Essence of Atonement

Volume One—Chapter Nineteen THE ESSENCE OF THE LORD’S ATONEMENT

#Introduction

This chapter is not intended to be a comprehensive reference on all aspects of the Lord’s atonement. Rather, it is intended to identify and elucidate the very essence of his atoning experience, at least as much as we are able to discern from our

scriptures. In this chapter, we will address the question of what exactly happened in Gethsemane and at Golgotha. In less than twenty-four hours,2 the Lord Jesus Christ suffered an unimaginable agony—the depth of which we cannot begin to understand. But why was he required to suffer so to become the Savior of all mankind? What transpired there in the garden and on the cross? What did that awful suffering accomplish? What effects did his atoning sacrifice have on him? Were constructive and beneficial changes wrought in him? Or, was he fulfilling an awful punitive ordeal imposed on his innocent soul from without because of the sins of humankind? Was he mostly paying a debt incurred by others and owing to the law of justice? Were the most significant results of his suffering merely “credit” entries made into heavenly ledgers?

Prior to any further discussion, we will mention a few laws or principles that form an underpinning for our understanding of the atonement.

#The Law of Justice

The law of justice holds that none of God’s creatures, in their quest for their eternal reward, will ever be unfairly accorded an advantage over another. Additionally, no one of his creations will ever be penalized without that penalty’s being fully deserved and wholly appropriate. The positive aspect of justice assures us that God inevitably grants blessings to those who obey his commandments (D&C 130:20-21). Whenever a divine commandment is broken, however, the law of justice requires a consequence or penalty be imposed (see Alma 42). In the enforcement of justice, there will be no biases, no favoritisms, no discriminations, no prejudices, no prepossessions, no inconsistencies, and no partialities. In short, all God’s decisions and actions having an eternal impact on his creatures will be done with perfect fairness and consistency. The law of justice is really the law of perfect fairness. Neither the Father nor the Son is above this law. Rather, both are subject to it (see Alma 42:13; Mormon 9:19).

The law of justice undergirds and puts “teeth” into the law of the gospel (the commandments of the gospel of Jesus Christ). Because of the law of justice, there are inevitable consequences for obeying or disobeying tenets of the law of the gospel.

Many of us yearn to return to our celestial home. We desire to regain the celestial presence of the Father and the Son. The Father and the Son also yearn for our return (Moses 1:39). The law of justice specifies clearly the consequences of committing even one sin: the sinner is no longer worthy to return to his celestial home. “There cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God” (1 Nephi 15:34; compare Alma 11:37). This is the most worrisome and “wintry” tenet of the law of justice. Who among us has sinned? The answer is obvious. The apostle Paul taught: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). So, we have

a serious problem. All mankind is unworthy to return to God. How is this enigmatic problem to be overcome? Let us continue!

#Agency

A second relevant concept is agency. Agency is the right or ability to choose freely among available alternatives. It is an immutable right we have always

possessed.

#Three Factors in the Judgment

Another background concept, pertinent to the Lord’s atonement, is his great final judgment of each of us. Which factors in our lives are most critical in this judgment? What essential questions will our all-knowing Savior ask and answer about each of us at that awful moment?

Three essential questions seem most important: (1) What were your spiritual accomplishments in the premortal world prior to your coming to earth? (2) What were the circumstances of your life here in mortality? (3) How much growth toward godhood did you accomplish here?5

#All Have Sinned

We have already concluded that each of us has committed sin. Therefore, none is eligible, on his own merits, for exaltation (Romans 3:23). Because “no unclean thing can enter the kingdom of God,” each of us, by sinning, is disqualified. We cannot enter God’s heavenly kingdom. The law of justice has declared it so. There is nothing we can do to help ourselves. Justice would be offended if we were to be admitted to the presence of the Lord.

This is a dilemma that might seem to have no solution. Yet, there is a solution. It lies in the Savior’s atoning sacrifice. Because of what happened in the garden and on the cross, Jesus is allowed to forgive our sins. He is allowed to remove the penalty of our sins levied by the law of justice. Therefore, we may qualify to return to our celestial home. But just exactly how was he enabled to do that? What is the connection between his suffering and his ability to forgive our sins? How did that suffering qualify him to be our Savior? Why did he have to suffer so?

#The Financial Model

A theory or model has become “common wisdom” in the Church. It provides an explanation for the mechanisms or processes of the Lord’s atonement. According to this theory, the Savior’s sacrifice for sin is compared to a financial transaction.

There are a few different versions of this theory, each differing from the others in some particulars. I will summarize all the commonly-attributed features of this model:

When we commit a sin, we create a debt or obligation owing to the law of justice. The more numerous our sins, the greater the debt. More serious sins result in a greater debt. No one can return to his celestial home unless his debt is fully paid.

This debt is paid in the form of suffering. In the common view there is a direct, even arithmetical, relationship between the sin and the suffering required to make payment for it. Each sin is equivalent to, or demands, a specific amount of suffering. The more serious sins demand more suffering. Doubling the number of sins doubles the requisite suffering. If Jesus is to pay the debt, and ten million individuals commit a specific sin, his suffering must be multiplied ten-million fold. He must suffer the prescribed amount determined quantitatively by the total load of all sins. This idea has been referred to as the doctrine of quid pro quo (Latin: “this for that”)—this much suffering for that much sin.

In addition to paying for the sins already committed, the Savior had to suffer for those sins to be committed in the future. If you commit a sin tomorrow, somehow you will contribute a specific amount to what the Savior suffered in the first century AD.

