The Cross and The Atonement
A sacrifice had to be made to pay for our sin, and God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, paid that price for us because of His love. For God so loved the world… John 3:16
For the Mormon, the death of Jesus is simple. He died on the Cross. But what of the atonement you say? Well now, that’s a different story…sometimes. Look at the contradictions in Mormon theology.
Sometimes their sacred canon will tell you He died on the Cross for your sins, and other times as you’ll see, it contradicts itself.
D&C 19:18; “Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink— 19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.”
Translation: this version of Jesus’ atonement took place in the Garden of Gethsemane. Joseph Smith’s revelation about this took place in March of 1830 in Manchester, NY.
Just one year and a different state later (this time in Kirtland, OH on March 8, 1831), Joseph Smith prophesied Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world.
D&C 46:13; “To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world.”
He reiterated this again in June 1831;
D&C 53:2; “Behold, I, the Lord, who was crucified for the sins of the world, give unto you a commandment that you shall forsake the world.”
And here we see in “the most correct book on the face of the earth”, Nephi the prophet was telling people Jesus was crucified. The problem? It’s only 592 BC, and he’s using Greek, which wouldn’t be an official language for at least 250 years.
1 Nephi 11:33; “And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.”
So, which prophecy should we believe?
The Bible tells us in John 18:11 that Jesus told His disciples He still had work to do when He got up from praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. How could He have paid for sin there if He still had work to do?
Additionally, John 19:30 says “It is finished”. Why did Jesus say these words at that time if He had already paid the price for sin in the Garden?
Finally beloved, if Jesus had paid for sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, why did He say in John 12:32 that when He would be lifted up from the earth, He would draw all men to Himself?
We’re praying Mormons will think about this, and ask God to reveal the truth to them!