This thought of sharing led me to the thought of sharing not only the spiritual things that I learn in my life but also the different leadership experiences that I gain and the fun times that I participate in. I decided to start this blog so that I could share all of the experiences that make me who I am. With that said, I decided to post the paper that I wrote for the response to the challenge so that all who choose to read this can learn from my experiences. In order to really understand the paper that I wrote, I would also considering reading this talk by Brad Wilcox.
Here is my paper:
For my last
challenge, I decided to read and respond to the Brad Wilcox talk “His Grace is
Sufficient.” I thought this talk was very interesting. There were several
points made that I had never considered before.
I had never
really thought about Christ paying the whole sum. I had always kind of viewed
the principle of salvation as the typical I do my part and then Christ makes up
for where I lack. When I was reading this talk I realized that we don’t repent
because we owe Christ something. We repent because we love Christ for what he
has already done. I thought about the real significance behind John 14:15 “If
ye love me, keep my commandments.” It’s not about the debt that is owed to
justice. It’s about the gratitude that is owed to the Savior. When I was
thinking about these principles, I had a change of heart. I want to learn to
follow the commandments and live the way I should out of gratitude for the
Savior rather than the feeling of obligation or indebtedness. I realized that
when I learn to obey through gratitude, I will feel a greater happiness in my
life than when being obedient because of obligation.
I was also
really touched by the thought of not being able to see in myself what Christ is
trying to create out of me. He knows my potential and knows what I need in
order to reach that potential. He knows what blessings I need but also what
challenges and temptations I need in order to make me into the person that he
wants and needs me to be.
I
recognized that we, as a Latter-day Saint culture, have issues with saying that
we are saved by grace. I thought about 2 Nephi 25:23 which says, “it is by
grace that we are saved after all we can do.” I thought about that and decided
to change my thinking on this subject too. I have changed my interpretation of
this scripture, as far as salvation is concerned, to be more along the lines of
after all things are said and done, after this life is over and there is no
more chance for change, it is by the grace of Jesus Christ that we are saved.
This changes the emphasis of the atonement in my mind from after my works and
Christ’s grace have I met that magic salvation bar to the idea that if I have
not chosen to follow Christ, then at the end it doesn’t matter what I have
chosen.
This truly
is a gospel of love. I feel like Brother Wilcox is closer to the truth when he
says that the Savior will be begging us to stay rather than telling us we are
not worthy and must leave. The Savior loves us and wants to be with us. He is
there for us now with outstretched arms just waiting for us to change and turn
to him. Why would that change after this life? Why would he immediately try to
start pushing us away rather than continuing his invitation “come, follow me?”
I don’t think he would. He is more lovingly invested in us than that.
This
challenge has helped me draw much closer to the Savior because I have a better
understanding of how His grace and the atonement really work. I feel that I
more clearly understand the empowering gift of the atonement rather than only
the redemptive power of the atonement. I feel a greater love for Jesus
Christ and the things that He has so lovingly done for me.I know that the Savior loves each of us. He gave everything He had so that we can be happy. That is the meaning of true love.
