The Role of Grace

Psalm 63:4

Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

 

 

Richard Draper 2009

And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation. [D&C 93:31–32]

Intelligence is free to choose or reject light. When it willfully rejects light, it also

 

The reception of the "word" is the reception of light and truth. The Savior's objec­tive is to bring obedient souls to a fulness of glory.

He knows how, for He followed the way set down by the Father. And if man receives glory, it will be in the same way through which Christ received it.

 

God's glory consists in a fulness of light and truth. Christ was glorified as He, too, came to possess a fulness of light and truth. It did not happen all at once. Section 93 states:

 

And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;

And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness. [D&C 93:12–13]

 

The Role of Grace

The role played by grace in the process through which the Lord received a fulness of the glory of the Father was twofold: "He received . . . grace for grace" and He "con­tinued from grace to grace." But what does it mean to receive grace for grace and to go from grace to grace?

 

The answer lies in the very nature of grace. The word denotes favor, kindness, and goodwill. Out of this comes the theological definition "the free unmerited love and favor of God" that brings divine assistance to His chosen ones.

The key expressions here are love and favor that motivates the Father to assist His children.

To receive grace for grace is to receive assistance on the condition of giving assistance. But not just any kind of assistance will do. What transforms assistance into grace is the kindness and favor felt by the giver that is extended to the receiver when such service may not even be deserved.

 

But grace does not have to be given without condition. Indeed, an important aspect of the word is reciprocity. The scripture states specifi­cally that man receives "grace for grace"

D&C 93:20

 

Thus the extension of favor is meant to obligate the recipient so that she or he will extend the same to others.

 

As they meet this condition, more grace is extended to them, which further obligates them to greater assistance to others.

Apparently it was necessary for the Lord to grow through this process. In order to do so, He first received grace, or divine assistance, from the Father. This grace He extended to His brethren. As He did so, He received even more grace. The process continued until He eventually received a fulness of the glory of the Father—or all light and truth. The implication of this process is interesting: in a very real way, Christ Himself was saved by grace.