We all need second chances. We all need mercy in order to advance and be perfected. So often, we learn by fault, by experiencing the negative consequences of foolishness. And so, we all need second chances. We all need many chances.

God is merciful. And so He gives us grace. Grace is something we have not earned. It is something someone else paid the price for. Grace often comes in the form of truthful teachings and opportunities to develop faith, to become better, to improve. As we succeed and rise up, that mercy and grace is justified, and is added upon. As we fail and decline, that mercy and grace becomes unjustified, and it is withdrawn.

Because we have all sinned and become corrupted, all are fallen from the full measure of grace that God has available to us. It is too much. And so he deals it out piecemeal, bit by bit, according to what can be reasonably received, according to what would benefit us the most.

As it turns out, justice is requisite with goodness. Because God is good, He deals out justice, in wisdom and mercy, that we might be offered grace, for our improvement. According to God’s goodness, we are placed in settings that allow maximum growth and improvement. And so, being cut off from the presence of God because of sin, according to the justice and goodness of God, is a very good thing. This separation allows us mercy and grace, being exposed to lesser light that can be responded to more readily.

As we receive the light God offers, we are added upon and can ascend to higher levels of grace and light; but inasmuch as we remain fallen, in corruption and sin, we must remain forever cut off from the presence of God. And thus we see that without mercy and grace, we would remain forever fallen, forever miserable, and forever damned, according to the justice of God.

“And thus we see that all mankind [are] fallen, and [are] in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence.”[1]

Wherefore, there must be a “plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also…”[2] “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.”[3]

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”[4]

Wherefore, “it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God, there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.”[5]

What is an atonement?

An atonement is an instrument of grace that allows, or makes possible, unification with God. To accomplish this, an atonement must allow the following three things:

1. It must provisionally appease the demands of justice.
2. It must provisionally activate the plan of mercy.
3. It must provisionally bring to pass the resurrection of the dead.

“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, [and] to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.”[6]

“…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.”[7]

It is important to notice that the effects of the atonement are all provisional. They are not automatic, and they are not the same for everyone. Christ’s atonement does for us what we cannot do for ourselves; but each of us determines for ourselves, by our own actions, how far forward the blessings of the atonement will carry us in our progression.

God will never force upon us any degree of grace or goodness. He offers, but we must accept what He offers, according to the terms and conditions; otherwise, nothing is bestowed.

“I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness. For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.”[8]

As we learn who we worship, and what we worship, by progressively learning to comprehend God’s character, ways, and laws, we accordingly learn what we must do to receive the great blessings that He offers. We receive grace for grace. We advance just as far as our actions and adherence to law allows.

The central aspect of God’s character is manifest by His atonement. Why would He do this? And at what cost? And on what principles and laws do the blessings of His atonement operate? As we come to understand these things, and as we exercise our faith accordingly, we forge keys of power that enable the unlocking of great blessings.

This is the whole point of this book—that we might obtain the highest blessings of the Kingdom of God by obtaining those keys of light and truth which unlock the doors of God’s greatest blessings which are made available through the power of the atonement.

The Great Plan of Mercy was made possible by the atonement of Jesus Christ. I shall explain the legal principles upon which the atonement operates in the next chapter, but let’s first look at the basic elements of the Great Plan of Mercy, or the Plan of Redemption.

The first element of the plan was to give mankind time to repent, a time to learn from their mistakes, a time to learn by faith, and to be redeemed of the Lord. This time we have to learn and to repent is called a probationary time, or probationary state.

“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.”[9]

“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.”[10]

“Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state…”[11]

It needs to be understood that according to the word of God and the justice of God, the legal consequence and judgement for sin is death: spiritual death and physical death.

Spiritual death is our continued separation from the presence of God. It is the attenuation of God’s light in us in consequence of corruption and sin.

Physical death is the mortal degradation and eventual death of the physical body.

The first provision of the Plan of Mercy is to grant a probationary time whereby mankind may have time and opportunity to repent and to prepare in all things to be blessed of their Lord, according to their faith. This time is the span of our mortal lives.

The second provision of the Plan of Mercy is to allow repentance and redemption; specifically, the type of repentance and redemption whereby we learn to have faith in Jesus Christ, cease sinning, become filled with the Holy Ghost, and thereby come into harmony and unity with God. The full doctrine of repentance and redemption is encapsulated within the doctrine of Christ, which is explained in detail a little later.

“And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.

“And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.

“Therefore, may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you…”[12]

“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.”[13]

It is vital to understand that the saving grace of the atonement is only efficacious inasmuch as we repent of our sins. The atonement does not nullify the demands of justice. It allows us to repent and to be brought into harmony with the laws of God that we might be blessed in accordance with the laws of justice, rather than being cursed and condemned by justice.

