Perfect Paradox - Chapter 2: To Answer the Ends of the Law

Having set forth the Father’s supremacy in the Plan of Happiness, I now turn to Christ, the “desire of all nations” (see Haggai 2:7), for salvation is in God, the Redeemer. He is the great whole into which the Father has circumscribed all truth. “If we are to envision our Lord’s true status and glory,” wrote Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1981), “we must come back to the pronouncement of pronouncements, the doctrine of doctrines, the message of messages, which is that Christ is God. And if it were not so, he could not save us” (p. 98). Thus said Lehi to his son Jacob:

Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered (2 Nephi 2:6-7).

Few verses teach so much about the doctrine of atonement in so few words. What is this law of which Lehi spoke? What are the ends of this law? And how did Christ answer the ends of this law? These questions should pique the interest and attention of every gospel student, for it is within the answers to these questions that a more complete understanding of the atonement rests.

Gratefully, but not surprisingly, the Book of Mormon “provides the most comprehensive explanation of the doctrine of the Atonement” (Benson, 1986, p. 5). We are indebted to it for providing complete answers to these questions. Without this book written for our day, we would be as those carried about by every wind of doctrine and ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of truth. This “seed” that contained the fulness of the gospel lay in the earth until, at last, it sprouted in fertile soil and was “sent forth” out of the earth “to sweep the earth as with a flood” (see Moses 7:62) to swallow the creeds and lies that had swept the earth as with a flood (see Revelation 12:16) for nearly two millennium.

Turning now to the doctrine of atonement and the ends of the law—like many, I had heretofore considered the expression ends of the law in a generic sense. Adhering to this approach, this expression simply means “the objectives of the law,” or the purpose for which the law was given. Suited to this approach, the 1854 Oxford English Dictionary defines the phrase as “a final cause; an object for which the thing exists; the purpose for which it is designed or instituted.” I suggest that this is a correct and sufficient definition for most practical purposes.[1] Aside from this generic definition, it is interesting to explore whether the expression can be pragmatically viewed? In other words, does the law identified by Lehi have two ends—like a yardstick—that should be thoughtfully examined?

Although pragmatism might be a less than ideal method to view gospel concepts, in this instance I think it helps in order to develop the framework that strengthens our doctrinal understanding of the atonement. One author (Nyman & Tate, 1988), in taking this literal approach, has suggested that the ends of the law are “love and mercy” (p. 303). Another (Callister, 2000) writes that “the Atonement ran the full gamut of the law, end to end, mercy to justice” (p. 314), suggesting that mercy and justice rest at the ends of the law. Without diminishing these insights or suggesting they are incorrect, I propose that the expression ends of the law might be most thoroughly developed by looking to the identity of the law and the principles upon which it operates.

Adding to what Lehi taught concerning the ends of the law, Nephi, Lehi, Alma, and Amulek set forth doctrine that confirms the relationship between law, justice, judgment, punishment, and happiness. In his early writings, Nephi taught that the justice of God is expressed in and through Christ, the Eternal Judge (see 1 Nephi 12:18).[2] Lehi further noted that there is a punishment affixed to law opposite that of the happiness that is also affixed (see 2 Nephi 2:10).[3] In an attempt to persuade his wayward son of the certainty of justice, Alma then brought Nephi’s and Lehi’s teachings together into a precise declaration of doctrine: “But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted,” he wrote, “which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law,[4] and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God” (Alma 42:22; emphasis added). And finally, Amulek named this law of which the earlier prophets spake and called it “the whole law of the demands of justice” (see Alma 34:16).[5]

From the foregoing verses and commentary given elsewhere in the Book of Mormon, the following conclusions can be drawn:

1) The JUSTICE OF GOD is vested in Christ. He is the “word (i.e., the Divine Expression) of the justice of the Eternal God” (1 Nephi 12:18). He separates light from darkness and the righteous from the wicked. His brightness is “like unto the brightness of a flaming fire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no end” (1 Nephi 15:30). To Him, the Father has committed all judgment (see John 5:22)—He shall stand to judge the nations.

2) A distinction can be made between the LAW OF THE DEMANDS OF JUSTICE and the JUSTICE OF GOD that “executes” or invokes the LAW.

3) Although they are distinct expressions, it is clear that the DEMANDS OF JUSTICE, mentioned by Alma, are the ENDS OF THE LAW identified by Lehi.

4) MERCY, which has the power to satisfy the DEMANDS OF HIS JUSTICE (see 2 Nephi 9:26), is innately tied to a BROKEN HEART and CONTRITE SPIRIT.

5) HAPPINESS and PUNISHMENT are affixed to the ENDS OF THE LAW opposite each other.

6) PUNISHMENT, or misery, is the proximate result of God’s penalty[6] and HAPPINESS, or joy, is the proximate result of God’s reward.

According to Millet, McConkie, and Top (1992), all of Heavenly Father’s children, Christ included, answer the demands of justice, or the ends of the law, in one of two ways:

1) by perfect obedience to gospel law to which happiness and a reward is affixed, or

2) by disobedience to gospel law to which punishment and a penalty is affixed (p. 340).

Commenting on these two ways, Elder Gerald N. Lund (Nyman & Tate, 1989) taught:

Remembering the two principles that constitute the law of justice, i.e. obedience brings joy, violation brings suffering, then one could say that there are only two ways to satisfy the demands of that law. The first is to keep the law perfectly, that is, never to violate it in any degree. A second way to satisfy the demands of the law of justice would be to pay the penalty for any violations of it (p. 91).