The suffering required by the law of justice is obligatory, punitive suffering, and it must be borne by someone. It is not crucial who pays the penalties of sin. The important thing is that it is paid. The debt cannot be completely paid by the sinner himself. A man, however, may begin to pay his own debt by his own suffering, but it is not possible for him to pay the debt in full. Jesus Christ is the only individual qualified to pay the complete debt for any one person or the huge cumulative debt for all mankind.

His suffering in Gethsemane and Golgotha did pay the massive cumulative debt. The demands of justice were satisfied. We don’t have to pay for our sins. Justice, therefore, allows him to “own” our particular debt, and he is able to excuse the debt or forgive our sins. He will mercifully do so under certain conditions satisfactory to him.

It would seem that a major accomplishment of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice and death took place in the heavenly ledgers. All of the debts of the sins of mankind owed to the law of justice were marked in blood “paid in full.”

When our church leaders teach about the atonement, they most often use verbiage compatible with some version of this “financial model.”

Elder Boyd K. Packer spoke of the atonement in the April 1977 general conference. He taught when we commit sin, “our transgressions are all added to our account, and one day if it is not properly settled, each of us . . . will be weighed in the balance and found wanting.” He further taught:

There is a Redeemer, a Mediator, who stands both willing and able to appease the demands of justice and extend mercy to those who are penitent, for “He offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered” (2 Nephi 2:7). . . . I want, with fervent desire, to show you how our burdens of disappointment, sin, and guilt can be laid before Him, and on His generous terms have each item on the account marked, “Paid in Full” (“The Mediator,” Ensign, May 1977, 54).

All of this teaching employs the “financial model.” Because of what happened in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, the Savior is able to mercifully forgive the sins of those souls who humbly come to him in sincere repentance. He paid the huge debt of all mankind. He paid it by the currency of his suffering. Because he paid the debt, we don’t have to.

The following brief quotations are taken from contemporary writings of wellknown LDS scholars who will remain unnamed:

“Jesus paid for our sins so that we do not have to pay for them.”

“Jesus ransomed us from sin.”

“The law of justice demands that someone pay for a sin, and Jesus, as proxy, paid the price.”

“He suffered the full effects of all sins and violent acts ever committed.”

“Our sins were transferred to Jesus, and his perfection was transferred to us.”

“He took to himself the full force of the punishment deserved by each of us.”

“He suffered God’s wrath in our place.”

“The full consequences of transgressed laws cannot be dismissed or overlooked. They must be borne by someone—the sinner or the substitute. Jesus was that substitute for all of us who will allow him to be so.”

These quotations have in common the idea that when a sin is committed, the law of justice pronounces a punitive penalty of suffering. It must be borne by someone, the sinner or the Savior, and the Savior was willing to undergo that massive but quantifiable amount of suffering.

We thus see evidence that the so-called financial model is commonly used to describe and explain the Lord’s atonement. Is this financial model an apt literal description of the atonement? Did the Savior simply pay a debt incurred by our sins, a debt we could not pay ourselves? And is the law of justice now satisfied because the debt has been paid? Is justice satisfied because its books are cleared?

#The Financial Model—Is It a Metaphor?

We have all noticed that the Lord sometimes uses metaphors when teaching his children. He sometimes teaches in figurative, rather than literal, language. He does this for a few different reasons. Sometimes he does it to communicate with the saints while hiding the meaning from the uninitiated. Sometimes he adds richness and meaning to his teachings by the use of metaphors. Often he provides us with a simple metaphor when the literal doctrine itself is difficult, if not impossible, for us to understand.

There is a downside to metaphors. They are often not perfectly apt for teaching doctrines precisely. They may fall short in conveying literal meanings. If a metaphor is accepted as a literal explanation, it may lead to misimpressions or misunderstandings.

We may thus ask the question: When we utilize the financial model to explain the Lord’s atonement, are we to understand it is perfectly applicable in literal terms? Or is that model merely a metaphor that provides us with one way to understand the atonement? We will return to this question before the end of this chapter.

Let us now carefully consider Jesus’s experience in the garden and on the cross. We will look to the scriptures for help in understanding.

#We All Need Help!

If any of us is going to be able to reach our celestial home, some accommodation must be made for our sins. Each and every one of us is a sinner. Each of us has been penalized by the law of justice. Each of us is therefore unworthy to enter the celestial heaven.

If we are eventually to be exalted, either our sins must be erased (forgiven) or exceptions must be made for us (and our sins) by the law of justice. The difference between these two possibilities seems largely a matter of semantics. The end result of either of these is the same: worthiness results in exaltation.

#Help Must Be Doled Out Equitably

When a man who desires a celestial resurrection commits sin, he is unworthy of exaltation and must have help. That help must be extended in a manner that is completely fair and consistent. Justice must be served and must not be “robbed” (Alma 42:25). There must be no arbitrariness or favoritism in the process. An exception will have to be made for each sinner. All who enforce the demands of justice must agree to each and every exception.

How is this to be arranged? There must exist a mechanism for removing a man’s penalties for his sins. He must be “forgiven” though he does not actually merit forgiveness. There must be a way for the sinner to be considered no longer responsible or “guilty” of his sins. He must be able to become justified in spite of his sins.

#Each of Us Needs Mercy

Now, let’s assume you, along with your author and others, are assigned to be a member of an ad hoc committee of our peers. This committee is created to hammer out the process whereby we can overcome this problem of universal unworthiness for exaltation.

Since the law of justice alone is incapable of saving anyone, we must create a plan based on something other than that law. Based only upon the law of justice, we are all lost. None of us deserves exaltation based on our own merits. We need help, but we don’t deserve it. We don’t need more justice. We need mercy. Mercy is the blessing of receiving an undeserved benefit. Our plan must include a provision for mercy. It must be a merciful plan. It will have to take individuals who fail to qualify by the law of justice and extend mercy to them. The conditions of this plan will be binding upon, and applicable to, all mankind. All men will be subject to it. It will be a law unto them—a law of mercy.

