Hey there everybody and welcome back to another episode of Redeem Through His Blood.
Scott Durfey here joined as always by our teacher David Durfey.
What's up Dave?
So good to be with you Scott and everybody.
Hope you're all doing well.
Yeah, we've got another great episode planned.
Today, gang will be kind of taking off from where we left off last week.
This week we'll be talking about why we have the need of redemption, why we have the need
of a savior, who we are, who's we are and so, so much more.
But before we get into that today, David, I just wanted to tell everybody, hey, thanks
so much for your emails.
We've received a few.
You won't be addressing any questions on this episode here today.
But there are a couple that we do owe answers to and you can anticipate those either to
come forth in and as part of the podcast or we may even, in fact, we're committed to.
We're going to respond to a couple of them individually.
So yeah, I was really touched by that.
One email that was sent, I think somebody from Florida.
Yeah, I don't remember exactly.
Anyway, but I want to respond personally to that and that we have our hearts go out to
individuals who are hurting, suffering either because of the loss of their children spiritually
or in this case, the loss of children physically.
Yeah, this was actually a town called Murphy's Burl, Tennessee.
I love that.
Tennessee.
Yeah, love that little town.
Anyway, my heart really went out to him and his family and my wife and I will respond
to that personally.
But yeah, there's just so much needs.
Got it.
Just reinforces.
Yeah.
So I think we need to for a more complete understanding of and faith in the Atonement
of Jesus Christ.
And I know that that will not reduce anyone's sorrow.
But you can have peace in sorrow when you understand and have faith in the Atonement
of Jesus Christ.
If there's no peace in sorrow, that's just flat out miserable.
Right.
And Satan loves us to be miserable, but there there doesn't need to be any misery in sorrow.
If one understands the plan of redemption and has faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement
because they're the perfect brightness of hope that comes with that again doesn't necessarily
take away sorrow.
But it does eliminate misery.
It's just a little bit easier for me to deal with the sorrow if I have hope in the sorrow.
And I felt the hopelessness.
And I know maybe we all have to a degree from time to time felt the hopelessness that can
come.
But but amidst the sorrow if we can find hope and sometimes for me personally, you know,
I'm dealing with a little situation right now where it's difficult to find hope, you
know, a little family situation.
And it's difficult.
We all have that to find hope.
But the thing about that hope is, is that, you know, with faith in Jesus Christ, we're
going to talk about that in great detail in some upcoming episodes here.
But as we as we have that faith in Jesus Christ, that does allow that hope.
But and I have felt that absence of that faith from time to time.
And that can, like you said, be just extremely miserable.
So any way, empty powers, the enabling powers, the compensating powers of the Atonement of
Jesus Christ should certainly help us to not feel miserable or misery, even though we have
deep sorrow and even even God knows sorrow.
Yeah.
But God is not no misery.
Right.
I mean, God cries.
We have that amazing scripture, right in Moses, Moses seven about him weeping.
Yeah.
And he's God weeping.
And that's touching God feels emotions and they're not.
They're not always positive.
But they don't make him miserable.
That's the key.
And it really does require us again to achieve a sense of alignment and the greater alignment
that we can achieve the more likely we are to have, you know, more of those Godlike attributes
in our own life in our own world, which again will not necessarily eliminate the sorrow,
but the misery that can come from it for sure.
Well, and that kind of leads us into the whole purpose of this course.
Before you get into that, just let me just make one more quick mention and then we can
be done with housekeeping stuff.
But gang, he redeems us at gmail.com.
Please feel free to reach out with your emails.
We commit to at least respond in some way to all the ones that we receive.
Many of them we hope we already have and we continue to plan to have a lot of those questions
answered right here on the podcast.
So there you go, Dave.
Well, the this podcast is again based on a course that is now a worldwide Institute
course.
In the Institute of Religion, and you can actually get that on the LDS library if by going into
the Institute program and I recommend that maybe you do that and look at some of the
lessons.
It's fun to be somewhat involved in the preparation of some of the lessons in the teacher manual
and the things that go along with this course and helping Elder Anderson to write his book.
But we we wanted to title this podcast redeemed through his blood.
We know it includes the doctrine of Christ and there's probably a lot of other titles
we could have given this podcast.
But I I just have been really over the many years of preparing and teaching lessons in
church education system, Scott.
