Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Atonement of Jesus Christ? 6

                                                                     Article of Faith 3

We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved,

by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

This is the sixth essay about the Atonement of Jesus Christ as stated in the third Article of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first week, I discussed the importance of understanding how the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, as the third pillar of eternity, is essential to Heavenly Father’s plan for the eternal happiness of His children. The second week, the discussion was about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the nature of the atonement. The third week, the discussion concerned the Atonement of Jesus Christ as a vicarious sacrifice. The fourth week, the discussion was about Christ’s sacrifice being voluntary and love inspired. Last week, the discussion was about the Atonement being foreordained and foretold. The discussion for this week will use the words of Elder James E. Talmage to discuss the extent of the Atonement (Articles of Faith [1913], 85-87).

The Extent of the Atonement is universal, applying alike to all descendants of Adam. Even the unbeliever, the heathen, and the child who dies before reaching the years of discretion, all are redeemed by the Savior’s self-sacrifice from the individual consequences of the fall. It is proved by scripture that the resurrection of the body is one of the victories achieved by Christ through His atoning sacrifice. He Himself proclaimed the eternal truth: “I am the resurrection, and the life”; and He was the first of all men to rise from the grave to immortality – “the firstfruits of them that slept.” The scriptures leave no room for doubt concerning the fact that the resurrection will be universal. The Savior announced to His apostles the beginning of this work of deliverance from the tomb; hear His words: “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” or, as the latter part of the declaration has bene rendered through inspiration in the present day, “They who have done good in the resurrection of the just, and they who have done evil in the resurrection of the unjust.”

Paul preached the doctrine of a universal resurrection: “That there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” On another occasion he wrote: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” John the Revelator testifies of his vision concerning futurity: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them.” Thus it is plain that the effect of the atonement, so far as it applies to the victory over temporal or bodily death, includes the entire race. It is equally clear that the release from spiritual death, or banishment from the presence of God, is offered to all; so that if any man lose salvation such loss will be due to himself, and in no way be the inescapable effect of Adam’s transgression. That the gift of redemption through Christ is free to all men was specifically taught by the apostles of old. Thus Paul says: “Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” And further: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all.” John spoke of the Redeemer’s sacrifice, saying: “And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

The same truths were taught among the Nephites. Benjamin, the righteous king, preached of “the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world.” In revelation of the present day we read of Christ’s having come into the world, to suffer and to die: “That through him all might be saved whom the Father into his power and made by him.”

But besides this universal application of the atonement, whereby all men are redeemed from the effects of Adam’s transgression both with respect to the death of the body and inherited sin, there is application of the same great sacrifice as a means of propitiation for individual sins through the faith and good works of the sinner. This twofold effect of the atonement is implied in the article of our faith now under consideration. The first effect is to secure to all mankind alike, exemption from the penalty of the fall, thus providing a plan of General Salvation. The second effect is to open a way for Individual Salvation whereby mankind may secure remission of personal sins. As these sins are the result of individual acts it is just that forgiveness for them should be conditioned on individual compliance with prescribed requirements – “obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”

  

Will Americans Accept Socialism

Socialism is raising its ugly head in the United States. Democratic Socialists of America are being elected as members of Congress. Rep. Warren Davidson is raising a warning voice. He “witnessed life in East Germany just weeks after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.” It is entirely possible that he could find himself serving Congress with “Democrats who embrace an ideology millions of Eastern Europeans rejected when they tore the wall down.”

In his article published in The Daily Signal, Robert B. Bluey shares the information that he learned in his interview with Davidson. 

Ideas once associated with the Left’s fringe are increasingly entering the American political landscape. Several members of Congress already proudly identify as democratic socialists, and a new crop of candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America could soon join them. For Davidson, an Ohio Republican and constitutional conservative, that’s a difficult reality to accept.

After graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Davidson enlisted in the U.S. Army as an infantryman. While stationed in Germany in 1989, he made the trek to see how East Germans were reacting to the collapse of communism.

“The people in East Germany found it out the truth. They tore their own wall down,” Davidson told the Daily Signal. “You go from that experience where I’m seeing firsthand how failed these ideas are, to I’m serving in Congress with people that describe themselves as socialists.”

Voters Focused on Affordability, Immigration

Davidson has spent recent weeks back home in Ohio’s 8^th District meeting with constituents ahead of Election Day. While national political debates often dominate Washington, he said voters remain focused on issues much closer to home.

