How do you comprehend the incomprehensible? As mortals, we cannot! But let us seek with body, mind, and spirit to internalize the Lord’s Perfect Infinite Atonement amid all our imperfections. We are promised Eternal Life (John 17:3)–the greatest of all the gifts of God, as we do so. (D&C 14:7)
Other Books To Come Forth
Seven is the number of perfection or completeness in the Lord’s arithmetic, and there are seven steps to His Perfect and Infinite Atonement. Furthermore, there are seven sub-steps within each of those incredible steps the Savior completed for us. In addition, in the Book of Mormon, Nephi tells us of “other books” (1 Nephi 13:39) to come forth in our day. And we are seeing that happen in amazing ways to help us better understand the “Perfect and Infinite Atonement.”
Dezert-Owl
Dezert-Owl, who has become a good friend, has over 30 Tranz-Literations and several supporting dictionaries on Amazon, on LULU.com, and on KOBO.com. HIs GOSPEL OF THE WISE-STRANGERS by Joseph of Arimathea is 247 pages of GOLD. This the gospel that Joseph of Arimathea took to England. And Dezert’s “The CRUCIFIXION REPORT of PONTUS PILOT to TIBERIUS CAESAR” is a major contribution.
Ferrar Fenton
Ferrar Fenton, M.R.A.S. (1832-1920) was a London businessman, manufacturer, and financial organizer. He is perhaps most well-known for translating The Bible into Modern English, commonly referred to as the Ferrar Fenton Bible. Fenton’s translation was a life time avocation–desiring to go back to the original languages; he purposely avoided other translations–seeking the purity of the original revelations of the Bible. He spent approximately fifty years working on his translation. His goal was “to study the Bible absolutely in its original languages, to ascertain what its writers actually said and thought. Ferrar Fenton – Wikipedia.
Aquarian Gospel Of Jesus Christ
The AQUARIAN GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST by Levi is a monumental contribution covering the Savior’s life from birth until Pentecost. The above books go far beyond the traditional apocrypha that one finds in some Bibles, and there are others we could mention as well.
Christians Miss the Richness of the Infinite Atonement
Essentially all Christians miss the richness of our Lord’s infinite and perfect atonement. Most in my church as well. I hear members and leaders express gratitude for the atoning sacrifice, and in the last LDS General Conference (1-2 April 2023) I heard several express gratitude for the atoning sacrifice and the resurrection–missing the Lord’s glorious visit to the Spirit world as the sixth step in the infinite atonement–opening up missionary work there and letting the prisoners go free. There are nearly ten times more folks in the Spirit world than here below.
Most Christians look to the cross and to the blood of Jesus to cover their sins. They look to His suffering for them for the path to redemption. They miss, “He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; (D&C 88:6)” His glorious resurrection is the capstone to His infinite atonement. It is His resurrection that overcame the physical death brought about by the fall of Adam and Eve. Because of His resurrection, all will be resurrected. It His resurrection the brings us back into His presence. It His resurrection that opens the door to a fulness of joy (D&C 93:33-34). It is His resurrection that commenced the glorious “first resurrection.”
There is only one place in the Bible that in passing mentions the beginnings of the glorious first resurrection: (JS-Matt. 27; the bold is added in the Joseph Smith translation.)
- 56 And the graves were opened; and the bodies of the saints which slept, arose, who were many,
- 57 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
The Book of Mormon tells the rest of the story how the first resurrection included all the saints all the way back to Adam and Eve. Because of His resurrection the graves were opened for all the saints all across the globe. What a spectacular-barely-mentioned event–probably greatly blessing millions of souls.
A World Turned Upside Down
In a world that is turning upside down, as Satan knows it is his last hour, and while anticipating the glorious return of our Lord and Savior, there is nothing more important for us to do than to come unto Him. Those who do not will be “cut off” at His Coming. As we contemplate what He has done, is doing, and will do for us, it fills our souls with the deepest of gratitude. As we come unto Him and repent, mercy is extended to us satisfying the demands of justice and overcoming the effects of the fall of Adam and Eve.
