What If Grace Isn’t Something We Earn After All We Can Do?
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, grace is often taught as something God gives you after you've done your part. You’ve probably heard 2 Nephi 25:23 quoted a lot: “It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” But what if that’s not how grace really works? According to the Bible, grace isn’t something we earn—it’s something God gives freely. It’s not a backup plan for when we fall short. It’s the only plan. And when you truly receive that kind of grace, it doesn’t make you want to sin more—it changes you. It gives you a completely new life, one that’s not driven by trying to be “worthy,” but by the freedom that comes from knowing Jesus paid it all. The Apostle Paul talked about this in Romans 6. He asked, “Should we keep on sinning so God can show us more grace?” (v. 1, NLT). Then he answers his own question forcefully: “Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” (v. 2). In other words, grace isn’t an excuse—it’s the pow...