Note carefully that each of us on our ad hoc committee has committed sin. We are all locked out of heaven! We each are sentenced to eternal despair by our sins. We need to be saved from those sins. Thus, each of us should be well-motivated to participate in the deliberations of our committee. Each of us should be eager to complete this plan or law of mercy.

I will set out a few agenda items to be considered by our committee, and I will add speculative but plausible and reasoned discussion which might follow each item:

1. First, who would have to agree to this plan? Who would have to authorize it? Who would have to pass off on it?

The scriptures teach that “mercy cannot be allowed to rob justice” (Alma 42:24- 25). This means that mercy or forgiveness cannot be extended to a sinner in a way that would violate the law of justice. The conditions by which mercy is extended must be completely agreeable to those who enforce the law of justice. According to an inviolable eternal principle, the enforcers of the law of justice would have to be completely satisfied that the law of mercy was perfectly fair, equitable, and acceptable. Otherwise, justice would be “robbed.”

2. Who is it that is in need of mercy? To whom will our committee’s deliberations apply?

All of God’s creations have need of mercy. All of God’s creations have agency (D&C 93:30). All are subject to law (D&C 88:36-38). All have sinned or broken the law. There is no creature in God’s universe that has not broken the law save for Jesus Christ. All are prevented by the law of justice from returning to their celestial home.

I previously concluded it is possible, even likely, that the sum total of all God’s creations enforce the law of justice.6 That very same group, all of God’s creations, also has a vested interest in finding a way for the sinner to become justified. Even though we are the enforcers of the law of justice, each of us must also acknowledge we are all subject to the law of justice. And since each of us has sinned, then each of us will fail to reach a kingdom of glory unless we are extended mercy.

3. What of the individuals who desire to be rescued from the penalties of their sins? How can we ensure individual accountability as a feature of our plan? What should prospective beneficiaries have to do before they can benefit from our plan? Our plan will have to carefully lay out the requirements for those who might wish to benefit from this plan. What should be required of them? Should we let them off scot-free, or should we require something of them?

Those who wish to benefit from the law of mercy and enter the celestial kingdom of glory must meet a certain high standard of behavior. They must prove, here in this second estate, they are willing to live the kind of life required in the celestial heaven. That standard of behavior is defined in the set of rules we call the commandments of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They must accept Christ. His example is the epitome or prototype of that set of laws. They must endure in the way of life he advocates. They must strive constantly and consistently to abide by all of the laws and ordinances of the gospel. They must be always willing to repent when necessary. There certainly can be no “free lunch” in exaltation.

4. How should we identify those individuals for whom exceptions to the law of justice should be made? Not all of humankind should qualify for such an exception. Who or what will have to decide? Can this matter be settled by statute? Should we draw up a set of rules or criteria for deciding for whom exceptions should be made? Can we create a complex document that takes into account every possible circumstance of each individual who has lived or will ever live on earth? Who will chair the ad hoc subcommittee that will draw up that document? Does this process really lend itself to a written fixed document or a standing law? Wouldn’t that written law have to be hopelessly complex to take into account the circumstances of each person who has lived or will live?

Each of the billions of members of the family of man is distinct from all others. No two of us are alike. Each of us entered mortality a unique person. Each of us also encounters a unique set of circumstances. Hence, our performance relative to the laws of the gospel will vary according to who we are and which mitigating circumstances we face here on earth. No document, however complex, can possibly spell out what is fair and equitable for each individual. God may well, for example, expect much from the individual reared in an environment where the gospel and material abundance are readily available. He may expect less from a person born into a primitive and deprived culture who never hears of Jesus Christ or his gospel. An inanimate law or a written set of rules is simply not adequate.

5. But how else might this be done? How else might those who qualify for forgiveness of sin be identified? Might a judge be appointed in place of a hopelessly complex written document?

It is only logical that a supremely—indeed, a perfectly—qualified individual must be designated to be the judge and arbiter.

#The Law of Mercy

Of course, such a mechanism—such a plan—already exists! It is called the plan of mercy (Alma 34:14-17). It takes up where justice alone fails. By this plan, any of God’s creations may return to his presence. Since this plan extends exceptions to the law of justice, it is a merciful plan.

We know it is based on the atoning sacrifice of the Savior and repentance:

Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state . . . The plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and merciful God also. . . . But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature . . . For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved (Alma 42:13, 15, 22, 24).

This plan is also binding upon all of the intelligent creations of God. Thus, this plan is more than just a plan. It is a law, a binding universal law. It the law of mercy. The sinner may be forgiven even when he does not fully deserve that forgiveness. That is the essence of mercy.

Our committee’s deliberations have not all been in vain, as the scriptural description of the plan of mercy is brief and incomplete. It seems clear that a perfect judge is essential for the fair and consistent operation of the law of mercy. This judge must decide who does and who doesn’t qualify for mercy.

#The Perfect Judge

Let us now consider our perfect judge. Who would he be, and what qualifications must he possess? What would he have to do to qualify himself? Since we are all condemned to outer darkness without the intervention of this individual, we might want to refer to him as our “rescuer,” our “redeemer,” or even our “savior.”

This Savior, this judge, is, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ himself. He judges with perfect fairness those who qualify to have mercy extended to them. He is the perfect judge! He mediates between the sinner and the law of justice. He pleads the case of each sinner before the law of justice. He offers us salvation or redemption from an eternity with Satan. He is our Savior, our Redeemer, and our Mediator.

