2 Nephi 9:1–26

“An Infinite Atonement”

Jacob taught the Nephites about the conditions all mankind face because of the Fall of Adam and Eve. He testified that only through Jesus Christ and His redeeming power could mankind overcome spiritual and physical death. This lesson can help you feel greater appreciation for Jesus Christ’s role in helping us overcome sin and death.

A difficult situation

Ponder how you would respond to the following circumstances:

On August 5, 2010, 33 Chilean miners were trapped by a massive cave-in after the rock inside the mine collapsed. They were restricted to a small safe area and to the mine shafts below the collapse, 2,300 feet (700 m) deep inside the earth.

The situation looked bleak. They were separated from home and family by almost a half a mile of unmovable rock overhead, and they had only a small supply of food and water. Although they had tools and knowledge, because of the instability of the mine they could not save themselves. Their only chance was to be found and rescued. (Connie Goulding, “Seeking Rescue,” Ensign, June 2015, 63)

If you had been in this situation, what thoughts or feelings might you have had?
What are some things we need to be rescued from that we cannot overcome on our own?

Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, each of us will experience physical and spiritual death. Spiritual death refers to the separation from God we experience as a result of sin.

Read 2 Nephi 9:10, looking for what Jacob compared physical and spiritual death to.

Why do you think Jacob described death (death of the body) and hell (death of the spirit which results from unrepented sin), as an “awful monster”?

Think about what life would be like if we were not rescued from physical and spiritual death. Consider how you might communicate to someone our desperate need for a Redeemer to rescue us from physical and spiritual death. As you continue to study, ponder how you feel toward Jesus Christ, who helps us overcome these conditions through His Atonement.

Jacob teaches about the Savior’s role in delivering us from sin and death

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icon, record

Complete the following study activity:

Create a chart with the following headings in your study journal. Study the verses listed with each column and record your insights in your chart. Continue to add insights to your chart throughout the lesson.

If there was no Savior … (2 Nephi 9:7–9)

Because there is a Savior … (2 Nephi 9:10–13)

You may also want to watch “Why We Need a Savior” (2:15), which can be found at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Consider adding your additional insights to your chart.

What thoughts or feelings did you have about Jesus Christ as you studied these verses?

One truth that summarizes Jacob’s teachings in the verses you have studied is that through His Atonement, Jesus Christ helps us overcome sin and death.

How can understanding this truth impact your life?

When has the knowledge of Jesus Christ’s victory over sin and death been most meaningful to you?

Choosing to accept the rescue

Recall the account of the Chilean miners from earlier in the lesson. As you learn about the rest of their story, think about similarities between their experience and our rescue from physical and spiritual death.

More than two weeks after the miners had been trapped, rescuers found a way to provide them with food, water, and supplies. Nearly two months later, the rescuers were finally able to create an opening large enough to lower a small capsule that could rescue the miners one at a time. Each miner stepped into the capsule and chose to give his will over to the rescue plan and the rescuers to be saved. After being trapped for a total of 69 days, each of the miners was rescued (see Connie Goulding, “Seeking Rescue,” Ensign, June 2015, 63–65).

What similarities do you see between this story and the Savior saving us from sin and death?
What would you think if one of the miners that was stuck refused to get in the escape capsule? Why?

While deliverance from physical death is a gift the Savior offers to all mankind, our deliverance from spiritual death depends partly on our desires and actions.

Read 2 Nephi 9:21–24 and look for choices we must make in order for the Savior to save us from spiritual death. Consider recording additional insights you gain about the Savior in the second column of your chart.

What did you learn about what we must do for the Savior to save us from spiritual death?
Why do you think we “cannot be saved in the kingdom of God” if we do not do these things?

Reflect for a few moments on what you learned today about Jesus Christ and what He has done for you. You may want to record any thoughts or impressions you have had or include your appreciation for our loving Savior.

Optional: Want to Learn More?

What would happen if we did not have a Savior?

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:

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Elder D. Todd Christofferson

If our separation from God and our physical death were permanent, moral agency would mean nothing. Yes, we would be free to make choices, but what would be the point? The end result would always be the same no matter what our actions: death with no hope of resurrection and no hope of heaven. As good or as bad as we might choose to be, we would all end up “angels to a devil” [2 Nephi 9:9]. (D. Todd Christofferson, “Moral Agency,” Ensign, June 2009, 50)

2 Nephi 9:7. What does it mean that the Savior’s Atonement is “infinite”?

President Russell M. Nelson explained:

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President Russell M. Nelson

[Jesus Christ’s] Atonement is infinite—without an end. It was also infinite in that all humankind would be saved from never-ending death. It was infinite in terms of His immense suffering. It was infinite in time, putting an end to the preceding prototype of animal sacrifice. It was infinite in scope—it was to be done once for all. And the mercy of the Atonement extends not only to an infinite number of people, but also to an infinite number of worlds created by Him. It was infinite beyond any human scale of measurement or mortal comprehension. (Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 35)

2 Nephi 9:8. Why would we become servants of the devil if there had been no Resurrection?

The answer to this question is not provided by Jacob, but it is given by the Apostle Paul. Paul’s words are “If the dead rise not, then is Christ not raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:16–17; emphasis added). In other words, if Christ did not have the power to rise from the dead (as he said He did), then He would not have the power to forgive our sins.

What did the Savior suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross?

To find answers, study Mosiah 3:7–9; 3 Nephi 27:13–14; Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19. You could also watch “For God So Loved the World” (4:48), from ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland provided additional insights. Watch “None Were with Him” from time code 10:38 to 12:38.

How can the knowledge of Jesus Christ’s victory over sin and death impact our lives?

To see examples of how people can be impacted by their knowledge of Jesus Christ’s victory over sin and death, consider watching “Painted into a Corner” (3:41) and “He Will Give you Help” (4:43). Both videos are available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.