Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
The grace of Jesus Christ saves us, and Paul passionately teaches this in the book of Romans. He also testifies that Christ's graces can change us. As we study Romans 1-6 together, we will focus on being saved by grace and ask, "Has grace changed you?" We will also ponder on how to live the two great commandments in a more complete way.
The Book of Romans
“Paul's writings, especially in this letter, are not always clear. We encounter obscure words and ideas elaborated in complicated style and syntax. Furthermore, all of this is even more complicated because the literature has been reworked through the process of translation. All of that makes the presentation of some teachings ponderous and difficult. The chief apostle, Peter, admitted that Paul's writings were at times hard to understand: "Our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest twist, distort, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:15-16). (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 1998, 169)
“As used by Paul, the terms belief and faith mean not just mental agreement that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but wholehearted acceptance of and trust in Him as the One who offered Himself in Atonement for our sins. This deep trust leads to a life of faithfulness, manifested by repenting of sins, being baptized, and trying to live as Jesus Christ taught (see Acts 16:30–33; Romans 6:1–11; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11). “Faith in Jesus Christ … is manifested in a life of obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel and service to Christ” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Salvation,” scriptures.lds.org).
President Dallin H. Oaks: “When Jesus was asked which was the great commandment, He gave two. First was to love God, which we show by keeping His commandments. Second was to love our neighbor.11 We must do both, and that is not easy. Many of us have a tendency to give less attention to loving our neighbor and to over-emphasize keeping the law [commandments]. … it is easier for us to judge ourselves and others on whether we are obeying the law. However, it is also vital for each of us to keep the second commandment, which is “like unto it,”12 to love our neighbors the way Jesus loved us.13
“The need to combine and apply both law and love, with inspired balance and timing, is ever present. Elder [D. Todd] Christofferson has reminded us that “Putting the first commandment first does not diminish or limit our ability to keep the second commandment. To the contrary, it amplifies and strengthens it. ... Our love of God elevates our ability to love others more fully and perfectly because we in essence partner with God in the care of His children.”
“I have previously referred to our “continually trying to balance the dual commandments of love and law,” but I now believe that goal to be better expressed as trying to live both of these commandments in a more complete way. Anyone who does not treat individuals who face gender identity challenges with love and dignity is not aligned with the teachings of the first and second great commandments. Thus, on the subject of God’s law, we need to remember that God has revealed again and again that He created male and female. And on the subject of our duty to love our neighbor, we need to remember that God has commanded us to love even those who do not keep all the commandments.” (https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-sister-oaks-stand-for-truth)
Brother Miller's Note: I have stopped looking at balance in life. When Elder Bednar was asked how to keep your life balanced, he replied “You can’t, so don’t worry about it.” After a short chuckle, Elder Bednar offered some clarification. “Balance is a false notion…” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2020/08/life-balance-a-moving-target)
I love the similar approach of President Oaks to be more complete in my thinking. Don’t continually be trying to “balance the dual commandments of love and law,” but that goal can “be better expressed as trying to live both of these commandments in a more complete way.” (https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-sister-oaks-stand-for-truth)
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: "The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans said that those who pass judgment on others are 'inexcusable.' The moment we judge someone else, he explained, we condemn ourselves, for none is without sin. Refusing to forgive is a grievous sin-one the Savior warned against. Jesus’s own disciples had 'sought occasion against each other and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for this evil they were afflicted and sorely chastened.’” ("The Merciful Obtain Mercy", General Conference, Apr. 2012)
President Russell M. Nelson: “If a couple in your ward gets divorced, or a young missionary returns home early, or a teenager doubts his testimony, they do not need your judgment. They need to experience the pure love of Jesus Christ reflected in your words and actions.
“If a friend on social media has strong political or social views that violate everything you believe in, an angry, cutting retort by you will not help. Building bridges of understanding will require much more of you, but that is exactly what your friend needs.
