Why was the Atonement of Jesus Christ Necessary?

[DennisTate]

On 7/15/2017 at 4:48 PM, person0 said:

I am interested in the answer to this question from a non-LDS perspective.  My personal view, which comes from the LDS perspective is that there are self-existent eternal laws that exist outside of God such as justice, and mercy.  Many attributes we ascribe to God would also fall into the category of self-existent and eternal, such as benevolence, perfection, righteousness, and so forth.

The fact that these laws are self-existent and eternal allow for a principle which is likely considered heretical to many Christian denominations; the idea that God could cease to be God.  Not that it ever would occur, but that it technically could happen.

My belief is that God must comply with eternal law; He continuously lives in perfect obedience.  The plan of salvation, and Christ's atonement is His perfectly crafted plan that complies with those laws and enables the salvation of mankind.

If you don't believe that there are laws that God Himself must abide, then why would there be any need whatsoever for a Savior?  Without absolute eternal laws, it seems to me that God could just save anyone based on whatever metrics he chooses.  And then, if He truly is a benevolent being, what would stop Him from providing a way where every single creation could fully repent over time and join Him in Heaven?  If eternal law does not exist independent of God, then it seems to me that God (based on most existing religious interpretations of Him) would be classifiable as a 'respecter of persons'.

I once attempted to explain this idea to my Muslim father, hoping to show him why I could never come to believe in Islam, because their interpretation of God would in fact result in Him being a 'respecter of persons' based on these very principles. However, from my current understanding, this may similarly apply to many Christian denominations.

I hope that I have made my position adequately clear.  Ultimately, the main question is, why was the atonement of Jesus Christ necessary?  However, anything related to sin or death is not really the point of this question, neither is the difference in our understanding of the Godhead.  My inquiry for the non-LDS is more of, why was it necessary for God to use the atonement of Christ to save us?

That is an excellent question........ and one of the reasons why I am so attracted to a new idea in Theoretical Physics that I suspect may eventually be

proven to fit with Ezekiel chapter 37.

 

 

I do not claim to fully understand the connection between the Word - Logos... a member of the Elohim... with Messiah Yeshua - Jesus.....

but I suspect that during his forty days of fasting he may have been shown about his pre-existant form...... I really like the idea that you Latter day Saints have about Adam.... being the human incarnation of the Arch-angel Michael.......

I don't know for certain if you are correct or not about this.... .but it is an excellent theory that would answer many, many, many seeming contradictions in the Christian and Jewish scriptures.  

I used to think that the following verse was a dumb question by the disciples.... but not anymore.....

John 9:2

And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Edited October 16, 2018 by DennisTate
add comments....

[DennisTate]

On 7/15/2017 at 4:48 PM, person0 said:

I am interested in the answer to this question from a non-LDS perspective.  My personal view, which comes from the LDS perspective is that there are self-existent eternal laws that exist outside of God such as justice, and mercy.  Many attributes we ascribe to God would also fall into the category of self-existent and eternal, such as benevolence, perfection, righteousness, and so forth.

The fact that these laws are self-existent and eternal allow for a principle which is likely considered heretical to many Christian denominations; the idea that God could cease to be God.  Not that it ever would occur, but that it technically could happen.

My belief is that God must comply with eternal law; He continuously lives in perfect obedience.  The plan of salvation, and Christ's atonement is His perfectly crafted plan that complies with those laws and enables the salvation of mankind.

If you don't believe that there are laws that God Himself must abide, then why would there be any need whatsoever for a Savior?  Without absolute eternal laws, it seems to me that God could just save anyone based on whatever metrics he chooses.  And then, if He truly is a benevolent being, what would stop Him from providing a way where every single creation could fully repent over time and join Him in Heaven?  If eternal law does not exist independent of God, then it seems to me that God (based on most existing religious interpretations of Him) would be classifiable as a 'respecter of persons'.

I once attempted to explain this idea to my Muslim father, hoping to show him why I could never come to believe in Islam, because their interpretation of God would in fact result in Him being a 'respecter of persons' based on these very principles. However, from my current understanding, this may similarly apply to many Christian denominations.

I hope that I have made my position adequately clear.  Ultimately, the main question is, why was the atonement of Jesus Christ necessary?  However, anything related to sin or death is not really the point of this question, neither is the difference in our understanding of the Godhead.  My inquiry for the non-LDS is more of, why was it necessary for God to use the atonement of Christ to save us?

I recently listened to near death experiencer Dr. Kevin Zadai explain how Messiah Yeshua - Jesus bought us back....... and restored us to a state like Eden but in many ways better.  He was shown that those three days in the heart of the earth were in some ways even worse than the actual scourging and crucifixion.  If I remember correctly I read something about this is some LDS literature..... .I think it was your Gospel Principles book.