Hey there everybody. Welcome out to another episode
of redeemed through his blood. I'm Scott Durfey
as always joined by uncle David. Yeah. Thanks.
Thankful to be here, Scott. We're winding down.
This is our second to the last episode that you
and I will be recording together. I'm glad you're
going to hold it together for 18 months. We'll
have Deb join us next week as we do our final
episode. We'll do that one on the events of Easter
and the meaning of Easter more than just the
events. We started. That was our maiden voyage.
That was our first. It was our very first season.
One episode one was Easter and three years ago.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it's been a while anyway.
So we've been we've been talking a lot about
the atonement of Jesus Christ. I mean, that's
the purpose of this whole podcast. But the last
couple of episodes, we've talked a lot about
what it covers. that we've talked about, the
one prior to that, kind of the foundation of
repentance and forgiveness, the course, the atonement
of Jesus Christ, of course, et cetera. So today
we're gonna kind of take off from where we left
off last week. Last week we were talking about
the atonement of Jesus Christ and what it covers.
And today we're gonna touch on the atonement
of Jesus Christ and. what it provides. Yeah,
you know, I kind of see it in these two categories,
Scott. Now, I know there's lots of different
ways to break this down, lots of different ways
to teach it and to discuss it. But I see it kind
of in these two general areas of what it covers,
which, by the way, is based on a Hebrew word.
I really based that on the Hebrew word kafar.
Kafar is kind of the Hebrew word of covered,
you know, like the cloud covering them by day
and the light by night, you know, it's just kind
of, Scott, the word kefar throughout the Old
Testament has significance to the Hebrews and
it's kind of the redemption of Jehovah and how
he provides that provides covers them. It's the
same as Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur kind of comes
from that same idea, the Kaffar, that they're
covered by the Messiah, by Jehovah. He covers
them. Even the story of Noah. the pitch that
they use to seal, to kafar, or cover the ark,
to seal it and protect it from the elements.
There's a lot of imagery there, too. One of the
meanings that it kind of seals it, covers it,
protects it. And I've always kind of thought
of it, I don't know what the Hebrews do, but
when I hear kafar, I just think of a warm comforter,
a blanket, I'm covered, I'm... You know, I'm
protected I anyway, I love that imagery that
the atonement of Christ covers us In many ways
we listed those and then I I also see the atonement
of Jesus Christ as a as a gift that provides
for us it provides so many things for us in fact,
let me just I'm just gonna run through this list
that I made and it's I'm sure it's incomplete
everyone should make their own list of how they
feel what the atonement of Jesus Christ provides
for them personally. But redemptive power, which
is mercy. Enabling power, which is grace. Compensatory
power, which makes all things equal. Or equity,
brings equity. Transformation or change of heart
and nature. reparation for sins and wrongs expiation
for man which means cleansing or to be become
clean propitiation for God which means his justice
is fulfilled reconciliation with one selves oneself
others and divinity justification sanctification
glorification perfection or wholeness suckering
and divine empathy strength beyond our own merits
of righteousness Healing, physical, spiritual,
and emotional healing trials and afflictions
consecrated for our gain and restored what was
lost and fixed what was broken, which is another
kind of a Hebrew term, which is Tikkun Olam,
a Hebrew word to, which means to repair the world,
to fix the world. That was another term that
they used often to describe. what the messiah
would do for them and that's an appropriate um
term because you know with the the the atonement
of jesus christ offsets the effects of the fall
of adam and eve which is the fall provides all
of that yeah so the atonement of christ covers
and provides and last week we talked about what
it covers this week we were going to just go
into maybe more depth on what it on what it provides
But before we do, hang on Dave, before you go
on, I'm just going to let our listeners know
that's quite a list. And if you're trying to
write all that down, don't bother. I'm going
to copy and paste that into the show notes for
this episode. So those, those will actually be
there in the show notes. Awesome. Yeah. I think
there's, um, I'm still adding to that list. That's
an imperfect list and I'm still adding and taking
away and kind of playing with that and hope our
listeners will do that. Yeah, it'll give our
listeners an opportunity to kind of a place to
start themselves. I want to eventually in my
study of scriptures as I study I'm making lists
of scriptures and as I listen to general conference,
old conference talks and this coming weekend
it'll be general conference again. I know everybody's
getting this a week later but to listen to the
prophets and to put down conference talks under
each one of these categories or list of scripture
verses That's kind of my next project so anyway
Before we really get into the list And I don't
really like lists, so I hate to call it that
but anyway Before we get into the powers that
the atonement of Jesus Christ provides us Want
to read this from President Nelson and this is
we've referenced this before Scott. I still hear
this Kind of mistake being made that takes a
long time to change a culture and to to change
You know some bad habits that we have in the
church but President Nelson was sensitive to
this eight years ago when he was president of
the Quorum of the Twelve this just a the year
not even a full year before he became president
of the church that he gave this talk and it's
pretty obvious that the 12 at least the quorum
of the 12 had been talking about this um even
the first presidency because president iring
and elder holland when they did a little fireside
for the youth in palmyra a face -to -face they
called it back in uh i think it was may of 2017
they um a girl from the United States they were
they had a list of questions from youth all around
the world and there was a girl from the United
States I think from Utah who said so how can
how can I access the atonement of Jesus how can
I access the atonement that was the question
well we rewatched that you and I just this morning
I wanted to revisit that and and what did you
notice? Oh my gosh. So first of all, this is
taking place at the Sacred Grove, the visitor
center there at the Sacred Grove. There's no
outside, you know, there's some squeaky clean
youth and young, I'm assuming, young single adults
potentially maybe. I think they're just youth,
I think they're up to 18. Okay, okay, so they're
all - 14 to 18, face to face. And they have this
opportunity to be meeting with, you're not supposed
to have favorites maybe, but two of my favorite
apostles, you're Holland and Eyring. I love how
Eyring cries when he gives it, I love it. He's
a little bit emotional. He's tender -hearted.
