John 5:19

[THIRDpersonviewer]

I can honestly say I have no idea what this post is about.I thought we all witnessed the atonement in the spirit world. Can someone explain to me in primary language what this is about?

To simply answer that question, The question was asked have we witnessed the Atonement.

The question isnt a simple did you see it, or do I have a testimony of it.

You mentioned that we possibly witnessed the atonement in the pre-mortal world(i assume thats what you meant by spirit world). I personally don't think we know for sure. No prophet said it (unless someone would like to inform me otherwise). It also depends on what is meant by witness.

That could mean to see, have testimony, or to be like something or someone.

I don't know if I saw it nor do I think we know the answer to that. I mean we were in heaven working and progressing, not sitting around watching this earth and everything that transpired.

Since we would have had a testimony before this life as well as now, that would make the answer yes, but why answer a redundant question. It seems the question was searching for a deeper answer.

Now to be like someone. Joseph Smith explained in the very same section of his sermon that Eternal Life is to know the only true and wise God. Joseph expounded that phrase to as "and you have to learn to be Gods yourselves(like us too, not by ourselves)." That phrase is in the D&C, and Bible. The process of becoming like God involves a developing understanding and testimony of the Atonement that guides ones actions to repent and be clean. When you are perfect, you will understand and comprehend all of what the Atonement does and is. The love, the sacrifice, the power thats in the Atonement will be understood and felt as part of who you are.

So for the question have you witnessed the Atonement, in the context of doing what Christ did and gaining a full and complete understanding of it.

I already answered my view on it.

[mikbone]

I can honestly say I have no idea what this post is about.I thought we all witnessed the atonement in the spirit world. Can someone explain to me in primary language what this is about?

I don't know if we were able to view important events on Earth while we were unembodied spirits in the pre-mortal existence.

It is possible that the disembodied spirits in paradise were granted a viewing of the atonement, but we don't know for sure if this happened either. We do know that the spirits in paradise were visited by Jesus Christ during the 3 days that his body lay in the tomb though. So they did have a significant witness.

The spirits in prison unfortunately were not able to see either the atonement or Christ's visit to the spirit world but they were able to receive second-hand information from the spirits in paradise after Jesus bridged the void between spirit prison and paradise. See D&C 138.

The mortals that lived on Earth during Christ's Atonement were not able to witness the Atonement directly either. But there were miracles that were witnessed and Christ did visit the Nephites and other sheep as we have been informed...

The original intent of this post was 2 fold.

1) Define what it means to witness the atonement.

2) Recognize that because Jehovah witnessed Elohim's atonement that Jehovah was inherently different than everyone else in our pre-mortal existence. Because it appears that you and I did not understand what was involved in the Plan of Salvation. We understood much of the Plan and we fought for our right to come to Earth and learn how to be more like God the Father. But Jehovah knew details about the Plan of Salvation that the rest of us were oblivious to.

I believe that when Jehovah stepped forward and said, "Here am I, send me" that He was recognizant that He was volunteering to live a perfect life and suffer the Atonement. Jehovah understood in theory and from an observational or empathic viewpoint what was to be required of him. We did not understand the specifics at all.

And we still don't understand. We will be able to gain a more in depth understanding of the Atonement with the ordinance of receiving ones Calling and Election. But unfortunately, there is only one way to have a perfect understand of what happened in Both Gethsemane and on the Cross. And as far as I know only Elohim and Jehovah have that perfect knowledge.

See D&C 19: 15-20 wherein Christ repeats "ye know not" over and over.

Edited April 3, 2013 by mikbone