Sometimes
we feel distant from Jesus Christ. We say He is the Lamb of God but may not
feel or want HIs watch-care or understand His sacrifice for us.
The
Apostle Paul asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” He answers,
“Neither death, nor life, . . . nor height, nor depth, . . . shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans
8:35, 38-39) Yet, there is someone who can separate us from Go d and Jesus
Christ—and that someone is us, ourselves. As Isaiah says, “Your sins have hid
his face from you.” (Isaiah 59:2)
By
divine love and divine law, we are responsible for our choices and their
consequences. But our Savior’s atoning love in “infinite and eternal.” (Alma
34:10) Whenever we are ready to come home, God is reaching out with great
compassion to welcome us, joyfully offering all He is. (The finest ring, shoes,
and even the fatted calf, as it were. See Luke 15:22-23)
President
J. Reuben Clark taught: “I believe that our Heavenly Father wants to save every
one of his children[,] . . . that in his justice and mercy, he will give us the
maximum penalty which it is possible for him to impose.” (J. Reuben Clark Jr.,
in Conference Report, Oct. 1953, 84)
President
Russell M. Nelson invites us to experience the joy of repentance—of doing all
we can—so we can receive the forgiveness and blessings of Jesus Christ offers.
This is possible as we “change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time,
treat our wives [and husbands], teach our children, and even care for our
bodies.” (Russell M. Nelson, “We Can Do Better and Be Better,” Ensign or
Liahona, May 2019, 67)
Scripture
teaches that we are saved by Jesus Christ and His grace, “after all we can do.”
(2 Nephi 25:23) On the cross, even our Savior’s merciful plea to His Father was
not unconditional. He did not say, “Father, forgive them.” Rather, He said,
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:24; see also
Matthew 6:12—“forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”—which also
relates our ability to be forgiven to our willingness to forgive) We are
accountable before God and ourselves for who we are, for what we think, know,
and do. Thankfully, we can trust Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, to judge
perfectly and mercifully our intents and actions, as we come to Him with faith
and repentance. (Gerrit W. Gong, The Shepherd and the Lamb: Our Covenant
Hope in Christ [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2024], 65-67)
