The Miracle of the Atonement

"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."

How does our Father in Heaven offer us eternal life (and peace and happiness in this life) through the gift of His Only Begotten Son? And how do we qualify for the blessings of the Atonement?

Elder C. Scott Grow (I know, great name right?) gave a wonderful talk called, "The Miracle of the Atonement," in which he very basically and clearly explains the Atonement and the importance of it in each of our lives. He also teaches how we can more fully appreciate and make applicable in our lives the great sacrifice of our Savior.

One of my favorite lines from this talk is, "Immerse yourself in prayer and scripture study. As you do so, you will feel the sanctifying influence of the Spirit. The Savior said, 'Sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands … before me, that I may make you clean (Doctrine and Covenants 88:74).'" The Atonement makes possible repentance and forgiveness. Through the Atonement all that is wrong is made right and all the inequities of life are eventually made equal if we but emulate the life of Jesus Christ.

Jeremy