"...for we know that it is by grace that we are
saved, after all we can do."
He argues that members of the church frequently interpret this scripture incorrectly, that "the correct sense of 2 Nephi 25:23 would be that we are ultimately saved by grace apart from whatever we manage to do. Grace is not merely a decorative touch or a finishing bit of trim to top off our own efforts--it is God's participation in the process of our salvation from its beginning to its end."
After considering his thoughts, I have thought of yet another way to look at this scripture. In the part that goes "after all we can do," I have usually considered the "we" to be me--an everyday person. After all, this makes the use of "we" parallel with how it is used earlier in the sentence. However, after thinking about it, I realized that if I break all grammar rules and look at it differently, the "we" could be considered Christ and I.
Looking at the scripture this way changes everything. Taken this way, this scripture never suggests there is a moment when I'm the only one doing the doing. Rather, it suggests that Christ is always there, a part of the "we" team, and that when I can't keep the team going anymore, His grace steps in and fills the void I leave.
How awesome is that?! One of the biggest misconceptions about grace just dispelled by using the scripture that is probably the reason why so many people have said misconception! Man, I knew there was a reason why I performed so poorly in my grammar class!
If you want even more insights on what Nephi meant when he wrote this verse, President Uchtdorf put it pretty fantastically in this past General Conference, which you can find here. Or, you could read one of my all-time favorite talks ever, which happens to be about grace, here.
What a beautiful, happy reminder that we do not walk through this life alone! I'm so grateful for a Savior who keeps on pulling when I fall off the "we" bandwagon. I know I couldn't do it without Him--before and after that point.
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