“For We Know That It Is by Grace That We Are Saved After All We Can Do”

K. Douglas Bassett

2 Ne. 10:24; Jacob 4:7; Hel. 12:21-24; Ether 12:27; Moro.10:32-33; D&C 93:20; Heb. 4:16; Doctrines of Salvation, Smith 2:309-311; Articles of Faith, Talmage, pp. 107-108, 480-481; Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Tim. 1:9; James 2:14-26; Matt. 5:16; 16:27; Rev. 20:12; John 1:17; Acts 15:11; BYU Devotional, May 1990; Ensign, May 1993, pp. 79-81; BYU Devotional, Jan. 10, 1984; Promised Messiah, McConkie, pp. 346-7

“The Savior’s blood, His atonement, will save us, but only after we have done all we can to save ourselves by keeping His commandments.” (Harold B. Lee, Ye Are the Light of the World, p. 245)
“All mortals have been saved from the permanence of death through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:22). As to salvation from sin and the consequences of sin, our answer to the question of whether or not we have been saved is ‘yes, but with conditions.’ Our third article of faith declares our belief: ‘We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel’ (Articles of Faith 1:3)… . The New Testament frequently refers to the grace of God and to salvation by grace (e.g., John 1:17; Acts 15:11; Eph. 2:8). But it also has many specific commandments on personal behavior, and many references to the importance of works (e.g., Matt. 5:16; Eph. 2:10; James 2:14-17). In addition, the Savior taught that we must endure to the end in order to be saved (see Matt. 10:22; Mark 13:13).” (Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, May 1998, p. 55)
“There are those who contend that man is saved by grace alone, and that no works of any kind are of value. Such persons might reconstruct Nephi’s language as follows: ‘We are saved by grace; after all, what can we do?’ … On the other hand, there are those who become so obsessed with their own ‘works-righteousness,’ with their own goodness, that they do not look to Christ… . It is only after a person has so performed a lifetime of works and faithfulness—only after he has come to deny himself of all ungodliness and every worldly lust—that the grace of God, that spiritual increment of power, is efficacious.” (R. Millet & J. F. McConkie, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 1:294-5)

Latter-Day Commentary on the Book of Mormon

References