“Contention drives away the Spirit—every time. Contention reinforces the false notion that confrontation is the way to resolve differences; but it never is. Contention is a choice. Peacemaking is a choice. You have your agency to choose contention or reconciliation. I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson)
Potential exercise in class: In pairs, define the following words in your scripture journals. You may use the Bible Dictionary and/or the ‘Guide to the Scriptures’ in your Library app or in your scriptures.
Salvation: To be saved from both physical and spiritual death. In this sense, salvation in Paul’s language is the same as eternal life (see Alma 11:40–41; D&C 6:13; 14:7; )
Justification, Justify: To be pardoned from punishment for sin and declared guiltless.
Faith: Faith is trust, confidence in, and reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ, which lead a person to obey Him.
Propitiation: “An atoning sacrifice.” A source of mercy, appeasement.
Grace: “Grace is a gift from Heavenly Father given through His Son, Jesus Christ. The word grace, as used in the scriptures, refers primarily to enabling power and spiritual healing offered through the mercy and love of Jesus Christ”
Works: A person’s actions, whether good or bad. Each person will be judged by his [or her] own works.
Law: The commandments or rules of God upon which all blessings and punishments are based both in heaven and on earth. Those who obey the laws of God receive the promised blessings. … The law of Moses [or simply “the law,” as used by Paul] was a preparatory law to bring men and women to Christ.
“We Have Now Received the Atonement” (Romans 5:11)
What is the Atonement?
Elder Boyd K. Packer: “Atonement is really three words: At-one-ment, meaning to set at one, one with God; to reconcile [to restore to friendship or harmony], to conciliate [to gain goodwill by pleasing acts], to expiate [to pay the penalty for]” (Ensign, May 1988).
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “The literal meaning of the English word Atonement is self-evident: at-one-ment, the bringing together of things that have been separated or estranged. The Atonement of Jesus Christ was indispensable because of the separating transgression, or Fall, of Adam, which brought two kinds of death into the world when Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.3 Physical death brought the separation of the spirit from the body, and spiritual death brought the estrangement of both the spirit and the body from God. As a result of the Fall, all persons born into mortality would suffer these two kinds of death” (Ensign, March 2008).
What is the difference between justification and sanctification?
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: “We may appropriately speak of one who is justified as pardoned, without sin, or guiltless. For example, “Whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world” (3 Ne. 27:16; emphasis added). Yet glorious as the remission of sins is, the Atonement accomplishes even more. That “more” is expressed by Moroni: “And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot” (Moro. 10:33; emphasis added). To be sanctified through the blood of Christ is to become clean, pure, and holy. If justification removes the punishment for past sin, then sanctification removes the stain or effects of sin. … Perfection is not, as some suppose, a prerequisite for justification and sanctification. It is just the opposite: justification (being pardoned) and sanctification (being purified) are the prerequisites for perfection. We only become perfect “in Christ” (see Moro. 10:32), not independently of Him. Thus, what is required of us in order to obtain mercy in the day of judgment is simple diligence. As the Prophet Joseph Smith counseled from the dank prison of Liberty, Missouri: “Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (D&C 123:17; see also Mosiah 4:27)” (Ensign, June 2001).
What is the relationship between grace and works in my salvation?
Elder Dallin H. Oaks: “Some Christians accuse Latter-day Saints … of denying the grace of God through claiming they can earn their own salvation. We answer this accusation with the words of two Book of Mormon prophets. Nephi taught, ‘For we labor diligently … to persuade our children … to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do’ (2 Nephi 25:23). And what is ‘all we can do’? It surely includes repentance (see Alma 24:11) and baptism, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end. Moroni pleaded, ‘Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ’ (Moroni 10:32). … We are not saved in our sins, as by being unconditionally saved through confessing Christ and then, inevitably, committing sins in our remaining lives (see Alma 11:36–37). We are saved from our sins (see Helaman 5:10) by a weekly renewal of our repentance and cleansing through the grace of God and His blessed plan of salvation (see 3 Nephi 9:20–22)” (GC, April 1998).