Yeah, and I love that because that emotion comes
through when this question is answered. So as
soon as the person, you can just see Elder Eyring.
In the beginning, before, he's just sitting relaxed,
just super calm and just as appropriate but relaxed
and all of that. When this question is being
asked, you can see him. The tension building
almost inside of him. And then as soon as it's
done, he puts his hand over Tilder Holland, almost
as if to say, I got this one. Right. You know,
right. And he almost jumps right out of his seat.
His face lightens up. Set up straight. He becomes
more alive than he was prior. Because he gets
to talk about what comes out of his chair, because
he gets to talk about what he has been called
to witness. And I love this. And you could tell
it's fresh on his mind. They've been talking
about it. And he says, you know, not there, there
isn't a more important question that could be
asked. That's exactly what he said. And then,
then he starts to go in to explain, uh, and maybe
in a very kind, sweet way, correct. This question
by saying, you know, we shouldn't speak of the
atonement as though it's its own thing There
is there's no an atonement without Jesus Christ
because again, the question was how can I access
the atonement and He picked up on that and he
went into the fact that we don't access the atonement
we have to learn how to access the power of Jesus
Christ because it's available to us through the
atonement. And then Elder Holland picks up on
that and through the administration of the Holy
Ghost. The atonement has no power. The power
is in Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice
administered into our lives through the Holy
Ghost. this is from President Nelson, which was
just a month before that face -to -face fireside
and President Nelson in general conference they
call everybody remember this but again we forget
so I'm just this is just a kind reminder and
I hope that we can all do better with this myself
included as Latter -day Saints we refer to his
mission the atonement of Jesus Christ which made
resurrection or reality for all and made eternal
life possible for those who repent of their sins
and receive any and keep essential ordinances
and covenants and then here it here comes the
prophetic correction and invitation it is doctrinally
incomplete To speak of the Lord's atoning sacrifice
by shortcut phrases such as Quote the atonement
or quote the enabling power of the atonement
When he when he said that my mind immediately
went to elder Bednar's talk he gave when he was
president at BYU, Idaho, and that was a term
that he used over and over in his talk the enabling
power of the atonement or third here's the third
one quote applying the atonement or quote being
strengthened by the atonement and we could add
the question that was asked in the face -to -face
or accessing the atonement these expressions
present a real risk of misdirecting faith by
treating the event as if it in italic it's italicized
as if it had a living existence and capabilities
independent of our Heavenly Father and his son
Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost under the Father's
great eternal plan it is the Savior who suffered
It is the Savior who broke the bands of death.
It is the Savior who paid the price for our sins
and Transgression and blots them out on condition
of our repentance. It is the Savior who delivers
us from physical and spiritual death There is
no amorphous entity called the atonement Upon
which we may call for sucker healing forgiveness
or power Jesus Christ is the source of that power
Sacred terms such as atonement and resurrection
Describe what the Savior did According to the
Father's plan so that we may live with hope in
this life and gain eternal life in the world
to come the Savior's atoning sacrifice the central
act of all human history is best understood and
appreciated when we expressly and clearly Connected
to him If it's not so so Scott that's president
Nelson April 2017 if you ever if we ever use
the term the atonement of Jesus Christ, it's
just really incomplete if it's not connected
to Jesus Christ Savior Redeemer Son of God so
that we understand clearly in our own minds and
as we try and attempt to teach it to others that
the power is not in the atonement. There's no
power in the atonement. The power is made possible
through the atonement by Jesus Christ. Jesus
Christ is the source of the power. And the Holy
Ghost administers, is the administrator and the
messenger of the atonement of Jesus Christ in
our lives. And there's lots of scriptures on
that. You know, I think that this is something
that we're still growing into. I still hear and,
you know, maybe I'm even guilty from time to
time when in my casual approach, perhaps. But
when I'm talking about Christ's power and his
atonement, the power that's made available through
his atonement, I still hear sometimes we talk
about when I say we, you know, as a group, as
a culture, as a church, we still sometimes talk
about. the atonement. So I know that we're making
progress along those lines, but this is again
something I think that will require our eternal
focus, because it really is a focus on Jesus
Christ. It's Jesus' power. Jesus' power is made
available to me because He atoned. It's what
He did. The atonement is what he did. The atonement,
Elder Holland in this same talk that we just
referenced even says the atonement's not just
something that's standing alone out in the field.
