Lesson outline for the Hillview Elders Quorum, October 27, 2024. Based on the talk Be One with Christ by Elder Quentin L. Cook.
The Gatekeeper
Elder Cook’s grandfather, a descendent of pioneer lore, (his father was one of the teenage boys that helped saints cross the freezing Sweet Water river) referenced Christ as The Gatekeeper during their final meeting together on this earth.
O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.
2 Nephi 9:41
Christ has many titles, but Gatekeeper is less common.
How many have heard of this title, and what does it mean?
The Good Shepherd
Another title for Christ that is perhaps utilized more often is The Good Shepherd. We can read the parable of The Good Shepherd in John 10:1-15.
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
John 10:7
What is He mean when He says, I am the door of the sheep?
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
A few chapters later, in John 14, Christ tells His twelve:
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
John 14:6-7
He is the way, the ONLY way. He is the door by which we enter and He “employeth no servant there.”
The way to what? Door to where?
Salvation. Exaltation. Eternal life.
What is salvation, exaltation and eternal life?
Finally, we arrive at John 17. In His final meeting with the twelve, Christ tells them more about life eternal:
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
John 17:3
What does it mean to know God?
His sheep know his voice. They have experience—a relationship with Him. For those that are close to the Savior, it probably means they’ve repented and applied His atoning sacrifice.
Is it possible to know Him without applying the atonement?
The Atonement
What is the atonement and what does it mean to you?
Amulek taught the poor Zoramites about the significance of Christ’s atonement.
14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.
15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.
16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.
Alma 34:14-16
Our Redeemer and Advocate to the Father, Mediator and Judge whose mercy satisfies the demand of justice, and encircles us in the arms of safety. President Nelson taught us more about the significance of His embrace in his conference address from October 1996, entitled “The Atonement.”
Rich meaning is found in study of the word atonement in the Semitic languages of Old Testament times. In Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar, a verb that means “to cover” or “to forgive.” Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning “a close embrace”—no doubt related to the Egyptian ritual embrace.
–President Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement” October 1996
He then shared the following scripture:
But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.
2 Nephi 1:15
I found a couple more scriptures that reference His arms or His embrace:
Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.
Alma 5:33
O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.
3 Nephi 10:6
His arms of safety, mercy, and love are extended to us. Like a hen gathering her chickens, or the shepherd seeking the lost sheep, He calls to us.
In that same conference address, President Nelson made the first reference I ever heard to “at-one-ment.” At one in Spanish is “de acuerdo,” or in agreement.
What is the agreement with the Savior related to the atonement?
This “agreement” is how we come to know Christ. Really know Him, by tasting of his love which causes exceeding great joy in your soul, that ye are filled with the love of God. (Mosiah 4:11-12)
Again, we return the words of John the Beloved:
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1 John 4:8, 16
How do we dwell with God?
Elder Cook refers to a “oneness.”
Oneness is what Christ prayed for prior to His betrayal and Crucifixion. Oneness with Christ and our Heavenly Father can be obtained through the Savior’s Atonement. The Lord’s saving mercy is not dependent on lineage, education, economic status, or race. It is based on being one with Christ and His commandments.
–Elder Cook
Christ’s Intercessory Prayer can be found by returning to John 17:
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
John 17:20-22
Why did Christ pray for oneness at this time?
Is oneness the same as unity?
The english origin of the word “atonement” was influenced by medieval Latin adunamentum, or unity. It’s interesting that today Google translates adunamentum to “collection.” I can’t help but think about our individualistic society and the converse approach known as collectivism.
Individualism focuses on individual rights, independence, and personal identity. Collectivism focuses on the importance of the community and values unity, altruism and selflessness.
Is our fundamental social outlook diametrically opposed to Christ and the law of the Gospel?
Must we sacrifice our independence, individuality and selfish interests in order to become one with Christ?
Oneness with each other
It is significant that all the qualifications for baptism are spiritual. No economic or social attainment is necessary. The poor and the rich have the same spiritual requirements. There are no race, gender, or ethnicity requirements. The Book of Mormon makes it clear that all are invited to partake of the Lord’s goodness, “black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God.” “All men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.”
–Elder Cook
28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.
33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.
2 Nephi 26:28,33
Elder Cook discourages us from focusing on our differences so as not to turn them into chasms. Social psychologists seem to support him (See The Righteous Mind p. 277). Groups of people get along better when they focus on similarities, like shared values, rather than focusing on differences.
What else can we do to create oneness with each other?
Is oneness with Christ and God enough?