Mormon Musings

"... Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe in His prophets, so shall ye prosper ." 2 Chronicles 20:20 " Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence ." 2 Nephi 4:4

O  then,  my  beloved  brethren,  a come  unto  the  Lord,  the  Holy  One.  Remember  that  his  paths  are    righteous.  Behold,  the  b way  for  man  is  c narrow ,  but  it  lieth  in  a  straight  course  before  him,  and  the  keeper  of  the  d 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

...men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man.  And they are free to chose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to chose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. 2 Nephi 2:27

Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God,  a save  it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who  b layeth  down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the  c resurrection  of the dead, being the first that should rise. Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make  a intercession  for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved. 2 Nephi 2:8-9

His infinite Atonement affected every age, every dispensation and every person (See 2 Nephi 9:7; 25:16).  Hence the appropriate symbolism of Him bleeding at each and every pore--not just some--in order that "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:22). Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign November 1988, p. 33