7 Steps to the Infinite Atonement Of Jesus Christ
1. In GETHSEMANE (Alone) He suffered for our sins, so much that He sweat great drops of blood (Lk 22:44; Mosiah 3:7-10).
2. BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN (Rejected by His own, Israel) (Mt. 26:21; Zech. 11:12-13; John 10:33; Mt. 26:67; Mt. 26:33-34; Mt. 27:25; Mt. 23:37; Heb. 1:6)
3. BEFORE THE ROMANS (Rejected by the Gentiles, the world) (Mk. 15:2; Mk. 15:15; John 19:2; John 19:2; Mt. 27:29; Mt. 27:29-31; John 19:10-11)
4. SEVEN SAYINGS ON THE CROSS (All of the previous sufferings came on Him, and this time He bore them alone) (Lk. 23:24; 23:43; John 19:26-27; John 19:28; Ps. 22:1; Mk. 15:34; Mt. 27:46; Lk. 23:46; John 19:30)
5. GAVE HIS LIFE VOLUNTARILY (He did perfectly the will of the Father) (John 10:18; John 5:30; 6:38; Mt. 20:18-19; John 18:37; John 19:34)
6. VISIT TO THE SPIRIT WORLD (There are nearly 10 times more souls there than here) (John 5:25; “Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ” by Levi: Section XX Chapter 172:15-23; “Jesus did not sleep within the tomb… And in the realms of souls…the Lord went forth and taught… In council, all the masters sat and talked about the revelations of the coming age.” Luke 16:19-31; The Savior bridged the gulf – organizing the enormous missionary work there. Great rejoicing over all the dispensations back to Adam – gathered and proclaimed the goodness of God. (Doctrine Covenants 138)
Prison doors open and the prisoners go free as they come to Christ. (1 Peter. 3:18-20; 4:6; Doctrine & Covenants 138:22. They that hear shall live. Live according to God in the spirit; judged according to men in the flesh. (John 5:25-29; 1 Pet. 4:6) Father’s hearts turned to the children and children’s hearts to the fathers; otherwise, the purpose of the earth wasted at His Coming (Malachi 4:5-6)).
7. GLORIOUS RESURRECTION (The best-documented miracle in history) (John 19:38-42; Mt. 28:1-8; Mk. 16:6; John 20:1-9; John 20:11-18; Mt. 28:8-9; Lk. 24:34; Lk. 24:13-35; Lk. 24:36-53; John 21:1-17; Mt. 28:16-20; Mk. 16:15-18; Acts 1:1-12; Acts 2:1-47)
Professor Hugh Nibley – Acts 1:3
Professor Hugh Nibley shares that Acts 1:3 is one of the most unusual verses in all of our scriptures: “[Christ] showed himself alive after his sufferings by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things about the kingdom of God.” In this blog article, I share a link to a two-hour lecture Nibley provides from apocryphal literature how he taught the temple ceremony and that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene. The Christian community believes that Good Friday commemorates the day of Christ’s crucifixion. I prove this tradition wrong in a blog article, as He was crucified on Thursday and was three days in the tomb.
Visits Other Lands After Resurrection
The people of Finland have a very strong oral tradition, which was recently recorded telling of the Savior visiting them after His resurrection. In 1981 I was giving a three-week lecture tour in China. When visiting Xian, I was walking around in a museum of stelae, and this one stela caught my eye as it had a Hebrew-robed figure with a nap sack on his shoulder. Then I noticed his feet were bare and he was standing above water. Then I saw the marks on his feet. I immediately asked my tour guide if she could read the inscription with the man, and she replied, “It was in ancient Chinese,” and she couldn’t read it. I, of course, took a picture, which I have in my personal files. My witness is that the Savior visited them and there are other artifacts in China suggesting the same.
All Twelve Tribes of the House of Israel are in the patriarchal blessings in both Russia and Mongolia. I suspect the same will be true in China when they are given the fullness of the gospel.
He Walked The Americas
Taylor Hansen researched the legends of the native Americans for 25 years and wrote a book, He Walked the Americas. When I got the book, I couldn’t put it down and stayed up all night reading it. She is not a member of the Mormon Church, but what she shares in story and picture form aligns amazingly with the visit of Christ as a resurrected being to America, as described in the Book of Mormon. (3 Nephi Chapters 11-30)
I Have Other Sheep
The Savior prophesied, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” John 10:16 So we have the witness of the resurrected Christ all around the world. When He was in America, he proclaimed, “And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister. For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them.
