The Atonement and the need for a Savior
by M.M. Lewis, March 2003
“And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means given whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.” (Alma
38:9)
We can’t save ourselves. All of us sin, and are thus unable to return to our Heavenly Father’s presence. However, Christ has made a way for us to repent and have our sins erased: the Atonement.
The Atonement does more than just fix our mistakes. It gives us comfort in our sorrows, healing in our wounds, and strength in our trials. It gives us hope. If we were to rely solely on our own merits, it would certainly be a grim existence. There would be no way of returning to Heavenly Father; rather, we’d all be consigned to endless misery and woe. What would be the point of this life on earth if there were no hope of a better future?
Thankfully, through Christ we do have hope. Because Christ was born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father, He had the power to remain sinless and thus take upon Him the sins of all humanity. He alone among all God’s children possessed this ability, and we look to Him for salvation. “Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.” (3 Nephi 9:21)
The Atonement is the greatest gift we have been given. “The wondrous and glorious Atonement was the central act in all of human history.” (Neal A. Maxwell)
Heavenly Father knew that each of us would fall short of the required perfection no matter how hard we tried—so He, in His infinite wisdom, provided a Savior with whom we could form a covenant relationship and through whom we could become perfected. This gives light to our lives, just as Christ is the “light and the life of the world.”
(3 Nephi 9:18)
Without that hope, we’d have a hard time finding motivation to endure trials. After all, the Lord “cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance” (Alma 45:16), so we would all be helplessly and hopelessly condemned. “Without the aid of a power above that of humanity, no soul would find its way back to God from whom it came” (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ). But we do have a higher power aiding us, waiting for us to ask for help. He lovingly pleads with us to return to Him, and “repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you” (3 Nephi 9:13). It is an invitation extended to all men—Sheri L. Dew called it “stunningly inclusive.” And indeed “every soul stands in need of the Savior’s mediation, since all are sinners” (Talmage). He says that “in me shall all mankind have life” (Ether 3:14), and this applies to every person. That means you and me and the people you love and the people you can’t stand.
The Atonement truly is the greatest event in history. It makes life meaningful and worthwhile. Christ’s infinite sacrifice is the only way we can return to Heavenly Father, but it is open for each of us to accept. The General Authorities have said that continued study of the Atonement will lead to an increased appreciation for it and love for our Savior. “For Jesus died on Calvary, that all through him might ransomed be” (Hymn 177). Though we are all in a sinful state right now, we can “put off the natural man” (Mosiah 3:19) through the Atonement and, with endurance, return to our Heavenly Father’s presence.