The atonement is what Jesus did to make his power
available. We're not sure of the atonement. Which
is administered the power of Jesus Christ, which
is administered again through the power of the
Holy Ghost. We're not we're not the Church of
Gethsemane. We're not the Church of Calvary We're
not the Church of the Atonement We are the Church
of Jesus Christ and all the power all the blessings
all That the Atonement of Jesus Christ covers
and provides Comes in flows into our life through
him because of him by administered by the Holy
Ghost into our lives. Jesus Christ is the source
of that power. So I just think that's really
important for our listeners to kind of wrestle
with if they haven't already and to make sure
that we kind of make that distinction and that
we make that correction. in how we discuss it.
Again, I don't think it's a sin. This discussion
kind of reminds me of when President Ezra Taft
Benson gave the talk on pride. And nobody could
use the word pride after that. Everybody said,
I'm very pleased with my family. They couldn't
say I'm proud of my family. Everybody just thought
any form of pride was wicked. I don't want anybody
to take this to an extreme, but I think what's
key here is just making sure we all understand
the source of the power. All that we're doing
here is redirecting or ensuring the direction
of our focus. We're just making sure that it's
him who's the center. Well, anyway, so let's
let's just see how far we can go Scott and So
we've always in this podcast talked about the
three powers the three powers of the atonement
As I like to think of it at least is the redemptive
power Which the scriptures call mercy and that's
where we're saved We're redeemed where we overcome
ours our sins where we're forgiven, this is kind
of the power to be forgiven and to redeemed and
to turn around and to face the Savior and move
in His direction, this redemptive power. And
the enabling power, which I think the term for
that is grace, at least according to the Bible
dictionary, which Elder Bednar picked up long
before he was an apostle and gave that amazing
amazing talk in The Strength of the Lord, and
over and over again how the Book of Mormon especially
talks about the strength of the Lord. That's
a really awesome, by the way, topic to research
if our listeners want a fun topic. do a little
scripture study on the strength of the Lord.
We call that grace, and that's the enabling power
that enables us to do things beyond our own.
And then we have the compensatory powers that
are available to us through Jesus Christ and
his atonement. And I think those compensatory
powers are somewhat, somewhat unconditional,
Scott. Um, the redemptive power, I think is conditional.
The enabling power is mostly conditional, but
I think the compensatory powers that flow into
our life are mostly unconditional because all
of the, uh, I get unfairness of life. The things
that, um, We didn't choose the things that are
acted upon us, the abuse that one may suffer
or the conditions one may be born into, that
there are compensatory powers. There is an equity
available to us through the atonement of Jesus
Christ that the brethren have. have chosen to
call and that that's a term compensatory power
is a is kind of a new latter half's 20th century
term in the in the church that really really
began really in that not until like the 1980s
they I think they began to use this term occasionally
and I'll bet we'll hear it again in general conference
this weekend the compensatory powers of Jesus
Christ and his atonement. Can I make a comment
around compensatory powers? You said, and I agree
with you, that probably most of the compensatory
powers are unconditional. However, for some of
us... a lot of people have had things that have
happened to them. And when we think, okay, if
the compensatory blessings are unconditional,
then when do I feel the effects of that blessing?
So we know that in eternity, that those compensatory
blessings are probably unconditional for that
soul. In order for us - It affects their judgment.
Yeah, exactly. But we can still heal or have
some level of healing potentially, from those
traumas, from those things in our lives that
are in the past, and it is only through our alignment,
through Christ's atonement, that we can feel
that blessing in our lives here. So sure, there's
an unconditional part, but there's a conditional
part too, which requires our effort in aligning
that we might feel the compensatory blessings
while still in this life. Yeah, yeah, that's
true. You know, I think that one of the scriptures
that goes along with this is, Um, and if men
come unto me, I will show unto them their weakness.
I give unto men weakness that they may be humble.
And if they humble themselves before me, and
then he says, and my grace is sufficient. My
grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves
before me. And if they humble themselves before
me and have faith in me. then will I make weak
things become strong unto them. This is obviously
the enabling power because it's the strengthening
and enabling powers of the atonement of Jesus
Christ, but I also think it it applies to the
compensatory powers of our lives as well. It's
the scripture and I've told the whole story about
connected with this scripture in Doctrine and
Covenants. Section 4615, that Jesus Christ administers
the atonement of Jesus Christ and his mercy into
our lives according to our conditions. That the
atonement of Jesus Christ's mercy is applied
in our life according to conditions. That's kind
of the compensatory powers, Scott. And it's related
to later in the list. It's related to the suckering
and divine empathy and some of those gifts as
well that are available to us through through
Jesus Christ and his atonement so anyway, I refer
to those three powers the redemptive power Mercy
enabling power grace and the compensatory power
It'll make life fair. Well then we have all of
these, I'm gonna rattle off this list. Transformation,
reparation, expiation, propitiation, reconciliation,
justification, sanctification, glorification,
and perfection. That's a lot of shuns. Yes it
is. That's a lot of shuns. Which one? Which one
do you wanna? I wanna talk about transformation,
change of heart and nature. We've kind of already
done that, so transformation. We've kind of already
done that as we talk about the enabling and the
redemptive and the compensatory power powers.