How did Jesus Christ qualify to become the Savior? What enabled him to request justification for any individual who has committed sin? In the great premortal council, he was called by the Father to become our Savior (Abraham 3:27-28). Did that calling, in and of itself, fully qualify him? It did not.

The Savior was able to complete his qualifications to become the Savior only because of what happened in Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary. In less than twenty-four hours, his became the only name in the universe by which we can be saved (D&C 18:23; 2 Nephi 31:21; Mosiah 3:17; Acts 4:12). The Father is not our Savior. The Holy Ghost is not our Savior. Only Jesus Christ is our Savior. In order to understand how he qualified, we must examine what happened to him during those awful hours.

Let us readily acknowledge that our finite minds cannot conceive of what he experienced in all of its terrifying detail. It is well beyond our capacity to understand. We can only consider an overview of his experience with reverence and awe. It may seem a sacrilege to even speak of it. Nonetheless, we will consider it.

#Just What Did Happen in Gethsemane and at Calvary?

During the process of atonement, he suffered indescribable agony of body and spirit. Though we cannot fully understand it, we certainly know and acknowledge that he suffered more than any mere mortal could have suffered without succumbing. But why was it necessary for him to suffer so? What does suffering have to do with his becoming our Savior? Was he not already highly qualified even before he came into mortality? After all, was he not Jehovah, the Creator of Heaven and earth and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Was he not, indeed, God? What qualifications did he lack? How could he possibly have become more qualified by this experience in Gethsemane and on the cross?

To qualify to become the Savior of all mankind, Jesus had to become able to decide, with absolute consistency and fairness, who should qualify for mercy. Then he would be allowed to plead for an exception to the law of justice for any individual he deemed worthy for that exception. He would be able to request that the individual’s penalties be removed, that he be forgiven of his sins, and his request would be granted by the law of justice. All would be decided with perfect fairness and consistency. Justice would not be robbed.

Jesus will never be able to change the fact that each of us committed sin. His pleas for us, before those who enforce justice, would be ineffective if they were made “for our sake” (based upon our merit). Rather, he would have to plead that we be absolved of the guilt and the penalty of our sin for his sake (because of his merit). Even though we don’t fully deserve that consideration, he would be able to request an exception for us. In order for this plan to work, the Savior must be perfectly qualified to discern and judge each and every individual who has ever lived upon this or any other world. He must be a perfect judge!

Indeed, Jesus Christ is this perfect judge. Scripture teaches he is the only one who qualifies to be able to ask for exceptions to the law of justice (D&C 18:23; 2 Nephi 31:21; Mosiah 3:17; Acts 4:12). He is the only one qualified to mete out perfectly “righteous judgments” upon the Father’s progeny. From King Benjamin’s speech, we read: “And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men” (Mosiah 3:10; see also Alma 41:14; Helaman 14:29). He is the only perfect and righteous judge. But how did he become so? What is it that qualified him, and him alone, to be our perfect judge?

#How Did Christ Become the Perfect Judge?

Let us utilize an earthly analogy to explore this question. Suppose we have before us a hypothetical individual who is a perfect judge in a court of law here on earth, let us say in the United States of America. This individual is hypothetical because such a perfect earthly judge does not actually exist. Our supposed judge’s decisions are perfectly just and fair relative to the law of the land. As he sits on the bench, an individual has been brought before him accused of breaking the law. Just what attributes would we expect our hypothetically perfect judge to possess and apply as he sits in judgment? Please keep in mind that this judge is not just good, or great, or even legendary. He is perfect in his ability to judge. As we itemize the qualities of this perfect earthly judge, let us ask ourselves whether or not the Savior himself possesses these same qualities in the eternal realm.

Knowledge of the law. How well would our hypothetically perfect judge know the law? He must certainly have a perfect understanding of the law. His understanding would include more, however, than just the letter of the law. He would know also the spirit of the law. For example, what is the intended purpose of each law? How did the framers of each law intend their law to benefit or protect mankind? How does each law fit into the important spirit of the Constitution of the land?

What about the Savior?

Obedience to the law. Is it necessary for our hypothetical judge to be perfectly obedient to the law? It is indeed. Otherwise how could he expect others to obey? If he did not himself obey the law perfectly, could he not be accused of being a hypocrite?

What about the Savior? He is not just obedient to the law, he is the very epitome, the gold standard of the law. He obviously knows and obeys the law perfectly.

Love for the accused. Would it be necessary for our perfect judge to love the individual standing before him?

Certainly not in an earthly court of law. In fact, here on earth a dispassionate, objective approach is most desirable. An earthly judge is felt to be more objective and less biased if he has no personal relationship to or feelings for the accused. Is there any reason, however, why it might be important for the judge to love, or have perfect charity for, the individual being judged?

A person with charity may be succinctly described as desiring the present and future physical, emotional, secular, and spiritual well-being of another as much as he desires it for himself. The perfect judge must yearn for justice and the best possible outcome for the accused. While he must mete out appropriate justice to him who broke the law, he must also desire that every benefit of the law be extended to the individual, even, at times when appropriate, an element of leniency or mercy.

What about the Savior? What motivated the Savior in undertaking his atoning sacrifice? Why did he undertake such an unimaginably dreadful ordeal? It is because he loves us. He loves us more than we can comprehend, and completely without condition or ulterior motive. In the premortal world, he understood the situation of all humankind perfectly. Someone had to voluntarily consent to become the Savior of us all. All intelligent creations of God, human or otherwise, were lost lest someone agree to become the lamb excruciatingly sacrificed for the sins of us all. To qualify to become our rescuer, our savior, someone had to submit his will to the Father’s (3 Nephi 11:11; D&C 76:107). Someone had to undergo an ordeal so awful and foreboding that the rest of us shrank from the challenge.

