (Gospel Principles, Repentance).
Q Why does satan want
us to cover our sins instead of confessing them? What is the danger of this?
Forsake our sins
9. "Behold, he who
has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them
no more. By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will
confess them and forsake them" (D&C 58:42-43).
"Repentance
means striving to change. It would mock the Savior’s suffering in the Garden of
Gethsemane and on the cross for us to expect that He should transform us into
angelic beings with no real effort on our part. Rather, we seek His grace to
complement and reward our most diligent efforts (see 2 Nephi 25:23).... Surely
the Lord smiles upon one who desires to come to judgment worthily, who
resolutely labors day by day to replace weakness with strength. Real
repentance, real change may require repeated attempts, but there is something
refining and holy in such striving. Divine forgiveness and healing flow quite
naturally to such a soul, for indeed “virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto
light; [and] mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own” (D&C
88:40)" (D. Todd Christofferson, October 2011 General Conference).
Q Why does God want us
to forsake our sins? What are ways we can invite the Lord to help us forsake
our sins?
Make Restitution
“When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live” (Ezekiel 33:13-16)
10. "To earn forgiveness, one must make restitution. That means you give back what you have taken or ease the pain of those you have injured. But sometimes you cannot give back what you have taken because you don’t have it to give. If you have caused others to suffer unbearably—defiled someone’s virtue, for example—it is not within your power to give it back.... Perhaps the offense was long ago, or the injured refused your penance. Perhaps the damage was so severe that you cannot fix it no matter how desperately you want to.... Restoring what you cannot restore, healing the wound you cannot heal, fixing that which you broke and you cannot fix is the very purpose of the atonement of Christ" (Boyd K. Packer, October 1995 General Conference).
10. "To earn forgiveness, one must make restitution. That means you give back what you have taken or ease the pain of those you have injured. But sometimes you cannot give back what you have taken because you don’t have it to give. If you have caused others to suffer unbearably—defiled someone’s virtue, for example—it is not within your power to give it back.... Perhaps the offense was long ago, or the injured refused your penance. Perhaps the damage was so severe that you cannot fix it no matter how desperately you want to.... Restoring what you cannot restore, healing the wound you cannot heal, fixing that which you broke and you cannot fix is the very purpose of the atonement of Christ" (Boyd K. Packer, October 1995 General Conference).
Q What does it mean to
make restitution? Why does God want us to make restitution where possible?
Q How can we make restitution
for the harm we have caused ourselves?
Forgive Others and
Ourselves
11. "For if ye
forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But
if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses" (Matthew 6:14-15).
Q Why must we forgive
others to be forgiven?
"Therefore is the kingdom of heaven
likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when
he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand
talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold,
and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The
servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience
with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with
compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
"But the same servant went out, and
found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid
hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And
his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have
patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast
him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
"So when his fellowservants saw what
was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was
done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked
servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not
thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay
all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto
you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their
trespasses" (Matthew 18:21-35).
Q Why do we need to
forgive ourselves?
Live Righteously (Align our will with
God's)
12. "It is not enough to simply try to resist evil or empty your life of sin. You must fill your life with righteousness and engage in activities that bring spiritual power. Immerse yourself in the scriptures. Pray daily for the Lord to give you strength beyond your own. At times, fast for special blessings.
"Full obedience brings the complete
power of the gospel into your life, including increased strength to overcome
your weaknesses. This obedience includes actions you might not initially
consider part of repentance, such as attending meetings, paying tithing, giving
service, and forgiving others. The Lord promised, 'He that repents and does the
commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven' (D&C 1:32)" (True to the
Faith, Repentance).
"For our turning
to the Lord to be complete, it must include nothing less than a covenant of
obedience to Him. We often speak of this covenant as the baptismal covenant
since it is witnessed by being baptized in water (see Mosiah 18:10).... Without
this covenant, repentance remains incomplete and the remission of sins
unattained. In the memorable expression of Professor Noel Reynolds, “The choice
to repent is a choice to burn bridges in every direction [having determined] to
follow forever only one way, the one path that leads to eternal life.” (D. Todd
Christofferson, October 2011 General Conference).
Q How is making and
keeping the covenant of baptism a part of repentance?
Seek Forgiveness and
a Change of Heart
13. "Repent
of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in
sincerity of heart that he would forgive you" (Mosiah 4:10).
We
also ask God to change our hearts that we have no more desire to sin. This will
happen over a period of consistent righteous living, being shortened by having
great faith in Christ. We can pray as Nephi did:
"O Lord, wilt
thou redeem my soul?.... Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the very
appearance of sin?" (2 Nephi 4:31).
"A new heart
also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take
away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye
shall keep my judgments, and do them"
(Ezekiel 36:26-27).
Forgiveness
and experiencing a change of heart are the two endpoints of repentances. These
may happen at different times, and our repentance isn't fully complete until we
experience both.
Q How did you gain a
testimony that the Lord can forgive sins? Change hearts?
Q How can we know when
the Lord has forgiven us? (see Moroni 8:26)
Conclusion
15. "The Atonement of Jesus Christ is available
to each of us. His Atonement is infinite. It applies to everyone, even you. It
can clean, reclaim, and sanctify even you. That is what infinite means—total,
complete, all, forever. President Boyd K. Packer has taught: “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” (“The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness,” Ensign, Nov.
1995, 20)." (Shayne M. Bowen, October 2006 General Conference).
Please share your testimony of the principles covered in this lesson or share a favorite scripture or quote that wasn't included.
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