Apply the Atoning Blood of Christ

We often hear people in the Church speak of the need to “apply the atonement” in our lives, but in my mind it can often be unclear what that actually means for us in practice.  There is only one place in scriptures that uses that kind of language in relation to the Savior’s atonement, and that is in the account of the people’s response to King Benjamin’s sermon.  After he spoke the words of the angel, which testified of the Savior’s ministry and sacrifice, Mormon recorded, “And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men” (Mosiah 4:2).  Here they prayed in humility for the atonement of Christ to be applied to help them both receive a forgiveness of their sins and to have their hearts purified.  In other words, they sought both to be cleansed from sin and to be empowered to be better—what Elder Bednar called “the redeeming and enabling powers of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”  They both were seeking to put off the natural man and to become saints as they just heard about from their king (Mosiah 3:19).  From this we see that to apply the atonement of Christ in our lives means to both receive a forgiveness of our sins and to be purified and become better.           

               I see two other important lessons from this account about applying the atonement of Christ as this people did.  First, the most critical ingredient on our part for this to happen is faith in Jesus Christ.  The people declared in their prayer, “for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” and Mormon commented that they received their response “because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come” (Mosiah 4:2-3).  They believed in the Savior and boldly expressed that faith in Him as they sought for forgiveness from the Lord.  The second important truth from this account is that we can recognize that the atonement of Christ is changing us by the manifestation of the Holy Ghost.  Mormon recorded, “After they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience.”  The evidence that they were indeed receiving a remission of their sins and being purified was that they felt the Holy Ghost with them.  President Eyring taught, “If you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost today, you may take it as evidence that the Atonement is working in your life…. Feeling the influence of the Holy Ghost works both ways: the Holy Ghost only dwells in a clean temple, and the reception of the Holy Ghost cleanses us through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”  That is an important truth that I believe we often overlook. We may feel that we have never successfully “applied the atoning blood of Christ,” but if we have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost guide and strengthen us, then President Eyring would tell us that indeed we have applied the Savior’s atonement.  To seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost is to seek to be changed by the Savior and His atoning power.  I am very grateful that we have this account of the people of King Benjamin which shows us what it means for ordinary people to apply the atoning blood of Christ: if we humbly pray for forgiveness and cleansing with real faith in the Savior, we can be cleansed and purified through Christ’s atonement which will be manifest unto us by the companionship of the Holy Ghost.