Based on these insights, I suggest that one end or demand of the Law of the Demands of Justice is PERFECTION, to which HAPPINESS and a reward is affixed, and that the other “end” or demand of the law is BROKEN LAW, to which PUNISHMENT and a penalty is affixed. It may be helpful to visualize the relationship of these concepts as illustrated in Figure 1 below:

FIGURE 1.

Christ answered both ends of the law—He kept the law perfectly and, contrary to the demands of the law and notwithstanding His perfection, He was also punished for broken law. Focusing on Christ's compliance to law, Elder Lund (Nyman & Tate, 1989) continues:

What did the Messiah do to meet both those conditions [i.e., to answer the ends of the law]? He kept the law perfectly. Not once in his entire mortal life did Jesus violate the law in any way. He was the Lamb without spot or blemish. He was perfection and that perfection answered the law; that is, the law had no claim on him. But Christ did more than this . . . . Not only did Christ keep the law perfectly for himself, but he suffered the penalty for all violations as though he himself were guilty of them. Thus he satisfied the law of justice in both dimensions (Nyman & Tate, pp. 91-92).[7]

“The law was broken; Jesus died that justice might be satisfied” (Nicholson, 1985, p. 174). It is within this ultimate contradiction—the Innocent unjustly suffering the penalty for broken law—that mercy is born. It is also because of this benevolent act that Christ, on conditions of faith unto repentance (see Alma 34:16), has power to bring all men unto Him (see D&C 18:12; compare Helaman 5:11). So important was the mission of Jesus Christ in fulfilling this single commission of answering the ends of the law that Lehi exclaimed:

Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved (2 Nephi 2:8-9).

With love that never faileth, Christ inviteth all who will (see 3 Nephi 9:14) to come unto Him, “for he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him” (Moroni 7:28).

WORKS CITED

Benson, E. T. (1986, November). The Book of Mormon--Keystone of Our Religion. Ensign.

Callister, T. R. (2000). The Infinite Atonement. Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company.

McConkie, B. R. (1981). The Promised Messiah: The first coming of Christ. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company.

McConkie, J. F., Millet, R. L., & Top, B. L. (1992). Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon (Vol. 4). Salt Lake City: Bookcraft.

Nicholson, J. (1985). While of These Emblems We Partake. Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, p. 174.

Nyman, M. S., & Tate, J. C. (Eds.). (1988). The Book of Mormon: First Nephi, The Doctrinal Foundation (Vol. 1). Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center.
Nyman, M. S., & Tate, J. C. (Eds.). (1989). The Book of Mormon: Second Nephi, The Doctrinal Structure (Vol. 2). Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center.

ENDNOTES
[1] The Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual (2004) explains that the expression refers to the “consequences of the Fall and to the ‘punishment that is affixed’ for disobedience to God’s commandments (2 Nephi 2:5, 10)” (p. 26).
[2] Compare 1 Nephi 15:28-30, Mosiah 2:28; Mosiah 15:27, and Alma 10:20-21.
[3] A reading of 2 Nephi 2:10 makes it clear that the “opposition in all things” spoken of by Lehi in verse 11 of that same chapter as a necessary component to the existence of good and evil is not opposition in the context of material things such as light versus dark, sound versus silence, or bitter versus sweet as sometimes portrayed in various commentaries and over church pulpits. Rather, I suggest this opposition is a specific reference to the opposition that exists between punishment and happiness.
[4] Notwithstanding, we learn from modern revelation that God executes all things (see D&C 88:40). Thus, God, who is justice, executes the law that He devised.
[5] This law—the Law of the Demands of Justice—has two close gospel relatives known as the Law of the Harvest, which declares that whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap (see D&C 6:33) and the Plan of Restoration, which teaches that men should be judged and, depending upon their works in this life, have good or evil restored unto them (see Alma 41:3-4). These three gospel cousins are governed by, and each are equally requisite with, the justice of God.
[6] God’s punishment consists of “justice and judgment” (see D&C 82:4).

[7] See also McConkie (1991, p. 251).

The Word was Made Flesh

Some of the following concepts were presented in a prior blog entitled Lay Not Our Swords Upon the Shelf. However, some of these are presented herein using another perspective:

Following their transgression, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden and were thereafter appointed to sorrow[1] because of their separation from God. From the time of their exile forward, they were honored to hear the “voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden,” but they “saw him not; for they were shut out of his presence.”[2] As inheritors of this fallen state, their children are likewise remanded to this “lone[3] and dreary world” to experience, to one degree or another, a life of sorrowing. If they so qualify, they are also privileged to hear the voice of the Lord, but it is equally “as the voice of one crying in the wilderness . . . because they cannot see him.”[4]

Making the way back to God’s presence, then, is a matter of entering through the gate that places one on “the way toward the Garden” and, thereafter, hearkening to the Voice to acquire that knowledge and those attributes of which it is life eternal to possess, for “the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name,[5] and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice[6] of strangers.”[7]

As in the case with Adam and Eve, God’s voice is most commonly dispatched by 1) His angels[8]; 2) His servants[9]; 3) His words[10]; and 4) His Spirit.[11] Rarely has His own voice been personally heard. Regardless of the medium through which God’s voice is sent, hearkening to it brings enlightenment, wisdom, and understanding.

