The Limits of the Atonement

Previously, we talked about how the responsibility of a child’s sins could be placed on the head of its parents if the parents instructed the child to sin. We also pointed out that eventually when the child grows up and gains knowledge enough to know that their actions are wrong, then the sin can no longer be passed on to the parents. When this happens, the person reaches a milestone in their progression and becomes accountable for their own actions in that particular thing. 

There are two terms we need to understand and consider in relation to our progression and the atonement. They are: Sin and transgression.

It’s important to understand the difference between sins and transgressions because they mean very different things. Both words are used to indicate that we have broken one of God’s laws, but they are different in their meanings in regards to the reason we broke God’s law and they have very different results when we consider the atonement. 

Sin is the result of breaking God’s law while being fully accountable. It requires a significant degree of both knowledge and will or desire. Because the person chose to do wrong or evil, they need to repent or change their heart and desire from evil to good before they can receive forgiveness.

Transgression on the other hand is the result of breaking God’s law while being unaccountable. It requires a lack of both knowledge and will or desire. Because the person did not choose to do wrong or evil, they do NOT need to repent or change their heart and desire from evil to good before they can receive forgiveness.

Let’s look at a few examples to see how this works… Imagine, if you will, a bank teller. They handle deposits and withdrawals for people who interact with the bank. In each of the following three scenarios, the teller breaks the law by giving the bank’s money to a person who doesn’t own it and shouldn’t have gotten it. But each of the scenarios has a different result.

Scenario 1 – Sin having Knowledge and Desire

The teller knows that she is giving money to someone who doesn’t own it and shouldn’t have it. The person is her friend and she wants or desires to give the money to her friend knowing that it breaks the law to do so. The teller is completely responsible and accountable for breaking the law. The teller sinned.

Scenario 2 – Transgression by Lack of Knowledge

The teller miscounted the money and unknowingly gave too much to the person at the window. The person at the window saw that they received too much money and knowingly didn’t correct the issue because they desired free money. The teller broke the law but did it in ignorance. If the teller knew what she had done, she would have chosen to fix the problem because her desire was not to break the law. The teller doesn’t need to repent to receive forgiveness because it was a mistake and a transgression. 

The person at the window however sinned because they knew about the error and desired not to correct it. They are completely responsible and accountable and therefore they need to repent.

Scenario 3 – Transgression by Lack of Will or Desire

The person at the window is holding a gun and demanding the teller give them money. The teller knows that giving money to someone it doesn’t belong to is wrong and they know that they are being told to do exactly that. The teller also doesn’t want to give them money that they don’t own, but their will or desire is being manipulated by the threat of harm to themselves or others. They must act against their desire and give the person at the window money that doesn’t belong to them. The teller transgressed and does not need to repent to receive forgiveness.

There are countless things to learn in our eternal progression and each of them is considered independently from the other things we might learn. We might grow and develop in one area and not another. Growth and development in one area of life does not make us accountable for growth and development we have not gained in other areas of life. 

For example, you might come to understand that hitting others in anger or with hate is wrong. So, you might be more accountable for hitting than you are for hating. Or you might know that drugs are bad for you and truly want and try to stop your drug abuse but struggle with the physiological effects of the addiction which you haven’t overcome.

If you do not have the knowledge, will power, or anything other requirement you need in order to know that something is a sin, why it is a sin and how to stop/start doing what you should, then you are not fully accountable to your actions. 

If a person sinned, it means that they knew what they were doing was wrong, they knew why it was wrong, (how it hurt themselves or others), they knew how to do the right thing and how to not do the wrong thing and they were not impacted by any external unrelated influence in making the decision. External unrelated influences could be someone holding a gun to your head or threatening you in some way or even peer pressure.  

Ultimately, what it comes down to is your desire. Do you desire to do what’s right or do you desire to do what’s wrong. To receive forgiveness of our sins, we must repent or change our desire so that we no longer desire to do evil, but to do good. 

If you sincerely desire to do what is right, but you don’t know what or how to do what is right, you will suffer natural consequences but you will not be held accountable for your errors.

It requires a significant degree of both knowledge and will or desire to be fully accountable for your actions.

Now that we understand the above, we can ask the question, “When do we have enough knowledge and will/desire to sin?” 

Simply put, when you know something is wrong, why it is wrong and you still desire to do it, then you are capable of sinning.

Notice however that just being told about something is not enough knowledge to sin, even if you are being told by a prophet. This is what Alma explains to the people who ask him for a sign so that they know what he says is true. He tells them that if he gave them a sign, they would have knowledge and with the knowledge accountability. He also points out that even though he is a prophet teaching them, they only believe or have cause to believe which is not enough to sin. 

“Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.

18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.

19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?” – Alma 32:17-19

As discussed previously in the chapter, “The Requirements for  Accountability and Sin”, if you lack either knowledge or will, you remain innocent. Our ignorance comes as a result of the veil of forgetfulness. The veil is a blessing in that it protects us from the knowledge we would have without it. Before the veil is removed, we are able to claim some degree of ignorance or lack of knowledge.

All transgressions, (acts done without knowledge or full understanding), are covered through the Atonement and the Law of Azazel and do not even require a knowledge of Jesus Christ or the atoning sacrifice to have full efficacy.  

However, those who actually commit sin must accept and apply His At-One-Ment into their lives by refusing to allow the innocent to suffer for their sins.  This then flows forward from them to all people and generations to come and their acts which are truly sins are absolved through their having come to the necessary love and charity for the atonement to be in full force in their lives.  And thus, they are truly…  Saved.  As they save all, so too shall all save them also.  And thus the Love of Christ will fill the lives of all.