Mormon Beliefs: Article of Faith 3

We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

The atonement is the necessary answer to the Fall of Adam whereby men were cut off from the presence of God. To fulfill the plan of redemption, and bring back all men and women into the presence of God, a Savior was chosen to redeem mankind, for they could not meet the demands of justice on their own. Jesus Christ was appointed this Savior before the foundation of the world.

Mormonism teaches that the atonement of Christ is universal. That great sacrifice is for all people everywhere, none are excluded. In following the belief of Mormonism that we are only responsible for our own sins, it is also our responsibility to allow the atonement to work in our lives. The infinite healing power made available to all is conditional upon our complying with the laws and ordinances of the gospel, i.e. following Christ.

The atonement of Jesus Christ refers to His voluntary sacrifice ending in crucifixion. Because of His holy parentage, Jesus had power over death. This power enabled Him to complete the atonement. In Mormon doctrine, the suffering of Christ begins in the Garden of Gethsemane. The gospel of Luke writes Christ’s prayer, during his suffering, as such, “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Mormonism cites latter-day revelation to claim that the Lord was actually sweating blood. In that prayer began His incomprehensible suffering for all people, His suffering of all things. The agony was so great that only His divine nature kept Him alive. Only after suffering more than any mortal man could was he delivered to the Roman soldiers, to be tortured, mocked, and finally crucified. Only when Jesus knew the suffering was complete, and He said aloud “It is finished,” did He allow Himself to die. According to Mormonism, the atonement was fully completed when Jesus rose from the grave on the third day.

In Mormonism, the atonement of Christ overcomes two deaths. First, it overcomes physical death by bringing about the resurrection. The atonement of Christ overcame this death for all people who have ever been born on earth. Regardless of their choices, good or evil, all people will be resurrected after this life. This is thier reward for choosing Jesus Christ as their Savior in the premortal world and coming to earth to receive a physical body. The second death is a spiritual death, defined as separation from the presence of God. To overcome this death, we must again follow Christ. We must be obedient to the laws and ordinances taught by Mormon Church, which Mormons believe is the true Church of Christ. The first principles and ordinances are: faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Following these are higher ordinances that may be obtained in Mormon temples. By obeying the commandments of God and the covenants that are made at baptism and in the temple of God, all can be saved from the second death and receive the highest blessings promised by God to mankind.