Aside from these four expressions of God’s voice, there yet remains an expression that is divine above all. It is the voice of His Son, the very WORD of God.[12] He is the embodiment of God’s voice—the personification of “every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God,”[13] for “the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”[14] Out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword,[15] and with it He shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil.[16] And whosoever will, may lay hold upon the end of this rod of iron,[17] and be led[18] “in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked.”[19]

Attempting to better understand this sharp sword that goes out of God’s mouth is a task worth embracing. Before doing so, however, it is important to remind the reader of a mathematical formula--that equality is maintained when one variable is substituted for another variable of equal value. For example, if a = b and b = c, then a = c. This mathematical principle is sometimes called substitution and applies to scriptural principles as well. To illustrate, if the rod of iron = the word of God[20] and the word of God = a sharp sword,[21] then, by substitution, the rod of iron = a sharp sword. A host of verses defend this mathematical relationship. In his letter to the Hebrews, for example, the apostle Paul wrote: “For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.”[22] In more recent times, the Lord similarly declared: “Behold, I am God; give heed unto my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than [any] two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow.”[23]

Assuming this scriptural equality holds together, one might then ask, “What is sharper than any two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder both joints and marrow?” In response, swordsmen know that a knife can be sharpened to a razor’s edge, and constructing such a knife to exceed the dimensions of a sword would produce an instrument of sufficient weight, length, and serration to cut through joint and marrow with but a few quick, powerful strokes.

When, as instructed by the Lord, Abraham set out to offer his son on Mount Moriah, the record states that he took a knife with him.[24] Despite what is shown in the artistry of today, this was not an ordinary kitchen utensil. The Hebrew word for this knife is ma'akeleth, which is translated from the root 'akal meaning “to consume, devour, or destroy.” To better envision this knife and its dimensions, it is helpful to look at a verse that contains this noun and makes a comparison. In Proverbs 30:14, it reads: “There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth are as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.” Front teeth slice and cut, as would a two-edged sword. But jaw teeth display immense strength, with power to crush through bone and to devour completely. This metaphor illustrates the type of knife Abraham had with him as he ascended the mount—extraordinarily sharp and sufficiently large to cut through joint and marrow with quick, powerful strokes. Although without scriptural support, I suggest this was the knife that Abram used to divide in the midst (i.e., through joints, bone, and marrow) the animals slaughtered in connection with the oath of the covenant.[25]

Returning to a revelation given to the prophet Joseph Smith, ma'akeleth is described both as a warrior's weapon used by ancient Israel and as their primary instrument used  in the harvest:

Behold, I am God; give heed unto my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my words.

Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.

Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God. (D&C 6:2-4).

Indeed, Israel was feared because of this farmer's weapon used to slay their enemies. As reflected in these verses, it continues to be the weapon favored by latter-day saints in the work of gathering and subduing their enemies because it has a "more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which [may happen] unto them".[26] “This [sword] is the word of God,”[27] wrote Smith and Sjodahl. Equating this sword with the word of God, as Smith and Sjodahl have done, accords perfectly with the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians wherein, concerning the armor of God, he wrote: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”[28] Such a view lends support to the idea that the end of the rod of iron is the hilt of a sharp sword to which one “catches hold” and “holds fast” thereby reminding him that “clinging” and “holding fast” to the word of God are not passive activities. Hence, catching “hold of the end of the rod of iron” suggests grasping the hilt of a dreadful sword which, when wielded, is capable of dividing asunder all that it strikes. Such would be a formidable weapon—one with judgment in its stroke and destruction in its wake. The images developed are a reminder that it is a war in which the Saints of God are engaged;[29] not a promenade with a stair railing.

Interestingly, the rod of iron is also portrayed within scripture as a scepter with which the Lord shall rule the nations as “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” In this regard, it is worth noting that rod and scepter are both translated from the Hebrew word shebet. Associating the rod with a scepter is significant because it calls to mind Moses on the shores of the Red Sea stretching out his shepherd’s staff to divide the waters. Of this event, it is recorded:

But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry [ground] through the midst of the sea.

And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon dry ground; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left.[30]

The metaphor is unmistakable—in the hand of Moses, the scepter divided the sea asunder and then, in the hand of the prophet, led the children of Israel through the midst of the sea to a land of promise. How much like this is the rod of iron in Lehi’s dream! And Paul reminded the Hebrews that Aaron’s rod budded, thereby, demonstrating that the rod, or word, is living,[31] just as the word is elsewhere described as quick.[32] And thus “we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and that snares and wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven.”[33]

Lastly, applying the principle of substitution one more time suggests that the rod of iron is ultimately Christ, the person. To illustrate, if the rod of iron is the word of God and if the word of God is the WORD of God, then, by substitution, the rod of iron is the WORD of God. This view is aptly supported by the Brethren and the Book of Mormon wherein the rod of iron is portrayed as an instrument that will lead the man of Christ through a wilderness to a land of promise.[34] The Liahona is also portrayed as one such instrument. But in each case where a means is provided to guide God’s people through a wilderness, the reminder is given that the instrument is really symbolic of the one true Director.[35] Thus, after obtaining the Liahona and being guided by it, the Lord spake to Nephi:

And I will be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem.[36]

Moses was similarly reminded that the Angel that went before the tabernacle of the congregation was, in reality, the Lord God—that He was the One who would lead them; that He was the One who would “keep the way” and bring them into a land of promise; that He was the voice to whom Israel must hearken; and that He was the Sharp Sword who would be an enemy unto the enemies of Israel. To Moses, the Lord declared: “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions; for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.”[37]

Of the voices that speak for God, only one—His Son—is a personification of His voice. Because of this distinction, Christ is the WORD—the Divine Expression of all that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. Therefore, the Father has, in most instances, simply appeared to men to exclaim: “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—HEAR YE HIM.”[38] No matter how the rod of iron may be portrayed, there can be no mistake in associating it with the Holy One of Israel. If one hearkens to His voice and cleaves unto Him, he will indeed be “led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God.”[39]

In the foregoing, I have identified six expressions of God’s voice: 1) God’s own voice; 2) the voice of His Son; 3) the voice of His Spirit; 4) the voice of His angels; 5) the voice of His servants; and 6) the voice of His written word. If one ignores or rejects each of these,[40] God shall yet utter a voice from which none shall escape—a voice reserved for “days of wickedness and vengeance.”[41] Concerning this voice, the prophet Zenos wrote: “The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day (i.e., the meridian of time), some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up . . . . And the rocks of the earth must rend; and because of the groanings of the earth, many of the kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God of nature suffers.”[42]

Because Israel has remained deaf to the voice of God, His voice of vengeance shall again be heard in the “last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance;”[43] for “after your testimony,” warned the Lord, “cometh wrath and indignation upon the people. For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand. And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.”[44] Indeed, since Israel has turned its ear against the “still, small voice,” God will slowly but surely lift His voice till it is a deafening roar heard throughout the land.

