In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.[[115]]
And also to this:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.[[116]]
Equally great appears the love of the Son of God, who of his own free will volunteered to take upon himself the task of man's redemption.
10. Individual Salvation.—As before stated, Messiah came not only to redeem man from the consequences of the fall, but to save him also from the consequences of his own personal sins. The redemption from the fall is universal and unconditional, because the penalties following it were entailed upon the race through no action of theirs, but through the transgressions of Adam. The redemption from the consequences of man's personal sins, however, is bottomed upon conditions, because his agency is more completely a factor in the violations of the law. He sins knowingly, willfully, and sometimes wantonly. He transgresses the laws of God and of nature in spite of the protests of his conscience, the convictions of his reason, and the promptings of his judgment. He becomes desperately wicked and so depraved that in some cases he actually seeks evil and loves it. He hugs it to his bosom and cries: Evil, be thou my good; sin, be thou my refuge!
11. In cases of such violation of the laws of God, justice demands that the outraged laws should be vindicated by the punishment of the transgressor. But here again the principle of mercy is active. By the sacrifice which he made, Messiah purchased mankind as an inheritance for himself, and they came of right under his dominion; for he not only ransomed them from an endless sleep in the grave, but "he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. * * * * He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."[[117]] (See note 4, end of section.) It was these considerations, doubtless, which led the Apostle to say to the saints—"Ye are not your own; for ye are bought with a price."[[118]]
Still more plain in relation to the effect that Messiah's atonement has upon the personal sins of men, is the word of the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith to Martin Harris, warning him to repent lest his sufferings be sore—how sore, how exquisite, how hard to bear, he knew not:
For behold, I God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent, but if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I, which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit; and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—nevertheless, glory be to the Father, I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.[[119]]
12. Conditions of Salvation.—Messiah having thus ransomed mankind by his own suffering and death, he becomes the law-giver to our race and of right prescribes the conditions upon which the full benefits of his great atonement shall be applied to individuals. Those conditions he has prescribed, and they constitute the gospel. It was these conditions which he authorized his Apostles to proclaim to the world, saying:
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.[[120]]