February 12, 2012
"Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.
"Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved."
This is one of the passages I came across in my study this week. Christ himself is speaking to the people of ancient America. It's much like many passages throughout the Book of Mormon and New Testament. This passage really is a personal invitation from Christ to come unto him and receive the kingdom of God.
What struck me as I read was the timing of this particular invitation. As recorded in the Book of Mormon, the people of ancient America experience three days of darkness coinciding with the time that Christ was in the tomb. After Christ's resurrection, the darkness went away. Sometime after, Christ comes, as a resurrected being, and ministers to the people. The quoted verse comes just at the end of the time period of darkness. He is not yet there, but his voice is heard throughout the land. I realized as I read that this particular invitation occurred just days after that great atoning sacrifice that Christ made for all who have and ever will live on earth.
He states that for us he has laid down his life. For us he has taken it up again, to rise from the grave and become an immortal and perfected being. He did all this so that we might repent and turn to him and also be made perfect. Christ tells us this mere days after he laid down his life and maybe mere moments after he had taken it up again. He died for us and he lives for us, and from the moment he began to live again he was once again inviting us to come unto him and receive all the blessings that our Father in Heaven wants to give to us.
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