What is the proper relationship between faith and works in God’s plan?
Elder David A Bednar: “True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and always leads to righteous action. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “faith [is] the first principle in revealed religion, and the foundation of all righteousness” and that it is also “the principle of action in all intelligent beings” (Lectures on Faith [1985], 1). Action alone is not faith in the Savior, but acting in accordance with correct principles is a central component of faith. Thus, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). The Prophet Joseph further explained that “faith is not only the principle of action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on earth” (Lectures on Faith, 3). Thus, faith in Christ leads to righteous action, which increases our spiritual capacity and power. Understanding that faith is a principle of action and of power inspires us to exercise our moral agency in compliance with gospel truth, invites the redeeming and strengthening powers of the Savior’s Atonement into our lives, and enlarges the power within us whereby we are agents unto ourselves (see D&C 58:28)” (GC, April 2008).
How should I answer a person who asks, “Have you been saved?”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks: “Good Christian people sometimes attach different meanings to some key gospel terms like saved or salvation. If we answer according to what our questioner probably means in asking if we have been “saved,” our answer must be “yes.” If we answer according to the various meanings we attach to the terms saved or salvation, our answer will be either “yes” or “yes, but with conditions.”… “As Latter-day Saints use the words saved and salvation, there are at least six different meanings. According to some of these, our salvation is assured—we are already saved. In others, salvation must be spoken of as a future event (e.g., 1 Cor. 5:5) or as conditioned upon a future event (e.g., Mark 13:13). But in all of these meanings, or kinds of salvation, salvation is in and through Jesus Christ.”
Did you know? The word “atonement” appears only once (Romans 5:11) in the English New Testament!
Grace Transforms Us
Elder Brad Wilcox: “Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child. Mom pays the piano teacher. Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for practice, practice, practice.
“If the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing (“Gosh, Mom, why do I need to practice? None of the other kids have to practice! I’m just going to be a professional baseball player anyway!”), perhaps it is because he doesn’t yet see with Mom’s eyes. He doesn’t see how much better his life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.
“In the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us and say: “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19); “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we see His requirements as being way too much to ask, maybe it is because we do not yet see through Christ’s eyes. We have not yet comprehended what He is trying to make of us.
“Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said, “The repenting sinner must suffer for his sins, but this suffering has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change” (The Lord’s Way [1991], 223; emphasis in original). Let’s put that in terms of the child pianist: The child must practice the piano, but this practice has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2012/08/his-grace-is-sufficient)
Elder Brad Wilcox: “Jesus doesn’t make up the difference. Jesus makes all the difference. Grace is not about filling gaps. It is about filling us….”
I have born-again Christian friends who say to me, “You Mormons are trying to earn your way to heaven.”
I say, “No, we are not earning heaven. We are learning heaven. We are preparing for it (see D&C 78:7). We are practicing for it.”
They ask me, “Have you been saved by grace?”
I answer, “Yes. Absolutely, totally, completely, thankfully—yes!”
“Then I ask them a question that perhaps they have not fully considered: “Have you been changed by grace?” They are so excited about being saved that maybe they are not thinking enough about what comes next. They are so happy the debt is paid that they may not have considered why the debt existed in the first place. Latter-day Saints know not only what Jesus has saved us from but also what He has saved us for. As my friend Brett Sanders puts it, “A life impacted by grace eventually begins to look like Christ’s life.” As my friend Omar Canals puts it, “While many Christians view Christ’s suffering as only a huge favor He did for us, Latter-day Saints also recognize it as a huge investment He made in us.” As Moroni puts it, grace isn’t just about being saved. It is also about becoming like the Savior” (see Moroni 7:48). (https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/brad-wilcox/his-grace-is-sufficient/)
Elder Brad Wilcox: “In the past I had a picture in my mind of what the final judgment would be like, and it went something like this: Jesus standing there with a clipboard and Brad standing on the other side of the room nervously looking at Jesus.
