Doctrine & Covenants — Lesson 2
“[The Atonement of Jesus Christ] is the very root of Christian doctrine. You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut free from that truth, there will be no life nor substance nor redemption in them” ~Boyd K. Packer (in Conference Report, Apr. 1977, 80; or Ensign,May 1977, 56).
It was great to have a chance to focus on a SINGLE topic this week, as opposed to how the Book of Mormon lessons were structured in chronological order. We hopped all over the Doctrine & Covenants to learn about the Atonement of Christ.
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Two things that stood out:
- D&C 19:16–19
This is the only scripture passage in which the Savior describes His own suffering during His atoning sacrifice:
16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 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 —
19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.
I’d never read those words with that context before, that these are Christ’s words describing the atonement.
2. Repentance
Throughout the lesson, so many of the scriptures referenced touched on the importance of repentance. It’s obviously important, and is an essential part of the plan of salvation. As it says in 2 Nephi 25:23:
23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
As important as the Atonement is in our lives, it’s equally important that we live the gospel as fully as possible by keeping the commandments, repenting, diligently searching the scriptures, and living our lives according to the will of our Heavenly Father, or else “[we] must suffer even as [He]” (19:17).
The path of righteousness, while seemingly difficult at times, won’t be as hard as the alternative.
