Grace

The free, unmerited love and favor of God.¹ Grace is a gift, but the gift must be received. Only those willing to “receive” it merit grace (see T&C 86:4–5). It is “received” in the way the Lord ordained and in no other way. There is no space between faith in Christ and behavior evidencing that faith. There is no dichotomy between “grace” and “works” because it is by one’s conduct that he or she merits grace. Christ received grace by the things He did. The manner by which each person receives grace is through keeping His commandments (see T&C 93:7). Grace — or power to move closer to God — is also an increase of light. Light grows only as one moves closer to it. But man has choice, and he must elect to move closer to the light.² If man receives the light from Him, he receives grace, and he becomes more like Him. He will be more gracious and patient with others.³ How was the Lord able to accomplish all He did? In Abraham 5:4 the Lord explains, I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all. He was more intelligent because He grew from grace to grace until He understood all things — because He had been through all things, He had descended below all things, and He had risen above all things — therefore He comprehends all things.⁴ Comprehension of the “doctrine of Christ” is not based on the command of a vocabulary or mastery of an argument. It is based on gathering light. Light is gathered by heed (obedience) and diligence alone. “We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect.…”⁵ By following the light one has received already, one grows in light (see T&C 36:4). This process leads to the “perfect day” where the light has chased away all darkness. This is how all, like Christ, can grow from grace to grace until they also receive a fullness (see T&C 93:7).⁶ As man keeps the commandments, he gains light and truth. Experience will be his guide. It works. If anyone finds this odd or difficult to grasp, he just needs to keep the commandments, and he will find it becoming increasingly easy to understand. Man will get light and truth as he follows the process. Do it, and see it unfold. This is the way in which Christ grew from grace to grace. This is how He received the fullness. It is also the way man can get greater grace, greater light and truth. It is the way man will obtain the fullness of light and truth.⁷ Moroni first asked Christ to give the gentiles grace (see Ether 5:7), but Christ could not promise it. Therefore, Moroni asked that the gentiles seek for it; Moroni pled for the latter-day gentiles to seek grace. It is through grace one can obtain charity. It is through charity one can bless others.⁸