Doctrinal Mastery: Alma 34:9–10

“There Must Be an Atonement Made, … an Infinite and Eternal Sacrifice.”

Christ on the cross

In a previous lesson, you learned about the infinite and eternal Atonement of Jesus Christ. This lesson can help you memorize the reference and key scripture phrase for Alma 34:9–10, explain the doctrine taught in these verses, and apply principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge to realistic scenarios using this scripture passage.

Help students practice using “the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge.” Strive to refer to the principles by name so that students readily recognize when and how they are being employed in class discussions.

Student preparation: Consider inviting students to think of how the truths taught in Alma 34:9–10 and the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge could help someone who feels they cannot be forgiven for their sins.

Possible Learning Activities

This doctrinal mastery passage lesson is designed to be taught after the lesson “Alma 34:1–17,” which is the contextual lesson for the doctrinal mastery passage Alma 34:9–10. If this doctrinal mastery passage lesson needs to be moved to a different week, be sure to teach the corresponding contextual lesson during that week as well.

Explain and memorize

Have you ever noticed it can be easier to understand something in your mind than to explain it in words? One of the purposes of doctrinal mastery is to give you opportunities to explain the doctrine from the doctrinal mastery passages in your own words.

In your recent study of Alma 34:9–10, you learned that without the infinite and eternal Atonement of Jesus Christ, all mankind would be lost forever.

Give students an opportunity to explain the doctrine taught in Alma 34:9–10 in their own words by sharing the following instructions.

Imagine that you had an opportunity to explain the meaning of Alma 34:9–10 to someone who knows very little about Jesus Christ. Take a moment to review these verses and mark or write down words or phrases you would want this person to understand.

When students have had sufficient time to prepare, consider arranging them into pairs or small groups and inviting each student to practice sharing their explanation.

The key scripture phrase for Alma 34:9–10 is: “There must be an atonement made, … an infinite and eternal sacrifice.”

Help students memorize this scripture reference and key scripture phrase. Arrange the class into pairs. One student could repeat the first half of the phrase, then the other in the pair could repeat the second half. Both could then say the scripture reference together. After doing this a few times, the students could switch and repeat the other half of the phrase.

Practice application

Before sharing the following scenario, consider asking students to name the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge from memory. Write each principle on the board as the students say it. Explain that they will have opportunities to review and practice applying these principles during this lesson.

Then display the scenario or provide students a copy to reference as they complete the activity.

Imagine that you were asked to teach a lesson about the Atonement of Jesus Christ in your Sunday School class. As part of your preparation, you reach out to a young woman in your ward named Olive and ask her to share her thoughts about how Jesus Christ has blessed her life because of His Atonement.

Olive’s response surprises you. She says, “To be honest with you, I think the Atonement of Jesus Christ is great for most people, but I’m not sure how much it applies to me anymore because of some of the mistakes I have made and continue to make. There are some sins I don’t know if I will ever be able to overcome.”

As you continue to prepare your lesson, you keep thinking about Olive’s comments and want to help her. Consider how the teachings in Alma 34:9–10 and the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge might help Olive with her concern.

Consider arranging students into small groups and assigning each group to focus on one of the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge. Students could create a list on paper or on the board of all the ways they think this principle could help Olive in her situation. Students from each group could then be invited to report to the entire class what they discussed.

As needed, the following questions could be shared with the groups to be used as part of their discussion.

Act in Faith

• What are specific faithful actions you think Olive could do that could help her?

• What could you teach Olive about Jesus Christ and His Atonement that might help her act in faith? How might the teachings in Alma 34:9–10 help?

For other ideas about how Olive could act in faith, you could read paragraphs 5–7 of the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document.

Examine concepts or questions with an eternal perspective

An alternate way of teaching this section is to invite students to list on the board some of the incorrect assumptions Olive might have about Jesus Christ, His Atonement, and her role in gaining access to the Savior’s mercy. Then invite students to help Olive reframe her concern (or see it differently) by sharing truths they understand about Jesus Christ, His Atonement, and our role in gaining access to the Savior’s mercy.

• How do you think Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ would view a concern like Olive’s?

• Why is it important for Olive to remember that the Savior’s Atonement is “infinite and eternal” (Alma 34:10)?

• How might remembering that all are fallen and lost without the Savior’s Atonement help her to view her concern differently?

For other ideas about how Olive could examine concepts or questions with an eternal perspective, you could read paragraph 8 of the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document.

Seek further understanding through divinely appointed sources

• What types of divinely appointed sources would you recommend to Olive to help her receive guidance and direction? Why?

• In addition to Alma 34:9–10, what is a scripture or a statement from a Church leader you could share with Olive? How might this help her?

For other ideas about how Olive could seek further understanding through divinely appointed sources, you could read paragraphs 11–12 of the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document.

Invite students to think about what they have learned or felt today that could bless their lives or the lives of people they know. Encourage them to look for opportunities to apply the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge and the doctrine taught in the scriptures to situations they face.

Doctrinal mastery review

In a future lesson, help students review the scripture reference and key scripture phrase for Alma 34:9–10: “There must be an atonement made, … an infinite and eternal sacrifice.”

One way this could be done is to write the first letters of the reference and key phrase on the board and invite students to try to remember the words associated with each letter. Practice doing this a few times until the students can repeat the scripture reference and key scripture phrase from memory.

Supplemental Learning Activity

Alternate method of studying the scenario

Students could be invited to prepare a lesson about the Atonement of Jesus Christ that addresses Olive’s concerns. Instruct students to use teachings from Alma 34:9–10 and something related to each of the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge in their lesson. Students could then discuss what they included in the lesson with a partner, a small group, or the entire class.