"And now behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it" (Alma 34:8).

Around 74 B.C. the prophet Alma went on a mission to preach the gospel to his people and during his travels he visited the Zoramites who were practicing a corrupted form of God's true religion. With his companion, Amulek, he taught them about the coming Messiah and how He would be sacrificed to atone for the sins of the world. When he was through speaking, Amulek then stood and addressed the people, stating that he would add his own testimony to what Alma had just said. However, what he then taught them gives us a deeper understanding of the plan of salvation, who it applies to, what its conditions are, who it does not apply to, and what we must do to qualify for it.

In verse 8 he begins by saying that the things he's about to say comes from his own knowledge rather than what he has been taught by Alma. As such he is bearing his own personal testimony to the truthfulness of what he is about to tell his people. Immediately after making that declaration he then makes a statement that sets the stage for the rest of his remarks. If we miss the point he is about to make then we tend to miss the point of his message. Therefore, it's important that we have a clear understanding of his opening statement.

He starts by saying "that Christ shall come among the children of men." This is the message that all the prophets have given and Alma had just finished quoting the ancient scriptures to explain this very point. But Amulek then explains why Christ is going to come among the children of men. He says that he will "take upon him the transgressions of his people and that he shall atone for the sins of the world."

The word "and" is used in a sentence to connect two separate things or thoughts. For example, Alma and Amulek went about preaching the gospel to the Zoramites. What this tells us is that there are two people who are working together doing the preaching - Alma is one person and he is connected or associated with Amulek, who is a separate person. It would be wrong to assume from this sentence that Alma and Amulek are the same being.

We find this same situation existing in Paul's writings. At the beginning of most of his letters he says, "Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col 1:2-3; 2 Thes. 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:2, emphasis added). While many Christians tend to interpret this to mean that God the Father and Jesus Christ are the same being, that is an incorrect reading of these scriptures. By placing the word "and" in this sentence it should be read as saying, "God the Father sends you his grace and peace, and our Lord Jesus Christ also sends His grace and peace to you as well." When read correctly, this salutation clearly shows that God the Father and Jesus Christ are two separate beings.

Paul also wrote that "The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore" (2 Cor. 11:31). By placing the word "and" in this sentence we learn that there is a being who is both the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as well as being the God of Jesus Christ. Thus, this Being holds two different titles. He is both a God as well as a Father to Jesus (see Ephesians 1:17; Colossians 3:17).

When Amulek uses the word "and" in his opening statement he is telling us that when Christ comes He will do two things. The first is that He will take upon him the transgressions of his people. The second thing He will do is atone for the sins of the world. When most people read this verse they automatically assume that taking the transgression of his people and atoning for the sins of the world means the same thing but that is not what Amulek is trying to tell his people. He clearly makes a distinction between these two events and that distinction is crucial to understanding the full significance of the rest of his message.

The reason why we know that Amulek is talking about two different events is because he relates each of them to two different classes of people. When talking about "transgression" Amulek says that Christ will take upon Him the transgressions of just a certain, select group of people whom he refers to as "His people." In other words, Christ will only take upon Him the transgressions of those whom He considers to be His.

By definition, a disciple of Christ is one who does what Jesus commands (see Matthew 21:6). It was Christ who said, "If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed" (John 8:31). "He that hath the commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" (John 14:21). Notice the word "and" in this sentence. It is not enough for a person only to have the commandments; they must also keep them as well. Both conditions must be met in order to be loved by God the Father and by His Son, Jesus Christ, again showing that the word "and" connects two separate, distinct things rather than equating both of them as being the same.

However, when Amulek talks about the atonement he is referring to something separate and distinct from Christ taking upon Him the "transgression of His people." While Christ takes upon Him the transgressions of only those who belong to Him, the atonement applies to everyone in the world. It is universal in its application. No one is excluded from this act of mercy.

Where the confusion comes from on this subject is that most people think the words "transgression" and "sin" mean the same thing then conclude that since Christ atoned for our sins that means the same as Him taking upon Himself our transgressions. However, that is not the message Amulek was trying to convey to his people.

Amulek explains that without the atonement "all mankind must unavoidably perish… yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish." (verse 9, emphasis added). Since the fall of man is universal therefore the atonement of Christ must likewise be universal in its effect to save us from our fallen condition. This is why Amulek refers to it as "an infinite and eternal sacrifice" (verse 10). But, if the atonement of Christ saves everyone in the world, then why is it necessary to believe in Christ?

Before Amulek answers this question he first explains something that many of today's Christians have had a great deal of argument about among themselves.

Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:17-18).

