The Infinite and Everlasting Atonement of Jesus Christ

  I feel like I’ve always at least somewhat understood the basis of the Atonement of Christ, but after reading Elder Christofferson’s talk, I understand that my knowledge of those sacred few days is extremely inadequate. In his address The Atonement and Resurrection, Elder Christofferson magnificently allows his audience to visualize the tender events of the Atonement, feel the spirit of sacrifice, and how to implement the Atonement and Christ and His love into our own lives.

The night in the Garden of Gethsemane as spoken of in Matthew reads, “He went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:  nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” When I was younger I never fully understood the importance of this scripture. And it was always kind of weird to me because that first phrase “let this cup pass from me” struck me before anything else and I didn’t understand why Christ was asking the Father to possibly allow him not to go through with the plan. However, now as I’m older and understand the impact certain words make on a phrase, I understand as well as feel the power of the ENTIRE scripture much better. Nevertheless is a word that makes the phrase after it completely trump the phrase preceding it, in fact the second will undoubtedly happen. Knowing this, Christ did not want to go through what would be coming, BUT He knew that His Father’s will was more important than His desires. No matter how Christ felt, He was going to do what His Father needed done. Christ’s main purpose was to do the Father’s will and His main motivation was to glorify the Father.  

Elder Christoffereson goes on to tell us that we must follow the example of Christ and align our will with God’s, offering a sacrifice of our hearts, bodies, and spirits in the similitude of our Saviors:  “…with broken heart and contrite sprit, we… submit ourselves entirely to God”.  Also, by being baptized in His holy name and enduring to end we present another sacrifice in the similitude of Christ.

Other ways we can align our will with God’s is through accepting chastisement to be better (because that’s how we are shown He loves and cares for us), following Christ, becoming like a child, keeping His commandments, and denying all ungodliness. I now have a much better understanding and love for the Atonement of Christ. I know that it is through Him, we are able to strive to do the Father’s will.  From all that I read from the article, this was my favorite: “Although we may not immediately attain to the Savior’s perfect example of always doing those things that please the Father and always living our lives in a way to glorify Him, we can progress as the Savior Himself did, from grace to grace, until we obtain a fullness.”