The Atonement

 

I'm afraid this blog post will seem very long but I decided to include the verses I read for reference

"The suffering of the Son of God was not simply the

suffering of personal death; for in assuming the

position that He did in making an atonement for the

sins of the world He bore the weight, the

responsibility, and the burden of the sins of all men, which, to us, is incomprehensible. . . . institute manual pg 174

 

the word incomprehensible was used more than once in the institute manual. This made me realize that even the other descriptive words in the scriptures of agony suffering and pain for our sickness and mortality. the pains of the world are truly indeed beyond any comprehension I could ever have . I have always struggled in my understanding of the atonement. each step closer to the truth seems to take forever for me to comprehend. I did not used to truly understand that Jesus would die me for it was one thing that Jesus would die for the whole world after all the world is a big deal and I wasn't a big part of it. I could not think of or comprehend that Jesus would die for me personally. even if the rest of the world didn't needed him if I was the only one it still would have been worth it. that he loved me personally rather than the value of the existence of the entire human race was beyond my comprehension still now even though I now know that Christ would do anything for me I constantly wonder why he did do such a thing for me. Gethsemane is where Christ truly experienced all the pains of the world and fulfilled the law something no one else could do. His death on the cross was simply the final moment in the experience of the pains of all how ever lived .

 

"Christ's agony in the garden is unfathomable by the

finite mind, both as to intensity and cause. The

thought that He suffered through fear of death is

untenable. Death to Him was preliminary to

resurrection and triumphal return to the Father from

whom He had come, and to a state of glory even

beyond what He had before possessed; and, moreover,

it is within His power to lay down His life voluntarily.

He struggled and groaned under a burden such as no

other being who has lived on earth might even

conceive as possible. It was not physical pain, nor

mental anguish alone, that caused Him to suffer such

torture as to produce an extrusion of blood from every

pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only God

was capable of experiencing. No other man, however

great his powers of physical or mental endurance,

could have suffered so; for his human organism would

have succumbed, and syncope would have produced

unconsciousness and welcome oblivion. In that hour

of anguish Christ met and overcame all the horrors

that Satan, 'the prince of this world' could inflict. Pg 174 institute manual

 

 

 

 

36¶Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called ^aGethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and ^bpray yonder.

 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and ^abegan to be sorrowful and very heavy.

 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is ^aexceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and ^bwatch with me.

 39And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and ^aprayed, saying, O my ^bFather, if it be possible, let this ^ccup pass from me: nevertheless not as I ^dwill, but as ^ethou
^fwilt.

 40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them ^aasleep, and saith unto Peter, What, ^bcould ye not watch with me one hour?

 41^aWatch and ^bpray, that ye enter not into ^ctemptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

 42He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy ^awill be done.

 43And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

 44And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

 45Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is ^abetrayed into the hands of sinners.

 46Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

32^aAnd they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

 33And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be ^asore amazed, and to be ^bvery
^cheavy;

 34And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

 35And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

 36And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; ^atake away this ^bcup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

 37And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one ^ahour?

 38^aWatch ye and pray, lest ye enter into ^btemptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

 39And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

 40And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

 41And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

 42Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

39¶And he came out, and went, as he was ^awont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

 40And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into ^atemptation.

 41And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

 42Saying, Father, if thou be willing, ^aremove this cup from me: nevertheless not my ^bwill, but thine, be done.

 43And there appeared an ^aangel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

 44And being in an ^aagony he prayed more earnestly: ^band his sweat was as it were great drops of ^cblood falling down to the ground.

 45And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

 46And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

1When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

 2And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.