I bear witness that the word taught by John was made flesh and dwelt among us and that Jesus Christ is that WORD of God. I testify that His atonement, example, priesthood and love are more powerful than the sword in subduing all who we think to be our enemies. Likewise, I am satisfied that no mortal man has ever weilded this powerful sword better and more completely than the dear prophet, Joseph Smith. He is the righteousness sent down out of heaven to bear witness of this Only Begotten Son and His resurrection. Together, these two individuals, Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith form the most formidable warrior for good the earth has ever known.

FOOTNOTES

[1] The sorrowing Adam and Eve were “appointed to” was more directed to the broken heart and contrite spirit than to a simple sadness. It is worthy to note that the word “strait,” often portrayed as meaning “narrow,” may more precisely mean “afflicting” (see Jeremiah 19:9, particularly footnote c). As will be later shown, the affliction which one must experience because of the way is an afflicting of the heart. Thus, a “strait way” is one that brings one’s heart into subjection. A “narrow way” is one which keeps one’s hands and feet within prescribed limits. A “strait and narrow way,” then, is one which brings the whole person into subjection to God and in compliance with gospel law. This way is symbolized no place more clearly that in the House of the Lord.

[2] Moses 5:4.

[3] The word “lone” more specifically means “only, having no company, or alone in a class or category.” Maybe it is true that this earth was cast so far from the presence of God that it “stands in a world of its own,” housing the most wicked of His creations (compare Moses 7:36). To think that I have been privileged to live on the only dreary world in God's galaxy brings feelings of joy and sorrow.

[4] D&C 88:66.

[5] The name by which He calls His sheep is “Christ” (see Alma 5:37-38).

[6] The apostle Paul wrote: “There are . . . so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification” (1 Corinthians 14:10). Every voice has significance and is distinct. The voice of the stranger is loud, persistent, persuasive, and often appealing. For the greater part of this life’s journey, the voice of God is still and small. For this reason, one should avoid situations and places where the voice of the stranger is present, as his voice may effectively smother out the most important voice. “Someone has compared human consciousness to a great stream of thoughts and feelings. Every waking moment of our lives our minds are filled with thoughts and we are experiencing feelings. It is like a mighty Mississippi River of thinking and feeling . . . . So when we receive a thought or a feeling through the Holy Ghost, how do we recognize it as being different from our own? How do we distinguish it from this never-ending flow of our own thoughts and feelings? To use the river analogy, it is as though from time to time there is a soft plop as one of the Lord’s ‘pebbles’ is dropped into this mighty Mississippi of our consciousness. Should we be surprised, then, that many times when the Lord speaks to us in this way we miss it entirely? (see Lund, Gerald N., Hearing the Voice of the Lord, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, UT 2007, 53-54). To this I might add that the prospect of hearing the “soft plop” diminishes as the flow of the water increases. The “soft plop” of a pebble dropped into a raging river simply cannot be discerned amidst the turbulence. Thus, sacred places and quiet times are fundamental to hearing the still, small voice. This is especially important in today’s environment where those things that create noise is ever increasing . . . television, videos, cell phones, emails, ipods, etcetera.

[7] JST John 10:3-5.

[8] See Moses 5:6.

[9] See D&C 1:38; compare Moses 6:1.

[10] See D&C 84:60.

[11] See Moses 5:9,14.

[12] See Revelation 19:13.

[13] D&C 84:44.

[14] JST John 1:14.

[15] See Revelation 19:15.

[16] See Helaman 3:29; compare 1 Nephi 15:24.

[17] See 1 Nephi 8:24, 30.

[18] See 1 Nephi 11:25.

[19] See Helaman 3:29.

[20] See 1 Nephi 15:24.

[21] See JST Revelation 19:15.

[22] Hebrews 4:12.

[23] D&C 6:2.

[24] See Genesis 22:6, 10.

[25] See Genesis 15:9-10.

[26] See Alma 31:5

[27] Hebrews 4:12; D&C 6:2.

[28] Ephesians 6:17.

[29] See D&C 76:29.

[30] Exodus 14:16, 21-22; compare Isaiah 10:26; Exodus 7:19; and Exodus 8:5.

[31] See Hebrews 9:4.

[32] i.e., living; compare Hebrews 4:12, footnote b.

[33] Helaman 3:29.

[34] See 1 Nephi 8:24; compare Helaman 3:29; 1 Nephi 11:25; and Alma 31:5.

[35] See D&C 3:15.

[36] 1 Nephi 17:13-14.

[37] JST Exodus 23:20-22.

[38] 3 Nephi 11:7.

[39] 1 Nephi 11:25.

[40] See 1 Nephi 17:35.

[41] See Moses 7:46.

[42] 1 Nephi 19:11-12.

[43] See Moses 7:60.

[44] D&C 88:88-91; compare D&C 43:25.