Jesus checks His clipboard and says, “Oh, shoot, Brad. You missed it by two points.”
Brad begs Jesus, “Please, check the essay question one more time! There have to be two points you can squeeze out of that essay.” That’s how I always saw it.
But the older I get, and the more I understand this wonderful plan of redemption, the more I realize that in the final judgment it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, “Let me stay.” No, he will probably be saying, “Get me out of here!” Knowing Christ’s character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it would probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, “Please, choose to stay. Please, use my Atonement—not just to be cleansed but to be changed so that you want to stay.” (https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/brad-wilcox/his-grace-is-sufficient/)
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by the blood of the Son of God [see Acts 20:28]. …
“Grace is a gift of God, and our desire to be obedient to each of God’s commandments is the reaching out of our mortal hand to receive this sacred gift from our Heavenly Father” (“The Gift of Grace,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 109, 110).
Teaching Thoughts:
The Book of Romans
- Written as part of the 2nd grouping of letters
- Written from Corinth
- Probably written between 56-57 AD
- Author = Paul
- Scribe = Tertius
- Audience = Roman Saints
- To prepare for Paul’s future arrival in Rome.
- To clarify and defend his teachings.
- To promote unity between Jewish and Gentile saints.
“Paul's writings, especially in this letter, are not always clear. We encounter obscure words and ideas elaborated in complicated style and syntax. Furthermore, all of this is even more complicated because the literature has been reworked through the process of translation. All of that makes the presentation of some teachings ponderous and difficult. The chief apostle, Peter, admitted that Paul's writings were at times hard to understand: "Our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest twist, distort, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:15-16). (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ Salt Lake City; Deseret Book, 1998, 169)
“As used by Paul, the terms belief and faith mean not just mental agreement that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but wholehearted acceptance of and trust in Him as the One who offered Himself in Atonement for our sins. This deep trust leads to a life of faithfulness, manifested by repenting of sins, being baptized, and trying to live as Jesus Christ taught (see Acts 16:30–33; Romans 6:1–11; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11). “Faith in Jesus Christ … is manifested in a life of obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel and service to Christ” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Salvation,” scriptures.lds.org).
President Dallin H. Oaks: “When Jesus was asked which was the great commandment, He gave two. First was to love God, which we show by keeping His commandments. Second was to love our neighbor.11 We must do both, and that is not easy. Many of us have a tendency to give less attention to loving our neighbor and to over-emphasize keeping the law [commandments]. … it is easier for us to judge ourselves and others on whether we are obeying the law. However, it is also vital for each of us to keep the second commandment, which is “like unto it,”12 to love our neighbors the way Jesus loved us.13
“The need to combine and apply both law and love, with inspired balance and timing, is ever present. Elder [D. Todd] Christofferson has reminded us that “Putting the first commandment first does not diminish or limit our ability to keep the second commandment. To the contrary, it amplifies and strengthens it. ... Our love of God elevates our ability to love others more fully and perfectly because we in essence partner with God in the care of His children.”
“I have previously referred to our “continually trying to balance the dual commandments of love and law,” but I now believe that goal to be better expressed as trying to live both of these commandments in a more complete way. Anyone who does not treat individuals who face gender identity challenges with love and dignity is not aligned with the teachings of the first and second great commandments. Thus, on the subject of God’s law, we need to remember that God has revealed again and again that He created male and female. And on the subject of our duty to love our neighbor, we need to remember that God has commanded us to love even those who do not keep all the commandments.” (https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-sister-oaks-stand-for-truth)
Brother Miller's Note: I have stopped looking at balance in life. When Elder Bednar was asked how to keep your life balanced, he replied “You can’t, so don’t worry about it.” After a short chuckle, Elder Bednar offered some clarification. “Balance is a false notion…” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2020/08/life-balance-a-moving-target)
I love the similar approach of President Oaks to be more complete in my thinking. Don’t continually be trying to “balance the dual commandments of love and law,” but that goal can “be better expressed as trying to live both of these commandments in a more complete way.” (https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-sister-oaks-stand-for-truth)
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: "The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans said that those who pass judgment on others are 'inexcusable.' The moment we judge someone else, he explained, we condemn ourselves, for none is without sin. Refusing to forgive is a grievous sin-one the Savior warned against. Jesus’s own disciples had 'sought occasion against each other and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for this evil they were afflicted and sorely chastened.’” ("The Merciful Obtain Mercy", General Conference, Apr. 2012)
President Russell M. Nelson: “If a couple in your ward gets divorced, or a young missionary returns home early, or a teenager doubts his testimony, they do not need your judgment. They need to experience the pure love of Jesus Christ reflected in your words and actions.