In addition Jesus was motivated by his love for his Father. He was willing to suffer for his Father’s sake, for the glory of his Father. Because of the Savior’s atonement, the Father is able to receive imperfect but repentant mankind into his kingdom without jeopardizing his status as God. It is the Father’s, as well as the Son’s, “work and . . . glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

Following his atoning sacrifice and death, the Son was able to say to his Father: “Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified” (D&C 45:3-4).

Empathy. What about empathy? First, what is empathy? We may define it as an intimate understanding and identification with another individual. It is a deep understanding of the other’s feelings, thoughts, and actions based on a personal experience with those same feelings, thoughts, and actions.

Why would it be desirable for our hypothetical judge to have perfect empathy for those he judges? When a law is broken, the perfect judge must be able to consider all mitigating circumstances. One is reminded of the main character, John Valjean, in

Victor Hugo’s stage play Les Miserables. Early in the play, Valjean is incarcerated for stealing a loaf of bread to save the life of a starving family member—his sister’s son, as I recall. If Valjean had been judged by a perfect judge, that judge would have had an intimate knowledge of all of the circumstances surrounding the accused’s breach of the law. His judgment might rightly and reasonably have been tempered by this empathy.

And how must empathy be acquired? Is it good enough for the perfect judge to merely read about these mitigating circumstances or have them explained to him by a defense attorney?

Perfect empathy cannot come simply by reading of an individual’s circumstances or by being told of them. Empathy cannot be acquired by any intellectual exercise. The circumstances, adversities, and challenges of the accused must actually be thoroughly assimilated by him who would be the perfect judge. Such knowledge comes only by personal experience. The judge would have to experience them all himself! In the case of John Valjean, the perfect judge must have had the personal experience of a member of his family dying of starvation and consequently being tempted to steal a loaf of bread to save that person!

#How Did the Savior’s Suffering Produce Perfect Empathy?

To become able to judge us with perfect fairness, the Savior had to acquire perfect empathy for each of us. He had to completely understand the experiences, conditions, situations, and circumstances of each of us. And he had to understand them perfectly.

If two men each commit the same sinful act, are they equally guilty? Might some special mitigating circumstances, in one or the other instance, partially explain or mitigate the responsibility for the sin? Are there special and unique factors to be considered in judging each particular individual? Might mental illnesses, emotional difficulties, unusually stressful circumstances, unique life situations, physical illness or impairments, or previous experiences with sin, all enter into the picture? Can one be judged perfectly fairly by someone who does not perfectly understand him?

Adversity in peoples’ lives makes it difficult to obey the commandments. Adversities are temptations to sin. If there were no adversity, there would be no “natural man” tendencies, no deprivations, no worldly desires, trials, vicissitudes, agonies, shortcomings, failures, disappointments, disillusionments, grievings, hungerings, or fears. Indeed, there would be no temptation to commit sin. There would be no tendency to disobey the Lord’s commands. Our needs would all be met. We would all be content. There would also be no spiritual growth. Adversity is a difficult but necessary feature of this mortal life.7

Is it just as easy for a man who is starving to obey the commandment, “Thou shalt not steal,” as it is for a man surrounded by abundance? Might an individual who has been abused, mentally, sexually, or physically have a more difficult time obeying the Lord’s commandment to have charity for others, than a person reared in a loving and supporting environment? Might the plain or homely, the physically handicapped, the bereaved, and the overburdened all have special challenges that should be considered in judging their obedience to the laws of the gospel? Might the individual who is deeply mired in grievous and repeated sin have particular problems in repenting? What about the individual who is profoundly addicted to drugs, alcohol, pornography, or gambling? Might he have special issues in trying to repent?

If the Savior is to have perfect empathy for each man, he must have perfect understanding of all adversities (all temptations) in all men’s lives. And how can he most perfectly come to understand them? He must personally experience them. He must actually have those same experiences. He would have to personally experience all of the adversities ever experienced by all mankind.

This is precisely what he had to accomplish in Gethsemane and Golgotha. But how was that possible? How, in less than twenty-four hours could he possibly experience every type adversity ever experienced by every man? It was a miracle, an awful and terrifying miracle! There could remain no special challenge, no special hardship, experienced by any man who has lived or will ever live upon the earth that he has not personally experienced. Let us consider a few scriptural passages.

The Lord consoled the prophet Joseph during his ordeal in Liberty Jail:

And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? (D&C 122:7-8).

The prophet Jacob described the particular experience the Savior would have in Gethsemane and Golgotha:

O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it. And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam (2 Nephi 9:20-21).

The prophet Alma taught the people in Gideon:

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).

We are reminded in this verse that Christ did not experience his atoning ordeal as a God, standing apart from and above the human agony. He experienced it as a mortal human being—“according to the flesh.” He was spared absolutely nothing because of his godly perspective.

Paul taught similar sentiments in his letter to the Hebrews: “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). Paul also taught that even though Jesus was the very Son of God, he had to be “made perfect” by his atoning sacrifice.

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him (Hebrews 5:8-9).

Finally, the Savior himself described his own suffering during those twenty or so hours:

Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink (D&C 19:18).

We cannot experience any adversity or hardship in our lives he does not understand perfectly by his own intimate and personal first-hand experience. Does this mean he knows what it’s like to be abused physically, emotionally, and even sexually? Does he know personally the pain of bereavement? Does he know intimately the compelling lure of temptation? Can he feel the frustration we feel when we are treated unjustly and even cruelly? Can he empathize with us when we face the fear, pain, and uncertainty of impending death? Is he thoroughly conversant with the agony of jealousy, divorce, or losing one’s job? When we suffer serious illness, does he understand? Can we experience any physical pain without his having felt it already? He knows because he has experienced all of these things!

