The Infinite Atonement is infinite. This sentence has profound meaning not known to the world. During the three days the Savior worked out the Infinite Atonement, He went from infinite suffering to infinite JOY.
We read, “He that ascended 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; Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ (D&C 88:6-7).” This is the best scriptural description of the Infinite Atonement of Jesus the Christ: The Savior endured infinite suffering for all of Heavenly Father’s children. But, an unappreciated extremely important dimension of the Infinite Atonement is that He experienced infinite JOY, as He visited paradise and was resurrected.
He “descended” below all in His infinite suffering for all the pain, suffering, and sins for all of Heavenly Father’s children. Then He “ascended on high” to paradise, experiencing infinite JOY, as He shared the fullness of the gospel to millions during those three days. Then His JOY was capped as He was gloriously resurrected with countless millions across the globe that First Easter morning. Thus, we see the infinite dimensions of the Infinite Atonement–going from infinite suffering to infinite JOY for Himself and for all who follow Him.
Because of His infinite suffering and infinite JOY, He opened the door through His Infinite Atonement to help us overcome any and all of life’s challenges, as we come unto Him. Then we have his great promise of a fullness of JOY in the life to come (3 Nephi 28:10; D&C 93:33-34). INDEED, it is a perfect Infinite Atonement because He “descended” below all, and “ascended” above all. I capitalize Infinite Atonement because of its sacredness to me.
The wonderful painting by David Lindsley above depicts Jesus’ mother Mary seeing her gloriously resurrected Son, the Son of God. He shows her the myriads of folks behind Him filled with JOY at the Garden tomb that First Easter Morning.
Independent Dimensions
We can better understand the Infinite Atonement and its full dimension as we look at the seven independent dimensions or steps he worked out in those three days. The Infinite Atonement and its infinite dimensions are the most important event in the history of the earth. And, surprisingly, in its infinite dimensions, to the Universe. The following are the dimensions or steps of the Infinite Atonement.
1. His infinite suffering in Gethsemane for all of Heavenly Father’s children caused Him to bleed from every pore (Mosiah 3:7). As described in my new book, He went three times alone spending three hours in infinite suffering for all of Father’s children.
2. He was then rejected by His own people, the House of Israel. They spit upon Him; tore out His beard, and accused Him of blasphemy, which they were guilty of.
3. Then He was rejected by the Romans (Gentiles)–scourged and condemned to be crucified in a most brutal manner.
4. And then came the five nails of crucifixion, causing Him pain beyond our comprehension, which were driven through His hands, wrists, and feet. He had to stand on the nail in His feet to breathe. Then He would hang from the nail in His wrists. In their depiction, the Nephites in North America have inscribed in stone that the marks in His wrist were larger as He writhed in unfathomable agony up and down during those three hours from noon until 3:00 p.m.
5. Most believe that the Jews or the Romans killed Him, but this is not true; only after He had completed all that was needed during those three hours of suffering on the cross, as the inclusive part, of the Infinite Atonement did He say, “It is finished.” That is when He completed the commandment given to Him by the Father. “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father (John 10:17:18).”
6. He then spent three days in paradise filled with joy as He shared the fullness of the gospel with countless millions. The Savior said during His ministry, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice (John 5:25, 28). The spirits in paradise were anxiously waiting for this most important event in their lives—filling their hearts with JOY, as He shared the fullness of the gospel with them in preparation for the righteous to be resurrected that first Easter Morning.
7. Lastly, all of the righteous were resurrected, across the globe and all the way back to Adam and Eve. There was great rejoicing that first Easter morning. Apocryphal literature tells us the heavens were filled with beautiful music. The soldiers heard a voice from somewhere; yea, from everywhere. It said,” Peace, peace on earth; good will to men.” (Chapter 172:26-41 of the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ by Levi) I believe that great rejoicing echoed across the globe as there were millions resurrected on that First Easter Morning. He had “broken the bands of death” brought about by the fall of Adam and Eve (Mosiah 15:8, 9).
