The Suffering for Our Sins on Friday
The Savior said at the end of the sermon on the 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.” (2 Nephi 9: 2 in the Book of Mormon)
Easter Sunday Glorious Resurrection
The Savior came into the world to overcome death and initiate the Resurrection.
An important part of the Savior’s mission was to break the bands of death by initiating the eventual universal resurrection of all mankind. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept… For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (I Corinthians 15: 20, 22 in the Bible)
“…by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up. And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead…” (Mormon 7:5-6 in the Book of Mormon)
The Savior was the only one who could voluntarily lay down His life and take it up again. “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10: 17-18 in the Bible)”
The Resurrection Brings Us a Perfect Glorious Body
Most of us do not think much about the resurrection because we are still alive. We are told that once our immortal spirit leaves the physical body at death and enters the spirit world, we long for the joining of our spirit back into a perfect physical body at resurrection. An ancient prophet said, “The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt. Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame.. …that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided…” (Alma 11: 43-45 in the Book of Mormon)
One of the great future gifts from Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father will be our beautiful resurrected bodies taken to the next glorious level of creation. It should be a strong motivation to keep the commandments of God.
Dallas Jones is the local leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For a more detailed discussion on the Mission and Resurrection of Jesus Christ call (231) 383-8359 or send an email [email protected].