There is considerable disagreement among modern Christians as to what Jesus meant by this statement. Some argue that He meant the law of Moses, with all of its rules, rituals, and commandments, had been done away with because Jesus fulfilled it, meaning that He completed what it was intended to do and therefore it is no longer needed. Others argue that when Jesus said He fulfilled the law He was saying that He fully obeyed all the requirements of the law by living it to perfection. Since Jesus is our example they argue that we too must strive to fulfill the commandments of the law just as Jesus did. In that way the law has not been destroyed but has been further established as being necessary.

Amulek explained that no one can sacrifice his own blood to atone for the sins of another. If that is true then certainly the shedding of an innocent animal cannot atone for any one's sins (verses11, see Hebrews 10:4). Instead, the law requires the life of him who has committed murder (verse 12). If that is true then why did the law of Moses require people to offer up an animal sacrifice? Amulek explained it was meant to point to that great and last sacrifice of Christ (verse 14). Thus, all the sacrifices made in the ancient Israelite temples served as a type, shadow, or pattern of what Christ would someday do.

Amulek then explained that once Christ had offered that final sacrifice, the sacrificial part of the law of Moses was no longer needed because Christ would have actually accomplished what the animal sacrifices were only intended to represent. As Paul explained, the priests offered up sacrifices every day and the high priest offered sacrifices for the sins of the people once every year (Hebrew 9). But when Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice He fulfilled the purpose of that ritual (what the scriptures refer to as fulfilling "every jot and tittle" of the law). When that happened there was no more need to continue performing a ceremony that had lost its meaning. However, Christ's atonement only did away with the sacrifice of animals. The other commandments in the law of Moses have not been done away with and therefore still need to be observed.

But, just because Christ's atonement is infinite and eternal, meaning that it applies to everyone, doesn't mean that everyone in the world is saved. Beginning in verse 15, Amulek explained what he meant about Christ taking upon Him the transgressions of His people. He stated that salvation comes only to those who believe in the name of Christ and how Christ's atonement was to bring about the "bowels of mercy which overpowereth justice and bringeth about means unto man that they may have faith unto repentance. And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice and encircles them in the arms of safety."

According to Amulek, while the atonement applies to everyone, it does not save anyone. It merely makes it possible for mercy to overpower the demands of justice. Justice is very much an eye for an eye punishment system. If a man sheds the blood of another then justice demands that that man's blood must be shed. Mercy, on the other hand, allows someone else to pay the penalty of justice thereby allowing the sinner to escape being punished for their own sins. This is what Jesus did when He took upon Him the transgressions of his people.

But, there is a condition that must be met in order to receive Christ's mercy. Those who believe in Christ and have the kind of faith in Him that brings them to true and genuine repentance are the only ones who can receive a forgiveness of their sins. As Amulek put it, they are the ones who are safely encircled in the arms of mercy where they are protected and shielded from the harsh, exacting demands of justice.

On the other hand, "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" (verse 16). In other words, even though Christ died to atone for the sins of everyone in the world, those who don't have faith in Him to the point where they become repentant of their sins must face the full demands of justice. In that case, for them it will be as though Christ never died because they cannot qualify to take advantage of the great and eternal plan of redemption.

In our day the Lord has explained, "Therefore I command you to repent-repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore-how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I" (D&C 19:15-17, emphasis added).

The atonement of Christ made it possible for all men in every age to repent. The Lord explained this principle to Joseph Smith when He said, "For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, [so] that all men might repent and come unto him" (D&C18:11). Without the atonement, repenting of our sins would have no effect in removing even the smallest sin. It is only because of Christ's atonement that repentance on our part has any meaning.

Through His death on the cross Christ paid the price for our sins and because of that great ransom we now belong to Him. He has bought us with his blood (see 1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). He owns us. And it is through the shedding of His blood that we obtain a forgiveness of our sins (Colossians 1:14) but only if we have faith in Him unto repentance.

To have faith in Christ alone or to repent without having faith in Him is not enough to receive a forgiveness of our sins and be spared the punishment required by the law of justice. Both are needed. That is why Amulek said that Christ taketh upon Him the transgressions of only those whom He considers His people, even though His atoning death on the cross applies to everyone in the world.

Without Christ's atonement, all men - righteous and wicked - would be hopelessly lost and eternally separated from God. If Christ had not atoned for our sins then all of us would become subject to the spirit of the devil wherein he would seal us as his own (verse 35). But because of Christ's atonement He has made it possible for all men to come unto Him, repent of their sins and be shown mercy, being protected from the demands of justice. At the same time, He has also allowed all men the choice of not coming to Him with a repentant heart. But, if that is what they choose to do then they must suffered for their own sins as justice requires.

That is the message of Amulek.

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