I think that we'll probably find those top three
will kind of weave their way into all of this.
Yeah, for sure, for sure. But when we talk about
transformation, a couple of weeks ago, three
or four weeks ago, and as a matter of fact, tonight
in Institute World, we're gonna be focusing on
this because we had a young, we've actually had
several questions about how do I change? How
much work should I do and then rely on the savior,
you know, and all that. So transformation is
how do we change? How do we become different
than we currently are? 27, 28 years ago, I was
stuck and I needed transformation and I was hopeless.
I just couldn't find transformation, thank goodness.
Well. literally thank God for the atonement of
Jesus Christ because it was then, and it was
only through the atonement of Jesus Christ that
transformation began to take place in my life.
And I'm still in that process of transformation
through the atonement of Jesus Christ. We all
are. We all are and we all need it. But I really,
this may be too strong for some people and you'd
have to know my mind and heart. I really believe,
Scott, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not
about conforming. It's not about performing.
It's about Christ transforming us into saints,
which again is mosaic 319. The natural man is
an enemy to God and has been from the fall of
Adam and will be forever and ever. Unless he
yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and
put us off the natural man through the atonement
of Jesus Christ our Lord That's the gospel that's
the gospel that's the heart and soul of the matter
is it's not about Conforming it's not about performing
which I think some Latter -day Saints get so
caught up in conforming and performing It's about
a relationship with Christ and allowing him to
transform us, being transformed. Christ transforming
us through the atonement of Jesus Christ, through
his grace, through his mercy, through all of
that. That's really the gospel system. So I just
think that's critical that people think of the
gospel. If we're not, if we're not being transformed,
if there's no transformation, Scott, if we can't
change, not just behaviors, repentance, remember
what repentance is not. It is not just a change
of behaviors. It's a change of nature and it's
a change of heart and mind. So I, I just think
that's. One of the real beautiful things about
the atonement of Jesus Christ is that through
him we can be transformed Any others stick out
to you? You know, I'm actually just going in
order. Reparation for sins and wrongs committed.
This is also a very big one for me. And again,
you know, this is going to tie back into one
of the original three, specifically the compensatory
power. You know, when I think of reparation for
sins or wrongs I've committed, that is. What
is it? What does reparation mean to you? To repair.
To make right. To make what was wrong right.
To make wrong in your life right or to make wrong
because of your sins in the lives of others right?
Both, both, but what I'm thinking of right now
is making what I, the sins, the discomforts in
life that I've caused others because of my sins.
That's the reparation. I'm concerned about repairing
my own life. My focus tends to lately be, oh
boy, I need to really figure out how do I make
reparation, but I don't make reparations in those
lives. And I can't, and I'm so grateful when
I was able to grasp the understanding of that.
concept that it's not I mean I need to do what
I can and I need to align I need to show love
and gratitude for him make all the restitution
you can I do I need to do all that but but I
need to know that no matter how hard I try it
will always be inadequate right and so what I
really need to focus on is my relationship with
deity so that the blessings the compensatory
blessings of the atonement of Jesus Christ they're
gonna happen whether I participate in them or
not for other people, but this is going to help
that reconciliation within me as far as, I mean,
I see a therapist, and I was talking to him just
a couple of nights ago, and he said to me, he
says, Scott, what's your biggest fear? And I
had to think about it, but I didn't have to think
too long, but I said, my biggest fear is that
I won't be able to make the wrongs that I've
caused others, right? And that's just a lie right
off the bat, isn't it? That I can't make them
right? Because I don't have the power to make
them right anyway. You can't do it anyway. Who
do I think I am? Whose place am I putting me
in? And that's pretty... Man, that's a lot of
pressure, Scott. It's not almost. It's kind of
blasphemous. It's kind of blasphemous because
you set yourself up to be like a god. But I think
that you can repair everything, all the damage
that you've done. You know, so here we get into
some psychoanalysis, but what some of that is
also is me listening to the accuser. Yeah. Right.
Accuser and psycho. Cycle babble, yeah. Cycle
babble. Yeah, that's good, that's good, I haven't
heard that term. So anyway, Scott, I love that,
the reparation for sins, and I love the way you
think of it, and that's how I think of it. I
mean, to the extreme, if one has stolen someone's
virtue, only God can make reparations for that
and restore. that person's virtue. But I believe
that's the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
That person's virtue will be restored. Honestly,
the brethren have said that. That there is nothing
that cannot be repaired or restored through Jesus
Christ and his atonement. That's the power. Jesus
suffered it. Therefore he owns it. Therefore
he can restore it. And he does. And if one has
faith in that, they can receive the blessings
of it. And even if they have no knowledge of
it. And that's important. Even if they have no
knowledge of it. That's important. The atonement
of Jesus Christ, God blesses their lives. Because
it would be wrong for me to think that if I don't
apply the atoning blood of Jesus Christ in my
life, reparation can never be made or compensatory
blessings can never be had by those that I want.
