Jacob bears testimony that even though “our flesh must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God” (v. 4). There is much controversy in the world concerning a physical resurrection. The Book of Mormon confirms a physical resurrection. Although the KJV records: “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:26), other versions translate this verse “without my flesh shall I see God,” exactly the opposite (the Revised Standard Version). The Pearl of Great Price adds a second witness of a physical resurrection. Adam testified: “and again in the flesh shall I see God” (Moses 5:10). The Book of Mormon gives more testimony later on (see Alma 11:43–48; 40:23). The Doctrine and Covenants adds another witness: “And the spirit and the body are the soul of man. And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul” (D&C 88:15–16).
Jesus Christ, the great creator, “for the world was made by him” (John 1:10), was to come and make an Atonement. This was necessary because of the fall. Therefore we are taught in the sequence of the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement.
There were two reasons that an Atonement was necessary: because of the fall, “death hath passed upon all men; and man was cut off from the presence of the Lord” (v. 6). Jacob explains that the Atonement must be infinite, and all inclusive, or our flesh would rot and crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more and our spirits become subject to the devil (vv. 7–8). This death brought about the death of the body and the death of the spirit, and the Atonement was needed to overcome those deaths. Without the power of the resurrection, the corruptible blood of the body would not be replaced with an incorruptible substance. Without the Atonement, being subject to the devil and his angels would have eventually worn all men down, and they would have become like him (v. 9). We cannot associate with evil and not be affected. The Fall left us to become like Satan, but the Atonement allows us to attain salvation and become like God.
Satan has the power to transform himself “nigh unto an angel of light,” but not into an angel of light. Those who have seen angels of light should not be deceived. Moses had seen God when God’s glory came upon him, but after, when Satan appeared to Moses, he asked “where is thy glory” … I can look upon thee in the natural man” (Moses 1:13–14). Since most have not had this experience, the devil is able to deceive them. Through such deception, Satan induces man to form “secret combinations, or murder and all manner of secret works of darkness” (v. 9).