2
Ne 9:7 Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite
atonement
The
fall of Adam brought death into the world. The atonement must be infinite in
that it must conquer death for all of Adam’s children. In a more profound
sense, it must pay the price for those sins which are committed by the
followers of Christ. Those that exercise faith in him are given the promise of
forgiveness of sins. How can one count the number of those sins? The infinite
atonement means that no matter how many sins need forgiving, no matter how many
people turn to the Lord as their Savior, no matter how many mistakes we make,
there will never come a point when the redemptive power of the atonement runs
out. There is no limit to the power of the atonement to save souls. There is no
limit to the number of souls who can receive eternal life through the name of
the Only-Begotten. There is no limit to the number of sins a person commits
before the Lord says, “I’m sorry, that is one too many!”
This
concept is one of the unfathomable truths of God’s merciful plan. A mortal
trying to fully comprehend the power of the atonement is like a mortal trying
to comprehend the concept of eternity, the concept of an infinite amount of
matter, in an infinite expanse of space, with an infinite number of kingdoms.
Someday maybe we will be able to comprehend in full. For now, it is as Paul
said, we see through a glass, darkly; but then face
to face (1 Cor 13:12).
Hugh
B. Brown
“Keep
your eye on the Savior of the world…He will forgive you…Don’t be deceived by
the wiles of the adversary and think because you may have made mistakes that
you have committed the unpardonable sin. This gospel is primarily the gospel of
second chance, the gospel of repentance.” (The Abundant Life, pp. 270-1)
Boyd
K. Packer
“I
readily confess that I would find no peace, neither happiness nor safety, in a
world without repentance. I do not know what I should do if there were no way
for me to erase my mistakes. The agony would be more than I could bear. It may
be otherwise with you, but not with me.
“An
atonement was made. Ever and always it offers amnesty from transgression and
from death if we will but repent. Repentance is the escape clause in it all. Repentance
is the key with which we can unlock the prison from inside. We hold that key
within our hands, and agency is ours to use it.” (LDS Church News, Deseret
News, July 13, 1996)
Bruce
R. McConkie
“When
the prophets speak of an infinite atonement, they mean just that. Its effects
cover all men, the earth itself and all forms of life thereon, and reach out
into the endless expanses of eternity….Now our Lord’s jurisdiction and power
extend far beyond the limits of this one small earth on which we dwell. He is
under the Father, the creator of worlds without number (Moses 1:33). And
through the power of his atonement the inhabitants of these worlds, the
revelation says, ‘are begotten sons and daughters
unto God’ (DC 76:24), which means that the atonement of Christ, being
literally and truly infinite, applies to an infinite number of earths.” (Mormon
Doctrine, pp. 64-5 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of
Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 113-4)
Marion
G. Romney
“Jesus
Christ, in the sense of being its Creator and Redeemer, is the Lord of the
whole universe. Except for his mortal ministry accomplished on this earth, his
service and relationship to other worlds and their inhabitants are the same as
his service and relationship to this earth and its inhabitants.” (Ensign,
Apr. 1976, p. 32 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon
compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 114)
Russell
M. Nelson
“His
Atonement is infinite—without an end. It was also infinite in that all
humankind would be saved from never-ending death (see 2 Ne 9:7; 25:16; Alma
34:10,12,14). It was infinite in terms of His immense suffering. It was
infinite in time, putting an end to the preceding prototype of animal
sacrifice. It was infinite in scope—it was to be done once for all (see Heb
10:10). And the mercy of the Atonement extends not only to an infinite number
of people, but also to an infinite number of worlds created by Him (see DC
76:24; Moses 1:33). It was infinite beyond any human scale of measurement or mortal
comprehension. Jesus was the only one who could offer such an infinite
atonement, since He was born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father. Because
of that unique birthright, Jesus was an infinite Being.” (Ensign, Nov.
1996, p. 35 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon
compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 114)