We Testify Of Christ: May 2009

Christ's Infinite Sacrifice

And now, behold,
I will testify unto you of myself
that these things are true.

Behold, I say unto you, that
I do know that Christ shall come
among the children of men,
to take upon him
the transgressions of his people,
and that he shall atone
for the sins of the world;
for the Lord God hath spoken it.

For it is expedient that
an atonement should be made;
for according to
the great plan of the Eternal God
there must be an atonement made,
or else all mankind must unavoidably perish;
yea, all are hardened;
yea, all are fallen and are lost,
and must perish except it be
through the atonement which
it is expedient should be made.

For it is expedient that
there should be a great and last sacrifice;
yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast,
neither of any manner of fowl;
for it shall not be a human sacrifice;
but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.

Therefore, it is expedient that
there should be a great and last sacrifice,
and then shall there be,
or it is expedient there should be,
a stop to the shedding of blood;
then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled;
yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle,
and none shall have passed away.

And behold,
this is the whole meaning of the law,
every whit pointing to
that great and last sacrifice;
and that great and last sacrifice
will be the Son of God,
yea, infinite and eternal.

And thus he shall bring salvation
to all those who shall believe on his name;
this being the intent of this last sacrifice,
to bring about the bowels of mercy,
which overpowereth justice,
and bringeth about means unto men
that they may have faith unto repentance.
(Alma 34:8-10 & 13-15)

Salvation Through Jesus Christ

I think that it is impossible
that ye should be ignorant
of the things which have been spoken
concerning the coming of Christ,
who is taught by us to be the Son of God;
yea, I know that these things
were taught unto you bountifully.

And we have beheld that
the great question which is in your minds
is whether the word be in the Son of God,
or whether there shall be no Christ.

And ye also beheld that my brother
has proved unto you, in many instances,
that the word is in Christ unto salvation.

My brother has called upon the words of Zenos,
that redemption cometh through the Son of God,
and also upon the words of Zenock;
and also he has appealed unto Moses,
to prove that these things are true.
(Alma 34:2, 5-7)

Look To Christ And Live

Do ye believe those scriptures
which have been written by them of old?

Behold, if ye do, ye must believe
what Zenos said; for, behold he said:
Thou hast turned away thy judgments
because of thy Son.

For it is not written that
Zenos alone spake of these things,
but Zenock also spake of these things—

For behold, he said:
Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people,
because they will not understand
thy mercies which thou hast bestowed
upon them because of thy Son.

And now ye see that a second prophet of old
has testified of the Son of God,
and because the people would not
understand his words
they stoned him to death.

But behold, this is not all;
these are not the only ones
who have spoken
concerning the Son of God.

Behold, he was spoken of by Moses;
yea, and behold a type was
raised up in the wilderness,
that whosoever would look upon it might live.

And many did look and live.

O if ye could be healed by merely
casting about your eyes that ye might be healed,
then cast about your eyes and
begin to believe in the Son of God,
that he will come to redeem his people,
and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins;
and that he shall rise again from the dead,
which shall bring to pass the resurrection,
that all men shall stand before him,
to be judged at the last and judgment day,
according to their works.

And now I desire that
ye shall plant this word in your hearts,
and then may God grant unto you
that your burdens may be light,
through the joy of his Son.

And even all this can ye do if ye will.
(Alma 33:12-13, 15-19, 21-23)

Christ Is In The Word

Now behold,
I would ask if ye
have read the scriptures?

If ye have,
how can ye disbelieve
on the Son of God?
(Alma 33:14)

Mercy Is In Christ

O God, thou hast been
merciful unto me, and heard my cries

for thou hast turned thy judgments
away from me, because of thy Son.
(Alma 33:9 & 11)

Joy in Christ

And the Lord provided for them
that they should hunger not,
neither should they thirst;
yea, and he also gave them strength,
that they should suffer no manner of afflictions,
save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ.
(Alma 31:38)

Our Comfort In Christ

O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul,
and wilt thou comfort their souls in Christ.

O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us
that we may have success
in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.
(Alma 31:32 & 34)

There is a Christ

Why do ye teach this people that
there shall be no Christ,
to interrupt their rejoicings?

Why do ye speak against
all the prophecies of the holy prophets?

Behold, I say unto you,
I know there is a God,
and also that Christ shall come.

And now what evidence have ye
that there is no God,
or that Christ cometh not?

I say unto you that ye have none,
save it be your word only.
(Alma 30:22 & 39-40)

Joy and Light and Life in Christ

And thus we see
the great reason of sorrow,
and also of rejoicing—
sorrow because of death
and destruction among men,
and joy because of
the light of Christ unto life.
(Alma 28:14)

Victory Through Jesus Christ

They never did look upon death
with any degree of terror,
for their hope and views of Christ
and the resurrection;
therefore, death was swallowed up to them
by the victory of Christ over it.
(Alma 27:28)

They Knew Of Christ

They did look forward to the coming of Christ,
considering that the law of Moses
was a type of his coming,
and believing that they must keep
those outward performances until
the time that he should be revealed unto them.

Now they did not suppose that
salvation came by the law of Moses;
but the law of Moses did serve
to strengthen their faith in Christ;
and thus they did retain a hope through faith,
unto eternal salvation.
(Alma 25:15-16)

Through The Blood Of Christ

The blood of the Son
of our great God
shall be shed for
the atonement of our sins.
(Alma 24:13)

Our Hope In Jesus Christ

And Aaron did expound unto him
the scriptures from the creation of Adam,
laying the fall of man before him,
and their carnal state and also
the plan of redemption, which was prepared
from the foundation of the world,
through Christ, for all whosoever
would believe on his name.

And since man had fallen
he could not merit anything of himself;
but the sufferings and
death of Christ atone for their sins,
through faith and repentance, and so forth;
and that he breaketh the bands of death,
that the grave shall have no victory,
and that the sting of death should be
swallowed up in the hopes of glory.
(Alma 22:13-14)

Only Through Jesus Christ

Now Aaron began
to open the scriptures unto them
concerning the coming of Christ,
and also concerning
the resurrection of the dead,
and that there could be no
redemption for mankind
save it were through
the death and sufferings of Christ,
and the atonement of his blood.
(Alma 21:9)

Our Blessed Savior

She arose and stood upon her feet,
and cried with a loud voice, saying:
O blessed Jesus, who has saved me
from an awful hell!

O blessed God,
have mercy on this people!
(Alma 19:29)

Jesus Is Our Redeemer

Behold, I have seen my Redeemer;
and he shall come forth,
and be born of a woman,
and he shall redeem all mankind
who believe on his name.
(Alma 19:13)

Redemption Is In Christ

He expounded unto them
the plan of redemption,
which was prepared
from the foundation of the world;
and he also made known unto them
concerning the coming of Christ.
(Alma 18:39)

Joy In Christ's Coming

Now those priests
who did go forth among the people
did preach holding forth things
which must shortly come;
yea, holding forth
the coming of the Son of God,
his sufferings and death,
and also the resurrection of the dead.

And many of the people did
inquire concerning the place
where the Son of God should come;
and they were taught that
he would appear unto them
after his resurrection;
and this the people did hear
with great joy and gladness.
(Alma 16:18-20)

We Testify Of Christ