034. Without the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ there would be no resurrection of our bodies.
Author's Note: The Bible Dictionary says that atonement "describes the setting 'at one' of those who have been estranged, and denotes the reconciliation of man to God. Sin is the cause of the estrangement, and therefore the purpose of atonement is to correct or overcome the consequences of sin. From the time of Adam to the death of Jesus Christ, true believers were instructed to offer animal sacrifices to the Lord. These sacrifices were symbolic of the forthcoming death of Jesus Christ, and were done by faith in Him (Moses 5:5-8." (BD:617)
Hugh W. Nibley depicts atonement in this manner: "There is not a word among those translated as 'atonement' which does not plainly indicate the return to a former state or condition; one rejoins the family, returns to the Father, becomes united, reconciled, embracing and sitting down happily with others after a sad separation. We want to get back, but to do that we must resist the alternative, being taken into the community of the 'prince of this world' (John 12:31)." ("The Meaning of the Atonement," p. 26)
Bruce R. McConkie defines atonement: "To atone is to . . . pay the penalty. Thus the atonement of Christ is designed to ransom men from the effects of the fall of Adam in that both spiritual and temporal death are conquered; their lasting effect is nullified." (DGSM:23)
Redemption is tied into Atonement and is defined by Bruce R. McConkie thus: "Redemption is of two kinds: conditional and unconditional. Conditional redemption is synonymous with exaltation or eternal life. It comes by grace of God coupled with good works and includes redemption from the effects of both the temporal and spiritual fall. . . . Unconditional redemption is redemption from the effects of the temporal but not the spiritual fall. It consists in obtaining the free gift of immortality but being denied 'the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.' (Moses 5:11) It comes by grace alone without works." (Mormon Doctrine, p. 623)
033. The Atonement of Christ secures the universal and unconditional resurrection of the body for both the wicked and the righteous.
Every creature that is born in the image of God will be resurrected from the dead. . . . But just as sure as we go down into the grave, through the transgression of our first parents, by whom death came into the world, so sure will we be resurrected from the dead by the power of Jesus Christ. It matters not whether we have done well or ill, whether we have been intelligent or ignorant, or whether we have been bondsmen or slaves or freemen, all men will be raised from the dead. (Millennial Star, March 1896, p. 162) DGSM:88
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (Letter to the Church at Corinth, Greece, about A.D. 55) 1 Corinthians 15:21-23
But besides this universal application of the atonement, whereby all men are redeemed from the effects of Adam's transgression both with respect to the death of the body and inherited sin, there is application of the same great sacrifice as a means of propitiation for individual sins through the faith and good works of the sinner. This twofold effect of the atonement is implied in the article of our faith now under consideration. The first effect is to secure to all mankind alike, exemption from the penalty of the fall, thus providing a plan of General Salvation. The second effect is to open a way for Individual Salvation whereby mankind may secure remission of personal sins . . . conditioned on individual compliance with prescribed requirements—"obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." AF:78-79
quoted by Mormon
Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands of death; for behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand before God, and be judged according to their works.
42. Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.
43. The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.
44. Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but everything shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.
45. Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption. (Amulek answers the lawyer Zeezrom, foretelling Christ's redemption of man and the final judgment, about 82 B.C.) Alma 11:41-45
The atonement of the Master is the central point of world history. Without it, the whole purpose for the creation of the earth and our living upon it would fail. . . .
[W]ithout it, no man or woman would ever be resurrected. . . . And so all the world, believers and nonbelievers, are indebted to the Redeemer for their certain resurrection, because the resurrection will be as wide as was the fall, which brought death to every man. CR1953Oct:34-35
Behold he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.