And in fact, in fact, Scott, I I think one thing that that led led us to title this is
discussion I had with Brother Robert J. Matthews many years ago when he was in Minnesota with
me stayed at my home and and stayed with us for a week.
And he and I had a long discussion once about all the different titles of Jesus Christ.
He told me a story once about his son.
He overheard his son talking to some of his childhood friends about the prophet Joseph
Smith and his son was focused so much on Joseph Smith that he he he felt something about that
his son should maybe be talking more about Jesus than Joseph Smith.
Now, nobody's a greater defender of the restoration Joseph Smith and Robert J. Matthews was Robert
J. Matthews for those who are maybe new to our podcast.
Is the individual who wrote the Bible dictionary and was the Dean of Religious Education at
BYU and anyway, very prolific author first president of the Mount Timpanogos Temple and
was a patriarch and friend of mine and and not I don't even know if I can call him a
friend, but like a mentor to me.
And anyway, he felt somewhat bad that is that his son was defending Joseph Smith in a way
that he thought I wonder if he could defend Jesus Christ the same way.
And he felt like his son should be defending Jesus Christ and testifying of Jesus Christ
more than Joseph Smith.
Well so his when he had an opportunity later on he he said so so son what what do you know
about Jesus Christ?
Tell me what you know about Jesus Christ because his son could knew so much about Joseph Smith
in church history and his his son's answer was was pretty brief.
And he felt really bad about that brother Matthews felt bad about that and he thought
I maybe I haven't done an effective enough job teaching my son about Jesus Christ.
And so he started to teach his son about the different titles and he and I had this discussion
about what's your favorite title of Jesus Christ of all the titles you know there's
over a hundred names and titles right of Jesus Christ mediator advocate so many names and
titles.
And as we discussed that we we decided that maybe maybe it would be Redeemer that of all
the titles of Jesus Christ because we talked about this last week I know but the Redeemer
and Savior do not mean the same things and I love them both and I don't know that you
can have a favorite right it's like asking me what's my favorite ice cream but I don't
know if you can have a favorite but Redeemer to me is this is the depth and it's always
associated with blood Scott redemption is through blood and Savior yes through his atonement
Jesus saved us from death and from sin and and Savior is kind of he saved us he delivered
us deliverer is a little bit more associated with Savior but Redeemer this is he purchased
us he ransomed us he he he literally as the go out that we talked about last week this
is the kinsman who comes and purchases us and and gets us out of bondage delivers us
from being sold into slavery I don't know Scott it's just it's so humbling for me to
think about the title of Redeemer and that it's it's always associated with his blood
and last last week what we talked a little bit about that but we didn't talk so much
maybe about some of the scriptures that testify of that so I want to share just a few scriptures
and then we'll we'll get into a little bit I hope today about the premortal existence
and the plan of redemption as it was even presented there and and our identity and who
we are and whose we are which it goes to the very heart of the idea that Jesus purchased
us by and through his blood so anyway should we do that now yeah let me let me just add
little commentary to what you just said there because I think it's so important you know
we're about to build a case I guess around why it's important for us to understand and
know not just who we are but whose we are and I think we spend in the church you know
it's just part of our culture we spend a lot of time growing up understanding I am a child
of God and he has sent me here and we really do focus a lot on that you know it's a joke
that we sometimes say in the church about our families don't forget who you are you know
when people are leaving the house and things like that which isn't so much a joke but it's
that can be life changing well but it's something that we do talk about we sometimes think for
granted yeah and we do laugh about it you know sometimes and stuff like that but and
we do take it for granted but the point about whose we are you know I think that that's I
think that that might be a in the depth that we mean it may be a new concept to some of
us you know we talk about oh yeah I know I know I'm heavenly fathers he's my father you
know and all of that but why is it important for us to know that we are Jesus is Jesus
is he bought us he purchased us you know we're going to get into all of this and help us
to understand that but to know whose we are so Jesus Christ purchased us with a price
we're going to talk about what that price is as we go so he purchased us if he purchased
us and we are his then his advocacy to the father has deeper and greater meaning than
if we were just brothers totally totally in fact the scriptures even say that that he
that he could mediate and advocate for us because he spilled his blood for us to purchase
us that's that's what allowed him to do that in the first place so anyway and I didn't
I don't know if I said this last time or not Scott in our discussion about savior redeemer
salvation redemption redeemer is redeem and redeemer is a little bit more of an Old Testament
and Book of Mormon title of the Savior actually Redeemer is is much more mentioned the title
is much more used in the Old Testament than the New Testament and and more in the Book