Perfect Paradox - Chapter 1

There is no salvation in sin, ignorance, or error. “There is no salvation in anything except truth,” taught Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1971), “pure diamond truth, the truth about God and His laws” (p. 129). “The issue is not sincerity of purpose,” he continued (1981), “but one of fact and reality and truth. If we believe the truth, we can be saved; if we believe a lie, we shall surely be damned” (p. 295). For this reason, the Lord sends servants throughout the world to declare truth to a people walking in darkness at noon day (see D&C 95:6). And for this reason, the voice of God is to all men—that we might bring up our children in light and truth (see D&C 93:40).

The first commandments given to Adam and Eve following their fall were that they should love, worship, and serve the Lord their God (see D&C 20:19; compare Moses 5:5). It was the violation of these holy commandments wherein men became carnal, sensual, and devilish (see D&C 20:20; compare Moses 5:13).[1] Moroni identified unbelief as the root cause of wickedness, hardness of heart, and blindness of mind (see Ether 4:13-15). Unbelief is also a course of frustration for those seeking to obtain blessings from their creator. Elder McConkie (1971) wittily explained: “If a man worships a cow or a crocodile, he can gain any reward that cows and crocodiles happen to be passing out this season.” But if a man desires to have the Spirit poured out upon him and possess “power to raise the dead, move mountains, entertain angels, and walk in celestial streets,” he continued, “he must worship the true and living God, in spirit and in truth” (p. 129). Proper worship, then, presupposes a firm belief in, and determined love for, the true and living God and His word.

Since knowing all there is to know about God and His ways is fundamental to perfect worship, and since Christ and His power of redemption rest at the heart of all gospel truths, little could be more important in this introductory chapter than dwelling upon the doctrine on which the atonement rests.

The Author and the Publisher
Similar to any book that goes to press, there is both an Author and a Publisher of the Plan of Salvation. Referring to its Author, Elder McConkie (1989) wrote:

The plan of salvation originated with the Father; he is the author and finisher of our faith in the final sense; he ordained the laws by obedience to which both we and Christ can become like him . . . . It is the Father’s gospel, it became the gospel of the Son by adoption, and we call it after Christ’s name because his atoning sacrifice put all of its terms and conditions into operation (pp. 60-61).

But the words of any author remain hidden and unknown unless published for all to read. Unique to this Author, however, was the requirement that His Publisher become the book upon which His words were written; that He alone would publish salvation (see Isaiah 52:7; compare Mosiah 15:18)![2]

Finally, and most importantly, the Author and Publisher merge into one God to bring to pass one work and one glory (see Moses 1:39). Thus, the Apostle Paul declared the Plan of Salvation to be the “gospel of God . . . concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:1, 3). The Father likewise called it “the plan of Salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten” (Moses 6:62; compare JST John 1:7). And from the Son’s perspective, He is accomplishing and finishing the “will of him whose I am, even the Father, concerning me” (D&C 19:2). In short, God the Father designed and appointed the course, and His Son marked the path and led the way, and “ev’ry point defines to light and life and endless day where God’s full presence shines” (Snow E. R., 1985, p. 195).

Because God, the Highest of all, stands foremost in the Plan of Redemption, the powers of the atonement reside in Him (see Mosiah 15:8; compare Helaman 5:11), the shedding of the blood of His Son is in His covenant (see Moroni 10:33), the gift of the resurrection springs from Him (see Mormon 7:5),[3] and the capacity to save His children, including His Firstborn Son, is vested in Him (see 3 Nephi 27:15; compare 3 Nephi 20:33-35). Immortality and eternal life are His gifts to give (see 2 Nephi 31:20). He is the ultimate object of our worship and the One to whom we must be reconciled (see Jacob 4:11) if we are to obtain these gifts. Concerning His Father’s supreme role in the Plan, the Savior’s own words are most instructive: “I was in the world and received of my Father, and the works of him were plainly manifest” (D&C 93:5). To the Nephites, the Lord further testified:

Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. 

And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross . . . that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged . . . . 

. . . therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me . . . . 

. . . that whoso repenteth and is baptized . . . and . . . endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day . . . . 

And he that endureth not . . . the same is he that is also hewn down . . . because of the justice of the Father. 

And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men (3 Nephi 27:13-18).[4]

These verses visibly support the Father’s superiority and the Son’s complete submission to, and reliance upon, His Father in executing the Plan of Redemption. Wrote the apostle Paul: “For he (Christ) has put all things under his feet. But when he (Christ) saith all things are put under him (Christ), it is manifest that he (Elohim) is excepted, who did put all things under him (Elohim). And when all things shall be subdued unto him (Elohim), then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him (Elohim) that put all things under him (Christ), that God (Elohim) may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:27-28; parenthetical comments added). Indeed, even the Son was, is, and always shall be subject to His Father (see Mosiah 15:5).

What does all this mean? It means that our Father is a personal God and is more than a sideline observer in the salvation of His children. His own condescension to sire a Son after the manner of the flesh (see 1 Nephi 11:14-21) evidences His interest in us and the giving of His Son is His manifestation of His love for us (see John 3:16). As we consider Jesus and His atonement in all its facets, the unsurpassed role and power of the Father should always be kept in proper perspective. Without Him, there is no atonement, resurrection, salvation, or life eternal. Without Him, there is no creation, both of things to act or of things to be acted upon.