But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them.” (3 Nephi 16:1-3) We wonder how many other peoples He visited, whose stories are yet to be told? The AQUARIAN GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST by Levi tells of several others that he visited after His resurrection.
The Best News
The perfect infinite Atonement is completed by the glorious resurrection. It opens the resurrection for all and the perfection of the earth. It gives the greatest hope possible to all of Father’s children in His perfect plan of happiness in this fallen world. As Paul announced, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits 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.” (1 Corinthians 15:19-22)
The gospel is not only the “good news;” it is the best news.
“For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:33) It is because of the resurrection that the fullness of joy is possible. How can we tell the wonders of His ways and the magnitude of His perfect infinite atonement?
Share this NEWS with rejoicing
The Scriptures are replete in the telling. The more we ponder, pray, and study the importance of what He has done, and is doing for us, and will do for us, the more we want to share this NEWS with rejoicing with the whole world – shout it from the roof-tops.
His glorious resurrection is the capstone to the perfect infinite atonement and is the best-documented miracle in the history of the earth. When it happened that early Sunday morning, it was witnessed by the hundred Jewish soldiers standing guard as a brilliant light came down from the heavens, and over the night they heard three times: “Adon Mashich Cumi,” which means, “Lord Christ arise.”
The last time was just before sunrise. “the heavens blazed with light… And then the white-robed form tramped on the Roman seal, and then he tore it into shreds; he took the mighty stone in hand as though it were a pebble from the brook, and cast it to the side. And Jesus opened up his eyes and said, ‘All hail the rising sun! the coming of the day of righteousness!’
From Mortal to Immortal
“They saw the body of the Nazarene transmute they saw it change from mortal to immortal form, and then disappeared. The soldiers heard a voice from somewhere; yea, from everywhere, it said, ‘Peace, peace on earth; good will to men.’” (Chapter 172:26-41
In Pontius Pilot’s account, he sent his trusted secretary, MALCUS, “He said that at about the beginning of the fourth watch, They Saw A Soft And a Beautiful-Lyght Up Above the Sepulcher… The Entire Place was lit up and there seemed to be A Crowd Of The Dead Walking around in their grave clothes. Each Of Them Seemed To Be Shouting And Filled With Ecstasy while All Around And Above, was Heard, The Most Beautiful Music he had ever experienced: And The Whole Sky Seemed To Be Full Of Voices Praising: YHV: Yahll’Vol’Hay/God. At This Time there seemed to be a reeling and rocking back-and forth of The Entire Earth…” (THE CRUCIFIXION REPORT OF PONTUS PILOT TO: TIBERIUS CAESAR) The Earth was rejoicing with the resurrection of its Creator.
Gratitude
The best way we can show our gratitude for the Perfect Infinite Atonement is to have total faith in Him who gave us this enormous and most important gift, to repent of all our sins, to share this glorious message of the gospel, to live the law of love, which is equivalent to obedience to all the commandments. If He had not completed all seven steps of the infinite atonement, all would be lost. Because His Perfect Infinite Atonement overcame both the physical and spiritual deaths brought about by the Fall of Adam and Eve, this disproves Darwin’s theory of organic evolution. If there were no Fall, then there would be no need for an atonement to overcome the effects of the Fall. Therefore, organic evolution is anti-Christ.
If everyone lived the law of love that Christ taught, it would solve all the world’s problems. Completely, receiving and internalizing the perfect infinite atonement is the doorway to the greatest happiness in this life and a fullness of joy in the world to come. We cannot comprehend “INFINITE,” but the more we do the closer we draw to Him who perfectly completed it for all of us because of His infinite love for each of us, and because of Heavenly Father’s and Heavenly Mother’s and the Savior’s infinite love for us to give us the gift of our Beloved Savior. Amid all our imperfections, it is a Perfect Plan of Happiness.
David W Allan
Photo: CC PICRYL