of Mormon than the New Testament in fact the New Testament does not even use the title
Redeemer not one time in fact the New Testament only uses the word redeem only the word redeem
is only in the New Testament twice but it's dozens of times in the Old Testament and in
the Book of Mormon and it's something of a Old Testament something of an Old Testament
symbol of what Jesus would do because of the blood sacrifice yeah because of all the all
the sacrifice and the blood that would be spilled and so when they're talking about in Leviticus
redeem is over and over again Leviticus it's in all of the throughout the Old Testament
and Book of Mormon but in the New Testament without using the term Redeemer it does talk
about how Jesus purchased us so let's just turn to the New Testament to begin with Scott
and let's go to Acts 2028 because I think Luke who wrote the Book of Acts makes this
pretty clear. Acts chapter 2028 as he's reciting the teachings of Paul this is actually Paul
who teaches us. And it says take heed there for unto yourselves and to all the flock over
the which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers to feed the church of God which he hath purchased
with his own blood. Purchased with his blood. That's the currency that was used for the
purchasing of us. Exactly. Yeah. And Scott I know that he paid the price. He paid the
price for all of Heavenly Father's children. The question is will they receive it. That's
the question. Will they receive the gift. And if they don't receive the gift it's because
they will not receive the giver of the gift. Yeah. Dr. and Covenants 88. Yeah. Exactly.
And Brother Matthew's favorite scriptures by the way. So Acts 2028. Let's go to let's
go to 1st Corinthians 620 Scott and listen to what Paul writes to the Corinthians in
1st Corinthians chapter 6 verse 20. And in essence what he's saying here in this verse
is that we are not our own. You know sometimes I think we say well I'm my own man you know
or or we even in the church we we have a certain pride I think in trying to be self reliant.
There is there is no self reliance when it comes to redemption salvation. We are completely
utterly totally dependent 100% dependent on a redeemer on his merits none of our own and
that's exactly it's through his blood. Not ours. Well 1st Corinthians 620 makes that
pretty clear for you are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in
your spirit which are gods. You are bought with a price. Yeah. The price was blood.
Yeah. Bought with a price. We are not our own. How about the 2nd Nephi 2nd Peter chapter
2 verse 1 Scott 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 1 same idea that we are we're purchased we're
not our own. The Savior owns us and that he paid the price for all of our redemption through
his blood. 2nd Peter chapter 2 verse 1 but there were false prophets also among the people
even as there will even as there shall be false teachers among you who privilege shall
bring in damnation damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them that bought
them and bring upon themselves with destruction. So what are the most damnable heresies that
can be taught according to Peter denying the Lord that he has bought them denying that
they're purchased. I'm my own man. I can save myself and Scott in in and out of the church
we have a lot of people who are trying to save themselves for sure now I I know the
scripture work out your own salvation I know that that's Philippians if you look at the
next verse you only you can only do that through the power of God. We are not our own that's
the point. Yeah redeemed through his blood just 2 more these these are powerful. Let's
go to Glossians 114 Paul writing again here but all these all of these except for the
one in Peter or from Paul teaching us that we are purchased through his blood of all
the people that would know about blood sacrifice it be Paul who was a leader among the Jews
who was so involved in this in the sacrifice and all the times of sacrifice the the major
sacrifice and festivals of the Jewish nation not understanding that of course all of that
was a type symbol prefigurement of the atonement of Jesus Christ so the lotions 114 was it
say in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins this is
one of my favorite ones of all the ones that we're going to be reading today this is one
of my favorite ones because it is just so clear there's no mistaking what this means
in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins so that's our
very title right yeah I'll just go redeem through his blood right maybe that's why I
love it so much but here it's telling us you know he bought us he's purchased us that's
what redemption means to redeem something is to purchase right so he purchased us through
his blood why even for the forgiveness of sins yeah yeah and that's why I love that
yeah I do too thanks Scott Hebrew 1320 now the God of peace that brought again from the
dead our Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting
covenant the blood of the covenant yeah that goes all the way back to Adam and Eve when
they were asked to make sacrifice and the blood of the lamb and all the way back to
Genesis and how they made and cut those covenants in the beginning from the time Adam and Eve
were on this earth there there was a sacrifice and blood was a big part of that I think I
think last time we talked about to cleave a little bit did we talk about cleave what
it means that that they would cleave you know has two different meanings it's a term that
I become I think more sensitive to as a seeler in the temple you know the word the word cleaves
part of part of the ordinance of the holy order matrimony and it's just really interesting
