Do You Consider God’s Plan to Be Great?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to 2 Nephi 6-10 in a lesson titled “O How Great the Plan of Our God.” The introduction of the lesson is as follows: 

It had been at least 40 years since Lehi’s family left Jerusalem. They were in a strange new land, half a world away from Jerusalem. Lehi had died, and his family had already started what would become a centuries-long contention between the Nephites – “who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God” – and the Lamanites, who did not (2 Nephi 5:6). Jacob, who was Nephi’s younger brother and was now ordained as a teacher for the Nephites, wanted the covenant people to know that God would never forget them, so they must never forget Him. This is a message we surely need today (see Doctrine and Covenants 1:15-16). “Let us remember him … for we are not cast off…. Great are the promises of the Lord,” Jacob declared (2 Nephi 10:20-21). Among these promises, none is greater than the promise of an “infinite atonement” to overcome death and hell (2 Nephi 9:7). “Therefore,” Jacob concluded, “cheer up your hearts”! (2 Nephi 10:23).

The principle for discussion tonight comes from 2 Nephi 9:7, “The Savior’s Atonement is infinite. First, we will review the words from the scriptures.

Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement – save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.

Jacob described the Atonement of Jesus Christ as “infinite.” What does the word infinite mean? Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines infinite as “extending indefinitely, endless; immeasurably or inconceivably great or extensive, inexhaustible; subject to no limitation or external determination; extending beyond, lying beyond, or being greater than any preassigned finite value however large; extending to infinity.”

According to this definition, there is no end to Christ’s atonement. For a visual idea of what infinite means, consider the blades of grass in lawn or field, the grains of sand on a beach, or the stars in the sky. There are so many that we cannot number all the blades of grass, grains of sand, or stars in the sky.

The Savior’s Atonement is infinite in that it covers every single person who has ever lived on this earth, now lives on this earth, and will live on this earth. It covers you, and it covers me – as well as everyone else.

The Savior’s Atonement is also personal to each person. Just as each baby is blessed individually, each child is baptized and confirmed individually, and each adult is endowed individually, Jesus Christ atoned for each one of us individually. No one knows how He did it, but we know that He did it for us – every single one of us.

I want to proclaim, as did Jacob, “O how great the plan of our God.” I am grateful that His plan made possible for our bodies and spirits to be united, never to be separated again. I am grateful that He did not leave our bodies in the grave to rot and return to mother earth. Instead, His plan makes possible our return to the presence of Heavenly Father to live with Him for eternity. I am grateful for hope that my faith is not in vain.