Question: According
to Members of the Restored Church, is the atonement of Christ an unknowable mystical phenomenon, or a
functional process of change?
“And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the
church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in
your countenances? Have ye experienced
this mighty change in your hearts?”
Alma 5:14 The Book of Mormon
“And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we
believe all the words which thou hast
spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the
Spirit the Lord Omnipotent, which has
wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition
to do evil, but to do good continually. … And it is the faith which we have
had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this
great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy.” Mosiah
5:2, 4 The Book of Mormon
Members of the Restored Church believe
that the atonement of Jesus Christ is a functional process of change.
At one point in
Christ’s ministry He found Himself surrounded by His followers who wanted to
hear Him and be physically healed by Him.
“[W]hich came to
hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; And they that were vexed with
unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch
him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.” Luke 6:17-19
It was at this
beautiful moment when multitudes of people came to Jesus Christ for the healing
of their bodies, that Christ gave them the method by which they could be healed
in their spirits. He gave them a list
that has become known as the beatitudes.
The word beatitude
comes from the Latin word beatus, which means to be fortunate, to be happy, and
to be blessed. This scriptural list (bulleted hereafter) details how a person
through Christ and the Holy Spirit, works through their sins and finds perfection
and peace. The first beatitude begins:
*“Blessed
are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3
The Book of Mormon
has an important addition to this beatitude given by Christ after His
resurrection.
“Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your
words, and come down unto the depths of humility and be baptized, for they
shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a
remission of their sins. Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.” 3 Nephi 12:2-3 The Book of Mormon
When you have
sinned, you are in spiritual death, and are poor in spirit. When you can acknowledge you are poor in
spirit, it helps you to turn to the Lord through fear of Him. The poor and
contrite in spirit are the ones the Lord can help.
“[B]ut to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Isaiah 66:2
Just as those
faithful people in the Bible came to Jesus for healing, you must come to Jesus
for the healing of your spirit. This is
where you exercise faith in God. There is heavenly wealth to be found through
faith in Christ.
“Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom
which he hath promised to them that love him?” James 2:5
This is the mustard
seed moment when just the smallest amount of faith sown puts you on the path to
spiritual healing and renewal. It puts you on the path to become what you are
meant to become, because the kingdom of God (or heaven) is inside you.
“Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? … It is
like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than
all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs. …” Mark
4:30-32
“If ye have faith
as a grain of mustard seed… nothing shall be impossible to you.” Matthew
17:20
“[T]he
kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:21
You come to Jesus by being baptized and
receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, becoming reborn in spirit. By being baptized you covenant to follow
Christ and you put on Christ and His atonement. You come to Jesus again when
you take the sacrament. This shows the continuing effect of His atonement in
your life by showing His death. Whatever you are poor in you come to Jesus over
and over again and place yourself in His hands.
This is the first step to becoming like Christ and knowing God. It is
the first step of regaining your inheritance as a child of God, gaining the kingdom of heaven.
*“Blessed
are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
There are many
reasons to mourn in this life. One
reason to mourn is your separation from the Father because of sin. What sin has caused you to become separated
from your Father? Have you become a liar?
A thief? Quick to anger? You are
full of potential yet have become what you are not supposed to be. You are a lesser form of yourself.
“Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your
hearts, ye doubled minded. Be afflicted,
and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy
to heaviness.” James 4:8-9
That realization of
a sinful state can cause a person a lot of sorrow and mourning. This is called
righteous sorrow. As you have righteous sorrow for your spiritual state because
of sin, and because you have been baptized and received the Holy Ghost, you can
be comforted by the Holy Ghost.
“But when the
Comforter is come… even the Spirit of truth. …”
John 15:26
You can be
comforted that you can be healed and comforted with love from Jesus Christ and
from your Father. This is where you can gain hope that you can be saved. There
is comfort in hope.
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the
LORD hath anointed me to preach good
tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that
are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of
vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for
ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of
the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
Isaiah 61:1-3
And as we see from
that scripture, it is the meek who will receive the good tidings, as they are
the ones who will hear and listen.
*“Blessed
are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5
In Zephaniah it
states that the meek of the Earth who have wrought the judgment of God may be
hid in the day of God’s anger.
“Seek ye the LORD, all
ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness,
seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.”
Zephaniah 2:3
Being meek is submissiveness. The word wrought is used for metal working,
where heated metal is pounded into shape. Meekness is being teachable.
