I have been studying different explanations of ‘Grace’
as given by varying religious denominations.
This seems to be one of the defining doctrines causing some religions to
take offense with my chosen faith. If you look here, and here, and here, you will
see several different descriptions of what ‘Grace’ means to some other sects.
The truth is that most have common threads with
one another. For instance:
1. Grace
is God’s unmerited favor. It is a gift
we get simply because He wants to help us be better.
2. Grace
is our ability to live righteous lives. Without
the Grace of God, we would not be able to overcome our desire to commit sin.
3. Whether
we have Grace or not will define how our actions on earth are interpreted. If we do good without the Grace of God within
us, it is for naught.
For the most part, I have no quibble with the
definitions given by these believers.
I believe
that the Grace of Christ is a gift of astounding worth. Without it we would not be able to enter the
presence of God or be judged clean through repentance.
It is
also the means by which we are able to grow in strength and overcome Satan and
his host as they attempt to lead us astray.
And the
gift of Grace is truly the defining attribute that will differentiate a true
Christian from one who is living a life of worldliness.
BUT!!!
There are some parts of Grace that I believe
Christianity has eliminated or ignored that make this gift, even more
astoundingly, the ultimate blessing from God and Christ.
From the LDS Bible
Dictionary:
Grace. A word that occurs
frequently in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul. The main
idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the
bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.
It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus,
made possible by his atoning sacrifice, that mankind will be raised in
immortality, every person receiving his body from the grave in a condition of
everlasting life. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that
individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of
their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they
otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is
an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and
exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.
Divine grace is needed
by every soul in consequence of the fall of Adam and also because of man’s
weaknesses and shortcomings. However, grace cannot suffice without total effort
on the part of the recipient. Hence the explanation, “It is by grace that we
are saved, after all we can do” (2 Ne. 25:23). It is truly the grace of Jesus Christ that makes
salvation possible. This principle is expressed in Jesus’ parable of the vine
and the branches (John 15:1–11). See also John 1:12–17; Eph. 2:8–9; Philip. 4:13; D&C 93:11–14.
The gift of Grace comes because of the Atoning Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is a basic tenet of doctrine and should be
emphasized in every discussion of Grace.
Without Jesus’ suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross,
there would be no Grace to escape the conditions of the Fall.
Because Christ was raised from the dead and overcame the
effects of death, every man, woman, and child who ever lives on this earth will
have the blessing of resurrection and a restoration of the
physical body. No one is exempt! No one will be ignored! If you live on earth in physical form, you
will be restored to your physical body sometime after your mortal death. (1
Cor. 15:23; Alma 11:42-44). This is one of the gifts of the Grace of Christ and
His Father.
Finally, true Grace must also include effort on the part of
the recipient. There is no such thing as
“Spiritual Welfare” – meaning letting someone else do all the work
necessary to provide for our eternal life in the Kingdom of God. It is not enough to just believe or have
faith. There has to be action, or the
proper use of agency, as a testimony of our acceptance of Christ, All
must do their part to receive the blessings of God in the next life. Heavenly Father sent us here to learn and
grow and without effort we cannot improve.
So, while we differ on some of the fine points,
there are many parts of Grace where we can agree with our ‘Christian Friends.’ My hope is that one day there will be a banding
together of all those who believe in Jesus and His majestic work for
mankind. We are, after all, children of
the same God and He has given us all the same gifts. Let’s use them to bless one another and not
beat on these tabernacles of clay.