13. And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death. (Moroni addresses those who deny the revelations of God, A.D. 400-421) Mormon 9:12-13
So Jesus did for us something that we could not do for ourselves, through his infinite atonement. On the third day after the crucifixion he took up his body and gained the keys of the resurrection, and thus has power to open the graves for all men, but this he could not do until he had first passed through death himself and conquered. (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:128) DGSM:88
quoted by Nephi
And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel. (Jacob teaches the doctrine of the Atonement to the people of Nephi, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 9:12
Related Witnesses:
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? (Paul testifies before King Agrippa of the appearance of Jesus on the road to Damascus) Acts 26:8
recorded in Matthew
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53. And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. (Jesus is crucified and the first resurrection begins) Matthew 27:52-53
034. Without the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ there would be no resurrection of our bodies.
quoted by Nephi
Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more. (Jacob teaches the doctrine of the Atonement to the people of Nephi, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 9:7
He alone could make the sacrifice which would enable us to have our bodies and our spirits reunited in the due time of the Lord and then go back to the Father, thus reunited; and finally, body and spirit together, we might go on through all the eternities. CR1955Oct:23
Would he not be a wonderful friend? That is the kind of friend the world has in Jesus Christ. The mortgage of death was foreclosed, and death claimed its own. The grave received the body, and there it would stay forever and forever, were it not that Jesus Christ has interceded. He has settled with the holder of the mortgage. The price he paid was his life; in some way not yet perhaps fully comprehended and understood by us, he attained in that sacrifice a value of worth recognized, bartered for and exchanged and given to the holder of the mortgage and satisfied the claims upon these earth bodies. He has purchased us; he has redeemed us; he has bought us; and we belong to him. And now he proposed to give back these bodies glorified. (Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin J. Ballard, pp. 169-70) TLDP:50
What a dreadful situation we would have been in without this infinite atonement Our bodies returning to the dust there to remain forever; our spirits becoming subject to Satan, and we would have had no recourse. How grateful we should be for the mercies of our Eternal Father and his beloved Son that the way was opened for our escape. (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:138) TLDP:50-51
If there were no atoning sacrifice our bodies would rot and decay and remain forever in the grave—temporal death would reign supreme. If there were no atoning sacrifice our spirits, in bondage to sin, would be cast out of the presence of God forever—spiritual death would reign supreme. If there were no atoning sacrifice, as the Book of Mormon says, all men would be subject to death, hell, the devil and endless torment forever. ACR(Nuku'alofa)1976:21
035. We cannot receive a fulness of joy in the celestial kingdom without the resurrection, in which our spirits and our bodies are inseparably reunited.
The Lord has shown to us that the elements are eternal and that it requires the eternal union of spirit and element to obtain a fulness of joy. For the spirit part of man and the earthly, or temporal part just now, shall be united together perpetually, eternally, the body and the spirit being made one again, only joined together after the power of an endless life, that without that union a fulness of joy cannot be obtained. CR1914Oct:35
For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;
34. And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy. (Revelation received at Kirtland, Ohio, May 6, 1833) D&C 93:33-34
And the spirit and the body are the soul of man.
16. And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul.
17. And the redemption of the soul is through him that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.
18. Therefore, it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for the celestial glory;
19. For after it hath filled the measure of its creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God the Father;
20. That bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified. (Revelation received Dec. 27/28, 1832; the "olive leaf message of peace") D&C 88:15-20
He has purchased us; he has redeemed us; he has bought us; and we belong to him. And now he proposed to give back these bodies glorified. To those who keep the full law he promises to give a celestial body, full of celestial power and glory and splendor; and to those who keep the terrestrial law, a body not so glorious, but still glorious and splendid; and telestial bodies to those who keep the telestial law; thus he extends to each this privilege. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for man. (Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin J. Ballard, pp. 169-70) TLDP:50
Related Witnesses:
His real mission was to redeem man from the Fall of Adam by the atonement He made. We declare this is the greatest gift that ever came to man, for without it there would be no immortality of the soul, which is "the spirit and the body of man." ("I Am the Resurrection and the Life," IE1943Jan:63) TLDP:38
For the dead had looked upon the long absence of their spirits from their bodies as a bondage. (Vision regarding the Savior's visit to the spirits of the dead, Oct. 3, 1918) D&C 138:50
receiving the Word of the Lord
For as ye have looked upon the long absence of your spirits from your bodies to be a bondage, I will show unto you how the day of redemption shall come. . . . (Revelation received March 7, 1831) D&C 45:17