“The meek will
he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.” Psalms 25:9
You must be willing
to hear Christ’s and God’s judgment of your character (which most usually comes
through Christ’s priesthood, the Holy Spirit, and the scriptures) and be willing
to be reshaped into the person you should be.
“Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments."
Psalms 119:156
“Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.” Psalms 119:164
“Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.” Psalms
119:175
“Do ye not know
that the saints shall judge the world? …” 1 Corinthians 6:2
Judgments will let
you know what else you need to do to purify yourself. The judgments of God are
a reproach to us, and although stinging, are not something to hide from. The reproach and judgments of God are a
precious treasure, because they are truth that helps us along our path to the
kingdom of God.
“Esteeming the
reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had
respect unto the recompense of the reward.” Hebrews 11:26
“I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous
judgments.” Psalms 119:7
“My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times. Thou hast
rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments. Remove
from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.” Psalms
119:20-22
“I have chosen
the way of truth, thy judgments I have laid before me.” Psalms 119:30
“Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.” Psalms
119:39
“At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.”
Psalms 119:62
You must be meek
enough to pursue God’s will and judgment of your actions and attitudes. This is
an expression of true meekness and humility.
This is being teachable and ready for instruction. God will respond.
“So we fasted
and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.” Ezra 8:23
God and Christ will
give you understanding. They want you to
understand things when you are ready.
“If any of you
lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
James 1:5
At the last day the
prideful who will not be taught will be swept from this Earth. Those who are
meek will remain.
“Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the
earth. …” Proverbs 11:31
* “Blessed
are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be
filled.” Matthew 5:6
After you have seen
your fallen state, mourned, and become meek enough to allow God to judge and
shape you, there comes a change in your heart where you no longer desire to do
evil, but hunger and thirst for goodness, for righteousness. You will hunger for
knowledge, for wisdom, for love, for all those things that are righteous, all
those godly things that God is. You will hunger for the law of God, which through
Christ is life to the spirit of man.
“Wherefore the
law is holy, and the commandments holy, and just, and good. Was then that
which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear
sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment
might become exceeding sinful. For we
know that the law is spiritual: but I
am carnal, sold under sin.” Romans
7:12-14
“For the law of
the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death.” Romans 8:2
The Holy Ghost will
teach you, guide you, and fill you with righteousness. This is the renewing of
the Spirit, over and over again, until you are clean.
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6
“This I say then, Walk
in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Galatians
5:16
The Holy Spirit
will write the law upon your heart so you will not be condemned by it.
“I will put my
law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. …” Jeremiah 31:33
You cannot receive
the law in your heart unless you hunger and thirst for it. You cannot have righteousness unless you want
to be righteous. We must pray for it with all our hearts. We must fast (occasionally
skipping a meal) for it, so we subdue our bodies and strengthen our spirits.
“[T]hat ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you
not for your incontinency.” 1 Corinthians 7:5
“And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at
the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in
bright clothing, And said, Cornelius, thy
prayer is heard. …” Acts 10:30-31
“I humbled my soul with fasting; and my
prayer returned into mine own bosom.” Psalms 35:13
“As for me, I
will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and
at noon, will I pray, and call aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” Psalms
55:16-17
When we hunger for
the law and supplicate our God, He will respond.
*“Blessed
are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
Matthew 5:7
Everyone in this
world has had someone do something harmful to them. We have all been down here on Earth hurting
each other to various degrees. Humanity
is all fallen. We are all in need of God’s mercy. To be like Him we must
exercise mercy.
“Be ye therefore
merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”
Luke 6:36
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them
that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your
Father which is in heaven: for he maketh
his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and
on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? …
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is
perfect.” Matthew 5:44-46, 48
When you can extend
mercy to others, you are worthy of mercy yourself.
* “Blessed
are all the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8
Only the pure can
exist with God.
“Create in me a
clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away
from thy presence. …” Psalms 51:10-11
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure
heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of
his salvation.” Psalms 24:3-5
“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a
good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” 1 Timothy 1:5
The pure in heart are
they who gain the knowledge of God. They are the ones who can see Him. They are
the ones that follow after peace.
“Seeing ye have
purified your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love
one another with a pure heart fervently: Being
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and
abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:22-23
“But the wisdom
that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17
“Follow peace
with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:14
*“Blessed
are all the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9
When you have
gained peace, you will know how to be a peacemaker because you have gone
through the process. You will have divine knowledge. Once you are one with the
Father your goals become the same as His. Christ is a peacemaker, as He brings
peace to the souls of humanity and brings them back to their Father.