Despite the seeming clarity with which this doctrine has been taught, the opinion that Christ is the originator of the Plan of Salvation continues to live on. This misplaced view, sometimes encouraged by well-meaning Sunday school teachers, can be spiritually caustic. True, a primeval council was organized and discussions were held (see D&C 121:32). But the Plan of Happiness is as eternal “as the life of the soul” (Alma 42:16), and neither Christ nor Lucifer was its architect. Elder McConkie (1979-1981) confirmed:

One of the saddest examples of a misconceived and twisted knowledge of an otherwise glorious concept is the all-too-common heresy that there were two plans of salvation; that the Father (presumptively at a loss to know what to do) asked others for proposals; that Christ offered a plan involving agency and Lucifer proposed a plan denying agency; that the Father chose between them; and that Lucifer, his plan being rejected, rebelled, and then there was war in heaven. Even a cursory knowledge of the overall scheme of things reassures spiritually discerning persons that all things center in the Father; that the plan of salvation which he designed was to save his children, Christ included; and that neither Christ nor Lucifer could of themselves save anyone (p. 48; Note 3).

The Order of Heaven
Based on scriptural accounts, it appears that Elohim presented a single question to His children: “Whom shall I send?” But, even in this question, I suggest we make a fundamental mistake if we suppose that Elohim was uncertain as to whom He was going to send to carry out His plan, or that He was prepared to commission either Jehovah or Lucifer on the basis of who received popular support from the heavenly councils. The primeval assembly was not an occasion where popular vote determined a winner. Even if 90 percent of the hosts of heaven had preferred Lucifer’s amended offer, Christ would have, nonetheless, been chosen to execute the Father’s plan of redemption to save those few who endorsed it. Elder George Q. Cannon (1956) has properly observed that “the Lord does not look upon men according to their numbers; the importance of His work and His dealings with the children of men is not to be measured by the number of those who adhere to the principles that He proclaims” (p. 336).

The order of heaven is not egalitarian; it is a kingdom with a Sovereign, Perfect King (see D&C 38:21), and Christ was selected in the beginning “that in all things He might have the preeminence” (see Colossians 1:18). All things were created by Him (see John 1:1-3) and for Him (see Colossians 1:16). As such, He is the natural and appointed Heir to His Father’s throne (see Hebrews 1:2). The keys and blessings belonging to the priesthood are vested in the Firstborn (see D&C 68:17; compare Abraham 1:3), the glory of the celestial kingdom is the glory of the church of the Firstborn (see D&C 88:5), and any inheritance or enjoyment of that glory will only come as begotten sons and daughters of the Firstborn (see D&C 93:21-22), for in Him are all the children of God to be called!

Based on the foregoing, I suggest that the Father’s question posed to the heavenly hosts—Whom shall I send?—was not asked merely to show that Jehovah was willing to submit to His Father’s proposals. More so, this inquiry appears to have been a formal request for a sustaining vote to ascertain whether we would endorse Him whom the Father had chosen, and do whatsoever He would command (see Abraham 3:25). “At the first organization in heaven,” Joseph Smith (1976) confirmed, “we were all present, and saw the Savior chosen and appointed and the plan of salvation made, and we sanctioned it” (p. 181). At that juncture, we were far from perfect. Therefore, suggestions from any spirit child, rebellious or not, concerning the Father’s perfect plan would have been superfluous. God knows all and His thoughts cannot be increased or improved upon. He did not then, nor does He now, fancy to be dictated to by men or devils as to the particulars of saving His children. By Him, this same gospel was instituted, and is in operation, not only in this world but in “worlds without number” (see Moses 1:33) “that by [Christ], and through [Christ], and of [Christ] . . . the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughter unto God” (D&C 76:24)—“sav’d by the very same . . . truths, and the very same pow’rs” (Smith J. , 1844, p. 84). In consequence of this conclusion, President Marion G. Romney (1986) taught that “except for [Christ’s] ministry accomplished on this earth, his service and relationship to other worlds and their inhabitants are the same as his service and relationship to this earth and its inhabitants” (p. 46).

The Plan of Happiness

Why should I take so much time to confirm that the Father devised the Plan of Happiness and selected One to make an atonement that ignites all the elements and conditions of His plan? In response to this question, Elder McConkie (1981) taught:

It is helpful, indeed, almost imperative—that those of us who seek to know the deep and hidden things about Christ and his coming first gain an overall knowledge of the plan of salvation. Unless we believe in an Eternal Father who is God, we cannot conceive of a Son of God who is Christ. Unless we know that God created us in his own image, that he is our Father, that he ordained the laws whereby we may advance and progress and become like him, and that those laws are made operative through an infinite and eternal atonement; unless we believe and accept the eternal truths relative to the great plan of redemption, we are in no position to envision the meaning of the prophetic utterances concerning the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ (pp. 42-43).

To describe the fundamental doctrine that forms the basis of our Father’s plan, Elder McConkie coined the phrase, “The Three Pillars of Eternity.” These three pillars, from which all other gospel principles grow, encompass:

1) God’s creation through His Son,

2) the fall of man, and

3) the atonement of Jesus Christ.

To these pillars, I recommend a foundation upon which they rest—the existence of a Supreme Being who is in and through all things and governs with power, equity, and justice.

Detailing these pillars is beyond the scope of this work. Elder McConkie (1985) has adequately done so in his work, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith (pp. 81-131). However, a concise analysis of this doctrine[5] and its bearing on mankind has been provided by the prophet Moroni and deserves repeating:

But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles . . . and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. 

Behold, he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man. 

And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord . . . [to] stand before his bar . . . . 

And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them (Mormon 9:11-14).[6]

As reflected in these verses, the summum bonum of the Plan of the Eternal God is that He is the father of creation which, in turn, is father to the fall, for which cause an atonement was made through which comes immortality and eternal life. This doctrine is taught nowhere better than in His holy house.

The Law of Heaven

Adding to the preceding, indispensable to the Father’s plan is the existence of law and governance by priesthood power. In what has come to be known as the King Follett Discourse, the prophet Joseph (1976) taught:

God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself . . . . He has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be exalted with himself, so that they might have one glory upon another, and all that knowledge, power, glory, and intelligence, which is requisite in order to save them in the world of spirits (p. 354).