how the cutting a covenant it's about ancient Hebrew's did not talk about making a covenant
it was cutting a covenant it was bloody and how Abraham was asked to pass between they
would they cut an animal in half and he had to pass between them which was symbolic of
not only that this is what would save him but that if he did not receive the covenant
then the same sacrifice the same punishment would be upon him if he did not keep the covenant
so I it's all of these scriptures in the New Testament Scott are prefigured and foreshadowed
by the the sacrifices and the scriptures of the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon I
mean in the Book of Mormon Scott they clearly understood how redemption is through blood
King Benjamin's amazing address which is referenced to throughout the entire rest of the Book
of Mormon even by by Helaman in Helaman chapter five when he's teaching his sons Nephi and
Lehi he points back to King Benjamin's address I mean this and this this address has some
personal meaning and sentiment to me Scott because I remember this absolutely and I
I know it was through more through the Holy Spirit than through really understanding and
how I don't think I had a real deep understanding the first time I read this on my mission but
I remember reading this on my mission in Fresno California for the first time really reading
it really feeling it and I know that it changed me changed my heart because of the Holy Ghost
bearing witness that this was true but I think he references in just Mosiah chapter three
alone he references blood five times right yeah five times and and it's just the first
one talks about how much blood he spilled and then over and over again it's he he reiterates
that it's through that blood from every pore that redeems us so you know yeah let me yeah
let me just take these so let me let me start here in seven and low he shall suffer temptation
and pain of body and hunger thirst fatigue even more than man can suffer and let me just
pause there it doesn't say even more than man is willing to suffer this makes it seem like
that it's impossible for us impossible yeah it's just bodily not human mortally impossible
for us to suffer to the level that he did so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness
and the imbalmination of his people but but let me suffer except it be unto death for behold
blood cometh from every pore so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and imbalmination
of his people I believe that's first time that we get in restoration scripture that he
blood from every pores that right yeah and it's and so Scott it's not just the suffering
right it's the blood the blood it is the blood that that oozed from every pore and we know
we'll talk more about this later when we spend I don't know maybe three podcasts on just the
what the atonement is but we know that all of this suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane
reoccurred intensified on the cross cross right and if there's any more blood left in
Jesus when he's crucified then he's shedding it on the cross again I think most Christians
think when they think of the bloody sacrifice of Jesus Christ they think about his scourging
they think about the crown of thorns a place on his head they think about the all of the
blood that is spilt on the cross and that's true too all of that's true but as as members
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and having restoration scripture such
as the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants we are the only ones Scott in the
in Christianity and all of Christianity that understand that he bled from every pore that's
not in the Bible that's only taught in the Book of Mormon King Benjamin 3 7 and it's taught
in doctrine comes section 19 that Jesus bled from every pore he's Luke comes closest to
it right in Luke 22 44 where it says that he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was
as it were like great drops of blood so Luke Luke kind of references it to it but nobody
understands except us because the restoration that he bled from every pore so great was
his anguish for the sins of his people right so we should be so grateful and we should
we understand how bloody this was and I love how the church is kind of depicts it in the
Bible videos that the church made that after he bleeds from every pore he goes over to
the little Kidron Brook and he washes himself even before he's arrested so that you know
that blood in the water blood and water are represented there and he's you know he would
have been you know I think somebody would have said something about it had he not washed
himself maybe I like to think that he did wash himself in the Brook before he was arrested
anyway well let's let's continue on with King Benjamin's great address here I'm gonna read
10 and he shall rise on the third day from the dead and behold standeth to judge the
world and behold all these things are done that righteous judgment might come upon the
children of man and I think we'll talk more about maybe whole podcast on that verse yeah
that righteous judgment component of that super important and again it's only because
of what the rest of what we're about to read that that righteous judgment can even take
place for behold and also this is verse 11 behold and also his blood atoneth for the
sins of those who have fallen by Trent by the transgression of Adam who have died not
knowing the will of God concerning them or who have ignorantly sinned so there it is
again blood and now if we go over to verse 15 and I'm not gonna read the entire verse
here but about halfway down it begins concerning his coming and yet they harden their hearts
and understood not that the law of Moses availeth nothing except it were through the atonement