“[H]is name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The
mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
“Peace I leave
with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. …” John
16:33
You can be a peacemaker by creating
environments where love and the Holy Spirit can thrive; where knowledge of Christ
can be shared and accepted. You become a peacemaker through good works that
glorify God. You become a peacemaker when you plead to God for the benefit of
those about you. As the recipients of the good gift from heaven, we must
endeavor to share it with others. We must endeavor to do the will of God at all
times.
“And how shall
they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:15
“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall
be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet
for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful
lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the
Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:21-22
“I delight to do
thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached
righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O
LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy
righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy
salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great
congregation.” Psalms 40:8-10
“And the fruit
of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” James 3:18
As a peacemaker you
can teach others who are poor in spirit about God and His Christ.
“We then, as workers together with him … as poor, yet making many rich. …” 2
Corinthians 6:1, 10
You can comfort as
God comforts.
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in
all our tribulation, that we may be able
to comfort them which are in trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
You can help people
who hunger and thirst for righteousness to be filled.
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be
spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Romans 8:6
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever
therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so,
he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in
the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:18-19
“Restore unto
me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit, Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;
and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” Psalms 51:12-13
You can help them
be filled with righteousness by telling them the truth, by giving a righteous
judgment.
“He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the
way of his saints. Then shalt thou
understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When
wisdom entereth into thine heart. …” Proverbs 2:8-9
“Let the
righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be
an excellent oil. …” Psalms 141:5
You can fast and
pray for them.
“But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was
sacklcloth: I humbled my soul with
fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as
though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that
mourneth for his mother.” Psalms 35:13-14
When we are fully
lead by the Holy Spirit in the will of God, being peacemakers, we regain our
inheritance as the children of God.
“Let us therefore follow after
the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”
Romans 14:19
“[W]alk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all
lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3
“For the kingdom
of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost.” Romans 14:17
“For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:14
Just as children
learn the traditions of their fathers, when you become one who seeks the peace
of others, you become a child of God in following Him in bringing peace to His
children. Peace is a mark of perfection, being like God. Bringing real peace is
godliness.
“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.” Psalms
37:37
* “Blessed
are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you,
and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my
sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:
for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets
which were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12
Trying to live a
life that follows Christ will invite derision and persecution from people who
do not want to live a holy life. People who live to satisfy their flesh often
actively engage in persecuting those who look to the Spirit instead. They have
become in measure devourers like Satan, trying to devour the lights inside
others.
“But as then he
that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit,
even so it is now.” Galatians 4:29
When you try to be
a peacemaker and share the message of Christ to people it will many times bring
derision and persecution. This is where
many who had previously chosen to follow Christ can lose their way. The voices of devourers can drown out the
voice of Christ when His followers become so focused on their discomfort they
seek to alleviate it. This is where you can lose your vision of God.
“Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the
people in whose heart is my law; fear ye
not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.” Isaiah
51:7
Here also is where
the process of the beatitudes comes full circle. If we cling to our faith in
God, what began as a mustard seed of faith becomes a strong tree. The poor in
spirit who will receive the kingdom of heaven, can be those who, no matter the
situation or persecution, stay faithful in God. These are the heirs of God. These
gain the kingdom of heaven. This is because they are
made strong in the truth and wisdom of the knowledge of God.
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an
hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a
stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye
visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous
answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or
thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or
naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto
thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the
least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:34-40
*“Ye
are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith
shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and
to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;
and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is
in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16
When you become
what Christ can make you, you are a light that must be put up so that others
can see you. You are like salt that makes food delicious and worthwhile. You make the world more beautiful and good. You can serve Christ and assist in purifying
the world. But just like salt you can still be corrupted. When salt loses its savor it is because it
has been corrupted with other things, dirt or other minerals have diluted its
effects. There is something in the salt
that makes it not salty.
“Salt is good: but
if the salt have lost his saltness: wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in
yourselves, and have peace one with another.” Mark 9:50
If you allow things to corrupt what you have
become you will lose your savor as well.
Without your savor the world will be less beautiful and good, there will
be less light in the world. Whatever light and knowledge we gain through the
process of the beatitudes we must hold to like one would a most precious
treasure.
The beatitudes are
the functional process of gaining the fulness of God. It has been demonstrated
that when we completely follow the Holy Spirit we are not under the law. That is because the law has become fulfilled
in us.
*“Think
not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:17-18
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:4
This is the way we
obtain the law in our hearts. This is
the way we obtain fulness of Christ.
Next Chapter
Watch- Meek and Lowly of Heart