Reconciles Man With God

The act of the Atonement is, in its simplest terms, a reconciliation of man with his God. The word atonement means to be at one. ("The Supernal Gift of the Atonement," Ensign, Nov. 1988, p. 12)

17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

11 Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh.

"The man Gabriel" came to Daniel and taught him that "Messiah the Prince" should come "to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness." (Dan. 9:24-25.) That is to say, the Messiah would come to make possible a reconciliation between God and man.

In his lost and fallen condition, man is in a state of sin and spiritual darkness and is himself subject to and guilty of sin. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23.) "There is not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." (Eccl. 7:20.) Christ only was sinless. All accountable men having sinned are thereby unclean and unable to dwell with or be in the presence of their God. ...

Thus, to restore man to a state of harmony and unity with Deity, man must repent, receive a remission of his sins, become clean, and be thereby ransomed from his lost and fallen state. To be saved, man must be reconciled to God through the atonement of his Son. "Be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son," Jacob preached, "and ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and [having] obtained a good hope of glory in him." (Jacob 4:11.)

Can there be any more glorious concept than this, that lowly and fallen and mortal and sinful man- that all of us--can forsake our evil and wicked ways and find harmony and unity with our Eternal Father? (The Promised Messiah, pp.259-261)

In the English language, the components are at-one-ment, suggesting that a person is at one with another. Other languages [such as Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and German] employ words that connote either expiation or reconciliation. Expiation means "to atone for." Reconciliation comes from Latin roots re, meaning "again"; con, meaning "with"; and sella, meaning "seat." Reconciliation, therefore, literally means "to sit again with." .... The Savior's gift of immortality comes to all who have ever lived. But His gift of eternal life requires repentance and obedience to specific ordinances and covenants. Essential ordinances of the gospel symbolize the Atonement. Baptism by immersion is symbolic of the death, burial, and Resurrection of the Redeemer. Partaking of the sacrament renews baptismal covenants and also renews our memory of the Savior's broken flesh and of the blood He shed for us. Ordinances of the temple symbolize our reconciliation with the Lord and seal families together forever. ("The Atonement," Ensign, Nov. 1996, p. 35)