of his blood yeah of his blood yeah so King Benjamin referenced it over and over again
and it's even in the in fact read the results of his address Scott in mosaic for mosaic
for verse two so the effects of his address focusing on the blood of Jesus Christ and
how redemption is through his blood read read what they what the people claim well I I
will but even before I do that for behold he judges this is 18 and 3 he judges his
judgment is just and an infant perisheth not that died in his infancy but men drink damnation
to their own souls except they humble themselves this is it and become as a little child and
believe that salvation was and is and is to come in and through the atoning blood atoning
blood Christ the Lord omnipotent yeah all right now we'll go over to mosaic chapter
four verse two and they had viewed themselves this is a pretty popular we all probably have
some familiarity with these are the people who had pitched their tents with their families
facing the temple listening to King Benjamin and this is the effect it has on them they
viewed themselves in their own carnal state even less than the dust of the earth and they
all cried out with one voice saying I just imagine I'm gonna pause right there I can
just imagine us when we have that same effect you know when we understand our own nothingness
our own carnal state and we're able to view that as it is you know without even personal
judgment but as that is and and that's what they did and they all cried out with one
voice saying oh have mercy and apply apply what the atoning blood of Christ not the atonement
the atoning blood of Christ why that we may receive forgiveness of our sins and our hearts
may be purified for we believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God who created heaven and earth
and all things who shall come down among the children of men well I just want to point
out Scott that the essential element of blood in the atonement of Jesus Christ and in in
our redemption you know president Nelson president ironing out president hoax they've
all they've all taught there is no power in the atonement itself the atonement is not
an entity in and of itself that Jesus Christ is the power behind the atonement but really
what they're saying you know which the scriptures teach is that it is Christ and his blood it's
the blood of Christ there is no atonement without the blood of Jesus Christ not just
being shed but him being literally bruised by bleeding from every poor it is the wounded
Christ it is the bloody bruised Jesus Christ that is our Redeemer who ransomed us that
was the price that was the price of him purchasing each of us if we would receive it and it's
free it costs us nothing except to receive it to receive the gift so I don't know it's
pretty it's pretty humbling to think about it Scott it's overwhelming to me and I let's
just go to let's just you know this address of King Benjamin is again I I said it's referenced
by Helaman in Helaman chapter five if you want to skip over there Scott and start with
maybe verse nine I know everyone loves Helaman five twelve yeah that Jesus is the rock of
our salvation absolutely I love that verse two in fact I've used that as a password you
know Helaman five twelve and the rock or however you can use that in a password sure I love
that verse one of my favorites but to really understand and appreciate you got to understand
the three verses before it nine nine ten and eleven so listen to what Helaman tells his
two sons Nephi and Lehi in Helaman five nine through eleven I'll remember remember my sons
the words which King Benjamin spake unto his people how great was that address that a hundred
years later yeah over a hundred years later they're still referencing he's to Benjamin's
address about the atonement of Jesus Christ he's still quoting general conference talks
yay remember that there is no other way or means where by man can be saved only through
the atoning blood there is Jesus Christ owning blood who shall atonement atoning blood who
shall come yeah remember that he cometh to redeem the world and remember also the words
which amulets baked a Z's room in the city of Ammoni Ha for he said unto him that the
Lord surely should come to redeem his people but that he should not come to redeem them
in their sins but to redeem them from their sins they have to receive it they have to
repent right and he has power given unto him from the father to redeem them from their
sins because of repentance therefore so there is the conditional part of that redemption
is his conditional conditional upon their repentance through his blood and through their repentance
which is just our way of qualifying for the blessings that came the gift therefore he
has set his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance which bringeth
unto the power of the Redeemer unto the salvation of their souls and now here's 12 the one that
we are also familiar with and love so much and now my sons remember remember that it
is upon this rock of our Redeemer who is Christ the Son of God that ye must build your foundations
that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds yea his shafts in the whirlwind yea
when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you it shall have no power over
you to drag you down to the Gulf of misery and endless woe because of the rock upon which
he are built which is sure found a sure foundation a foundation where on if men build they cannot
fall that is powerful yeah such powerful teaching from Helaman yeah Helaman chapter chapter
five there's a there's a little insight here that I might share you know where it talks
about in Helaman five that the devil shall send forth his mighty winds and his shafts