We can think of the Infinite Atonement as Christ’s infinite suffering for all the pain, sins, and suffering for all of Father in Heaven’s children. And His infinite JOY as He completed the sixth and seventh dimensions of His perfect, full, and complete Infinite Atonement. We see that the Infinite Atonement is infinite–infinite in suffering and infinite in JOY. The Infinite Atonement is an incomprehensible blessing to the world and to the Universe–completing Father in Heaven’s perfect plan of happiness.
Joseph of Arimathea
George F. Jowett has written an extremely relevant book, The Drama of the Lost Disciples. We learn from apocryphal literature that Mary’s husband, Joseph, died when Jesus was seventeen. Jowett explains that Joseph of Arimathea was Jesus’ great-uncle. According to Jewish law, Joseph of Arimathea became “the legal guardian of the family.” He had a shipping business–shipping tin from England around the world, and he was very wealthy. He defended Jesus fearlessly as the guardian of the family and stood up boldly against the Sanhedrin.
Because of Jesus glorious resurrection, the Christian movement exploded. Matthew shares, “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many (Matt. 27:52-53.” This magnified the Christian movement tremendously in the Holy Land.
Jesus’ teachings were called “The Way” (John 14:6) by the early Church. To try and stop the movement, the Jewish leadership knew that their law did not allow them to kill those leading “The Way.” They decided to send Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus’ mother, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, and others, to a watery grave. They put them in a boat with no oars or sail. The Lord miraculously saved them. They ended up in Gaul and then in England.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ was taken to England by Joseph of Arimathea. This gospel was written before the four gospels in the Bible. It has a most touching several-page description of when the resurrected Lord appeared to His mother, Mary, who gave birth to the Son of God.
Can you imagine the heartache that Mary had as she watched her Son go through infinite suffering that Thursday when He was ridiculed, scourged, and crucified? It must have nearly torn her heart apart–knowing who He was.
Then this gospel shares the great JOY she felt as she saw her gloriously resurrected Son, and she gave Him a great embrace. She saw, and He shared with her there at the Garden Tomb a myriad of the resurrected folks, greatly rejoicing and all dressed in white. And He told her that He was now going to deliver them to paradise and to the Father. This is depicted in the painting by David Lindsley above.
The Christian Movement in England
Jowett shares that the Christian movement in England was greater than that in the New Testament. They sent missionaries out into the world. Lazarus and Mary Magdalene were incredible missionaries. The Twelve visited Britain, and Joseph of Arimathea was ordained an Apostle. The Druids, who were Hebrews, were prophetically looking forward to the coming of Joseph of Arimathea’s entourage.
Interestingly, Britain means “a covenant man or woman.” England means a people who are not idolatrous. There is a fascinating chronicle written in 1465 that Joseph of Arimathea converted King Arviragus. It is written in old English.
“Joseph converted King Arviragus
By his prechying to know ye laws divine
And baptized him as write hath Nennius
The chronicler in Brytain tongue full of fyne
And to Christian laws made hym inclyne
and gave him a shield of silver white
A crosse and long, and overthwart full perfete
These armes were used throughout all Brytain”
They carried the described cross as they went to battle, and they beat the most powerful army in the world–the Romans, which was incredible. The cross had a circle at the center, reminding us of God’s “One eternal round” for His perfect plan of happiness.
“And God said unto Abraham, … in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called Gen. 21:12).” And we see that in Anglo-Saxon that Saxon is derived from Son of Isaac: so “shall thy seed be called.”
I reached out to my good friend and artist, David Lindsley, and told him about this great event described in the Gospel of Joseph of Arimathea, when Mary sees her resurrected Son. I asked him if he would paint that scene for my new book: THE INFINITE ATONEMENT OF JESUS THE CHRIST, AND LATTER-DAY SIGNIFICANCE, A SCIENTIST VIEW. He kindly agreed to do so. The picture above is that incredible painting.
The book is now in process. David Hocking, who is kindly formatting my new book, has now placed the photo on the front cover. It looks great!!! Wayne May reached out to the artist, David Lindsley. Wayne is putting this picture on the front cover of his March 2026 issue of LAND OF PROMISE magazine. The cover for this issue features my blog article, THE SAVIOR’S ATONING BRIDGE. You can order the magazine by calling Wayne’s office: 715-962-1422. It is a great magazine, and Wayne has invited me to have some of my articles in it.
David W. Allan
Photo: David Lindsley