Grow in Grace
Grace, as understood in the Christian world view, is a gift from God that is unearned and not a product of works or merit. In Latter-day Saint theology, grace is unconditional in the case of the resurrection but is received through obedience and faithfulness in the case of spiritual progression and maturation. Today, I want to explore the paradox of grace as a gift and our ability to grow in grace.
In traditional Christianity, the conceptualization of grace must fit in to the faith alone (sola fide) box that totally discounts the role of works in connection with faith and grace. This problem manifests itself because of the teachings attributed to Paul. In the epistles, Paul is constantly convincing people that they need to move on from their earlier religious traditions that are works-based. Most of his challenge comes from people clinging to the Mosaic tradition after converting to Christianity. So Paul swings the pendulum of practice far beyond the center of the works versus faith/grace doctrinal balance, which causes confusion on the subject.
This overemphasis from Paul makes the idea of growing in grace tricky for Christians to explain. If God’s full grace is freely given, as they claim, it would mean that we would all be saved regardless of anything we do. But we all know that according to Christian doctrine, there is a heaven for believers and a hell for non-believers. So, there is a prerequisite for grace; you must be a believer. But, believing is ambiguous at best if it is not accompanied by works. So works, work their way back into the conversation, making the whole thing circular reasoning that goes nowhere.
The idea of growing in grace is not ambiguous. It is mentioned in the New Testament and in Latter-Day scripture. If you concede that to receive grace, you must demonstrate belief in Christ through action, the circle of works and grace becomes a spiral up to salvation and ultimately exaltation. Just as faith precedes miracles, works precedes faith. Works without faith, however, have no effect in spiritual growth. These are dead works. Keeping the law of Moses without understanding the principles behind the practice did not bring salvation. However, keeping the Law of Moses, looking forward to Christ’s coming, did, in fact, allow God’s grace into the lives of those who understood the meaning of the works.
The same principle applies to us today. Attending church or going to the temple without a focus on Christ are dead works. They do not guarantee us salvation. If we do not do the necessary work to receive grace upon grace, we likewise do not progress and grow.
Doctrine and Covenants 50:40 Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. All the cross-references on the word ‘grow’ mention ‘milk’ before ‘meat’. The implication is that growing in grace is indeed the way to understanding God, Christ, and ourselves.
Here is the takeaway from the message of growing in grace. “Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me; And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost. And the Father and I are one. I am in the Father and the Father in me; and inasmuch as ye have received me, ye are in me and I in you. Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the good shepherd, and the stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall. And the day cometh that you shall hear my voice and see me, and know that I am. Watch, therefore, that ye may be ready. Even so. Amen.” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:41-46)