Seminary
Lesson 47: The Atonement of Jesus Christ (Part 2)


“Lesson 47: The Atonement of Jesus Christ (Part 2),” Old Testament Seminary Student Material (2018)

“Lesson 47: The Atonement of Jesus Christ (Part 2)”

Lesson 47

The Atonement of Jesus Christ (Part 2)

Prepare to Learn

Prepare your mind and heart to be taught by the Holy Ghost. Diligently seek knowledge and understanding through careful study, reflection, and prayer. Then follow the impressions you receive through the Spirit.

Begin your study with prayer.

How do you respond when you experience difficulties in life?

Listen to Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testify of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. How can Jesus Christ help us during our trials and challenges?

Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge

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Doctrinal Mastery Core Document

Let’s review the following principles that are from the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document:

  1. Act in faith.

  2. Examine concepts and questions with an eternal perspective.

  3. Seek further understanding through divinely appointed sources.

You may want to review these principles in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document to help you with the following practice exercise.

A Scenario

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youth confiding in another youth

Read the following scenario and consider your responses to the questions that follow:

Your friend Josh has been acting noticeably discouraged lately. Every time you ask him what is wrong, he responds by saying that he doesn’t want to talk about it. A few weeks later, he finally tells you that the reason he has been so sad lately is because he has been feeling guilty for some of the sins he has committed in his life.

Josh tells you that he has tried to repent in the past but finds himself struggling with the same sins over and over. He tells you that he has given up on repenting and has begun committing even worse sins. Josh tells you, “The sins I have committed are so bad that God would never want me back. I don’t think He would ever forgive me.”

  • What are some ways that you could invite Josh to act in faith in order to help him overcome his guilt?

  • What do you know about Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation that you could share with Josh to help him view his situation differently?

“The Reach of Divine Love”

Consider the following statements by living prophets. How could these statements help Josh? You may want to copy these statements into your Notes on LDS.org or into a study journal.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained why we should never give up in this life.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained why we should never give up in this life.

You can read the text for this video here: Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 33.

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Jeffrey R. Holland

“However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 33).

Striving to Repent

Why should we not be discouraged as we continually strive to repent of our sins? Consider this statement by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Why should we not be discouraged in continually repenting of our sins? Consider this statement by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

You can read the text for this video here: Neil L. Andersen, “Repent … That I May Heal You,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 41.

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Neil L. Andersen

“Sometimes in our repentance, in our daily efforts to become more Christlike, we find ourselves repeatedly struggling with the same difficulties. As if we were climbing a tree-covered mountain, at times we don’t see our progress until we get closer to the top and look back from the high ridges. Don’t be discouraged. If you are striving and working to repent, you are in the process of repenting” (Neil L. Andersen, “Repent … That I May Heal You,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 41).

“One Step at a Time”

Consider these words by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, formerly of the First Presidency. According to President Uchtdorf, what should be our eternal goal?

Consider these words by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, formerly of the First Presidency. According to President Uchtdorf, what should be our eternal goal?

You can read the text for this video here: Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Four Titles,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2013, 58.

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Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“We have all seen a toddler learn to walk. He takes a small step and totters. He falls. Do we scold such an attempt? Of course not. What father would punish a toddler for stumbling? We encourage, we applaud, and we praise because with every small step, the child is becoming more like his parents.

“Now … compared to the perfection of God, we mortals are scarcely more than awkward, faltering toddlers. But our loving Heavenly Father wants us to become more like Him, and … that should be our eternal goal too. God understands that we get there not in an instant but by taking one step at a time” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Four Titles,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2013, 58).

“Who We Are Becoming”

Why should we keep trying to become better? Reflect on the following statement by Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Why should we keep trying to become better? Reflect on the following statement by Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

You can read the text for this video here: Dale G. Renlund, “Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 56.

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Dale G. Renlund

“God cares a lot more about who we are and who we are becoming than about who we once were. He cares that we keep on trying” (Dale G. Renlund, “Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 56).

Helping Josh

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the Savior

1. Please do one of the following:

  • List words or phrases from these statements that you think could help Josh and explain why.

