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.

Everyone on earth experiences physical death. Through the grace of Jesus Christ, all will be resurrected and will live forever (see 1 Corinthians 15:20–22; 2 Nephi 9:6–13).

Because of personal choices, everyone also experiences the effects of sin (see 1 John 1:8–10; Mosiah 16:4). These effects are called spiritual death. No one can return to the presence of God without divine grace. Through the Atonement, we all can be forgiven of our sins; we can become clean before God. To receive this enabling power, we must obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, which includes having faith in Him, repenting of our sins, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and trying to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ for the rest of our lives (see Ephesians 2:8–9; James 2:17–22; 2 Nephi 25:23; 31:20).

The grace of God helps us every day. It strengthens us to do good works we could not do on our own. The Lord promised that if we humble ourselves before Him and have faith in Him, His grace will help us overcome all our personal weaknesses (see Ether 12:27).

• "Salvation: By Grace or by Works?"

  Gerald N. Lund, Ensign, Apr. 1981, 17–23
  With so many ancient and modern scriptural passages stressing works of righteousness, Paul's statements on salvation by grace often give rise to confusion.

• "Are You Saved by Grace or Works?"

  New Era, Mar. 2005, 38–39
  Heavenly Father wants all of His children to return to Him. The help or strength He gives us through the love of Jesus Christ is called grace. The things we must do are called works.

• "In the Strength of the Lord"

  David A. Bednar, Liahona, Nov. 2004, 76–78; or Ensign, Nov. 2004, 76–78
  The enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity.

• "Words of the Early Apostles: Grace"

  Christoffel Golden Jr., Ensign, Oct. 2003, 48–52
  God displays or extends His mercy by granting grace to His children. This grace is an extension of divine help or enabling power.

• "Have You Been Saved?"

  Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, May 1998, 55–57
  As Latter-day Saints use the words saved and salvation, there are at least six different meanings.

• "Receiving Divine Assistance through the Grace of the Lord"

  Gene R. Cook, Ensign, May 1993, 79–81
  If we can obtain the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, that divine enabling power to assist us, we will triumph in this life and be exalted in the life to come.

• "I Have a Question: What is the role of grace in LDS theology?"

  Robert E. Parsons, Ensign, July 1989, 59–61
  Grace is God's love in action. It is His doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

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• "Grace"

  Guide to the Scriptures

• "Grace"

  Bible Dictionary, 697

• "Grace"

  Encyclopedia of Mormonism
  (Please note that the contents of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, a joint product of Brigham Young University and Macmillan Publishing Company, do not necessarily represent the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) 

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