Exactly. That's wrong. And even if they don't
have the gospel in their life. They can still
receive those blood. They will receive. They
may not recognize them. They may not fully enjoy
them if they don't have faith in Jesus Christ.
but those blessings are there for them. That's
the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Expiation
is just kind of the Hebrew, expiation, propitiation.
These are two terms that are used in the Bible,
and I love them both, and I've studied them both,
but expiation is kind of for man. That the atonement
of Jesus Christ cleanses us the cleansing is
offered that that were washed you knew you before
you go into the the the ancient Tabernacle you
would make some expiation by washing yourself
Before you went into the temple and it's a it's
a cleansing that is offered to us the propitiation
is is that the Atonement of Jesus Christ that
the Savior that he fulfilled the demands of justice
that the demands of justice, which God being
a God had to, you know, even he obeys laws and
the law of justice was fulfilled through the
propitiation of the God's son. So that covers
those. Reconciliation. Now let's pause on this
one for a minute. Reconciliation. That means
coming to oneself, Scott. Being reconciled this
about the relationship, you know to have a relationship
to really Become true with myself to even stand
myself to end with others my standing with others
and Reconciliation with God the Godhead the Father
the Son the Holy Ghost. This is a big one When
I think of the word reconciliation, this is this
can also imply now hear me out But this can also
imply restitution. When I need to reconcile something,
I need to make wrongs right. I need to balance
things where things are out of balance. When
I reconcile a checkbook, we don't do that anymore,
but when we do those kinds of things, we're putting
things into balance that are out of balance,
and that's reconciliation. So reconciliation,
and you have this divided into three categories.
You have reconciliation with oneself. And so
how do I get true with myself? Who is the atonement
of Jesus Christ? through integrity to my beliefs,
through integrity to my faith in his name, through
my integrity to faith in Jesus Christ even, and
all of those other things. That's reconciliation
to self. But now my reconciliation to others.
This is where, and I'm talking about earlier,
transformation and reparation, this is where
reconciliation and reparation can really kind
of join hands, for example. If I'm in order maybe
to repair a relationship or to make a wrong right,
which is to infer reparation, to repair something.
So if I'm going to make this wrong right, then
that's going to require effort on my part. Effort
that I may not be able to muster myself, that
I probably won't. In fact, I'm sure I won't because
I'm a fallen man and that fallenness... makes
that almost an impossibility for me. And so in
order for me to make reconciliation to others,
I need to have the enabling power of Jesus Christ's
atonement at work in my life to strengthen me,
to provide the grace that I need to myself so
that I'll have the courage to make reparation
or reconciliation or to make a restitution. in
a situation where it needs to be. And through
all that, and again, I'm not earning my good
standing with God, I'm not earning my way to
heaven by doing these things, but what I'm doing
is I'm demonstrating my love for God and the
gift of his son and the power of his son that's
made available to me through his atonement by
aligning myself with his will. Yeah, I love that,
Scott. Yeah, instead of being bankrupt. Yeah.
you are becoming an heir with God, you are becoming
a partner with others, and you are becoming one
with yourself. Reconciliation, there's a lot
more needs to be said about that, but as you
were talking, this seems to be one that is really
covered in the addiction recovery program, right?
Maybe all of these are, but that reconciliation,
we do spend, and reparation, and transformation,
and compensatory enabling and redemption. We
spend a lot of time on those, but you're saying
that on the reconciliation because we really
cannot be, the expiation in our lives cannot
be fulfilled if reconciliation in our lives is
not also. and this is where you make the list
of all those. All those we have harmed and we
become willing to make amends. The word willing
to make amends to them all, except one to do
so would injure them or others. Reparation takes
a lot of work, but we can never do it by ourselves.
And same with reconciliation. Well, that's awesome.
Now justification, sanctification, and glorification.
You know, I was in my 40s, I was driving across
the plains out in the Midwest somewhere, probably
some cornfield in Illinois or Iowa, and I used
to love to listen to Christian radio stations
out there. In fact, there was one place, I think
this was in Iowa, there was one place I was kind
of isolated. and I went through the whole radio
and trying to find something. This is before
we had all the technology that we have today.
And I found four, I found 10 radio stations.
I could only pick up 10 radio stations. And every
one of them was a small town Christian radio
station. There were 10 radio stations and every
one of them were Christian radio stations. And
I came to love the radio stations, Christian
radio stations of the Midwest. Why did you love
them? I just loved them. I just loved to listen
to people, you know, proclaim Christ and talk
about Jesus. And I used to just think, wow, you
know, I'd love to meet this man and share with
him my thoughts and feelings and thank him, really
thank him. They were endearing to me. I have
two that I listen to. One of them, believe it
or not, is actually headquartered, I think, in
Payson, Utah. Oh, cool. Yeah, just a little radio
station. But they syndicate with one out of Chicago
for a good portion of the day. Moody Baptists.
