JESUS CHRIST'S ATONEMENT

"We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." ~ PoGP AoF #3

"¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." ~ John 3:16

This Love of God at times seems not more to men but that of goodwill at Christmas in the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. But few fully understand and appreciate the eteranl reachings and significance to that coming God and Lord to earth as the baby Jesus and what his adulthood mission did and does entail.

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
"But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." ~ 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

This speaks but to that gift of God that is give to all men, but only in that 'order' in which is further bestowed by the grace of God to various kindoms of glory based upon one's own righteousness before the Lord. But all men whether they be the most vile and wicked wretch or the most repentant, humble and righteous man has been guilty of a corrupt and fall creature of nature who cannot be rised in full and achieved righteousness like unto God, for all have sinned and can only be redeemed by an eternal and infinite sacrifice for sin. Even the most helpless and innocent infant could be raise without Christ's sacrifice for sin.

"And even if it were possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins.
"And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent." ~ Mosiah 3:16-17

All who have ever lived can only be raised by God's mercy in and through and by that mission of the atonement so accomplished by Jesus Christ our Lord. It is by that grace that men are saved, and by man's repentance and God's forgiveness whereby upon the witness of cleansing by the Holy Ghost that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed unto man that they might even stand before the presence of the Most High God, that Man of Holiness, God Our Eternal Father in Heaven of our spirits, whose name is Elohim. And the reward of exaltaion is based upon man's worthiness before God.

"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." ~ 2 Nephi 25:23

There are a number of ways to read this verse with understanding. One might say that even after all that we do do, even unto the living of the 613 laws and statutes of the Jews, we still stand short of being save. That is we cannot earn our own salvation, for even after all be can do our selves, it is still by the grace of God that we are raised unto salvation. Another might imply that after all we do in our efforts to gain our reward of God, then by grace we are raised to immortality but only to that level to which we have raised ourselves to be rewarded according to or righteous performance and according to the laws and ordiances of the gospel. Now who is right? We know that God has prepared many mansions for man and that they are of differing degrees of glory for so says Paul:

"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory." ~ 1 Corinthians 15:40-41

And as further clarified by the vision received by Joseph Smith:

"And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.
"And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.
"And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;" ~ D&C 76:96-98

And this according to God's law of Justice and Mercy. And though every knee shall eventually bow before the Lord Jesus Christ, even so the wicked will be redeemed to that glory wherein they can be justified for they did not repent in that day of their probation nor live according the the laws of God. Neither did many excell in their testimony of Christ though they had one, believing in him and being honorable men of the world but not adherers to the laws and ordinances of God and service to their fellow man in that charity which marks the Godly.

Over the expanse of time, the ages thereof, stands our Lord Savior and God, even Alpha and Omega. Who doeth declare his generation. Who doth comprehend his beginning and who knows where in is he ending. For only time cut out from eternity is mark by time and has a beginning and an ending. So whence was his, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Temporal Creator and our God Jehovah and who is also our King David of the Millennium as will as our Final Judge to come? Who is this man they call Jesus? Who is this God who descended from his Throne Divine?

Does not his glory extend back beyond the foundations of the earth in our primordial preexistence? Who was the anointed and empowered firstborn Son of God of every creature in that pre-mortal realm. Who was that Word of God who was with God in the beginning? And who of all the angels of God did God the Father of Spirit invite to sit at his right hand and minister to His children (Matthew 25:31-40; Hebrews 1:13-14; Psalm 110:1)?

Nephi was asked by his angel guide, "Knowest Thou the Condescension of God?" And then through the rest of his vision did the angel show unto Nephi the far reaches of the Condescension and blessings of the children of men and unto Nephi's descendants as well. And yet the full extent did reach back even to that day he was firstborn and heir, and thus to that day that he did reply, "Here am I, send me (Abraham 3:27)." And as Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea did sort out in his Ecclesiactical History, Book 1, Chapter 2, ¶4 (2-4), it was God the Father of Spirits who did command with a kingly nod unto Jehovah, who is Jesus the divine Word, who did carry out the Father's commands in the creation of this temporal earth and its heavens. And then acting in the stead of the Father in all things, Jesus as Jehovah did minister unto those of the Old Testament as the Mighty God of Spirit before he did condescend to come to earth and be born unto Mary as Jesus Christ the Lord. And in the successful mission of the Lord did he so redeem all that he had created according to the Laws of God's Justice and by way of the Mercy of his sacrifice for sin, did save the world. And he will come to reign over that Millenial day that has its end in the Final Judgment of man by his own hand. This is the extent of the Condescension of God, from beginning to end. And in this he is Alpha and Omega.