Week 12: Hebrews 8-13 & the Epistle of James

     Paul is my favorite. In this class, I have learned more than I ever knew was possible in regards to the depth of the Savior's role in performing the Atonement. I thought I knew enough to be satisfied with my awareness of the purpose of the Atonement, but each and every lecture deepens my understanding, sparks new questions in my head, but most of all completely humbles and subdues me with the power, reality, and intimacy of the sacrifice performed. I've most appreciated this while we've been in the epistles of Paul. No one has helped me more in comprehending the complete beauty of the sacrifice Christ performed to satisfy justice on our behalf.

     In the epistle to the Hebrews, Paul mentions the law of sacrifice often. This is not a surprise, since such laws were preparatory for and symbolic of Heavenly Father's pending sacrifice of his Only Begotten for us. In many of his epistles, Paul is trying to convince his audience that such laws are now obsolete and have been replaced by the sacrifice for which they were first established - the sacrifice of the Savior's life. Brother Griffin made sure to explain in detail the process that was required with animal sacrifice so that we could understand each verse connecting it with Christ's Atonement. Here's something I did not know: before the sacrificial animal was killed, the performer of the sacrifice laid his hands on its head, transferring his own sins "into" the animal, and therefore ridding himself of blemish when the now sinful animal was killed. This fact stunned me. What an incredibly real parallel to Christ's purpose in performing the Atonement, for he literally took our sins onto himself and was slain, thus satisfying the laws of justice, or the requirement that a sinner must suffer and be punished eternally for his sins. Because of Christ, that suffering is no longer required of us; it has already been suffered. What we do have to do is have faith that the suffering has already been paid, and ask for the forgiveness for that sin. The literalness of the parallel between animal sacrifice and the Atonement was so humbling to me. My little human mind cannot wrap around the love the Savior showed for me personally when he suffered for each of my sins. The Atonement is the most beautiful thing. I don't think I'll ever find the words to express how thankful I am for it, for I still can't completely understand it. What I do know is that my salvation and ability to live with my Father again is completely dependent on it and on He who performed it.