Accordingly, each of us has available to us a profound resource to help or succor us through our hard times, regardless of the nature of our problems. That resource is the Man Jesus Christ himself. The Holy Ghost, acting in his role as Comforter, stands ready to communicate the presence of Jesus to us in our times of need. Jesus has been there. He knows and understands all our problems without exception. He is not only able but willing and eager to comfort us in any and all our moments of trial. Jesus earned perfect empathy by personal experience. Mere cognitive or mental awareness of mankind’s adversities would not have been sufficient. He had to acquire all things personally. For this we should be forever grateful. For this we should all willingly, gratefully, joyfully, and trustingly, submit to his will.

Stephen E. Robinson, of the Department of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University, wrote this poignant description of the Savior’s sufferings for us all:

All the negative aspects of human existence brought about by the Fall, Jesus Christ absorbed into himself. He experienced vicariously in Gethsemane all the private griefs and heartaches, all the physical pains and handicaps, all the emotional burdens and depressions of the human family. He knows the loneliness of those who don’t fit in or who aren’t handsome or pretty. He knows what it’s like to choose up teams and be the last one chosen. He knows the anguish of parents whose children go wrong. He knows the private hell of the abused child or spouse. He knows all these things personally and intimately because he lived them in the Gethsemane experience. Having personally lived a perfect life, he then chose to experience our imperfect lives (Believing Christ, 122-23).

Questions have been repeatedly asked about the extent of his suffering: Was the extent of his suffering carefully measured and meted out? Are we certain that he did not suffer more than was necessary? Was there any element of purely punitive suffering? Each specific aspect of the atoning process had its vital purpose. None of his suffering was punitive. It was all constructive.

B. H. Roberts wrote:

It is inconceivable that either God’s justice or his mercy would require or permit more suffering on the part of the Redeemer than was absolutely necessary to accomplish the end proposed. Any suffering beyond that which was absolutely necessary would be cruelty, pure and simple, and unthinkable in a God of perfect justice and mercy (The Truth, The Way, and The Life, 428).

#Empathy and Charity

Because of his atoning sacrifice, then, the Savior acquired perfect empathy for all mankind. But is this not the same as perfect charity? The divine gift of empathy is intimately related to the gift of revealed charity. When one individual has empathy for another, the first also has charity for the other. Empathy produces an insight into and a concern for the other. He who has empathy comes to be consumed by the spiritual and temporal welfare of the other. This is the very definition of charity. We must conclude

that in Gethsemane and at Calvary the Savior’s charity for each of us was perfected.

He was not the same person entering the garden as he was at the moment of his death. Walking into the garden he was not yet our Savior. When he uttered his final words, “It is finished” (John 19:30), he was. He had completed what the Father had asked of him. Figuratively, he had “paid the full price.” He was then perfectly qualified to judge us. He had perfect empathy, perfect charity, for each of us.

#Who Imposed This Great Suffering on the Savior?

Whose idea was it that he suffer in Gethsemane and on the cross? Who designed the awful ordeal? Was it Satan? Was it you and I? Was it the enforcers of the law of justice? It was the Father himself who orchestrated this egregious ordeal. Let us consider a few scriptural passages.

The Lord himself taught Joseph Smith and Sydney Rigdon: “I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God” (D&C 76:107, emphasis mine).

Consider the Savior’s last minute appeal in the Garden of Gethsemane. To whom did he appeal? To him who designed the ordeal about to begin:

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt (Matthew 26:39).

Finally, consider the Savior’s statement to the Nephite multitude:

And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning (3 Nephi 11:11, italics added).

#Was Christ “Converted” by His Atoning Experience?

We are loathe to think Christ would ever need or be subjected to any conversion. After all, prior to his atoning suffering and death, he was God and Creator. He was the only perfect individual ever to live on the earth. He was the very epitome of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He did not need to be converted in any way. Yet we aver that conversion means change. He grew and changed spiritually in Gethsemane and at

Calvary. Spiritual growth is inevitably associated with conversion. Indeed, he was “converted” or changed by his atoning experience.

Does he now recall that experience with profound joy rather than with bitterness and horror? Of course. Joy is the inevitable accompaniment to spiritual growth. Was the divine origin of his experiences in the garden and on the cross reconfirmed to him during that experience? Of course. He knew even more surely he was doing the will of the Father and it was eternally correct that he do so.

#His Role as Mediator

I have said Christ “appeals to the law of justice on our behalf.” What exactly does this mean? Before our Savior justifies us in spite of our sins, he “appeals to the law of justice on our behalf.” Or we may say that he “appeals for mercy for each of us.”

The following is a true story attributed to Elder John A. Widtsoe and related to me by the late W. Cleon Skousen. Please carefully consider this story and decide if you can see any common threads between it and the Savior’s appeals for mercy on our behalf.

During the Civil War, a young Union soldier fell asleep at his post while on guard duty. The enemy was thus able to attack the soldier’s unit without warning. Many of his comrades were killed. For his negligence, the young man was court-martialed and sentenced to death.

An appeal of his death sentence was brought before President Abraham Lincoln by the boy’s mother. She said to the president, “My boy has not asked me to make this appeal. He feels that he should die, as many of his friends were killed because of his carelessness. I’m not making this appeal for him. I’m making it for me. I have lost my husband and another son in the war. This boy is all the family I have left. For my sake, please spare his life.” President Lincoln commuted his death sentence. As far as is known, none of President Lincoln’s political opponents ever said another word about Lincoln’s decision in this matter (personal communication).

Do you see any similarities between this mother’s pleading for mercy for her son and the Savior’s pleading for mercy for each of us? Why was this mother’s request granted? Was it pity? It was surely more than mere pity. It was gratitude. It was the president’s and the country’s grateful acknowledgment of the awful sacrifices she had already made.