All things denote there is a God (see Alma 30:44). All things testify of divine law; that a Supreme Being presides and brings order and harmony to the universe (see D&C 88:41-47). Among some, it is vogue to allege that God is “subject to law.” Such an assertion is generally believable since God certainly abides His laws. The danger in this logic, however, is its unavoidable and flawed conclusion that law is supreme and that the God of this universe is going about His business governed and constrained by laws and powers over which He has no influence. There is a magnitude of difference between being “subject to” law versus “abiding” law; one denotes dependency and the other expresses supremacy, sovereign will, and dominion. God abides His laws simply because, through the divine exercise of His sovereign will, He chooses to do so. Confirming this, President Anthon H. Lund (1916) witnessed:

We believe that everything is ruled by law. We are thankful that it is so, for otherwise we would live in a world of chance, in a fearful uncertainty of what would happen next. I believe that the material laws that can be traced in the creation had an intelligent will behind them, that the laws themselves were never superior to the will of God. He made those laws, and by His power they became effective to accomplish His purposes. It is to Him that we pray, and we know he is almighty and does hear prayers, and though He uses material laws to carry out His plans, His will was never subjected to the laws, but the laws have ever been subservient to Him (p. 12).

God is not a chemist in a laboratory discovering law, testing the validity of His hypotheses, or awaiting the outcome of His theories. “He hath given a law unto all things” (D&C 88:42), wrote the Prophet—and all means all. Since Deity is omniscient, then there can be no laws of which they are not aware and there can be no eternal laws that they have not instituted. Eternal law is authored, instituted, set in force, and proscribed by its Architect. It neither exists nor acts independent of its Creator and operates only within that sphere in which He has placed it. “The Father and the Son,” stated Elder Orson Pratt (2000), “do not progress in knowledge and wisdom because they already know all things past, present, and to come . . . . The Father and the Son . . . already know as much as any Beings in existence know, or ever can know” (p. 117). Plainly, if we conclude that God is forever learning, then we must also accept that He is forever ignorant. And if we conclude that law is supreme, then law is our god and our present-day form of worship needs serious reformation.

In a revelation that, in part, surpasses mortal comprehension, the Lord reminds us that the law by which all things are governed not only derives its origin from God but, more precisely, is the Light or Spirit of God, which “proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—[t]he light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God” (D&C 88:12-13). Through this instrumentality, “He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever” (D&C 88:41). In Him dwells “an infinity of fulness” (see D&C 109:77). Without Him, all life would cease to exist and only chaos would prevail. He acts and is never acted upon, “for all things are subject unto Him, both in heaven and on the earth” (D&C 50:27; compare D&C 132:20). Simply stated, we cannot fully comprehend the nature of God and His knowledge, laws, powers, and attributes and still remain in the flesh. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts more lofty than our thoughts (see Isaiah 55:8-9). There is no intelligence, power, might, omnipotence, law, or dominion that excels Him. He is law (see 3 Nephi 15:9) and our Lawgiver (see D&C 38:22) and whatever He says in right! We nurture sterile soil when we strive to humanize God or reduce His attributes to the finite.

Because God is law and omniscient, He possesses the right and the wisdom to proscribe how his children should live. Accordingly, “unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions” (D&C 88:38) that by conformance to this law and these bounds and conditions His children might find joy. The extent to which this law and the conditions attached thereto are accepted and obeyed will be the formative factor in determining the measure of our joy. Concerning the law which we must live if we are to obtain a fulness of joy, Elder Wilford Woodruff (1990) taught: “The God of heaven, who created this earth and placed his children upon it, gave unto them a law whereby they might be exalted and saved in a kingdom of glory . . . . It is the will of God that all his children should obey the highest law, that they may receive the highest glory that is ordained for all immortal beings” (p. 10).

The Cooperative Plan of Redemption
The Law of the Gospel, also known as the Law of Christ, comprises a fulness of what is necessary to save, and is perfect.[7] It is this law which the Savior lived and by which, through obedience thereto, He was exalted. This same law was given and is, likewise designed by obedience thereto, to exalt us through this Mediator. This law is the standard by which all will be judged (see Romans 2:16). If we are to be candidates of God’s highest glory, we must abide the fulness of this law for “no man receiveth a fulness of the Father unless he keepeth his commandments” (D&C 93:27). All who abide not the fulness of this law, whether in the world or in the world to come, “must inherit another kingdom . . . for he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory” (D&C 88:21-22).

Faith in Christ, repentance, and complete adherence to the law of Christ is our key that unlocks the door to eternal life. It is they who are sanctified by the law of Christ who shall inherit the celestial kingdom (see D&C 88:17-21). In saying this, I give proper reverence to the grace of God for, despite our best efforts, we are saved and perfected by Him, through Him, and in Him. However, grace does not grant a general dispensation of disobedience to God’s laws, nor does it automatically confer upon us His holiness. Thus, in a universe governed by divine law, it is essential to recognize and accept that grace is God’s key that opens the doors of eternal life; ours is faith in Christ, repentance, and an unconditional surrender to His will and ways. Both keys are needed to open the door to exaltation. “Man alone cannot save himself,” declared Elder James E. Talmage (1917), “Christ alone cannot save him. The plan of salvation is co-operative,” he continued. “The Atonement effected by the Lord Jesus Christ has opened the way; it is left to every man to enter therein and be saved or to turn aside and forfeit salvation. God will force no man either into heaven or into hell” (p. 705).[8] “He commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation,” Nephi wrote, (see 2 Nephi 26:24) and “whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely,” added Alma. But, Alma also added that “whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds” (Alma 42:27).

