As a child, I learned that “grace” meant “God giving me something good that I do not deserve.” It is unmerited favor. It is something that is freely given. It is not a payment, a loan, or a reward for doing something right. It is a gift that cannot be earned. It is something given to us despite our total unworthiness to receive it. This biblical definition is consistent with verses such as Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (emphasis mine).
After All We Can Do?
Most of my LDS friends would agree that grace is a gift from God. However, we would disagree on our worthiness to receive it. According to the overview on Gospel Topics, we receive God’s grace as a result of salvation, baptism, and “trying to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ for the rest of our lives.”1
I have heard grace described as something that “bridges the gap” to salvation after we have done everything we can in this life. In other words, we start to build the bridge to salvation by obeying God’s commands, but Jesus completes the bridge through His grace. Most would agree with Joseph Smith when he wrote, “For 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, emphasis mine)
In the Book of Mormon, grace is merited. It is earned. We must work for it. It is given to us because we are somewhat worthy of it. As good, freedom-loving Americans, this is the only way that seems logical. You work hard and get paid for your effort. Some may even point to Romans 4:4, which says, “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.” I’ll come back to this verse in a minute.
Paycheck vs. Gift
When my wife and I were newly married, neither of us had jobs lined up. For a while, I survived by working odd jobs (mostly factory work) through a temp agency. It was hard work, but when I received the call, I understood the contractual agreement regarding my pay. I could accept or deny the opportunity. I almost always accepted it because I was desperate and needed anything I could get.
Several religions would view our good actions similarly and say, “That is the only fair way.” We desperately need and desire eternal life. God knows our need. Therefore, He offers us an opportunity to work for Him. We work hard under the agreement that God will graciously pay us with eternal life for a job well done. If we choose to reject His gracious offer, we won’t receive the payment. Do the work and get paid. That appeals to human fairness and decency. But is that the kind of grace God provides?
Faith vs. Works
I mentioned Romans 4:4 earlier, “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.” But the very next verse gives this passage its complete meaning, “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” (Romans 4:5, emphasis mine)
That statement is conclusive. God points out how His grace is different from our earthly wage system. His grace is not limited to “bridging the gap” between our works and His salvation. His grace spans the whole gap. We could summarize this passage by saying, “On earth, you pay employees equal to their work. It is not a gift. They earn it as payment. But God’s way is different. Righteousness is not credited to those who work for it, but to those who trust in Christ alone for salvation.” By contrasting these two systems, God makes it clear that salvation is not a wage. It is a completely unmerited gift to sinners whose hearts respond in saving faith.
Grace is not a transaction. It is a beautiful, undeserved gift, freely given by God despite our total unworthiness.