Jesus Christ/Atonement/The importance of the atonement of Jesus Christ to the Latter-day Saints

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The importance of the atonement of Jesus Christ to the Latter-day Saints


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Question: Do Latter-day Saints diminish the importance of Jesus Christ and His atonement?

Joseph Smith stated that "the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day

Joseph Smith, the founding prophet, stated that "the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it." Those appendages include the gift of the Holy Ghost, power of faith, enjoyment of the spiritual gifts, restoration of the house of Israel, and the final triumph of truth. [1] The atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the central fact of all LDS theological teaching.

B.H. Roberts: The atonement of Jesus Christ "is the very heart of the Gospel"

Almost one hundred years ago LDS historian and theologian Brigham H. Roberts wrote that the atonement

is the very heart of the Gospel from whose pulsations the streams of both spiritual and eternal physical life proceed. It is the fact which gives vitality to all things else in the Gospel. If the Atonement be not a reality then our preaching is vain; our baptisms and confirmations meaningless; the eucharist a mere mummery of words; our hope of eternal life without foundation; we are still in our sins, and we Christian men, of all men, are the most miserable. A theme that affects all this cannot fail of being important. [2]

Joseph F. Smith: "A man who says he does not believe in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ who professes to be a member of the Church...is not worthy of membership in the Church"

In 1917 President Joseph F. Smith delivered an official statement on principles of government in the Church, which included the following statement: "A man who says he does not believe in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ who professes to be a member of the Church…but who ignores and repudiates the doctrine of the atonement… [I say that] the man who denies that truth and who persists in his unbelief is not worthy of membership in the Church." [3]

Heber J. Grant: "any individual who does not acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, has no business to be associated with The Church"

In 1924 General Conference Heber J. Grant, then President of the Church, stated that "any individual who does not acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, has no business to be associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." [4]

Fourteen years later President Grant was just as emphatic: "We want it distinctly understood that we believe absolutely in Jesus Christ, that He was the Son of God, and that He did come to the earth with a divinely appointed mission to die on the cross as the Redeemer of mankind. We do not believe that He was just a 'great moral teacher,' but that He is our Redeemer." [5] Elder Bruce R. McConkie has stated that the "atonement of Christ is the most basic and fundamental doctrine of the gospel." [6]

Brigham Young: "the moment the atonement of the Savior is done away, that moment, at one sweep, the hopes of salvation entertained by the Christian world are destroyed"

Speaking with reference to all who call themselves Christian, which obviously included the Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young stated that "the moment the atonement of the Savior is done away, that moment, at one sweep, the hopes of salvation entertained by the Christian world are destroyed, the foundation of their faith is taken away, and there is nothing left for them to stand upon." [7]

Howard W. Hunter: "nothing is more important in the entire divine plan of salvation than the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ"

Howard W. Hunter, of the Quorum of the Twelve, taught that "nothing is more important in the entire divine plan of salvation than the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We believe that salvation comes because of the Atonement. In its absence the whole plan of creation would come to naught." [8]

Twenty-five years ago Elder Gordon B. Hinckley reminded the Saints that:

No member of this Church must ever forget the terrible price paid by our Redeemer who gave his life that all men might live—the agony of Gethsemane …[or] the cross, the instrument of his torture… This was the cross on which he hung and died on Golgotha's lonely summit. We cannot forget that. We must never forget it, for here our Savior, our Redeemer, the Son of God, gave himself a vicarious sacrifice for each of us. [9]

Elder John K. Carmack, in April 2001 General Conference, took it to a more personal level: "Christ's Atonement is the central doctrine, but of even more comfort and benefit has been how wonderfully accessible and individual His mercy and help have been to me personally." [10] The significance of the atonement was also brought out by the first prophet of the restoration, Joseph Smith, who wrote regarding:

The condescension of the Father of our spirits, in providing a sacrifice for His creatures, a plan of redemption, a power of atonement, a scheme of salvation, having as its great objects, the bringing of men back into the presence of the King of heaven… The great plan of salvation is a theme which ought to occupy our strict attention, and be regarded as one of heaven's best gifts to mankind. [11]


Question: Why don't Latter-day Saints observe Palm Sunday like many other Christian religions?

Palm Sunday is observed on the Sunday before Easter, when the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is celebrated in many Christian churches

Palm Sunday is observed on the Sunday before Easter, when many Christian churches celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Many Christians celebrate this as a particularly special day, even to the point of waving palm fronds or other tree branches, whereas Latter-day Saints do not typically observe the event beyond holding their normal Sunday meetings. According to the Gospel of John:

12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. (John 12꞉12-13)

At some point some or many Christians got into the habit of teaching the story of Jesus with what is called a "liturgical calendar"

At some point some or many Christians got into the habit of teaching the story of Jesus with what is called a "liturgical calendar," in which an extra observance of an event related to Christ's ministry is made by the way the Eucharist or Mass is conducted by many Christians. The reason for this liturgical celebration done by the Roman Catholic Church in Latin until recently, was to teach the message found especially the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) to their followers. But the traditional liturgical worship pattern is not set out in the New Testament. It is not biblical but a tradition growing out of piety and necessity.