“Affordability still is a big issue,” Davidson said on the Daily Signal’s “Midterm Report” podcase. “People are talking a lot about affordability. Gas prices is one of the big things.” He said concerns about government corruption and border security also frequently arise in conversations with constituents….

Manufacturing, China, and the Surveillance State

Before his election to Congress in 2016, Davidson worked in manufacturing for about 15 years. He argues that decades of trade policy weakened America’s industrial base and harmed working-class communities.

“Ross Perot said that if you do these trade deals with China and Mexico, you’re going to hear a giant sucking sound of our jobs leaving America,” Davidson said. “With the benefit of hindsight, he was right.”

Davidson contends that China’s government has gained an unfair advantage through subsidies and market manipulation….

The congressman has also been vocal about privacy and government surveillance. As a co-sponsor of legislation aimed at limiting Chinese access to vehicle data, he said Americans should have greater control over their personal information….

A Lesson From East Germany

Davidson’s concerns about socialism are rooted in personal experience.

While serving in the U.S. Army, he was stationed in Germany during the final years of the Cold War. Just weeks after Germans demolished the Berlin Wall, Davidson saw firsthand what life under socialism and communism had produced.

“They were like, ‘Is it like this everywhere?’” Davidson recalled. “there was fresh milk and everyone could go buy things.”

Many East Germans had been taught that life in the West was worse than life behind the Iron Curtain.

“They were told that we were more poor than them,” Davidson said. “I’m like, ‘Well, buddy, obviously you’ve been lied to.’”

The experience left an enduring impression on the future congressman.

Socialism’s Return

Today, many younger Americans don’t think the same way as Davidson. Socialism is growing in popularity – 43% have a positive view, according to Gallup’s polling in September.

Among those between the ages of 18 and 34, socialism’s popularity is 57%, Gallup reported. By comparison, 43% of that age group views capitalism positively.

“A lot of young people weren’t around for the Cold War,” Davison surmised.

Davidson worries that many Americans lack an understanding, of socialism’s historical failures. He pointed to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a socialist leader who has inspired followers.

“People are copying his platform and getting support from the political Left in the United States,” Davidson said.

Quoting President Ronald Reagan, Davidson added, “Freedom’s never more than one generation away from extinction.”

           As more candidates openly embrace socialism, Davidson hopes Americans will look to history               before embracing ideas that millions of people once rejected at great personal cost.

Who Is Columbus?

My VIP for this week is Christopher Columbus because October 12, 2026, is Columbus Day. Today marks the 534^th anniversary since Columbus made landfall in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Columbus’s fleet, consisting of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria had sailed from Palos, Spain, more than a month earlier.

A lookout aboard the Pinta sighted land on the night of October 11, 1492, and shouted “Land” early in the morning on October 12. That morning, Columbus and his crew landed on a small island known to Lucayan Taino people as Guanahani, which he renamed San Salvador. This is the first known contact from Europe with the Americas, and it led to sustained exploration and colonization of the Caribbean by Europeans. This landfall initiated the Age of Discovery.

For many years, Americans celebrated Columbus Day on October 12 annually. It became a federal holiday in 1937. Since the Uniform Monday Holiday Act became law in 1971, Americans celebrate Columbus Day annually on the second Monday in October. It is one of eleven federal holidays. Federal offices, courts, and the U.S. Postal Service close, while most banks also close. Numerous federal employees take Friday off to make a four-day weekend.

Many states, cities, and school districts observe the day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a day to honor Native American history, culture, and contributions.

Should President Be Able to Fire Agency Heads?

The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday concerns what might be “the Supreme Court’s biggest decision” and possibly its least popular. According to Alan Hurst, a Marquette Law School poll shows “only 49% of Americans approve of Trump v. Slaughter, the court’s ruling that presidents can fire the heads of independent executive agencies.” 

After discussing all thirteen Supreme Court decisions in the Marquette poll, Hurst explained why he thinks “it’s good that the president can fire the heads of executive agencies, regardless of whether I like the president?”

To answer, let’s consider a “who cares if you’re angry” theory of government, in which we place government institutions into one of three general categories – reviewed here in order from the least to the most democratic.

Category 3: An intentionally insulated judiciary

If you’re angry about a federal court’s decision, does anyone in the judiciary care?

Not particularly. They don’t answer to you.

I don’t mean to suggest judges are heartless or immune to outside influence. You’re free to criticize their decisions publicly, engineer lawsuits to move the law in your direction, or file amicus briefs and try to be persuasive.