in the whirlwind you know it was brought a question got brought up to us a couple of
weeks ago or so when we were talking about this scripture in our institute class and
somebody said what does that mean the shafts in the whirlwind well you know David if you
think about it it's not really ever the whirlwind that kills you it's not the whirlwind that
gets you it's not the tornado that gets you it's the truck that's flying across the sky
that gets you it's the it's the shafts in the whirlwind the sticks the tools whatever
in the whirlwind and and that you know and we and I think you know we're doing a little
parenthetical insight here but I think it's important for us to realize that we can't
see the power of Satan we can't see you know with our own eyes but we can see the effects
of it you know and they are those shafts in the whirlwind you know we'll probably be discussing
that more and more as the podcast goes on this season but extremely important for us
to understand yeah well let's let's just focus on maybe a couple of their instances
or or scriptures that teach this doctrine and why why our course is titled what is it
is and redemption through the blood I love doctrine come and since in all the scriptures
Scott it's in all the standard works right that it's through his blood that we are purchased
it's through his blood that we are redeemed and saved a doctrine in covenant section 76
verse 69 this you know this amazing vision given to the prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney
Rigdon as a witness who see the father and the son they see Satan in the host of Satan
they see the celestial kingdom terrestrial kingdom telestial kingdom well in the description
I think of the celestial kingdom in doctrine come in 76 verse 69 Scott here it is these
are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant who
wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood there's no atonement
without the shedding of Christ's blood the perfect atonement wrought through the shedding
of Christ's blood it took the blood of a God to redeem us anyway and we're you know there's
so much symbol to blood itself Scott blood is a symbol of healing blood is a symbol of
cleansing of life over and over again by the way on that point over and over again in the
scriptures it talks about I'm John talks about it in revelations I think it's about seven
times in the Book of Mormon our garments are made white through the blood of the lamb we
are cleansed I mean it's it's it's said so many different ways but we are cleansed we
are saved we are redeemed we are made white our garments are made white through the blood
of Jesus Christ and you know I I've mentioned this before in our other seasons but it's
blood that cleanses blood I learned that in the dry cleaning business Scott you have to
have the same properties of blood to cleanse blood and we live in a in a world that is
full of sin and blood from the blood and sins of this generation Jesus Christ atonement
and his blood was necessary in order to cleanse our blood and the sins that we are all guilty
of so blood represents even the imperfectness of man blood is the corruptible part of man
there's just so many symbols associated with blood but more than the symbols it's the literal
we believe in the literal shedding of the blood of a God Jesus Christ that is absolutely
necessary to make the atonement his atonement perfect and have any power or efficacious
power in our life there's one more that I'd like to kind of point out in Moses chapter
six verse 59 yeah awesome and I and maybe we maybe this will be the last scripture that
we discuss around this and then I have another little insight that maybe I'd like to share
Dave but so this is Moses six fifty nine actually I'm going to do fifty eight and fifty nine
therefore fifty eight therefore I give unto you a commandment to teach these things freely
to your children and this this is God speaking to Adam and Eve right saying so this is good
good advice good direction for us as well to teach this to our children to our families
to each other that by reason of transgression come at the fall which fall bringeth death
and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water and blood and the spirit which I
have made and so become of dust a living soul even so you must be born again unto the kingdom
of heaven of water and of the spirit and be cleansed by blood even the blood of mine only
be gotten that ye might be sanctified from all sin and enjoy the words of eternal life
in this world and eternal life in the world to come even immortal glory I love that because
that encapsulates for us the reason we need it and this is Adam and Eve this is from the
very very beginning yeah the very first our very first parents the very first humans on
this earth were taught after being commanded to sacrifice a lamb that it would be through
the blood of the Son of God that redemption would be possible.
So you know we obviously have spent a lot of time this morning or today talking about
Jesus Christ purchasing us and the currency by which he purchased us his blood and why
is that important well maybe we can just touch on that the importance of that again for just
a second you know many know some don't that my experience is a little bit convoluted in
that I'm actually a recovering alcoholic and so my experience around the atonement I have
has been my own personal like it is for everybody's minds no more special or no less special than
anybody else's but but that what comes with that experience comes a bit of a maybe a different
perspective or maybe a different view and you know when I when I entered into the rooms
of Alcoholics Anonymous 25 years ago to tomorrow be 25 years from me by the way tomorrow's
the date.