Salvation is a coupling of Christ’s atonement with the faith, repentance, and obedience of those who choose to accept Him as their Lord and Master. Christ can of Himself save no one until someone comes forth willing to receive the gifts offered at His hand. Our reaching must reach His reaching. Faith, then, is a principle upon which a great deal of our salvation rests, for the moment we stop believing in Christ, salvation escapes us. We will experience joy only to the extent we receive, in the full sense, God’s laws and are obedient to those laws. Wrote the fallen king in Israel:

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 

. . . and in keeping of them there is great reward (Psalms 19:7-11).

Notwithstanding the sweetness of the Lord’s laws and commandments, sin results when we violate, in mortality, those laws and commandments. Elder Joseph Fielding Smith (1970) taught that “all sin, no matter what nature it is, is a violation of a constituted law or commandment and hence is worthy of punishment unless [a] price is paid” (p. 151). No matter how secret or miniscule they may be, we will be held responsible for our personal sins unless the requisite penalty is fully paid. Fortunately, we will be judged “not according to what [we] have not, but according to what [we] have,” declared the prophet Joseph (Smith J. , 1976, p. 389). If we have lived without law, we will be judged without law, and if we have lived with law, we will be judged by law, “for as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law” (see Romans 2:12). Explaining Paul’s writings, Elder McConkie (1982) posed the following question: “How and by what law will men be judged at the Second Coming? They will be judged by Christ and by his law, which is the gospel,” he responded. Continuing, Elder McConkie noted that gospel law is the standard to which all will be held accountable and the yardstick by which acts in the flesh will be measured:

Indeed, there is no other law by which they could be judged. He hath given a law unto all things. Those who abide the law are justified; those who break the law are condemned. Murder is murder in and out of the Church; sin is sin by whosoever it is committed; evil is evil no matter where it is found. The standard and rule of judgment is the gospel; there is no other . . . . It matters not who they are, whether they are numbered with the saints or have cast their lot with the wicked and ungodly. Christ will judge all men according to his law, which is his gospel (p. 518).

Conclusion
A study of the Son of God and His atonement is an examination of truth, law, justice, judgment, and mercy. It is gaining an awareness of the penalties affixed to broken law and the rewards that attend submission to His law. It is coming to the understanding of how One answered the ends of the law and how we can gain access to, and profit from, His answers to those ends. It is a heartfelt seeking to know both the Author and the Publisher of the Plan of Salvation so “that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father” (John 5:23). I suggest it is the single most important study we can undertake in mortality.

WORKS CITED

Cannon, G. Q. (1956). Gospel Truth (Vol. 1). Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company.

Lund, A. H. (1916, April 6). Conference Report.

McConkie, B. R. (1971, December). How to Worship. Ensign.

McConkie, B. R. (1979-1981). The Mortal Messiah. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company.

McConkie, B. R. (1981). The Promised Messiah: The first coming of Christ. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company.

McConkie, B. R. (1982). The Millennial Messiah. Salt Lake City, UT, United States: Deseret Book Company.

McConkie, B. R. (1985). A New Witness for the Articles of Faith. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company.

McConkie, B. R. (1989). Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie. (M. L. McConkie, Ed.) Salt Lake City: Bookcraft.

Pratt, O. (2000). The Seer. Salt Lake City: EBorn Books.

Romney, M. G. (1986, November). Jesus Christ, Lord of the Universe. Improvement Era.

Smith, J. (1844, December 25). Times and Seasons, V.

Smith, J. (1976). Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. (J. F. Smith, Ed.) Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company.

Smith, J. F. (1970). Seek Ye Earnestly . . . Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company.

Snow, E. R. (1985). How Great the Wisdom and the Love. Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Talmage, J. E. (1917, June). The Co-operative Plan of Salvation. The Improvement Era.

Woodruff, W. (1990). The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff. (G. H. Durham, Ed.) Salt Lake City: Bookcraft.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Fallen man, which comes solely because of Adam’s transgression, is distinct from the man who, by rebellion, becomes carnal, sensual, and devilish.

[2] Although often applied to missionaries and those who carry the gospel to the world, this passage most appropriately applies to Christ. He is the Founder and Publisher of Peace and the Messenger of Salvation (see D&C 93:8) in the ultimate and final sense. After Christ, Abinadi applies the title “peacemaker” to all the holy prophets (see Mosiah 15:13-14).

[3] Compare 2 Corinthians 4:14, Acts 4:10, Acts 5:30, Acts 10:40, Acts 13:30, 37, Romans 6:4, 2 Nephi 2:8, and John 5:26.

[4] Compare D&C 20:17-36, 3 Nephi 11:32, and D&C 76:40-43.

[5] Common usage would suggest that where more than one doctrine is noted, reference should be made to these as “doctrines.” However, it is instrumental to note that scriptural references to Christ’s “doctrines” are generally reduced to the singular form of the word, or “doctrine,” thereby, reminding us that all truth is circumscribed into one great whole. References in scripture to “doctrines” are ordinarily a reference to false doctrines.

[6] Compare Alma 18:34-36, 39; Alma 22:12-14; and 2 Nephi 9:6-7.

[7] It is obvious that some things are to be learned after this life such as the powers of creation and resurrection. However, all things necessary to obtain salvation are now provided within the Standard Works and through the Lord’s living oracles.

[8] Elder McConkie (1981) likewise taught that “deliverance was to come through [Christ’s] atoning sacrifice, coupled—in the case of salvation from spiritual death—with obedience on the part of man to the laws and ordinances of His everlasting gospel” (p. 67). Compare McConkie (1982, p. 98).