But if you’re hoping to do more than persuade – if you’re hoping to pressure them to do something they’re not inclined to do – then you’re unlikely to succeed. The whole point of life tenure is not to let you do that, because justice by public opinion is no justice at all.

Category 2: A president who responds to his coalition (but not necessarily anyone else)

If you’re angry about a decision by an executive agency – say, the FDA or the EPA – does anyone at the agency care?

Unlike Supreme Court justices, the heads of the FDA and the EPA can be fired by the president, which means their goals and priorities can’t stray too far from the president’s goals and priorities.

And while the president doesn’t care about you individually, there are people he does care about: key senators, senior advisers, media figures he respects, or allies and interest groups whose support he depends on to pursue his goals and win the next election (either for himself or for his party).

And what that means, practically speaking, is that there are people you can lobby. It’s a ladder-climbing exercise: You find somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody. Maybe you know a state legislator who can introduce you to someone in your state attorney general’s inner circle, who can then put your issue in front of the attorney general’s official contact at the White House.

Or maybe someone can introduce you to a popular blogger or columnist who can publish your story and try to put it on the radar at a big media himself.

But at every rung, the person you’re hoping will help is going to be asking, “Is the guy above me going to think this was worth bringing to his attention? Is it an issue he cares about, or is it coming from a constituency he cares about?”

And if the answer is no – as it usually will be if you’re in the wrong political party – then your attempt to influence the agency democratically will never get off the ground.

Category 1: Intentionally vulnerable representatives

In the final category, if you’re angry about a decision anywhere in government, will your member of Congress care? And here the answer is “very probably.”

Thanks to gerrymandering, social media, hyper partisanship, and so on, Congress isn’t what it used to be – to keep their seats, congresspeople have had to fall in line more often and get more ideological.

But to this day, senators and representatives maintain staff for “constituent services,” i.e., they employ people whose job responsibilities include hearing your complaints and trying to do something about them. And what’s more, when it comes to helping constituents deal with federal agencies and such, ethics rules require them to provide their help without regard to a constituent’s political affiliation.

There’s no guarantee you’ll get the answer you like – nothing stops your legislator from just disagreeing with you. But even if she does, you’ll probably still get a personal response and an explanation of why she’s saying no.

Why the president should be able to fire agency heads

So what does this “who cares if you’re angry” theory have to do with letting presidents fire the heads of independent agencies?

In a nutshell, the decision tries to move independent agencies from Category 3 to Category 2 – from “intentionally insulated against public opinion” to “susceptible to public pressure through the White House.”

It’s an improvement, but it’s not ideal – ideally you want to move most of the power not to Category 2 but to Category 1, where a normal person can raise an issue as directly as possible with someone who wants his vote.

And on this point, I encourage you to read Justice Neil Gorsuch’s Slaughter concurrence, in which he lays out the basic problem: a trend beginning in the early 20^th century to undo the separation of powers and turn the work of government over to supposedly impartial experts….

While Slaughter fixes part of the damage, the larger work still depends on future cases (and future legislation by Congress) that can return powers to Congress that it foolishly turned over to the executive.

            I’ll give the last word to Gorsuch: “From here, the only sure path is to finish the journey we start             today and restore legislative and judicial powers to where they belong: in Congress and the                    courts. We have tolerated adventurous theories long enough. It is time to return, all the way, to                the Constitution.” 

Who Does Christ Want to Return to His Presence?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Isaiah 50-57 and a lesson titled “He Hath Borne Our Griefs, and Carried Our Sorrows.” The following information introduced the lesson. 

Throughout his ministry, Isaiah spoke of a mighty deliverer. These prophecies would have been especially precious to the Israelites centuries later when they were in captivity in Babylon. Someone who could tear down the walls of Babylon would be a mighty conqueror indeed. But that isn’t the kind of Messiah that Isaiah described in chapters 52-53: “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him. … We did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:3-4).

By sending such an unexpected deliverer, God taught us about true deliverance. To save us from oppression and affliction, God sent One who Himself “was oppressed, and … afflicted.” Where some expected a lion, He sent a lamb (see Isaiah 53:7). Surely, God’s ways are not our ways (see Isaiah 55:8-9). Jesus Christ frees us not by just opening the prison but by taking our place there. He relieves us from our chains of grief and sorrow by bearing them Himself (see Isaiah 53:4-5, 12). He does not save us from a distance. He suffers with us, in acts of “everlasting kindness” that “shall not depart from thee” (Isaiah 54:8, 10).

