The LDS Daily WOOL Home Page
(8/2/97)
As a Church, we are in accord with Nephi, who said, "it is by grace that we
are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23). Grace consists of God's
gift to His children wherein He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosoever would
believe in Him and comply with His laws and ordinances would have everlasting
life.-Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.353
(8/3/97)
We hear much from some persons of limited understanding about the possibility of
one's being saved by grace alone. But it requires the explanation of another
prophet to understand the true doctrine of grace as he explained in these
meaningful words: "For," said this prophet, "we labor diligently
to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, 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.) Truly we are redeemed by the atoning
blood of the Savior of the world, but only after each has done all he can to
work out his own salvation.-Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye In Holy Places,
p.236
(8/4/97)
But the great question for us to consider, on this occasion, is, in what way the
fallen sons and daughters of men can be made partakers of the benefits of this
atonement? Are they to be unconditionally redeemed by the blood of Christ? Is it
to be done by free grace alone, without any works on the part of the creature?
Or are there required on the part of the man certain conditions by which the
atoning blood of Christ can have effect upon him. I will answer this question.
The atonement of Jesus Christ redeems mankind, so far as the fall is concerned,
unconditionally. Now, I want you all to understand this clearly. There is no
faith, repentance, baptism, or works of any kind required on the part of man to
be redeemed from the fall, or from the sins committed by our first parents. Not
one of you are guilty because Adam and Eve sinned. Did you eat the forbidden
fruit? Were you there, on that occasion, to put forth your hand, and take of
that fruit, and eat of it? The united response of all the world in this and all
generations of man would be--"We were not there." You are not
condemned for a sin you did not commit. Can you repent of something you never
have done? I defy the whole world to repent of Adam's sin, for they never
committed it. You did not exercise your agency on that occasion: why, then, not
be redeemed from it without exercising your agency? Why not be redeemed by free
grace alone, without works? Why be required to believe, repent, and be baptized
for Adam's sin? It would be foolishness. The atonement of Jesus Christ will
redeem every son and daughter of Adam from his day down to the end of the earth,
so far as that sin is concerned. Hence, all little children have been redeemed
from the fall, and are perfectly innocent and pure before God. The original sin
is not imputed to them. Why? Because of the atonement. The atonement is just as
broad as the original sin and the effects of it. If the original sin extends its
effects to the latest generations of Adam, so the atonement will extend its
effects to all his posterity, and redeem them from these consequences.-Orson
Pratt, Journal of Discourses, Vol.7, p.257
(8/5/97)
Lehi taught that "no flesh can dwell in the presence of God, save it be
through the merits, and mercy and grace of the Holy Messiah" (2 Nephi 2:8).
Even the most just and upright man cannot save himself solely on his own merits,
for, as the Apostle Paul tells us, "all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God" (Romans 3:23).-Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.71
(8/6/97)
Salvation of every sort, kind, type, and nature comes by the grace of God; that
is, it comes because of the mercy, love, and condescension of God. If it were
not for the grace of God there would be nothing -- no creation, no fall, no
mortal probation, no atonement, no redemption, no immortality, no eternal life.
It is God's grace that underlies all things, that causes all things to be, that
makes all things possible. Without it there would be nothing; with it there is
everything.-Elder Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith,
p.149
(8/7/97)
Just as surely as our Savior became the author of our eternal salvation, so must
we through that same degree of obedience become the authors of our own
exaltation. We celebrate this Easter Sabbath with a knowledge that we shall come
forth in the morning of the resurrection. We likewise know that we shall be
judged according to that which we do in the flesh. We shall not be saved by
grace alone. And how grateful I am to my Father in heaven for the restoration of
the gospel of Jesus Christ that has taught us the importance of obedience to his
will and to his command.-Henry D. Moyle, General Conference, April 1950
(8/8/97)
Righteous living, combined with the grace of the Atonement, will qualify us to
stand before Him with clean hearts and clear consciences.-Elder Joseph B.
Wirthlin, General Conference, April 1997
(1/23/04)
"The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding
grace is forthright. We understand that since we have all become spiritually
unclean because of sin (see 1 Jn.
1:8), and since 'there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of
God' (1 Ne. 15:34), no
individual can receive eternal life solely on the merits of his or her own
effort. We believe that only as we rely on the Savior's grace and demonstrate
our changed nature through obedience to His laws and ordinances may we receive
eternal life." - M. Russell Ballard, "Building
Bridges of Understanding," Ensign, June 1998, p. 65
(2/24/04)
"Our critics' belief, based on the Bible, holds that man is saved by grace
alone. Theirs is by far the easier way. Our position, also based on the Bible
but strengthened by other scriptures, holds that we are saved by grace 'after
all we can do,' (2 Ne. 25:23.)
and we are responsible by conduct and by covenants to live the standards of the
gospel." - Boyd K. Packer, "The
Peaceable Followers of Christ," Ensign, Apr. 1998, p. 65
(10/31/05)
"What do we mean by the grace of God?
"Jesus is gracious—that is, He is kind, merciful, compassionate. It is out of
His grace, His compassion and His love for us, His mercy, His kindness, His
desire for us to become like Him, that He provides for us His glorious gospel.
"But to reject His truth is to reject His grace, His mercy, His kindness, His
compassion. It is to say that we want none of it. And of one thing we may be
sure: if such is our attitude, we most certainly shall have none of it.
"Obedience is the thing. What did Samuel say to Saul when he tried to serve two
masters? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
(1 Sam. 15:22.)" -
Mark
E. Petersen, "We
Believe in Being Honest," Ensign (CR), May 1982, p.14
12/30/05
"As we seek the things of God, we must humble ourselves before Him,
remembering that it is by His grace that we receive them, and focus our thoughts
and our prayers, our faith and our desires, even all of the energy of our hearts
that we might receive light and understanding directly from a loving Heavenly
Father." - Craig C. Christensen, "Seek,
and Ye Shall Find," Ensign (CR), May 2003, p.33
3/14/09
"We
should have great hope in knowing, however unworthy we may feel or weak we may
be, that if we will do all we can, He will come to our aid and provide for us
whatever we may lack. (See 2
Cor. 12:9.) That statement, to some degree, defines grace."
- Gene R. Cook, "Receiving Divine Assistance through
the Grace of the Lord," Ensign (CR), May 1993, p.79
7/6/09
“When we give all that we have, the Lord will take it and bless it and magnify
it and pass it, and there will be enough and to spare. It is only when we
withhold what we have that we deprive ourselves of the promised blessing of
grace, which our Bible Dictionary defines as ‘an enabling power that allows men
and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended
their own best efforts.’ When we do our best, it is enough, and the Lord will
make up the difference.” - Ardeth Greene Kapp, “My
Neighbor, My Sister, My Friend,” p. 62