“If a friend on social media has strong political or social views that violate everything you believe in, an angry, cutting retort by you will not help. Building bridges of understanding will require much more of you, but that is exactly what your friend needs.
“Contention drives away the Spirit—every time. Contention reinforces the false notion that confrontation is the way to resolve differences; but it never is. Contention is a choice. Peacemaking is a choice. You have your agency to choose contention or reconciliation. I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson)
Potential exercise in class: In pairs, define the following words in your scripture journals. You may use the Bible Dictionary and/or the ‘Guide to the Scriptures’ in your Library app or in your scriptures.
Salvation: To be saved from both physical and spiritual death. In this sense, salvation in Paul’s language is the same as eternal life (see Alma 11:40–41; D&C 6:13; 14:7; )
Justification, Justify: To be pardoned from punishment for sin and declared guiltless.
Faith: Faith is trust, confidence in, and reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ, which lead a person to obey Him.
Propitiation: “An atoning sacrifice.” A source of mercy, appeasement.
Grace: “Grace is a gift from Heavenly Father given through His Son, Jesus Christ. The word grace, as used in the scriptures, refers primarily to enabling power and spiritual healing offered through the mercy and love of Jesus Christ”
Works: A person’s actions, whether good or bad. Each person will be judged by his [or her] own works.
Law: The commandments or rules of God upon which all blessings and punishments are based both in heaven and on earth. Those who obey the laws of God receive the promised blessings. … The law of Moses [or simply “the law,” as used by Paul] was a preparatory law to bring men and women to Christ.
“We Have Now Received the Atonement” (Romans 5:11)
What is the Atonement?
Elder Boyd K. Packer: “Atonement is really three words: At-one-ment, meaning to set at one, one with God; to reconcile [to restore to friendship or harmony], to conciliate [to gain goodwill by pleasing acts], to expiate [to pay the penalty for]” (Ensign, May 1988).
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “The literal meaning of the English word Atonement is self-evident: at-one-ment, the bringing together of things that have been separated or estranged. The Atonement of Jesus Christ was indispensable because of the separating transgression, or Fall, of Adam, which brought two kinds of death into the world when Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.3 Physical death brought the separation of the spirit from the body, and spiritual death brought the estrangement of both the spirit and the body from God. As a result of the Fall, all persons born into mortality would suffer these two kinds of death” (Ensign, March 2008).
What is the difference between justification and sanctification?
Elder D. Todd Christofferson: “We may appropriately speak of one who is justified as pardoned, without sin, or guiltless. For example, “Whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world” (3 Ne. 27:16; emphasis added). Yet glorious as the remission of sins is, the Atonement accomplishes even more. That “more” is expressed by Moroni: “And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot” (Moro. 10:33; emphasis added). To be sanctified through the blood of Christ is to become clean, pure, and holy. If justification removes the punishment for past sin, then sanctification removes the stain or effects of sin. … Perfection is not, as some suppose, a prerequisite for justification and sanctification. It is just the opposite: justification (being pardoned) and sanctification (being purified) are the prerequisites for perfection. We only become perfect “in Christ” (see Moro. 10:32), not independently of Him. Thus, what is required of us in order to obtain mercy in the day of judgment is simple diligence. As the Prophet Joseph Smith counseled from the dank prison of Liberty, Missouri: “Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (D&C 123:17; see also Mosiah 4:27)” (Ensign, June 2001).