The scripture block teaches the following principles: (1) The future is bright for the Lord’s people (Isaiah 50-52); (2) Jesus Christ took upon Himself my sins and sorrows (Isaiah 53); (3) Jesus Christ wants me to return to Him (Isaiah 54; 57:15-19); (4) The Lord invites all to “take hold of my covenant” (Isaiah 55-56). This essay will discuss principle #4 about Christ desiring each of us to return to Him.

Each of us has times when we feel far from God. Usually, the distance comes because of our sins or weaknesses. I have found that stress and extreme fatigue can affect how quickly the distance grows. Isaiah 54 and 57 are chapters that are full of reassurance and encouragement. Isaiah 54:4-10 is one place that contains encouragement.

4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

6 ¶ Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8 ¶ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

The above verses tell us how the Savior feels about each one of us. What difference does it make in your life to know these things about Him? President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught the following.

“It matters not how completely ruined our lives may seem. It matters not how scarlet our sins, how deep our bitterness, how lonely, abandoned, or broken our hearts may be. Even those who are without hope, who live in despair, who have betrayed trust, surrendered their integrity, or turned away from God can be rebuilt. …

“The joyous news of the gospel is this: because of the eternal plan of happiness provided by our loving Heavenly Father and through the infinite sacrifice of Jesus the Christ, we can not only be redeemed from our fallen state and restored to purity, but we can also transcend mortal imagination and become heirs of eternal life and partakers of God’s indescribable glory” (“He Will Place You on His Shoulders and Carry You Home,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 102). 

What Is the Difference Between Strong Families and Struggling Families?

Strong families strengthen communities, states, and nations. Research shows that strong families share certain characteristics. I asked AI for strategies to strengthen families and found the following list. 

·       1. Open and Honest Communication

Strategies: Encourage family members to share thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment. Use active listening, ask open-ended questions like “How was your day?” and express feelings with “I” statements, such as “I feel upset when…” to avoid blame. Regular check-ins, even for 10 minutes a day, help maintain understanding and prevent misunderstandings.

·       2. Spend Quality Time Together

Prioritize meaningful activities that everyone enjoys, such as family meals, game nights, walks, or shared hobbies. Quality time strengthens emotional bonds, fosters cooperation, and creates lasting memories. Even simple moments, like watching a movie together or cooking, can be impactful when distractions are minimized.

·       3. Show Appreciation and Gratitude

Expressing thanks and acknowledging small acts of kindness build positive feelings and reinforces family cohesion. Compliments, thank-you notes, or verbal recognition of efforts help family members feel valued and supported.

·       4. Create Family Rituals and Traditions

Rituals, such as weekly pizza nights, Sunday movie outings, or annual vacations, provide a sense of identity, continuity, and belonging. These shared experiences strengthen connections and offer stability during life changes.

·       5. Support Individual Interests

Respect and encourage each family member’s hobbies and personal goals. This demonstrates recognition of individuality while maintaining family unity, helping children and teens develop confidence and self-esteem.

·       6. Handle Conflicts Constructively

Identify the root causes of disagreements and approach them with empathy. Use strategies like agreeing to disagree, setting boundaries, and compromising when necessary. Transform challenging moments into opportunities for growth and learning.

·       7. Share Responsibilities and Roles

Clearly define household roles and parenting responsibilities to ensure balance and teamwork. Regularly communicate and adjust roles as needed to prevent stress and model cooperation for children.

·       8. Engage in Community or Service Activities Together

Participating in charitable projects or community service as a family fosters empathy, shared purpose, and teamwork, while reinforcing family values.

·       9. Foster Emotional Support and Resilience

Encourage open discussions about challenges, provide reassurance, and model healthy coping strategies. Strong family bonds help children and teens develop resilience, self-esteem, and better decision-making skills.

The strategies above can strengthen families. The following additional practices can further reinforce family bonds.

      ·       Family Prayer

“Families that pray together stay together.” Family prayer at least once per day will unite a family.

·       Eat Meals Together – without phones or television.

Family members should eat at least one meal together every single day. Research shows that this single activity will strengthen family relationships.

·       Study Scriptures Together

Reading and discussing scriptures together each evening before family prayer will strengthen family ties.

·       Attend Church Together

Sharing faith together strengthens relationships.

 

Are Caravans in Mexico Threatening to U.S. Sovereignty?

The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday concerns national sovereignty – the ability of a state to govern itself. This ability includes the authority to decide who enters the nation. This topic is back in the news because a migrant caravan left Honduras with plans to travel to the southern border of the United States.

