Ep. 410: Article of Faith 3 & 4 Salvation through Christ

In this study session of Streaking the Scriptures, Jeffery shares a few tender moments from the Christmas season, including attending the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square Christmas Concert and walking as part of his daily streaks. Then we dive deep into Articles of Faith 3 and 4.

Together we explore what it really means to be saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ, how justice and mercy are perfectly reconciled in Him, and why obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel matters for eternal life. Jeffery walks through powerful passages in Mosiah, Alma, Doctrine and Covenants, Psalms, and Isaiah that expand our understanding of salvation, being born again, and becoming true sons and daughters of Christ.

We then turn to the first principles and ordinances of the gospel in Article of Faith 4: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Along the way, Jeffery ties these doctrines into daily life with real examples, including how to show more charity in traffic and in crowded places during the holidays.

Grab your scriptures and let’s study how the atonement of Christ and obedience to His gospel can change who we are at the deepest level.

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Chapters

00:00 – Christmas concert, family streaks, and setting up the study
Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square Christmas Concert, kindness of a ward member sharing tickets, walking streaks, Christmas plans, and overview of studying the Articles of Faith over several weeks.

02:18 – Article of Faith 3: Saved through the atonement of Christ
Reading Article of Faith 3 and emphasizing that the atonement of Christ is central, not abstract, and performed personally by the Savior.

03:15 – Isaiah’s witness of the atonement in the Book of Mormon
Looking for Isaiah’s writings about Christ, reading 2 Nephi 19 (Isaiah 9) as a classic Christmas prophecy, then turning to Mosiah 14 and its powerful description of the suffering Servant.

**05:40 – “With his stripes we are healed”
Reading Mosiah 14 in depth, verse by verse, and reflecting on how Isaiah’s language shows what the Savior actually did for us through His suffering, death, and intercession.

10:02 – Alma 7 and how Christ knows how to succor His people
Turning to Alma 7, reading about Christ taking upon Him our pains, sicknesses, infirmities, and temptations so He can perfectly succor us and judge us with complete mercy and justice.

12:26 – Justice and mercy meet in Christ
Connecting Alma 42 to the atonement, showing how the fall, the resurrection, justice, and mercy all converge in Christ, and how mercy claims the penitent without robbing justice.

14:28 – Saved in two senses: resurrection and eternal life
Explaining the difference between being saved in the sense of universal resurrection and being saved in the sense of eternal life, and how obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel fits in.

16:54 – Redeemed by God, born again, and becoming His sons and daughters
Reading Psalms 49:15, then Mosiah 27:24–26 about Alma the Younger being born of God, the need for all to be born again, and becoming new creatures in Christ.

19:59 – Redeemed from the fall and raised innocent again
Studying Doctrine and Covenants 93:38–39, how Christ redeems us from the fall so infants are innocent before God, and how disobedience and false traditions remove light and truth.

22:39 – Obedience, commandments, and blessings from above
Reading Doctrine and Covenants 59 about those who obey the gospel receiving good things of the earth, commandments, and ongoing revelation, and what it means to serve God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength.

24:21 – Article of Faith 4: First principles and ordinances of the gospel
Introducing Article of Faith 4 and outlining the first principles and ordinances: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

25:54 – Faith in Christ and putting off the natural man
Turning to King Benjamin’s discourse to describe putting off the natural man and becoming a saint through the atonement of Christ by yielding to the Holy Spirit.

27:00 – Repentance, thoughts, words, deeds, and continuing in the faith
Reading Mosiah 4:30 about watching thoughts, words, and deeds, observing the commandments, and continuing in the faith to the end as a practical description of daily repentance.

27:45 – Baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and staying on the path
Explaining baptism by immersion as a symbol of death and rebirth in Christ, why fonts are below ground, and how the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost moves us from occasional influence to constant companionship.

29:30 – Living the gospel daily and ordinances of salvation in the temple
Discussing how these first principles and ordinances get us on the covenant path, and how temple ordinances and keeping covenants deepen our discipleship and prepare us for eternal life.

30:45 – Charity in traffic, crowds, and Christmas lines
Sharing the “charity in traffic” streak, the crowded Crown Burger experience before the concert, choosing to compliment and lift others, and seeing people as Christ sees them, especially during the holidays.

32:30 – Final thoughts, invitation to keep studying, and sign off
Encouragement to keep studying the Articles of Faith and applying doctrine, reminder to reach out by email, and invitation to keep streaking the scriptures.

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Conclusion

Thanks so much for studying with me today. I love looking at these simple but powerful statements in the Articles of Faith and then digging into the scriptures that bring them to life. My hope is that as we talk about the atonement of Christ, justice and mercy, being born again, and the first principles and ordinances of the gospel, it changes how you live today, not just what you know.

If you had a thought or an impression while we were studying, capture it. Turn it into a small, laughably simple streak that keeps you connected to the Savior every single day. Maybe it is “read at least one verse of scripture,” “offer at least one sincere prayer,” or “show charity in traffic at least once a day.”

One of the best ways to keep those commitments alive is the MyStreaks Streak Tracker App. MyStreaks helps you:

• Create simple spiritual and personal streaks

• Keep a record so you can actually see your consistency

• Connect with others in groups who are striving to follow Christ

If you have not downloaded it yet, just search for “MyStreaks” in your app store and look for MyStreaks - Streak Tracker App. Set up a streak for your scripture study or for living one principle from today’s episode, and let consistency shape who you are becoming in Christ.

If you have any thoughts, questions, or experiences you would like to share, send me a note at jeffery, J E F F E R Y, at mystreaksapp.

Until we study together again, have a marvelous, fantastic, wonderful day, remember to have charity in traffic and in crowds, especially this time of year, and as always, keep streaking the scriptures.