In The Paths Of Righteousness

In The Paths Of Righteousness

About 83 BC, Alma was sent to the Land of Gideon to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He found there a very righteous people as stated in his own words, “I perceive that ye are in the paths of righteousness; I perceive that ye are in the path which leads to the kingdom of God.” (Alma 7:19)  Perhaps, because of that very righteousness, He was able to teach them in a very simple and clear manner the very essence of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  I would like to share with you five verses from His teachings to the people of Gideon and some of my own reflections in regard to those teachings.

'And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

'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.

'Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

'Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.' (Alma 7:10-14)

It would appear to me that there are three principal parts of the Atonement as taught by Alma:
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1.    The effects of mortal death that each of us will suffer because of Adam’s transgression will be eliminated through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Because of His Atonement, each of us will be raised from the dead and will be given the wondrous gift of immortality.  It is a free gift from God and will be given to every soul that is born, regardless of their state of righteousness.  As stated by Alma, “And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people” (verse 12).

2.    Because we are mortals, and subject to the temptations associated with mortality, each of us has sinned to one degree or another.  Regardless of the nature of the sin, through the process of exercising faith which leads us to repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, we can be cleansed from the effects of those sins and become clean before the Lord.  This cleansing power is available to all of us through the atonement of Jesus Christ as stated by Alma: 
Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.  Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness (Verses 13-14).


3. The third part of the Atonement is one that is often overlooked, and is one that provides the strength, direction, guidance and comfort that we need to get through this mortal probation and endure to the end.  As stated by Alma, “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”(verse 11).  And again, “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” (verse 12).

There is no infirmity, no sickness, no temptation, no pain, no affliction with which He is not acquainted, and for which he did not suffer. He is thus not only able, but also willing and even anxious to provide to each of us the succor (verse 12) that we need and desire.  All we need to do is ask, with full purpose of heart, and then submit to His will as He provides the requested assistance in His way, and in His own time.  An essential part of submission is obedience to His commandments.

The need to submit to His will is explained so beautifully by King Benjamin in his masterful discourse found in Mosiah 3:19:

'For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father”.

It is my prayer that we as individuals will seek to become as little children and thus have access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in overcoming every obstacle that this mortal life provides and be cleansed from every sin as we submit to His will in all things, recognizing that He knows best how to provide the strength and succor that we need in any and all circumstances of our lives.