A commonly quoted scripture is DC 130:20-21. It talks about the receipt of blessings by obedience to the law upon which the blessing is predicated. It could also be fairly modified as follows, “There is a law, irrevocable decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all cursings are predicated—And when we obtain any cursing from God, it is by disobedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” The justice of Almighty God demands that whenever a law is broken, that an irrevocably decreed price be paid for that transgression. Verse 10 speaks of this price when it says, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed. For every sin there must be a payment. No exceptions.
Since God’s children are the ones transgressing His laws, justice demands that they pay the appropriate price. However, the mercy of God has allowed an intercessor. The price would still have to be paid, but an allowance would be made such that the price could be paid by someone else. The only individual who met the qualifications needed to act as an intercessor was Jesus Christ. Thus, as our Savior and Redeemer, he answers the ends of the law; he pays the price, he makes sure the irrevocable decrees of a just God are fulfilled.
The ends of the law are not answered for all, only those with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. This type of salvation is not free. It requires the sacrifice of the individual.
Every man must repent or suffer…
Therefore I command you to repent--repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore--how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know 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, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men. (DC 19:4,15-19)
In order to avoid these terrible sufferings, a broken heart and a contrite spirit must be laid upon the altar of discipleship. Many have mistakenly thought that the law of sacrifice ended with Christ. Although animal sacrifice is no longer performed, the new law requires as regular a sacrifice as the children of Israel were required to offer in the tabernacle of Moses. All that has changed with the fulfillment of the law of Moses is a change in the nature of the sacrifice.