Week 13

FAITH

"Three things are necessary in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.

"First, the idea that he actually exists.

"Secondly, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes.

"Thirdly, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according to his will" (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith, 3:2-5).

Questions and Activities

• What is faith?
• What does it mean to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? How do faith, belief, and knowledge differ?
• Review examples from the scriptures when people showed faith in Christ.
• Why is faith in Jesus Christ the first principle of the gospel?
• What has increased your faith in Christ?
• Think of an experience when your life was blessed by the power of faith.
• What in your life is strengthening your faith and building faith in others?

Topical Guide

Assurance

Believe

Confidence

Doubt, Doubtful

Faith

Faithful

Hope

Scriptures

1 Nephi 7:11-18; 17

Alma 32, 56-57

Ether 12

Moroni 7

Moses 6-7

1 Samuel 17

Matthew 9

Romans 4, 10

Hebrews 11

James 2

Articles of Faith 1:4

Bible Dictionary

Faith

Knowledge

Other Sources

Gospel Principles, chapter 18

The Articles of Faith, chapter 5

Week 12

THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST

"The atonement of the Master is the central point of world history. Without it, the whole purpose for the creation of the earth and our living upon it would fail....

"...Without it, no man or woman would ever be resurrected.... And so all the world, believers and non believers, are indebted to the Redeemer for their certain resurrection, because the resurrection will be as wide as was the fall, which brought death to every man.

"There is another phase of the atonement which makes me love the Savior even more, and fills my soul with gratitude beyond expression.... In addition to atoning for Adams's transgression, thereby bringing about the resurrection, the Savior by his suffering paid the debt for my personal sins. He paid the debt for your personal sins and for the personal sins of every living soul that ever dwelt upon the earth. But this he did conditionally.

"The benefits of this suffering for our individual transgressions will not come to us unconditionally in the same sense that the resurrection will come, regardless of what we do. If we partake of the blessings of the atonement as far as our individual transgressions are concerned, we must obey the law" (Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Oct. 1953, pp. 34-36).

Questions and Activities

• How does sin keep us from returning to our Father in Heaven?
• How can the effects of sin be overcome through Christ?
• What is the law of mercy?
• What is the law of justice?
• How does Christ's mercy satisfy the law of justice?
• What is the penalty for those who do not accept Christ's atonement?
• Think of experiences when other people's lives have been changed through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
• Record in your journal the blessings the Atonement has brought to your life.
• What are you doing to show your gratitude to the Savior for his atoning sacrifice?

Topical Guide

Blood

Jesus Christ, Atonement through

Jesus Christ, Mission of

Jesus Christ, Redeemer

Jesus Christ, Savior

Man, Natural, Not Spiritually Reborn

Salvation of Little Children

Sin

Scriptures

2 Nephi 9

Mosiah 15

Alma 34:8-16; 41-42

D&C 19:15-20

Leviticus 16:20-28

Luke 22-23

Hebrews 2

Articles of Faith 1:3

Bible Dictionary

Atonement

Blood

Calvary

Crucifixion

Gethsemane

Golgotha

Redemption

Scapegoat

Other Sources

Gospel Principles, chapter 12

The Articles of Faith, chapter 4

Week 11

RESURRECTION

"Easter is the day when we...celebrate the most significant event in human history---the resurrection from the grave, the return to life from death, of the Son of God" (Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Victory over Death, " Ensign, May 1985, p. 51).

"Christ's resurrection ushers in the blessings of immortality and the possibility of eternal life. His empty tomb proclaims to all the world, 'he is not here, but is risen' (Luke 24:6). These words contain all the hope, assurance, and belief necessary to sustain us in our challenging and sometimes grief-filled lives.

"Easter is the celebration of the free gift of immortality given to all men, restoring life and healing all wounds" (Howard W. Hunter, "An Apostle's Witness of the Resurrection, " Ensign, May 1986, pp 15-16).

Questions and Activities

• What happens to the body and the spirit at death, between death and resurrection, and at resurrection?
• In what ways is a resurrected person different from a mortal person?
• Why is the resurrection of Christ such a significant event in human history?
• Who has seen the resurrected Christ?
• Why is it important that there are so many witnesses of the resurrected Christ?
• Who will come forth in the first resurrection? in the second resurrection?
• Recall an experience when a friend or relative died. What hope does the resurrection provide?
• How is belief in the resurrection influencing your life and the lives of your family members?

Topical Guide

Death

Death, Power over

Immortality, Immortal

Jesus Christ, Atonement through

Jesus Christ, Appearances, Postmortal

Jesus Christ, Resurrection

Resurrection

Spirits, Disembodied

Scriptures

2 Nephi 9:8-16

Alma 11:42-45

3 Nephi 11:13-17

D&C 138

Ezekiel 37:11-14

Luke 24

John 20

I Corinthians 15

Bible Dictionary

Easter

Lord's Day

Restitution, Restoration

Resurrection

Spirit

Other Sources

Jesus the Christ, chapter 37

The Articles of Faith, chapter 21

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, chapter 22

Week 10

THE FALL

"Just why the Lord would say to Adam that he forbade him to partake of the fruit of the tree is not made clear in the Bible account, but in the original as it comes to us in the Book of Moses it is made definitely clear. It is that the Lord said to Adam that if he wished to remain as he was in the garden, then he was not to eat the fruit, but if he desired to eat it and partake of death he was at liberty to do so. So really it was not in the true sense a transgression of a divine commandment. Adam made the wise decision, in fact the only decision that he could make" (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 4:81).

Questions and Activities

• What does the name Adam mean?
• What does the name Eve mean?
• How was life in the Garden of Eden different from mortal life?
• What are the two deaths that resulted from the Fall?
• How did Adam and Eve fulfill the purposes of God?
• What are the physical effects of the Fall and how do they affect your life?
• What specific examples of the spiritual effects of the Fall do you see in the world?
• How does your knowledge of the effects of the Fall influence the way you view people in your life?

Topical Guide

Bondage, Spiritual

Carnal Mind

Death

Death, Spiritual , First

Fall, Fallen, Fell

Fall of Man

Man, Natural, Not Spiritually Reborn

Mortality

Sin

Spiritual Blindness

Scriptures

2 Nephi 2:15-27, 9:6-10

Mosiah 16

Alma 22:13-14; 42:4-17

D&C 29:40-45

Genesis 3

Moses 4

Articles of Faith 1:2

Bible Dictionary

Adam

Death

Devil

Eden, Garden of

Eve

Fall of Adam

Flesh

Other Sources

Gospel Principles, chapter 6

The Articles of Faith, chapter 3