What is the relationship between grace and works in my salvation?
Elder Dallin H. Oaks: “Some Christians accuse Latter-day Saints … of denying the grace of God through claiming they can earn their own salvation. We answer this accusation with the words of two Book of Mormon prophets. Nephi taught, ‘For we labor diligently … to persuade our children … to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do’ (2 Nephi 25:23). And what is ‘all we can do’? It surely includes repentance (see Alma 24:11) and baptism, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end. Moroni pleaded, ‘Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ’ (Moroni 10:32). … We are not saved in our sins, as by being unconditionally saved through confessing Christ and then, inevitably, committing sins in our remaining lives (see Alma 11:36–37). We are saved from our sins (see Helaman 5:10) by a weekly renewal of our repentance and cleansing through the grace of God and His blessed plan of salvation (see 3 Nephi 9:20–22)” (GC, April 1998).
What is the proper relationship between faith and works in God’s plan?
Elder David A Bednar: “True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and always leads to righteous action. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “faith [is] the first principle in revealed religion, and the foundation of all righteousness” and that it is also “the principle of action in all intelligent beings” (Lectures on Faith [1985], 1). Action alone is not faith in the Savior, but acting in accordance with correct principles is a central component of faith. Thus, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). The Prophet Joseph further explained that “faith is not only the principle of action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on earth” (Lectures on Faith, 3). Thus, faith in Christ leads to righteous action, which increases our spiritual capacity and power. Understanding that faith is a principle of action and of power inspires us to exercise our moral agency in compliance with gospel truth, invites the redeeming and strengthening powers of the Savior’s Atonement into our lives, and enlarges the power within us whereby we are agents unto ourselves (see D&C 58:28)” (GC, April 2008).
How should I answer a person who asks, “Have you been saved?”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks: “Good Christian people sometimes attach different meanings to some key gospel terms like saved or salvation. If we answer according to what our questioner probably means in asking if we have been “saved,” our answer must be “yes.” If we answer according to the various meanings we attach to the terms saved or salvation, our answer will be either “yes” or “yes, but with conditions.”… “As Latter-day Saints use the words saved and salvation, there are at least six different meanings. According to some of these, our salvation is assured—we are already saved. In others, salvation must be spoken of as a future event (e.g., 1 Cor. 5:5) or as conditioned upon a future event (e.g., Mark 13:13). But in all of these meanings, or kinds of salvation, salvation is in and through Jesus Christ.”
- “First, all mortals have been saved from the permanence of death through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22).”
- “As to salvation from sin and the consequences of sin, our answer to the question of whether or not we have been saved is “yes, but with conditions.” Our third article of faith declares our belief: “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” (A of F 1:3).”
- “The question of whether a person has been saved is sometimes phrased in terms of whether that person has been “born again. … our answer to whether we have been born again is clearly “yes.” We were born again when we entered into a covenant relationship with our Savior by being born of water and of the Spirit and by taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ. We can renew that rebirth each Sabbath when we partake of the sacrament.”
- “A fourth meaning of being saved is to be saved from the darkness of ignorance of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and of the purpose of life, and of the destiny of men and women.”
- “For Latter-day Saints, being “saved” can also mean being saved or delivered from the second death (meaning the final spiritual death) by assurance of a kingdom of glory in the world to come (see 1 Cor. 15:40–42).”
- “Finally, in another usage familiar and unique to Latter-day Saints, the words saved and salvation are also used to denote exaltation or eternal life (see Abr. 2:11). This is sometimes referred to as the “fulness of salvation” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, 4 vols. [1979–81], 1:242). This salvation requires more than repentance and baptism by appropriate priesthood authority. It also requires the making of sacred covenants, including eternal marriage, in the temples of God, and faithfulness to those covenants by enduring to the end. If we use the word salvation to mean “exaltation,” it is premature for any of us to say that we have been “saved” in mortality. That glorious status can only follow the final judgment of Him who is the Great Judge of the living and the dead” (GC, April 1998).