Does gratitude play any role in the Savior’s pleadings’ being granted? The prophet Enoch saw in vision the dramatic picture of the immediate reaction the Savior’s atonement would produce among the “inanimate” creations of God: “And he [Enoch] heard a loud voice; and the heavens were veiled; and all the creations of God mourned; and the earth groaned; and the rocks were rent” (Moses 7:56). The Savior’s atonement impacted all the intelligent beings in God’s universe from the greatest to the least. They knew the necessity of his sacrifice but were overcome by the injustice and selflessness of it. His suffering was awful, excruciating, overwhelming, and obviously undeserved. It aroused a sense of compassion and gratitude in every single intelligent being belonging to the Father’s kingdom. For whom was he suffering? He suffered voluntarily for each and every intelligence, for each creation of God. He suffered that we each might have the opportunity to be saved in a kingdom of glory. If we are the ones who enforce the law of justice, perhaps it is this ground swell of gratitude that lies behind the Savior’s being allowed to “grant mercy.”

This gratitude is, or should be, felt by each of God’s creations. Each creature is willing to allow the Savior’s requests for mercy because we love and trust him. We are profoundly grateful for his suffering on our behalf. We know his judgments are perfectly just. Amulek explained, “Mercy can satisfy the demands of justice” (Alma 34:16). The demands of justice are perfectly satisfied because it is Jesus Christ who makes the appeals for exceptions.

Having suffered the atoning process, and having thus earned the unqualified gratitude and devotion of all of God’s creations, the Son can now function as your Savior. If he were to plead before the demands of justice for you to enter the Father’s kingdom for your sake (your merit), he would lose his appeal. The enforcers of the law of justice would cry foul. You have committed sin. You don’t deserve an exception to the law of justice. They would not allow it. But if the Son were to plead for you to enter heaven for his sake (his merit), then the demands of justice would relent, and you would be allowed to enter. They would allow an exception to the law of justice, not because of any particular feelings of fairness or loyalty they have toward you. They would allow an exception and permit you to enter the celestial realm because the Savior himself is the one pleading for you to be allowed to enter. Those who enforce the demands of justice have ultimate trust and confidence in, and gratitude to, the Savior. Additionally, they realize that they will need mercy themselves in order fulfill their eternal destiny.

#For Whom Does He Appeal?

Jesus will make this appeal only for those who “believe on his name,” those who have repented of their sins, and those who have done their best to qualify for the ultimate blessing of exaltation. Amulek said:

And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; [and] . . . have faith unto repentance. And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercise no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption (Alma 34:15-16).

#Other Benefits of the Lord’s Atonement

The Savior is able to forgive us of our sins and exalt us because he possesses both the ability and the authorization. His ability stems from his perfect empathy acquired in Gethsemane and at Calvary—he is able to judge with perfect fairness and perfect consistency. His authorization comes from those who make the demands of justice. He has satisfied the law of justice. Justice has acknowledged his atoning sacrifice and has granted him carte blanche in granting mercy to those whom he chooses. Does the Savior’s atonement have other immediate benefits?

“Gifts” of the Spirit. We have already discussed the specific role of the atonement in our spiritual growth. By virtue of his atonement he is able to extend to each of us blessings (gifts of the Spirit) we do not fully deserve.10

Enhanced spiritual growth. Those who are members of the Lord’s earthly kingdom enjoy the blessing of a greater facility in their spiritual growth. Any such blessing given to a select group might seem to be unfair. This is the clue that the blessing must come by the Lord’s mercy and grace—by virtue of his atoning sacrifice.

Under the hands of authorized priesthood holders, the Lord’s people are authorized to participate in the ordinances of baptism of water, baptism of the Spirit, and baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. These ordinances allow the recipients to grow spiritually with greater facility.11

The perquisites of spiritual growth. We discussed previously the perquisite gifts of spiritual growth. These are those “perks,” or additional blessings, we receive when we succeed in growing spiritually. These enhance our spiritual growth. They include a lessening of the pulls of our natural self, joy, greater spiritual character, a

witness of the divine origin of the commandments, and others.

He bears our burdens. There is yet another way we are benefited by the Lord’s atonement. He is inclined to lighten our load in the face of mortal adversities. Because he suffered, we do not have to suffer as much. He may not remove the adversities, but he can mitigate our individual suffering resulting from those adversities. He can make the suffering more bearable.

Part of this succor surely comes in the form of the tangible spiritual companionship of the Savior himself in our climb up the mountain of mortality. An apt metaphor here is to picture the Savior climbing along side of us, sometimes with his hand at our back strengthening us and pushing us along. At other times, his arm is around our shoulder as he consoles and comforts us.

And when we have done what we can—when we have strived to our limit in facing mortality’s adversities, he will say, “Enough.” In his infinite wisdom and empathy, he knows well our capacities. When we have made an offering he considers sufficient, will carry us the rest of the way.

The scriptures teach us that he will not tempt us beyond our power to endure:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

When we think of temptation, we usually imagine the alluring attractions that appeal to our sexual drive or to other aspects of our natural self. We may be tempted to fornicate, lie, cheat, or steal. We assume the Lord will somehow protect our natural self from being tempted beyond its ability to resist. Certainly this is part of the meaning of this scriptural verse. However, temptations come in other forms as well. All sorts of adversities and vicissitudes here in mortality are also “temptations” to commit sin, as they may incline us to commit sin. An individual sunk in a mire of mortal adversity may become discouraged, depressed, cynical, angry, and embittered. He may even despair and lose all hope. Such an individual often loses contact with his spiritual self and the Spirit of God. He may become virtually incapable of summoning up his spiritual character and resisting his natural self. Such an individual needs help, and this verse of scripture promises that help. The Lord will “make a way to escape” even this type of “temptation.” He may do this by actually lifting the burdens of adversity that beset those who are fully committed to Christ and his atonement.