We cannot be saved in our sins. Mercy does not block justice; it does not shield us from justice; it does not ignore justice; it gives us time and opportunity to learn, to improve ourselves, to repent, and to be perfected by faith in Jesus Christ. Mercy enables the opportunity to develop righteousness.

The vast majority of Christians (including Mormons) think they can be somehow saved merely “by grace,” or by ordinances, or by some winky-winky deal or covenant they’ve made with God, or by following an institutional covenant path. They reject the need for faith in Jesus Christ and repentance. In this, they are sadly mistaken. There is no substitute for efficacious faith in Jesus Christ and perfect repentance. There are no shortcuts. Mercy only has claim upon those who have repented and been redeemed. No exceptions.

24  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.

25  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.

26  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.

27  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.

28  If he has desired to do evil, and has not repented in his days, behold, evil shall be done unto him, according to the restoration of God.

29  And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.

30  O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more.  Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility.[14]

The Great Plan of Mercy allows us time to learn, better ourselves, and repent, according to the doctrine of Christ. It does not allow us to continue in sin, or to mostly repent, and still be saved in the Kingdom of God. It is the plan of redemption. Either you are redeemed, or you are not. It is not a come-as-you-are get-out-of-jail-free card.

The invitation of the gospel of Jesus Christ is to be redeemed!

36  And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom’s paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved—

37  I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples.

38  Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.

39  And now I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man; therefore his final doom is to endure a never–ending torment.

40  O, all ye old men, and also ye young men, and you little children who can understand my words, for I have spoken plainly unto you that ye might understand, I pray that ye should awake to a remembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen into transgression.

41  And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never–ending happiness.  O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.[15]

As long as we remain in a state of nature, in a state of sin, wherein we continue to intentionally sin, we are in a state of open rebellion against God, rebellion against the light, and rebellion against doing what we know is right and what is best. When we are in open rebellion, we cannot claim mercy, the atonement has no effect, and we remain in our sins, unsaved.

What most people fail to understand is that being saved is really not about what you get or where you go. It is not even about being positively rewarded in contrast to being punished. It is about what you become. Being saved means that you have become like Jesus. The more like Jesus you become, the more saved you are. Understood in this way, it makes more sense that one really cannot shortcut faith and repentance in being saved. You cannot become like Jesus without perfect faith and repentance. You must learn what He knows, do as He does, and become as He is. There is no other way.

Now, I know that this probably does not seem possible. But we need to understand that making this possible was the entire mission and purpose of Jesus coming to earth as our Savior and Redeemer. He makes it possible. And so one of the first things we need to do is to simply accept and believe that with His help, we can indeed exercise mighty faith, repent, and be saved.

It is also beneficial to understand that being saved does not circumvent the chaos, darkness, and anguish of hell. All must pass through the fire. All are eventually exposed to the full weight of truth in reference to this sphere. But how you deal with it by what you know and the character you have makes all the difference. If you are prepared, being filled with truth and virtue, then you are not overcome by it; rather, you are hallowed, because you then know the full extent of the darkness and have confidence in your ability to withstand and overcome it.

God experiences a fullness of joy not because He is delivered from all sadness and pain; He most emphatically is not; God experiences a fullness of joy because His light penetrates the darkness, delivers the captives, and brings solace, joy, and redemption to all the broken hearted who learn faith on His name.

“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”[16]

I now recommend reading:

• 2 Nephi 9
• Mosiah 2, 3, 4, 15 and 16
• Alma 34 and 42

…before and after reading the next chapter on the atonement. If you do this, you will get much more out of this discussion. If you do, you will far more readily come to understand the atonement in conjunction with the Great Plan of Happiness and Redemption.

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[1] Book of Mormon | Alma 42:14

[2] Book of Mormon | Alma 42:15

[3] Book of Mormon | Alma 42:22

[4] Romans 3:23

[5] Book of Mormon | Alma 34:9

[6] Book of Mormon | Alma 42:15

[7] Book of Mormon | Alma 42:23

[8] Doctrine and Covenants 93:19 – 20

[9] Book of Mormon | Alma 42:4

[10] Book of Mormon | Alma 42:10

[11] Book of Mormon | Alma 42:13

[12] Book of Mormon | Alma 34:15 – 17

[13] Book of Mormon | Alma 42:22

[14] Book of Mormon | Alma 42:24 – 30

[15] Book of Mormon | Mosiah 2:36 – 41

[16] Pearl of Great Price | Moses 1:39

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