In his article, Todd Bensman explained that the aspirations of the caravan ended soon after it crossed into Mexico. He continued with the following information. 

Mexico’s Policy of Controlled Dispersal

My assessment about Mexican caravans is based on experience traveling with the old rebel-style migrant caravans that aimed to crash the border back in 2018 and 2019 and the very new and different escorted transit caravans forming now.

I discovered these during a field research trip to Tapachula City just north of the Guatemala border in November 2024. The city of 400,000 is a major waystation and chokepoint on the Latin American migration trail exiting Guatemala.

Border hawk Trump had just been elected president, but open-borders dove President Joe Biden was still in office. Thousands of migrants in Tapachula were forming caravans and heading north, prompting American commentators to sound the alarm that the caravans intended to breach the U.S. border before Trump took office. I joined one of about a thousand north of Tapachula.

I was surprised to learn that the pundits were wrong.

The Mexican government was allowing these caravans to form so that its military and state police could inexpensively transfer them out of Tapachula and into other southern Mexican cities. The government scheme was (and still is) intended to relieve a growing humanitarian crisis in Tapachula, where shortages of work, food, and shelter had become critical. What I saw was a purposeful, government-controlled dispersal operation.

Influenced by Washington Policies

Why would Mexico volunteer to do any of this in the fourth year of Biden’s historic mass migration crisis when its central government under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had let millions move on through largely unchecked?

The little-known answer is that, in December 2023 as I fully reported then, Biden’s emissaries initiated a quiet deal to have Mexico reduce the incoming U.S. border crowds because the social media video looked terrible for Democrats running in the 2024 presidential election campaign.

The simpatico progressive liberal Obrador, wanting a Democrat president, deployed 32,000 troops to block all roads leading out of Tapachula and southern states like Chiapas. Next, Mexico began aggressive, sustained roundups of undocumented foreign nationals in Mexican cities and towns along its northern border with the U.S. from Tijuana to Matamoros.

The soldiers and police forced tens of thousands from Mexico’s north onto jets and buses and shipped them to the Tapachula while thousands a day were still arriving from Guatemala.

Trump won the election in large part on Biden’s open border and, once inaugurated, demanded that Mexico’s new President Claudia Sheinbaum, also a progressive liberal, continue the blockades and border sweeps under threat of devastating trade tariffs. 

How It Works

To prevent a humanitarian disaster and relieve Tapachula’s misery, the Sheinbaum government initially handed out “transit slips” and brought in buses to transport migrants to other Chiapas State cities and as far north as Mexico City. But demand outstripped the bus supply, so officials defaulted to the cheaper escorted foot caravans.

Whereas the caravans of old would violently break through security roadblocks, the Mexican military and police would surround this new kind of caravan in the front, back and all along its length and protect the marchers from predatory criminals. The security forces would gently direct them to turn down this or that road fork. Then at destinations, the security forces would deliver the compliant marchers to aid organizations and shelters and block them from further movement north.

While the many walkers I interviewed in late 2024 said sure they’d love to enter the United States someday, all told me they fully understood that Mexico’s government was to simply move them to other southern Mexican towns offering more work and sustenance while they waited for work and residency permits. The police and soldiers all confirmed the intercity transfer caravan policy and that it was a relatively new policy.

What to Look For

The Fey Esperanza caravan was hardly the first, but it attracted significant U.S. media attention because a major U.S. midterm election campaign is underway. In 2025 and so far in 2026, Mexico escorted at least another dozen intercity transit caravans to southern Mexican cities that drew no similar American media attention.

The telltale clue that these and the Fey Esperanza were controlled dispersal caravans not heading to the U.S. border: the Mexican security escorts.

A lot of Americans would not have known which kind of caravan they were seeing from video and naturally presumed it was enroute to the U.S. border.

Indeed, the transit caravan was rapidly disintegrating during Oct. 3-4 weekend as per the routine. The Trump administration was correct to noisily telegraph to Sheinbaum that she cannot let caravans reach the U.S. border and that migrants in them would face a tough confrontation if she let them through.

The article concluded that the caravans would continue because immigrants are still moving from Guatemala to Mexico, and Mexican security forces are still moving immigrants from the north and sending them south. However, Trump’s tariff threats against Mexico force Mexico to work with the United States to keep caravans away from the border.

Bensman says, “All bets are off once Trump leaves office in January 2029, no matter if a Republican or Democrat takes his spot. Look for caravans that might try their luck in the months before or after January 2029. Those will not be benign.”