All these extra benefits of the Lord’s atonement are available to us because of the Lord’s mercy and grace. Let us review again the definitions of these two important terms. The Lord extends mercy to an individual when he bestows on him a blessing he does not fully merit. Grace refers to the love the Lord has for each of us. It particularly refers to that aspect of his love that inclines him to extend blessings that are not fully merited. Both mercy and grace have their origins in his atoning sacrifice.

Those who exist outside the umbrella of his atonement have rejected the Lord and his atoning sacrifice. They must experience more pain and suffering as they sojourn through life or in the spirit world without the Lord’s merciful succor. They must also endure greater spiritual growth pains in those areas where they may grow to become more like God. They will receive only that growth fully merited according to the law of justice. There will be no merciful enhancements of their revealed gifts. The quantity of the suffering of self denial will be greater, as there is no mitigation by the Savior’s atonement. The Lord said:

Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men (D&C 19:15-19).

Who better to succor us than one who has perfect empathy for us—one who completely understands what we are experiencing? And how is he able to extend to his people this “unfair” advantage of his personal succor? It is because he is granted that authority by those who keep the demands of justice. He atoned, and therefore he is authorized to mercifully lift and encourage us when he deems it appropriate.

#Can an “Unclean Thing” Enter Any Degree of Glory?

Throughout this chapter we have spoken of the absolute need for the blessings of the Lord’s atonement before any of us can enter his heavenly kingdom. If he had not atoned, no man could ever be exalted. But what about the other degrees of glory? Do Alma 11:37 (“no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven”) and 1 Nephi 15:34 (“no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God”) also apply to the terrestrial and telestial kingdoms? Are God’s mercy and grace required for those who would live eternally in these other kingdoms of glory as well? Are the blessings of the Lord’s atonement essential also for entry into these other two kingdoms?

It is clear that no individual child of God will ever be saved in any degree of glory without turning to the Lord, repenting, and accepting the Savior’s atonement. Then the blessings of his atonement will be extended and the individual will receive the kingdom of glory most suitable to him, be it celestial, terrestrial, or telestial. He will live forever where he is most comfortable—in the kingdom of glory most suitable for him.

#The Financial Model Revisited

Let us now look again at the financial model for explaining the Lord’s atonement. Is it an apt literal description of the atonement? Or is it a metaphor and hence an imperfect literal account for what actually took place during the Lord’s atoning sacrifice?

The idea of a pre-specified amount of punitive suffering for specific sins contains an unmistakable hint of arbitrariness, and we know there is nothing of arbitrariness in God’s plan. Surely, any suffering required at God’s hand is not punitive, but rather constructive and edifying for the sufferer. The atoning suffering of the Savior was not arbitrary in any sense, and it was certainly not punitive. It was carefully meted out by the Father for great and noble purpose. It was to qualify Jesus Christ to be the Savior of all mankind.

That the identity of the sufferer is of little or no consequence sounds yet another note of arbitrariness. Can any individual actually completely pay for the sins of another? The prophet Amulek taught the principle of the sinner’s personal accountability: “There is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay” (Alma 34:11).

The scriptures indicate that the over-all effect of the Lord’s atoning sacrifice was to produce, excruciatingly to be sure, profound changes in the Savior himself. It was not simply to make credit entries into heavenly accounting ledgers. When Jesus entered the garden, he had not yet qualified himself to be our Savior. By his suffering, he completed that process. He was “made perfect,” the “author of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). He was then perfectly able to succor us in our adversities.

I must conclude that the financial model is a metaphor, a most apt and useful metaphor, to be sure. But the “perfect judge” model is, for me, more edifying in explaining the literal happenings during the Savior’s atoning sacrifice.

Certainly we cannot, at our present level of learning, comprehend the Lord’s atonement completely. But, he has mercifully allowed us to understand his atoning sacrifice at a level above and beyond the metaphor. For this and for him I am deeply grateful.

In a future volume, a more comprehensive discussion of the “nuts and bolts” of the Savior’s atonement will be undertaken. See volume 2, chapter 2, Consequences of the Savior’s Atonement.

The Savior entered the garden following his “last supper.” The exact hour is unknown. We may logically suppose it was between 5 and 8 pm. He died the following day “at the ninth hour” or 3 pm. Thus, the period of his atoning sacrifice likely lasted between 19 and 22 hours.

3 For a more thorough discussion of the law of justice, see chapter 12.

Please see chapter 13, Agency and Freedom, for further discussion of agency.

5 For further discussion of this concept, see “Three Essential Factors in the Final Judgment” in chapter 8, The Blessings of Spiritual Gifts.

6 See “Who or what enforces the demands of justice?” in chapter 12, The Law of Justice.

In a future volume, the significance of the concepts of adversity and suffering and their relationship to sin will be discussed. See volume 3, chapter 1, Adversity and Suffering.

For a more complete discussion of the relationship between empathy and charity see volume 2, chapter 6, Charity as Empathy.

9 Please see “Perquisite Gifts of the Spirit” in chapter 8, The Blessings of Spiritual Growth.

10 See “Why Are They ‘Gifts’ of the Spirit?” in chapter 7, Spiritual Growth—Gifts of the Spirit.

11 See a discussion of the three parts of the ordinance of Baptism in chapter 18, Baptism, the Ordinance that Brings Spiritual Growth.

See “Perquisite Gifts of the Spirit” in chapter 8, The Blessings of Spiritual Growth.