Monday, June 19, 2017

The Atonement: Blank Canvas, or Work of Art?

As I've been studying Christ's Atonement this past week, the following thought came to me: The Atonement is not just about erasing sins. That would be like having a blank canvas which has been defaced by black marks, which are then erased. Erasing the marks would restore the canvas to its clean, blank state, but wouldn't create a work of art. God wants to work with us so that we become all that we are meant to be: a priceless and unique work of art, not just a clean canvas that shows no dirt but also shows no creativity or improvement. The Atonement not only erases the dirty smudges of sin, but enables us to add color, depth, and beauty to our lives, making them into a masterpiece. 

1 comment:

Tobreth said...

I have been having thoughts about this too. How the Atonement allows us to partake of His grace. But His grace doesn't just mean forgiveness, it also "refers...to the divine help and strength we receive." (from True to the Faith) That help and strength is needed to BECOME and your analogy of a creating a work of art is a good allegory for BECOMING.