The liturgical calendar was created by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Holidays, feast days, and other celebrations were created by these churches to teach the Middle Ages Christians about events described in the Bible which most followers did not have access to or read themselves. The Cathedrals of this time period were also filled with paintings, bas reliefs, and statues for this same purpose. If you look up "Liturgical Year" in Wikipedia, you’ll see many feasts and holidays which celebrated the following events:

  • Nativity of Christ
  • Epiphany of Christ
  • Resurrection of Christ
  • Pentecost
  • Transfiguration of Christ
  • Crucifixion of Christ

Latter-day Saints observe Christ's atonement by partaking of the Sacrament every Sunday, rather than observing events on the liturgical calendar

The central portion of Latter-day Saint public worship is "administering the flesh and blood of Christ unto the church," which is done "according to the commandments of Christ." In the past this was done by the "elders and priests" who "kneel down" and sanctify (the Greek word means to make "holy") first the bread (an emblem standing for the body of Jesus Christ), and then the wine (changed to water or some liquid that can be safely consumed, since the emblems are not the actual flesh and blood of the Lord), which is done so that the Saints so that they will eat it in remembrance of the body of the Lord, and also will signify that they are willing to take upon themselves his name, and remember him, and keep his commandments, so that "they may always have his Spirit with them." Then the Saints drink a bit of water in remembrance of his spilled blood on our behalf. This is done as a covenant renewal on most Sabbath days.

Latter-day Saints stress the constant renewal of their covenants

The difference with many others who are Christians is that Latter-day Saints stress covenants and hence also frequent covenant renewal of their covenants, which Christians generally do not think in terms of having made a covenant and of keeping the terms of this covenant with God in which Latter-day Saints agree to take upon themselves his name and keep his commandments and thereby having his Spirit with them always as the means whereby they are purged, cleansed, perfected, sanctified and hence made holy and hence ready to be judged by their works, have Jesus Christ as their Advocate, who in the final judgment will testify that he has extended his mercy to them and therefore they have become sanctified Saints and hence can and should be declared justified by their deeds (and not merely by their often vain words) and allowed into the presence of the Father having been by the mercy of the Lord forgiven of their sins and made fully holy.



Source(s) of the criticism
Critical sources
  • Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson, Mormonism 101. Examining the Religion of the Latter-day Saints (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2000), Chapter 10. ( Index of claims )

Notes

  1. ↑ Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol. 3 (Salt Lake City, Utah; Deseret Book Company, 1980) : .30 The passage is quoted frequently: Richard R. Hopkins, Biblical Mormonism. Responding to Evangelical Criticism of LDS Theology (Bountiful, Utah: Horizon Publishers, 1994), 123; Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, edited by Joseph Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City; Deseret Book Company, 1976), 121.; The Teachings of Joseph Smith, edited by Larry E. Dahl and Donald Q. Cannon (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997), 55; Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, Second Edition (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), 60.; also in M. Gerald Bradford and Larry E. Dahl, "Doctrine: Meaning, Source, and History of Doctrine," Encyclopedia of Mormonism, edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1992), 1:393–397; Tad Callister, The Infinite Atonement (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2000), 3–4; Keith W. Perkins, "Insights into the Atonement from Latter-day Scriptures," Principles of the Gospel in Practice. Sperry Symposium 1985 (Salt Lake City, Utah;: Randall Book Company, 1985), 91; Bruce R. McConkie, Conference Report (April 1950), 130; quoted in Richard G. Grant, Understanding these Other Christians. An LDS Introduction to Evangelical Christianity (self-published, 1998): 42; My Errand from the Lord. A personal study guide for Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums 1976-1977 (Salt Lake City: Corporation of the President, 1976), 92. The statement was first published in an early LDS publication, the Elders' Journal I (1832): 28–9. The frequency of appearance of this quotation in LDS literature makes one wonder why it is not to be found in Mormonism 101; indeed, the authors claim to have read the first six references cited here.
  2. ↑ B.H. Roberts, The Seventy's Course in Theology, Fourth Year (1911): The Atonement (Orem, Utah: Grandin Book Company, 1994), iv–v. This is a reprint edition of this book, first published by Deseret News Press, 1907–1912.
  3. ↑ Joseph F. Smith, "Principles of Government in the Church" (September 13, 1917), Messages of the First Presidency, Vol. 5, edited by James R. Clark (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1971), 83; first published Improvement Era 21 (November 1917), 3–11.
  4. ↑ Heber J. Grant, Gospel Standards (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1969, 1941), 24. McKeever and Johnson claim to have read this volume. The statement cited is also quoted in a student manual: Doctrines of the Gospel (Salt Lake City: Corporation of the President of the Church, 1986), 9.
  5. ↑ Grant, Gospel Standards, 6, citing Deseret News Church Section, September 3, 1938, 7.
  6. ↑ Bruce R. McConkie, Conference Report (April 1985), 11, quoted in Callister, The Infinite Atonement, 17; also, Robert Millet, "Foreword" to Callister, The Infinite Atonement, x. off-site
  7. ↑ Brigham Young, "Character and Condition of the Latter-day Saints, Etc.," Journal of Discourses, reported by David W. Evans 8 May 1870, Vol. 14 (London: Latter-Day Saint's Book Depot, 1872), 41, quoted in Callister, The Infinite Atonement, 9.
  8. ↑ Howard W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J. Williams (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997), 7; in Latter-day Commentary on the Old Testament, edited by Ed J. Pinegar and Richard J. Allen (American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, Inc., 2001), 385.
  9. ↑ Ensign (May 1975), 93 off-site; cited in Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1997), 26–27.
  10. ↑ Ensign (May 2001), 77 off-site.
  11. ↑ Joseph Smith, History of the Church 2:5–6, 23; cited in The Teachings of Joseph Smith, 481–482.
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