The Savior said at the end of the sermon on th mount, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5: 48 in the Bible) Except for the Savior none of us are without sin and therefore are not perfect. Heavenly Father knew this would happen, so asked the Savior to come to earth to make it possible for our sins to be removed. The Savior atoned for our sins by suffering in Gethsemane and by giving His life on the cross. It is impossible for us to fully understand how He suffered for all our sins. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the weight of our sins caused Him to feel such agony that He bled from every pore. Later, as He hung upon the cross, Jesus suffered a painful death by one of the most cruel methods known to man. How Jesus loves us, to suffer such spiritual and physical agony for our sake! How great the love of Heavenly Father that He would send His Only Begotten Son to suffer and die for the rest of His children. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3: 16 in the Bible)
His Mission is to Save us from the Consequences of our Sins
Because of the mission and atonement of Jesus Christ we can be saved from our sins and as sons and daughters of God can become heirs of salvation, inheriting the fulness of Heavenly Father’s Kingdom with Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul stated, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…”
(Romans 8: 16-17 in the Bible)
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him…And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
(Romans 5: 8-11 in the Bible)
Another ancient prophet said, “…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. And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day.”
2 Nephi 9: 21-22 p.74 in the Book of Mormon)
We Must Believe in Jesus Christ and Keep His Commandments to have Our Sins Removed
The Savior’s suffering and atoning sacrifice will not save us from our sins unless we keep His commandments and follow the necessary steps of repentance. “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5: 5-6 in the Bible)
The Savior’s Suffering is Beyond Our Understanding
None of us can imagine or fully understand how difficult the suffering was for Jesus Christ.
“Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 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: 38-39 in the Bible)
The Savior has explained to a prophet: “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.”
(Doctrine and Covenants 19: 16-19 p. 32)
May each of us show our appreciation to the Savior for what he went through to save us by keeping His commandments and helping others come unto the Savior and keep His commandments.