Yeah, Moody is great. Christian organization,
no doubt about it, the Moody Bible. I mean, it
goes out way, way back. Yeah, but there was a
reason you started down that. So, anyway, I'm
going to, and this minister is waxing eloquently
about how Jesus Christ, for Jesus Christ, we
can be justified, sanctified, and glorified.
I just, I'll never forget that. It really resonated
with me. Now I know the Book of Mormon. I know
the Doctrine and Covenants talks about justified
and sanctified in the same verse. And I, that's
kind of how I saw it, right? Justified is to
be made right. You know, it's kind of a legal
term that you're forgiven by the judge. Your
sins are requited. You know, that you're forgiven.
That's justified. And to be sanctified means
that you're made holy. You become you become
holy you begin to abhor sin That's that's sanctified,
but I had never I had never finished the trio
or the triad and put glorified with those first
two terms You know justified sanctified glorified
and how they're connected And I'm indebted to
that minister for giving me the third one of
that trinity of the effects of the atonement
of Jesus Christ in my life. I love—we just read,
right? Come follow me in Doctrine and Covenants,
Section 20, that we believe. I love how— The
kind of the Constitution of the Church in Section
20 says we believe that we are justified, that
we are sanctified, but one can fall from grace.
And we believe that we're glorified. All the
glorification that we will receive in this life
and the next is through the Atonement of Jesus
Christ. I love putting those three words together,
Scott, and thinking of them in those terms. It's
like one leads to the other. Yeah. Yeah. I mean,
so, you know, justification, that makes me right.
Sanctification, because I've been made right,
now I can be sanctified. Yeah, it makes you holy.
Now I can be made holy. Yeah. Glorification,
now I can be made better. Yeah, become an heir
and become like God. Yeah. Yeah, I just... Love
thinking about those three terms together. And
then the next one, the last shun is perfection.
I love the scripture in Moroni, right? 1032,
Scott? Oh man, this is not one of our great scriptures.
And by the way, I use scriptures as my passwords
on my computer. I use different terms on my...
passwords and I won't tell you which one's which,
but I love the Moroni 1032 scripture and I love
actually Doctrine and Covenants 7669, Scott.
So let's kind of read those two together. All
right. I'm going to start with Moroni 1032. Yeah.
Yeah. Come unto Christ and be perfected in him.
Perfected in him. and deny yourselves all ungodliness,
and if you shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness
and love God with all your heart, mind, and strength,
then is his grace sufficient for you, that by
his grace ye may be perfect in Christ, and if
by the grace of God you're perfect in Christ,
you can in no wise deny the power of God. Isn't
that awesome? Perfect in Christ, God. That's
the perfection we're talking about here, and
that's only through grace That's only through
the enabling in power of grace that we can become
perfect in Christ Perfection one should think
of perfection is never doing it. Nothing wrong
Once you think of perfection is I am perfect
in Christ Christ Atonement covers me and the
Christ -atonement provides for me, and I am perfect
in Christ because of my relationship with Him.
And then this scripture in 76 -69 describes those
who go to the celestial kingdom. All those who
go to the celestial kingdom—I just love this
one -verse description of those in the celestial
kingdom—76, Doctrine and Covenants, verse 69.
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. Perfect atonement.
And this is the only way I can become perfect.
Read it again one more time. These are they who
are just men made perfect through Jesus. Made
perfect through Jesus. The mediator of the new
covenant, who wrought out. this perfect atonement
through the shedding of his own blood. It should
cause us to think about perfection differently.
You know, perfection is not through my efforts.
Perfection is through Jesus. Just men made perfect
through Jesus. That's who goes to the celestial
kingdom. And that kind of encapsulates justification,
sanctification, glorification as well, you know,
the point ahead of it. Perfection may be swallowed
up in that. And then I have the term wholeness
next to perfection. I love the, there's five
times in the scriptures, five times, which is
kind of the atonement number to me because of
the nails. I think of the nails and then I think
about the events atonement of Christ. And anyway,
wholeness. There's five times in the scriptures
where God heals someone and then he says, thou
art made whole. Thou art made whole. And I've
often wondered what does that mean to be made
whole? And I think that that's what perfection
through Jesus really means. Perfection through
Jesus means that we have a certain wholeness
that we've been We've become whole. So, uh, that's
all the shuns. Let's, uh, then now I, these are,
these are somewhat, let me, let me connect some
of these suckering and divine empathy, uh, and,
and healing physical, spiritual, and emotional.
Let's maybe talk about those two together. My,
when I think of this one, I think of Alma chapter
seven. Sure. And I'm just gonna read it. He said
this is chapter 7 verses 11 through 13 He shall
go for suffering pains and afflictions and temptations
of every kind and this that the word might be
fulfilled which saith that he will take upon
him the pain and sickness of his people and he
will take upon him death that he may lose the
bands of death which bind his people and he will
take upon Him their infirmities that his bowels
may be filled with mercy according to the flesh
that he may know according to the flesh how to
succor his people according to their infirmities.
