To Better Serve In The Kingdom...
Attain Gospel Knowledge
by Ed J. Pinegar

Hyrum Smith had a desire to serve a mission. The prophet Joseph received section 11 of the Doctrine and Covenants in his behalf. Before he served, he was taught, “Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.”(D&C 11:21.)

It’s important to understand many doctrines, concepts, and teachings that will help you be a better representative of our Savior, Jesus Christ. If you study before you teach, your own testimony will grow, and you will be a better instrument in the Lord’s hands to help his
children understand, appreciate, and accept the gospel in their lives.


THE ATONEMENT

The most important doctrine to study is the atonement,. “And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness” (D&C 76:40–41). This is the atonement. He suffered that we might live. He sweat great drops of blood that we might be made pure. He died on the cross that we might live again, and the principles of the atonement that help us live again are the first principles of the gospel: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance through the Lord Jesus Christ, baptism and taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, and the blessings of the Holy Ghost.

If we read 2 Nephi 9, we’ll understand the atonement like we’ve never understood it before. Our gratitude will deepen. We’ll recognize what we would have been had there been no atonement.

Now, how can the atonement help us? “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose 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” (Alma 7:11–12).

The atonement of Christ nurtures and blesses us through the grace of God. It helps us repent. We can overcome sin through repentance because of the grace of God and the atoning sacrifice.

Sin separates us from the Father; we lose the Spirit, and, then, we separate ourselves. The law of justice demands sin be paid for. The law of mercy provides a way, through God’s only begotten Son, to pay for our sins. Everything must be paid for. Earth life was not free. We understood that in our premortal life. Everything has a price, but everything is a gift of God. Exaltation has a price—the grace of God after all we can do (see 2 Ne. 25:23). What is “all we can do?” We can obey; but when we don’t obey, we must pay the price of repentance. You see, every needful thing has a price, and the atonement of Jesus Christ our Savior is a price He paid to fulfill the demands of divine justice.

D&C 19:15–21, teaches us what price we must pay if we don’t repent. The Lord said we must suffer even as he has suffered; for the atonement, as it relates to exaltation, requires that we must repent. The atonement freely gives us immortality; we all gain immortality, but eternal life comes only by applying the atonement in our life, through repentance and endurance to the end. In repentance is also forgiveness. In other words, if we do not forgive, we do not repent; we do not take the advantage of the atonement in our lives.

Write in your journal today what you’re going to do to show gratitude to the Savior for His atoning sacrifice. Your list of commitments can be lived every day, and you can make a covenant with the Lord regarding your behavior because of His infinite, atoning sacrifice.

This is adapted from “The Ultimate Missionary Companion”, Covenant Books by Ed J. Pinegar Give a book or tape to help prepare and strengthen misssionaries. Go to ldsleadership.com.