Sacrifice

As always, Elder Dallin H. Oaks is good for some deep doctrine discussion. If you are interested in following along with his text you can read it here.

When he said this it clicked to me. I have heard it many times but finally I got it. The Gospel of Christ always is about sacrifice. It is simply the kind of sacrifice that changed after the atonement. The incomprehensible suffering of Jesus Christ ended sacrifice by the shedding of blood, but it did not end the importance of sacrifice in the gospel plan. Our Savior requires us to continue to offer sacrifices, but the sacrifices He now commands are that we “offer for a sacrifice unto [Him] a broken heart and a contrite spirit”.

We are frequently asked, “How do you persuade your young people and your older members to leave their schooling or their retirement to sacrifice in this way?” I have heard many give this explanation: “Knowing what my Savior did for me—His grace in suffering for my sins and in overcoming death so I can live again—I feel privileged to make the small sacrifice I am asked to make in His service." It is kind of funny how things change if you have a different perspective.

“A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. … It [is] through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life.” Joseph Smith Jr.