Now the Spirit knoweth all things. Nevertheless,
the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh,
that he might take upon him the sins of his people,
that he might blot out their transgressions according
to the power of his deliverance. And now behold,
this is the testimony which is in me. Divine
suffering and divine empathy, Scott. Again, this
is a little bit of a doctrinal refinement. wouldn't
say it's a change of doctrine, but a doctrinal
refinement that in the last half of the 20th
century, the brethren began to quote that verse
more often and began to teach in greater detail
the importance of this aspect of Jesus Christ
and his atonement, as succoring. We may all of
us remember when Elder Holland You know talked
about what the word suckering means to run to
their aid Jesus Christ will run to our aid And
has the power to do so now because of his atonement
the divine empathy that elder Maxwell used to
talk about that use that term divine empathy
and that Christ fit felt all that we felt he
suffered all that we suffered in Gethsemane and
on the cross, and he knows how we feel. I remember
Elder Holland talking about this aspect of the
atonement of Christ and saying, well, Christ
was never divorced, and yet how does he know
how that feels? And then he said, I don't know
how that works, but I know that through the atonement
of Jesus Christ, he felt every emotional mental,
physical, spiritual pain that man and woman and
child, anyone on this earth, member of the church,
not member of the church, all of God's children,
Christ felt it and he understands it. That's
one of the most important parts of the scripture
that I just read in Alma 7 to me. The most important
part of one of the most important parts of this
to me is and he shall go for suffering pains
and afflictions and temptations of every kind
every kind pains Temptations afflictions of every
kind every side and for all So he he somehow
I don't know how that was made possible, but
he somehow knows what it's like to suffer as
a drug addict. He knows what it's like to suffer
as an alcoholic. He knows what it's like to suffer
the abuses of abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse,
and all the other abuses. Somehow, through Christ's
atonement, through the power of the atonement,
while he was in Gethsemane, while he was hanging
on the cross, he suffered those things, and he
experienced those things. I have no doubt about
that. Yeah, well that's what we believe, and
that's what the prophets have taught, and how
indebted we are to for that scripture, which
he taught in, I think that was the city of Gideon
in Alma seven. I mean, that is just sublime,
one of the most sublime teachings of the Book
of Mormon. You know, let me just kind of say.
one or two things more on that. You know, I'm
divorced and I'm a recovering drug addict and
I'm a recovering alcoholic and I have suffered
other things and on and on. And Christ's atonement
has justified those things for me. And the justification
and the empowering and the glory and the sanctification
and the glorification, that's a process. It doesn't
just happen and oh gosh, that was good, I'm glad
it's done now. It's a continual qualifying for
on my part as I... in line with him, which is
a daily thing for me. But I know he knows what
it's like to suffer what I suffered because it
was only with him and through him that I found
relief from that. I know he knows what that is.
So that's really important, Scott, because it's
one thing to know that he understands it, that
he feels it, but so what? How does that help
me? Yeah, well, I know how it helped me, for
sure. And here's the other thing, Dave, that
help. And I know this because for 19 years I
tried to find it another way that help could
not come any other way One never wants to go
through those things one never wants to experience
those things but to know that Jesus did I Don't
know it doesn't make your relationship more special
with Jesus than my relationship, because I haven't
gone through those things. But it makes it my
special relationship. Wow. Yeah. Well, that's
sweet. And to think about the, think about all
of the sicknesses, Scott. Yeah, yeah. All of
the emotional, I think the mental, mental and
emotional, you know, the depression. They're
so difficult. Are the worst sicknesses. So difficult,
yeah. Maybe worse than... I can't judge, but
maybe worse than cancer, maybe worse than physical
would be the mental illnesses. That's definitely
been my experience and I've had some of that
experience personally, but I sponsor guys that
really, oh, I just have no idea. And it's difficult
for me because I don't know. the depths to which
they're going through and the only thing I can
do is encourage a relationship with someone who
does. Thank God for the atonement of Jesus Christ
and the last few here. Merits of righteousness.
Merits of righteousness. I think of Lehi to Jacob
here. I think we referenced that scripture again
last week. But, uh, you know, that I know that
you are saved through the, uh, through the righteousness
of your Redeemer. You know, man can merit nothing
of himself that if we have any merits of righteousness,
we have any righteousness at all. You know, it's
not, it's not sanctified or consecrated for our
gain or to our benefits. God, if it weren't for
the atonement of Jesus Christ, it's like, um,
Brother Matthews used to always say, if I could
keep every commandment, if I could keep every
commandment without Jesus Christ, I would still
go to hell. Now think about that for a minute.
Um, he's the one that makes anything good that
we do at all to be efficacious, whether we know
it or not. and turn that into a merit of righteousness.
Without man can merit nothing. This is scripture,
Alma 22, and in other places, man can merit nothing
of himself. Meaning that without Jesus Christ,
if I could keep every commandment, I would still
go to hell. And one reason I would is because
without the resurrection, Without Jesus Christ
in the atonement and the resurrection, which
overcame not only physical death, but spiritual
death, we would all be the sons of perdition.