Wow Scott.
Yeah so 25 years ago today and I was going through all kinds of hellish experiences that
were eventually because of the redemption redeemed and and I have become saved from all of that
but but it doesn't just come to those of us who have that experience by way of Scripture
you know sometimes we need ancillary and other types of help and and for me it came through
the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous the second step in the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
and I'm reading this from the book called Alcoholics Anonymous we call we we refer to
it as the big book we came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore
us to stance to sanity to restore us to sanity in other words to you know because of this
higher power we see that we know that higher power to be Jesus Christ the Son God the Father
the Father and the Holy Ghost we understand that but in order for any of those simulatio
simulations of sanity and you know and that's pretty presumptuous because a lot of us would
say well I never had any sense of sanity.
We're all crazy.
Exactly but I you know in the broader meaning of the word which is what the way it's intended
you know in order for us to be and we can see it as being restored to sanity we know
we came from a pre-existence we know that that restoration for us needs to take place
as well.
And by the way Scott the word redeemed another great synonym for that is restored.
Right yeah that's another synonym for redeemed.
So we're redeemed and we're restored through his blood and in order for that restoration
to happen I need to establish and you know we'll go through this more but you know we
go into steps four and five and then we you know which is a confession we go into six
and seven which is a relationship with him.
You know then we go to eleven which is a continued relationship with him and I won't get into
all of that today we'll probably talk about it some as we go but and this is true not
just for people in alcoholics anonymous and this but this is true for all of us in order
for us to have any restoration in our lives to have any kind of sense of stability any
sense of sanity if you will for lack of better word that has to happen and it can only happen
because of our alignment with Jesus Christ through his blood.
Yeah so let me ask you a question because maybe some other listeners are wondering the
same thing so obviously the big book.
Yeah and the twelve steps in alcoholics anonymous doesn't talk anything about the blood right
of Jesus it talks about believing in a power higher than yourself.
So based on your experience now I know Jew atheist agnostic Hindu whatever Christian
can be blessed by the by the big book and by alcoholics not even atheists.
You witnessed that.
Absolutely but how how has it been enhanced for you or for others that you know through
not just believing in a higher power but a perfect atonement wrought by the blood of
Christ.
Well it makes all the difference it doesn't make just a little bit of difference it makes
all the difference now you say well what do you mean by all the difference isn't the goal
isn't the objective in fact in our traditions we say that our primary purpose is to achieve
sobriety and help others to achieve to stay sober and to help other people to achieve sobriety
so that's our primary purpose but you know in order for me to have that working in my
life and I have to get congruent with all things in my life you know one of the slogans
that we have in alcoholics anonymous is that we practice these principles in all our affairs
well that requires me to align with my own congruency my own congruency is a testimony
of Jesus Christ right and I know through experience and through the experiences of others that
I've had the opportunity to sponsor and observe and many many probably most by a long shot
big majority not members of the church currently maybe have been but aren't currently and so
forth it's it our our our ability to receive not just restoration not just redemption not
just sanity not just to have our lives back free from the bondage of all the things that
can come with addiction and and those kinds of things but more than sobriety more believing
in a higher power that that helps you get there yeah that knowing about the blood and
the atonement of Jesus Christ that was shed for you right has a power of transformation
right totally power of restoration totally redemption yeah salvation yeah and ultimately
a relationship well and even in a sense of creation you know there's a lot of us think
of restoration and we think and we're wrong in this but we think well I just there's just
nothing more than my life in the in my life worth restoring either you know well okay then
let's change that then we can say that maybe it's not restoration for you maybe it's creation
for you and he can through the restoration through the redemption he can create for you
a life of happiness and peace yeah well I think it's got that what one of the things
that we we can do better at individually is and his families as a church is to better
understand and appreciate what the restoration has made available to each of us the knowledge
the knowledge and truth that the restoration makes available to each of us and for a for
example just one precious nugget of scripture that in the Book of Mormon when the Savior
appears to the people at the temple in bountiful and he appears as a resurrected being and you
you know the kind of context of this they the people are gathered at the temple there's
been widespread tremendous destruction and they they hear a voice they see a light they
finally look up and when they look up they they can actually begin to discern the voice
and they hear the voice of the father introducing introducing the son and the and as he comes
down out of heaven and he stretches forth his hand and I'm sure they see the wounds
and he says to them I think his introduction is just how would Jesus or how will Jesus