  • Find at least one scripture or quote that could also help Josh, and share it.

Providing a Covering

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youth with umbrella

An umbrella provides a covering from rain or sunlight. How is an umbrella similar to the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

As President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “in Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar, a verb that means ‘to cover’ or ‘to forgive’” (“The Atonement,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 34).

Ponder these questions:

  • What can the Savior cover because of His atoning sacrifice?

  • Why is Jesus Christ able to do this?

Understanding the Savior’s Atoning Sacrifice

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the Savior

Read paragraph 3.4 in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, looking for what the Savior experienced during His atoning sacrifice.

In addition to suffering for our sins, what else did the Savior experience as part of His atoning sacrifice?

Finding Healing, Strength, and Comfort

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the Savior

You may want to mark this key statement of doctrine in paragraph 3.4 in your copy of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document: As part of His Atonement, Jesus Christ not only suffered for our sins, but He also took upon Himself the pains, temptations, sicknesses, and infirmities of all mankind.

Jesus Christ not only felt and experienced all of our sins, pains, temptations, sicknesses, and infirmities by taking them upon Himself. Through His Atonement, the Savior can also heal, strengthen, and comfort us, thereby helping us overcome those things.

Which Old Testament doctrinal mastery passage helps teach this key statement of doctrine?

Doctrinal Mastery Passage: Isaiah 53:3–5

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youth marking scriptures

Turn to Isaiah 53:3–5, and consider marking this passage in a distinctive way so that you will be able to locate it more easily.

Isaiah 53 contains a prophecy given by Isaiah about the Savior and His atoning sacrifice.

2. Read Isaiah 53:3–5, and answer the following questions:

  • In what ways was the Savior “despised and rejected of men … and acquainted with grief” during His mortal life (verse 3)?

  • How do you think that experiencing what He did during His life and through His Atonement influences the way that the Savior sees and feels about us?

“Perfect Empathy”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained what the Savior experienced during His atoning sacrifice.

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Neal A. Maxwell

“Jesus’ perfect empathy was ensured when, along with His Atonement for our sins, He took upon Himself our sicknesses, sorrows, griefs, and infirmities and came to know these ‘according to the flesh’ (Alma 7:11–12). He did this in order that He might be filled with perfect, personal mercy and empathy and thereby know how to succor us in our infirmities. He thus fully comprehends human suffering. Truly Christ ‘descended below all things, in that He comprehended all things’ (D&C 88:6)” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Enduring Well,” Ensign, Apr. 1997, 7).

What is the Savior able to do because of what He suffered?

Understanding the Savior’s Mercy

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youth looking at the Christus

As Elder Maxwell explained, the Savior “know[s] how to succor us” in our sorrows and infirmities, which means that He knows how to provide relief or aid to us in our suffering.

3. Answer one of the following questions:

  • How could knowing that the Savior is “filled with perfect, personal mercy and empathy” affect your relationship with Him?

  • When have you felt the Savior showing empathy or providing relief to you in your personal trials? (Please do not share any experiences that are too sacred or private.)

Doctrinal Mastery Review

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the Bible

As you take the following quiz, answer as many questions as you can in three minutes without using your scriptures. After three minutes, use your scriptures or your Doctrinal Mastery Reference Guide to look up any scriptures you did not know the answer to.

Quiz 1

Match the doctrinal mastery passages with their corresponding key phrases.

  1. Proverbs 3:5–6

  2. Isaiah 5:20

  3. Moses 1:39

  4. Abraham 3:22–23

  5. Genesis 1:26–27

  6. Joshua 24:15

  7. Isaiah 1:18

  8. Isaiah 53:3–5

  1. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart … , and He shall direct thy paths.”

  2. “God created man in his own image.”

  3. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.”

  4. If we repent, our sins will be “as white as snow.”

  5. Jesus Christ “[bore] our griefs” and suffered for our sins.

  6. Abraham was “chosen before [he was] born.”

  7. God’s “work and … glory [is] to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

  8. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.”

Answer Key

Quiz 1: 1-a, 2-c, 3-g, 4-f, 5-b, 6-h, 7-d, 8-e