We would all be sons and daughters of Satan without
his redeeming us. Second Nephi chapter nine,
verses seven through nine. Yeah. Very clear.
That's right. That we would all become the sons
and daughters of Satan. So. Merits of righteousness.
Anything that we do, it would mean nothing if
it weren't for the atonement of Jesus Christ,
Scott. And then all the trials and afflictions
that we suffer in this life are consecrated for
our gain through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
I think that's mostly unconditional. I think
that's for everyone. All the suffering that we
go through in this world, which we didn't choose.
Sometimes it's our mistakes. Sometimes it's the
consequences of, of our own poor choices or foolishness.
But many of the trials and afflictions we suffer
in this life are not of our choice. And those
are unconditionally, all of those are unconditionally
covered that they will be consecrated for our
gain that because we tasted the bitter will know
the sweet. and that through Jesus Christ, even
the worst things can become joy and experience
for us. So, again, this is one that is, for me,
similar to the one that we were talking about
earlier, I think the transformation. I agree,
I think this is probably mostly an unconditional.
However, in order for us to really, reap the
benefits of Christ's atonement as it applies
to certain trials and afflictions in our life
here in this life, it does require some alignment
on our part so that we can have access. In order
to feel it. Correct. In order to experience joy
from it. Yeah. In order to have peace. In order
to see the compensatory blessings. You've got
to, you have to exercise faith in Jesus Christ
and his atonement to experience all those blessings
here. But all people will be blessed in eternity
for the trials, afflictions, any suffering that
they did not choose or bring on themselves. And
that's only through Christ's atonement. And that's
only fair and it's only right. There's so many
people, I pray all the time, Scott, that my children
may feel, not just believe in the effects of
the atonement of Jesus Christ, but feel the effects
of the atonement of Jesus Christ in their life,
and that they may feel the love of God in all
of this. That they won't just believe it or say
it. but that they will feel it. They'll feel
the love of God. My kids, I'm just gonna be transparent
and honest here, aren't talking much about God.
They're not talking much about going to church.
They're not talking much about the effects of
the atonement of Jesus Christ. In fact, most
of them, their efforts are in the other direction
right now. So I just learned that from you, I'm
gonna start praying that they will feel the effects
of the atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives.
Because it's there for them. Yeah. Oh, yeah,
absolutely. It is so there for them. And he's
already suffered it. He's already paid for it.
He's already made it available to all of God's
children. But will they receive it? And will
they feel it and enjoy the blessings of it here
and now? Right. Even though I know that, you
know, they're all gonna feel it in the next life.
Yeah. When every knee bows and every knee confesses.
Yeah. Anyway, Scott, I... restored, the last
one restored what was lost and fixed what was
broken. And I just hear the voice of Elder Neil
L. Anderson in the prison, speaking to a prisoner
who asked him, really Elder Anderson? Really?
What is there for us? Because what does the gospel
offer us? Because some of us have lost everything.
And Elder Anderson coming up on his toes. And
his voice being louder than I think I've ever
heard it as he exclaimed Because of the atonement
of Jesus Christ you have lost nothing That cannot
be restored to you. I I Felt the power of that
Scott. I know every one of the prisoners and
the prison that day felt the power of that I
hope they remember it and will act on it and
that through their faith in Christ I know I believe
that All things can be restored and all things
fixed all things restored that was lost and all
things fixed that were broken That's that's the
jesus that I believe in and I believe in the
jesus of the first watch second watch third watch
and fourth watch That it's a matter of timing
is his And timing is his alone it will be restored
and it will be fixed if they desire it and if
they call upon it and if they have the faith
to receive it and We can't stop talking about
this without talking about again the sacrifice
of the father in all of this Scott that We'll
talk about Easter next week, but You know the
effects of all of this is only possible because
the father loved all of his children enough to
Send his son and I think one of my one of my
favorite all -time scriptures in the standard
works is John 3 16 and 17 Which says for God
so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
son That whosoever believeth in him Should not
perish but have everlasting life But verse 17
Scott is not as quoted as often. I love this
For God gave not his son unto the world to condemn
the world But that the world through him Jesus
Christ may be saved He didn't give us the son
to condemn the world he gave us the son to save
the world, to restore the world, to heal the
world, to do all that we've talked about. And
I'm really thankful for the love of God, his
condescension to come to the earth and make a
way possible for the sun to fill all the effects
of the fall, and yet being a God to be able to
suffer it, not just for himself, but for you,
for me, for everyone. who's ever lived on the
earth or who will ever live on the earth. And
express my love and praise and glory to God for
that. Thanks Dave. As we prepare for Easter coming
up, I hope that our hearts and our minds are
single to the glory of God, his son, and all
that that is. I hope that our Easter experience
will be above any that we've ever had before.
Thanks for being with us today. We appreciate
it very much. We look forward to being with you
again next week, and until then, be well.