Gospel Doctrine Commentary
Lesson No. Eight

The Infinite Atonement

Introduction – Jacob taught the need for an infinite atonement.  “Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement – save it should be an infinite atonement” there would be no resurrection of the physical body and we would “become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God” forever.  (2 Nephi 9:7-9)  Amulek explained the need for “an infinite and eternal sacrifice” because “nothing which is short of an infinite atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.”  This “sacrifice will be the Son of God [who himself is] infinite and eternal” (Alma 34:10-14).

Mortals can’t fully comprehend an infinite atonement, but we know that if there were no atonement there would be no resurrection of our body (2 Nephi 9:7-9) or salvation for our spirit (Alma 34:10-14).  We can begin to understand some of the ways the atonement is infinite:

The atonement is infinite because it is universal covering the inhabitants of infinite worlds – Christ’s atonement not only includes every person who has or will live on this earth it also includes all those who inhabit an infinite number of other worlds. “And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten” (Moses 1:33).

“In what is probably the most glorious vision given to mortals in this dispensation, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon saw ‘the Son, on the right hand of the Father,’ and “heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of The Father – That by him, and through him, and of him , the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God’ (D&C 76:20, 23-24).  Christ is thus the Creator and Redeemer.  By him the worlds were made, and through his infinite atonement the inhabitants of those worlds are adopted into the divine family as heirs with himself.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Christ and the Creation, Ensign, June 1982, p. 10-11) 

The Prophet Joseph Smith’s poetic version of these verses teach this doctrine:

And I heard a great voice bearing record from heav’n,
He’s the Saviour and Only Begotten of God;
By him, of him, and through him, the worlds were all made,
Even all that careen in the heavens so broad.

Whose inhabitants, too, from the first to the last,
Are sav’d by the very same Saviour of ours;
And, of course, are begotten God’s daughters and sons
By the very same truths and the very same powers.

The atonement is infinite because it has effect in the pre-mortal existence – One of the great doctrinal contributions of the Book of Mormon is that there was “a preparatory redemption” (Alma 13:3) in the pre-mortal existence.   (See also Alma 13:1-9)  In the pre-mortal existence spirit children had agency, and as a result of our agency there was sin.  Through faith in the future atonement of Jesus Christ, to be accomplished on this earth, there was forgiveness of sin conditioned on repentance. 

Elder Orson Pratt, who was an apostle and one of the early theologians of the Church taught this doctrine:  “Among the two-thirds who remained, it is highly probable, that there were many who were not valiant in the war, but whose sins were of such a nature that they could be forgiven through faith in the future sufferings of the Only Begotten of the Father, and through their sincere repentance and reformation.  We see no impropriety in Jesus offering Himself as an acceptable offering and sacrifice before the Father to atone for the sins of His brethren, committed, not only in the second, but also in the first estate” (The Seer, vol.1, no. 4, pp. 53-54).

The atonement is infinite because it has effect in mortality – Through the atonement and on the conditions of faith in Christ and repentance we can be forgiven of our sins and become clean before the Lord.  In this way we can improve and progress to become like our Heavenly Parents.

Another great doctrinal contribution of the Book of Mormon is that it answers several questions about the justice of God that confuses many people both in and out of the Church.  We know that the atonement of Christ unconditionally atones for:

1. The transgression of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  (See Moses 6:53)
2. The sins of children who die before they are accountable.  “The blood of Christ atoneth for their sins” (Mosiah 3:16).  Children can do sinful things before the age of eight.  Nevertheless, no repentance on their part is necessary.  They are innocent not because they haven’t done something wrong, but because the Lord has set eight years as the age of accountability and his atonement unconditionally atones for any sins committed before that age.
3. The sins of all people who die without having the opportunity to receive the “will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned” (Mosiah 3:11).  Every person is born with the light of Christ or a conscience.  For those who knowingly sin against their conscience they will have to repent either in this life or in the spirit world.  However, many people may sin out of ignorance “not knowing the will of God concerning them.”  This would include people who do not keep the Sabbath day or the Word of Wisdom, for example, because they did not know that it is a commandment. 

The atonement is infinite because it has effect in the post mortal spirit world – The Third Article of Faith states: “We believe that through the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.”  We usually think of this in context of mortality.  Through modern revelation we have knowledge of the work that goes on in the spirit world. 

Most people who have ever lived will receive the blessings of the gospel in the spirit world through their faith and repentance there, and by their acceptance of the vicarious performance of the necessary ordinances.  One of the most marvelous doctrines of the gospel concerns the great work that is going on in the spirit world which is enabled through the atonement of Jesus Christ. President Joseph F. Smith was given a vision of the spirit world.

“I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead.  The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God,

“And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation” (D&C 138:57-60).

Repentance and improvement in the spirit world, as it is in mortality, is made possible through the infinite atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Testimony – The infinite and eternal atonement that was accomplished on this earth two thousand years ago by Jesus Christ is central to the plan of salvation for all of our Father’s children regardless of where and when they lived in mortality.  This infinite atonement was necessary for our progression in the first estate, and in the second estate, and it is the only way that we can have eternal life and exaltation in the third estate.

How grateful we are for the doctrine of the atonement that is taught in the Book of Mormon.  More has been revealed in this dispensation about the atonement than has ever been generally known in earlier dispensations.  The most important thing we can do in this life is to be worthy to receive the blessings offered to us through the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ.