Verses 1-9: His Holy Name
The Disciples fast and inquire in prayer and the Savior instructs them to call the church in His name.
What does this teach me about the atonement?
Fun fact: I counted the word "name" 16 times in these nine verses, and from only one of them was the word absent.
What's in a name? An identifier.
If we take the Savior's name, we are His.
This allows us, through the atonement, to claim the Savior's spiritual "credentials".
It also allows us to strive to become worthy of the name we've taken.
Christ wants the church named after Him, so that everyone affiliated with it may partake of His salvation.
Because He took upon Him our sins, we can take upon us His name, as we actively seek to turn from our sins. Why does it work that way? How is it done? He stands in for us. He takes our proverbial licking because He loves us. He pays our debt of justice and accepts as our repayment whatever we can afford.
"...by this name shall ye be called at the last day."
At the final judgment we will belong to Christ and be able to bear His name, or we will not. We will have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, or we will have resisted and rebelled. We will know by what name we ought to be called.
Lesson for me?
*You belong to THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST! You are more blessed than you can possibly quantify. Be grateful every day that you have been taught the path of salvation and made the covenants that invite you into His blessed fold, to be guided back to His loving arms. Remember that you are committed to bear His holy name, and live accordingly.
This next section is so rich with direct teachings that I've largely broken it down verse by verse and haven't asked my usual questions each time, as I just try to get the gist of each statement.
Verse 10- Christ's church, based upon His gospel, invites the Father's power.
Verse 11- The devil, and people (not relying on Christ) do have a measure of effectiveness! They can create works that temporarily dazzle and delight. The word "joy" was even used! We must have a long perspective not to be taken in by these things.
A church built upon the works of men or the devil can't endure. We have the blessing of reassurance that our church is built upon Christ's gospel by the pattern of revelation through which it arose.
How does this relate to the atonement?
Christ's gospel is founded on the atonement. It's what sets in motion His plan for our salvation. As I understand it, His gospel is synonymous with the plan of salvation. Or to be more precise, the plan of salvation, as outlined in the church, describes the general path of all souls who come to earth, and Christ's gospel describes the only means by which we optimally come through it.
Lesson for me?
*Take more notice of your indulgence in "joy... for a season", all those times you're trading progress toward true joy for a moment of ease or relief. This is not to say you don't ever need rest. I speak of the times when you know you need to do something important, but put it off because it seems too hard. Don't.
Verse 12-"Their works follow them". What does that mean? Without Christ's gospel they can't repent. This means that their sins would continue to define and characterize them. How is it impossible to repent without Christ? Surely even unbelieving humans have the power to reason and improve themselves, right? Yes. And if they continue on an honest course, they will eventually accept Christ. Repentance is turning from sins. All existence is ruled by spiritual laws. Anyone who denies Christ is resisting the laws that govern existence.
How does this relate to the atonement?
Christ fulfilled the eternal laws of justice by carrying the load of all sin without committing any Himself. For this reason, He is the only possible salvation for we debtors. These are not ignorant people being spoken of, whose works will follow them, these are rebellious self-deceivers who have deliberately chosen immediate gratification, pride, etc., over truth, joy and love. All sincere and honest humans will eventually accept Christ, or have to acknowledge that they've decided His program is not worth the effort.
Lesson for me?
*The things you do will follow you unless you repent- acknowledge His healing power and keep trying to become like Him.
Verse 13- He sums up His gospel as: I came to do what my Father told me because He asked me to. This sounds like simple childlike obedience and trust. Isn't it interesting that the task of our lives is to will ourselves, through our choices, back into the state of being in which we arrived on earth? We let our baser instincts "unlearn" us from this trust. We became willful... and all we really need to do is let go of our own will and go along with the power that holds the universe intact.
What does this teach me about the atonement?
That Christ undertook it because He loves His Father.
Lesson for me?
*Let all your actions arise from love of the Father and Christ and a desire to further their mission of love and joy.
Verse 14: Christ allowed people to lift Him upon the cross. All people will be "lifted" to stand before Him in judgment.
Verse 15: All people will be drawn to Him and judged.
Verse 16: Those who repent and are baptized will be "filled". It doesn't say what they'll be filled with. Presumably, it's the Holy Spirit. But I believe He left it open-ended so that we can conclude that we'll be filled with whatever is needed emotionally to satisfy us and sustain us.
Verse 17: Those who give up, by definition, can't be included in the tide of eternal progress and will naturally fall away.
Verse 18: I guess "this cause" refers to the cause of justice mentioned in the previous verse. Justice demands that the Father, as a being of integrity, follow through with His stated intentions.
Verse 19: We have to "wash our garments in His blood" through faith, repentance of all our sins, and faithfulness to the end.
Faith means we believe and trust in the program. Repentance of all our sins is our perpetual "turning from" them, which eventually transforms us into someone who can review the sins and know no inclination or tendency to repeat them. We will know we are no longer "that person".
And "faithfulness" is simply our decision to stay the course we've committed to, even when things feel dark and confusing.
Verses 20-22: My Gospel
Repentance, baptism and sanctification through receiving the Holy Ghost. What is sanctification and why is it mentioned? The LDS website, in a study guide defines it as "to cleanse and make holy." Sounds like baptism. Baptism is the outward observance, like a landmark, and sanctification is the inner process, facilitated by the Holy Ghost received afterwards, and probably throughout, only possible through the atonement, the greatest cleanser. As we receive the Spirit, He will change us- we just have to cooperate- like I ask my toddler to do while I get him dressed. We are often "acted upon," more often than we may realize, and yet the contrast in the Book of Mormon is made to distinguish us as agents of action. Why is that?
We are both. But far better to define ourselves as active than passive- since the passive component requires our righteous action anyway.
He asks us to do what we've seen Him do. He really wants us, eventually, to have everything He does.
Lesson for me?
*Do what the Savior does: serve, testify and heal. I don't have the priesthood, but I can help heal broken hearts.
Verses 23-27: Books and Judgment
What does this teach me about the atonement?
Christ asks that His teachings and expectations be recorded. He wants them made known. This, and His suffering is all part of His saving mission.
I noticed that in verse 25 He suggests that people will be accountable to live by the writings available to them. Then in verse 26 He assures us that the program is not ultimately subject to the frailties of human scribes, because the Father will record ALL truth. Still, the writings of these frail humans are of inestimable benefit to both the writers and the readers. Verse 26 just informs us of a necessary failsafe.
Lesson for me?
*Continue to search the scriptures, trying to build a life which conforms to their teachings.
Verses 28-29: Ask and Knock
How does this relate to the atonement?
The Savior loved us enough to suffer every pain and anguish so that we wouldn't have to. He wants to actively build our confidence in this love. Thus He encourages us to ask for what we want and need in His name. He fulfills the desires that are right for us, and we learn greater faith and trust.
Lesson for me?
*He really loves you and wants you to ask for things! Ask for those good things you desire. Don't feel reticent about approaching Him.
Verses 30-33: The Strait Gate
What does this teach me about the atonement?
The atonement is subject to people's acceptance of it in their lives. The Savior rejoices in anyone who accepts His sacrifice, and sorrows for anyone who rejects it in pursuit of wealth or pride.
Lesson for me?
*Remember your priorities and carefully weigh where your attention and effort goes- especially in guiding the next generation.