introduce himself when he appears what is it that Jesus would have us focus on when
it comes to us worshipping him what does he want us to know about him and so here is a
self introduction of Jesus to a group of people who have been looking for him he appears and
he says this is 30 5 11 verses 10 and 11 behold I am Jesus Christ whom the prophets testified
shall come into the world important the role of prophets right he wants to point that out
verse 11 behold I am the light and the life of the world life you always think of blood
light and the life of the world and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the father
has given me and have glorified the father in taking upon me the sins of the world in
the which I have suffered suffered the will of the father in all things from the beginning
if Elder Holland has reminded us it is the so what is he focus on here he focuses on
I've I've partaken in the bitter cup I was slain I have suffered for the sins of the
world Elder Holland has told us that it is through Christ and his suffering that allows
us to worship not some some being who stands there with a smile on his face beckoning to
us in a meadow it is the wounded Christ it is the wounded Christ that we that we worship
and it was so important to him that the first things that he asked these people to do is
to be baptized and to initiate the sacrament and when he initiates the sacrament he tells
them this shall ye always do that those who repent and are baptized in my name and ye
shall do it in remembrance of my blood which I have shed for you that's what he wanted
them to know I have shed my blood for you and everything you do and Scott I know this
is true everything that we do in the church should help us to remember the blood he shed
for us we should see that in everything that we do in all the ordinances in all of the
covenants that's what we should be focused on and he has told us commanded us look unto
me in every thought doubt not fear not behold the wounds the this is the words of Jesus
Christ in doctrine come to section six behold the wounds which pierce my side and the prince
of the nails in my hands and feet that's what he wants us to focus on because he knows
of the power that comes as we focus upon his suffering in the shedding of his blood and
I think the power that comes is the effect that it has on you on me and all of our listeners
in that it not only humbles us not not only causes us to fill remorse for the sins and
the blood that we all are guilty of but what it does for me Scott it fills me with such
deep gratitude which then gives me great desires right to love him to follow him to to be like
him to be like him to when we know that he has purchased us when we know that we are
not our own there's there is a redemptive power in just that that knowledge that testimony
that he he purchased me I am not my own it's it's maybe not so much who am I yeah but maybe
even more it's who's am I who's am I and that makes all the difference and who is he we'll
talk more about that next week we talk about the premortal existence the the plan of redemption
in the premortal existence and the rebellion that broke out and a little bit more about
identity and who we are all important for us to know and it's important to know why
we need to know it and I hope that that you know maybe through the week between these
two episodes that we can be taking that into consideration it's really easy I think for
all of us and and I know it's true for me to to to just go to to really just take for
granted that we know why we need a savior that we know why things needed to happen the
way that they needed to happen we we we understand the wrestle between justice and mercy we understand
all of those things at least we think we do well gang as we go through this week our invitation
will be to you John 17 three this is life eternal that they might know the please come
to know him the way that we need to know him so that when we have fears when we have doubts
you know and David made reference to this doctrine in covenant section six beginning
thirty six look to me in every thought doubt not fear not and then he extends he have an
invitation to behold the wounds which pierced my side and also the prince of the nails in
my hands and my feet and so when when he's inviting us to take upon us his atonement
to doubt not to fear not and truly the atonement of Jesus Christ and the power that comes through
that atonement dissipates all doubt dissipates all fear but where's he inviting us to come
David's made that quite clear today that he's inviting us to come to the cross to the garden
and even to the garden tomb where the resurrection take took place and it's got to come to know
him a further invitation I would leave with our listeners is to maybe make it a personal
study on your own about the the titles of savior redeemer and all of the other titles
that will inspire you to come to know him but I think that it's it's really edifying
and uplifting and there's a certain power in understanding particularly the title of
redeemer right and and also savior and creator and those titles I think those three titles
come up the mission of Jesus Christ as well as anything and and they don't mean the same
thing they are they all mean something different and as well as all the other titles but I
would just invite them to look up the word redeem and to to study the word redeem or
to study the the terms redemption versus the term salvation it's I think really interesting
edifying and enlightening and invite listeners to do that to come to know him thanks so much
Dave thanks for being with us gang we appreciate your participation and again don't hesitate
to send us emails with your questions etc. at he redeems us at gmail.com thanks again
for being with us we look forward to being with you each and every week and until we
see you or talk to you again next week be well