Grace

We had a beautiful lesson in Sunday School today and I really appreciated the message that was shared.  Part of the lesson included a discussion of the concept of grace.  God's grace. I found the discussion to be very enlightening and I came to a new realization.  


We read the definition of grace in the 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."

I include the definition in it's entirety here simply for your reading pleasures, but the part that struck me was the second sentence. "The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ." 

This was so eye opening.  I have never really understood the word before.  Grace was a word often used by my non-LDS friends.  I knew they used the word to mean the saving power of Jesus Christ, the power that we all rely on to raise us from our fallen, human, sinful state to a state wherein we can dwell with Christ (in whatever sense that coexistence takes place per his or her religion).

I knew grace was a point of misunderstanding for many concerning the idea of 'works' or 'after all that we can do' which is doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  This definition cleared it all up for me.  

Grace is not a spiritual teleport, it is not an elevator.  It is not like a Star Trek episode where all we have to say is "beam me up Scotty" and Christ uses his grace to lift us to heaven.  Grace is more like a ladder.  Without it, we can not return to our Father in Heaven.  Without the atonement of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we cannot be resurrected and enjoy the blessings of eternal life.  BUT we have to do the climbing.  We have to work.  Just because the ladders there, just because we know the ladder will get us to 'heaven' doesn't mean we can just sit there.  Grace requires work, that's what distinguishes a belief, or a hope, from faith.  Faith = action.

That is something that causes disagreement between those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and those of other faiths.  But, I think it makes perfect sense.  I am so grateful for the teacher in Sunday School today, she brought the Spirit and I was enlightened.