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D&C 76:43)
Doctrine & Covenants > Section 76
Questions
Verse 41
- What does it mean to come into the world?
- How was Christ crucified "for the world"?
- How does Christ "bear the sins of the world"? Is this different from "paying the price" of sin?
- What does it mean to "sanctify the world"?
- How does the atonement "cleanse" the world "from all unrighteousness"?
Verse 42
- How many are "saved" by Christ? What does it mean to be "saved"?
- Who are those "whom the Father had put into his power"? How can we be "put into his power"?
- How are we "made by" Christ?
Verse 43
- How does Christ glorify the Father?
- What are "all the works of his hands"? Is this just people, or the rest of creation? What do "hands" have to do with work? What is this "work"? Is it the same as creation?
- What does it mean to "deny the Son after the Father has revealed him"? How is the Son revealed by the Father?
Verse 44
- What does it mean that Christ saves all except the sons of perdition? Does this mean that being saved is the same as inheriting one of the three kingdoms of glory, or just that all eventually escape "the second death" and "the lake of fire and brimstone"?
- What is "everlasting punishment"? Are everlasting, endless, and eternal all synonyms here, or do the represent different aspects of this punishment?
- What does it mean for the sons of perdition to "reign" with the deveil?
- What does it mean that "their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched"? How is this a torment?
Verse 45
- What is the "end" mentioned here? Is it the end of the sons of perdition of just of their torment? Does this imply that their torment will eventually end?
Lexical notes
- Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes
Exegesis
If we look back at verse 40 we see that the Lord has introduced these verses by saying "This is the gospel...--" These verses are an explanation of what the gospel is, or in other words, what the glad tidings are. What are these glad tidings? We learn about an eternal punishment in Revelations, "the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Rev 21:8) where the wicked are cast in. This punishment is the second death spoken of in verse 37. The glad tidings of the gospel, the point of these verses, is that very few will suffer this punishment, this second death. Instead, through the atonement, Christ will save all but the sons of perdition from this awful state. He will even save those who have committed serious sin: liars, sorcerers, adulterers, etc. (Note that in verse 108 we are told that these sinners will inherit the telestial kingdom. This assumes of course that they neither receive the testimony of Jesus (and thus inherit a better kingdom) or deny openly Christ (and become a son of perdition).
Related links
- In lesson 19, The D&C and Church History Class Member Study Guide asks in reference to these and other verses "Why is the Atonement central to the plan of salvation?" (See exegesis above.)
