(CCR Nov 92, amended May 2025))
Etymology: English: at-one-ment: agreement, reconciliation, unification. Greek: katallage: drastic change. Hebrew: kaphar, kippur: to cover, expiate.
The parts of the Atonement of Christ:
- The suffering: Christ took upon himself all of the pain ever suffered by any and all human beings, but especially that caused by anyone sinning (breaking the commandments of God).
- The sacrifice: Christ voluntarily gave up his potentially non-ending mortal life. Because he was the literal son of God the Father, he inherited the ability to live forever as a human being. Because he was the son of mortal Mary, he could die a mortal death if he so chose. He chose to die on the cross, thus sacrificing all the good he could have done in an unending mortal life.
- The restitution: Every sin (breaking a commandment of God) involves a damage to someone or something. Before any sinning of any human being can be fully forgiven, the damage created by the sinning must be reversed. In His atonement, Christ restores to each human being the damage done by all of the sins committed against him or her. Only as this restitution is fulfilled can any person sinned against receive his or her full blessings in eternity. For any sinner to be forgiven of his or her sins, the sinner must at least attempt full restitution to the person sinned against. This full restitution usually cannot be done be the sinner, and the power of Christ must make up the difference. Thus Christ’s atonement must be invoked in the restitution of most human sinning.
Goal of the atonement: To enable each human being to love God with all of one’s heart, might, mind, and strength, to become perfect (3 Nephi 12:48, D&C 59:5); thus to enable the person to dwell in Father’s presence (Moses 6:47) and to inherit all that he has (D&C 84:37–39).
We are saved only by putting our whole trust in Jesus Christ (2 Nephi 32:19–20), who was sent into the world to draw all men unto himself (3 Nephi 27:14–16), that thereby he might present to the Father in a perfected, spotless condition all persons who will become faithful to Him (D&C 76:107).
What the Savior does and has done to be able to draw us to Father:
- Heart: He is completely humble and loves Father with that same pure love with which he is loved. (John 5:19–20)
- Mind: He believes, accepts and obeys Father in all things, and has been glorified in all truth. (D&C 93:11–14)
- Strength: He descended below all things, suffering all temptation; He suffered in Gethsemane the pains of sin for every man, woman and child; and he continues to suffer with each human being their own pain. (D&C 19:16–19)
- Might: He sacrificed his power, life and opportunity to bless men in his mortal sojourn so that he could seize the keys of death and bring to pass the resurrection of all mankind. He continues to sacrifice all that he might otherwise do to do Father’s will. (Alma 34:14–15)
How the Savior’s atonement is daily extended to each of his covenant children:
- Heart: He sheds forth his pure love upon us, giving us light unto wisdom, enabling us to love purely, eventually giving us a pure heart of our own if we are faithful to the end. (Mor. 7:46–48)
- Mind: He glorifies our minds in truth, that we might become persons of understanding, comprehending the way of God. (D&C 93:26–28)
- Strength: He gives us life, health and strength from moment to moment that we may be free to do good and to grow into His stature. (Mosiah 2:20–21)
- Might: He gives us forgiveness of sins from moment to moment as we are faithful, that we might be able to continue to receive his light and truth; and he increases our might until we can do all that he did on earth, and even more. (John 14:11–12)
What the child of Christ will do daily to accept the atonement:
- Heart: Yield his heart to God and good, being easily entreated, yearning for the welfare of all mankind, but especially for the welfare of his neighbors. (Hel. 3:35)
- Mind: Accept ideas as true only as attested to by the Holy Spirit. Search the mind of God in scripture study, prayer and meditation. (2 Nephi 28:31)
- Strength: Do all that can be done to sanctify self, to then minister to the needs of others as led by the Holy Spirit. (D&C 88:68)
- Might: Use all that one has to serve and bless others as guided by the Holy Spirit. (Mosiah 4:26–27)
What the atonement of Christ will do for each covenant child of His who endures to the end:
- Heart: Purification, the receiving of a new, pure heart. (Mosiah 5:2–3)
- Mind: Glorification, the receiving of all truth. (D&C 93:28)
- Strength: Resurrection: To be renewed in the flesh, then to receive a perfected celestial body in the resurrection. (D&C 88:22–29)
- Might:
Sanctification: To be forgiven of all sinning, thus to be able to share with Christ and Father the full power of God. (D&C 50:28–29)
Justification: To grow in righteousness, a just person who keeps all the laws of God, and thus becomes a just (justified) man made perfect. (D&C 76:69)
The steps of gifts and power by which Christ draws all mankind into the fullness of his stature, accomplishing at-one-ment.
- The light of Christ: Enables all men to choose to do good. (John 1:1–9)
- The Gospel of Jesus Christ: The message as to how to learn to do only good through Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:37–40)
- The witness of the Holy Ghost: Enables all men to know that he, Christ, is the son of God, and that they may repent through Him. Accompanies the message of the Gospel. (Matt. 16:13–17)
- Covenant of baptism: Enables all men to become children of Christ, to begin to inherit all that he is through faith in him. This is the gate to the path that leads to eternal life. (2Nephi 31:17–18)
- The gift of the Holy Ghost: The right to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, which, if claimed, will enable the person to walk in light and truth, on the path to perfection. (D&C 121:46)
- The gifts of the Holy Ghost: Special powers which enable the children of Christ to do more good. (D&C 46:10–11)
- Ordination to the Priesthood: Receiving the power of God to do His good using supernatural power. (D&C 84:35–38)
- Setting Apart: Receiving the stewardship to use the power of God in specific responsibilities. (D&C 68:2–4)
- The endowment: Receiving further gifts from God in the oath and covenants of the priesthood. (D&C 105:12)
- Temple Marriage: Receiving further gifts and the ultimate stewardships of husband, wife, and father and mother. (D&C 132:12–20)
The stages by which one partakes of salvation and atonement: (2 Pet.1:5–8)
- Faith: Putting one’s whole trust in Jesus Christ
- Virtue: Gaining godly strength in faith in Christ
- Knowledge: Gaining increased understanding of the ways of godliness.
- Temperance: Becoming steady on the faith of Christ in all seasons and conditions.
- Patience: Being able to wait upon the Lord’s timetable in all things; being able to let others repent at their own speed.
- Brotherly kindness: Better translated as the love of the brethren, the willingness to serve faithfully in the priesthood structure of the church.
- Godliness: Becoming concerned for the welfare of every soul, trembling that any should not know of the goodness of Christ.
- Charity: the end, having endured until one has received a new heart, the pure heart of Christ.