Did you know? The word “atonement” appears only once (Romans 5:11) in the English New Testament!
Grace Transforms Us
Elder Brad Wilcox: “Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child. Mom pays the piano teacher. Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for practice, practice, practice.
“If the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing (“Gosh, Mom, why do I need to practice? None of the other kids have to practice! I’m just going to be a professional baseball player anyway!”), perhaps it is because he doesn’t yet see with Mom’s eyes. He doesn’t see how much better his life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.
“In the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us and say: “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19); “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we see His requirements as being way too much to ask, maybe it is because we do not yet see through Christ’s eyes. We have not yet comprehended what He is trying to make of us.
“Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said, “The repenting sinner must suffer for his sins, but this suffering has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change” (The Lord’s Way [1991], 223; emphasis in original). Let’s put that in terms of the child pianist: The child must practice the piano, but this practice has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2012/08/his-grace-is-sufficient)
Elder Brad Wilcox: “Jesus doesn’t make up the difference. Jesus makes all the difference. Grace is not about filling gaps. It is about filling us….”
I have born-again Christian friends who say to me, “You Mormons are trying to earn your way to heaven.”
I say, “No, we are not earning heaven. We are learning heaven. We are preparing for it (see D&C 78:7). We are practicing for it.”
They ask me, “Have you been saved by grace?”
I answer, “Yes. Absolutely, totally, completely, thankfully—yes!”
“Then I ask them a question that perhaps they have not fully considered: “Have you been changed by grace?” They are so excited about being saved that maybe they are not thinking enough about what comes next. They are so happy the debt is paid that they may not have considered why the debt existed in the first place. Latter-day Saints know not only what Jesus has saved us from but also what He has saved us for. As my friend Brett Sanders puts it, “A life impacted by grace eventually begins to look like Christ’s life.” As my friend Omar Canals puts it, “While many Christians view Christ’s suffering as only a huge favor He did for us, Latter-day Saints also recognize it as a huge investment He made in us.” As Moroni puts it, grace isn’t just about being saved. It is also about becoming like the Savior” (see Moroni 7:48). (https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/brad-wilcox/his-grace-is-sufficient/)
Elder Brad Wilcox: “In the past I had a picture in my mind of what the final judgment would be like, and it went something like this: Jesus standing there with a clipboard and Brad standing on the other side of the room nervously looking at Jesus.
Jesus checks His clipboard and says, “Oh, shoot, Brad. You missed it by two points.”
Brad begs Jesus, “Please, check the essay question one more time! There have to be two points you can squeeze out of that essay.” That’s how I always saw it.
But the older I get, and the more I understand this wonderful plan of redemption, the more I realize that in the final judgment it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, “Let me stay.” No, he will probably be saying, “Get me out of here!” Knowing Christ’s character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it would probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, “Please, choose to stay. Please, use my Atonement—not just to be cleansed but to be changed so that you want to stay.” (https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/brad-wilcox/his-grace-is-sufficient/)
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by the blood of the Son of God [see Acts 20:28]. …
“Grace is a gift of God, and our desire to be obedient to each of God’s commandments is the reaching out of our mortal hand to receive this sacred gift from our Heavenly Father” (“The Gift of Grace,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 109, 110).
Teaching Thoughts:
- “Have you been changed by grace?”
- Video clips from elder Brad Wilcox’s BYU address. (https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/brad-wilcox/his-grace-is-sufficient/)
- President Oak’s thoughts on leaving the attitude of balancing the dual commandments of love and law, and better expressing it “as trying to live both of these commandments in a more complete way.”
- When have you (or someone you know) demonstrated that you are not ashamed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ?