GLORIOUS GRACE

 

 

This will forever be my remembrance of Paul: “By the grace of God, I am what I am….(1 Corinthians 15:10). This is the humility of Paul, the greatest missionary to the Gentiles, the apostle of Jesus Christ, who considered himself not good enough to be called an apostle because he once persecuted the Church of God (v9), but who later became the most he could possibly become by the grace of God. There is no greater sign of humility than acknowledging the greater power and giving honour to His name. It is something Nephi, who gave us the greatest definition of grace, did repeatedly: “…..it is by grace we are saved after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23).

 

When we are judged and found short of perfection, it is grace that will lift us the rest of the way to a full reconciliation with the Father. However, grace is not just a magic wand of perfection on judgment day. It has another role, that Paul so valiantly testified of. It is the role of strength beyond our own affecting change in us here and now. This, I believe, is what Nephi also meant. Elder Holland affirmed this: “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 (Ether 12:27), (Jeffrey R Holland, The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Ensign March 2008). 

 

Grace enables the power of Jesus Christ to make of us something far greater than what we  were before. Through actively calling upon the power of the Atonement, we can access this power and rise above the natural man. And here is the good news: grace is a gift that does not need to be earned. It is freely given to all who accept Christ as their personal Saviour. 

 

Imagine if we came home being much greater than what we were before we started on this journey. I know of no greater way we could pay honour to the Saviour’s name. As Paul, we could then say, ‘His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain’ (1 Corinthians 15:10). And not only that but this also……’by the grace of God, I am what I am’…….

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: His Grace is Sufficient by Greg Collins)