This week I taught the 12-13 year-olds the Sunday school
lesson about the atonement from the “Come Follow Me” manual, specifically the
lesson “What can the scriptures teach me about the atonement of Jesus Christ?”
The manual suggested using the story of Abraham offering his
son Isaac as a sacrifice in similitude of Christ’s sacrifice. Now, you and I have probably been very
familiar with the idea that in this story Abraham plays the part of Heavenly
Father, and Isaac plays the part of Christ, symbolizing how Heavenly Father
gave his Only Begotten Son as a sacrifice.
My question as I read this story was, “How does this story
as a type help me have faith in Christ’s atonement?”
In pondering it, it seems to me that Abraham’s willingness
to offer his son and not withhold him teaches us about Heavenly Father’s
willingness to sacrifice His Only Begotten Son for us. Even with all the pain involved, He was
willing. And Isaac’s willingness
to go along when Abraham asked him to be the sacrifice teaches us about Christ’s
obedience and willingness to be sacrificed.
And knowing the sacrifice was not given grudgingly helps us
know the love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ both have for us, and that gives
us extra reason to trust the atonement and desire to make use of it.
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