Grace, a subject many of us (humans) have a hard time understanding. It is the missing link, what we cannot do in the process of our personal salvation. We can try to be perfect in our behavior, repentant, truly repented of all of our misdeeds and, too, we could have been forgiven of all transgressions, and even followed His instructions to a “T” and yet, there would still be no salvation and eternal life with God—if it were not for one thing. That one thing is the Atoning Sacrifice of the Savior.
“There was a man named George Thomas, a pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent-up old bird cage, and set it up on the podium by him as he rose for his sermon. Everyone in the congregation was curious, but pastor George Thomas gave the kind of sermon that came from everyday life and really meant something to everyone who heard it.
So Pastor Thomas, looked at the people, looked at the cage, and began to speak…
I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this birdcage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked,
“What you got there, son?”
“Just some old birds,” came the reply.
“What are you gonna do with them?” I asked.
“Take ‘em home and have fun with ‘em,” he answered. “I’m gonna tease ‘em and pull out their feathers to make ‘em fight. I’m gonna have a real good time.”
“But you’ll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do?”
“Oh, I got some cats,” said the little boy. “They like birds. I’ll take ‘em to them.”
The pastor was silent for a moment. “How much do you want for those birds, son?”
“Huh??!!! Why, you don’t want them birds, mister! They’re just plain old field birds. They don’t sing. They ain’t even pretty!”
“How much?” the pastor asked again. The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, “$10?” The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy’s hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars he persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty birdcage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story.
One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting.
“Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I new they couldn’t resist. Got ‘em all!”
“What are you going to do with them?” Jesus asked.
Satan replied, “Oh, I’m gonna have fun! I’m gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I’m gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I’m really gonna have fun!” “And what will you do when you get done with them?” Jesus asked.
“Oh, I’ll kill ‘em,” Satan glared proudly. “How much do you want for them?” Jesus asked. “Oh, you don’t want those people. They ain’t no good. Why, you’ll take them and they’ll just hate you. They’ll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don’t want those people!!”
“How much? He asked again. Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, “All your blood, tears and your life.” Jesus said, “DONE!” Then He paid the price.”
God our Father laid out the plan for our salvation before the foundation of earth was laid, the ‘Plan of Salvation’ was designed to provide us, His spirit children, with an opportunity to experience mortality by our taking on a mortal body and dwelling on earth. He knew that all would error as humans and that a Savior would be needed. One who would live perfectly and be willing to die for us.
God the Father’s power comes not only through His greater intelligence but also His justice. He is supported and obeyed by all the intelligent elements of the universe because He is just and fair with all. That is what makes Him the God of the universe. He could not command and bring us home Himself as imperfect beings, justice would not have been served and therefore, He would cease to be a just God, or supported and obeyed by the intelligences who give Him His power. Alma in the Book of Mormon (Alma 42) describes for his son Corianton, justice and mercy better than any other place in all the scriptures.
And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand—which is concerning the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery. Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee. For behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were taken— And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God…man became fallen man. And now, ye see by this that our first parents were cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord; and they became subjects to follow after their own will. Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness. Therefore, as the soul could never die, and the fall had brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal, that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord, it was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual death. Therefore, as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state.
And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of redemption, (laying it aside) as soon as they were dead their souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord. And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience; Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God. And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence. And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also. Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul. Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment? Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man. If there was no law given against sin men would not be afraid to sin. And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature? But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God. But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice. For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved. What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God. And thus God bringeth about his great and eternal purposes, which were prepared from the foundation of the world. And thus cometh about the salvation and the redemption of men, and also their destruction and misery. Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds. (Alma 42)
A Saviour was needed, someone who was loved and who would live perfectly and be willing to die for us. The Father asked who will I send; Jesus it was, who before the world was, agreed to be that savior. He would live a perfect life by rejecting all temptation, as a perfect being he could return to the Father but no other would make it through this life’s experiences without blemish. He proved His love for us by being willing to die, to sacrifice his perfect life in order to show all the universal intelligences how much it would mean to Him to bring the rest of us home based on our repentence. The universal intelligences let their justice be trumped by their own mercy, their mercy for this great Son of God who was willing to suffer as no other and to die for us. His willingness to die, to sacrifice His own life in our behalf in an attempt to satisfy justice. That is what is meant by the grace of God. His atoning sacrifice can save, only after we have done all that He has commanded of us. What has He asked of us? To be baptized by immersion which represents His burial. He made it very clear that no man can be saved except he be baptized by immersion for the remission of his sins. Then, to come forth as a new person by putting off the natural man. To receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by one having the priesthood authority, the companionship of the Holy Ghost to help us, His assignment is to help us stay on the straight and narrow path to salvation.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now I’m found, Was blind, but now I see. ‘twas Grace that taught, my heart to fear. And grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear,
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. ‘tis grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead us home. The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures. When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we first begun. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now, I see.
—John Newton