The prophet Nephi wrote, “We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23; emphasis added).
I’ve sometimes interpreted this verse as an if-then statement, assuming the Savior’s grace won’t fully reach me until after I’ve put in my best efforts. But recently, I came across a quote by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf that helped me think about this scripture in a new light.
In his new book After All We Can Do, he wrote:
“Sometimes we quickly read this single verse and forget everything else Nephi, Jacob, and Lehi have taught us about grace. Remember, ‘after all we can do’ does not mean ‘because of all we have done.’
“Although the scriptural phrasing might be unfamiliar to us and perhaps is misunderstood in the twenty-first century, it was language familiar to Joseph Smith as he translated the Book of Mormon. In the language of his time, ‘after all we can do’ more closely meant apart from what we can do or in spite of all we can do.” (46)
This quote reminds me that our good works can never “earn” Christ’s grace. He is the one who ultimately saves us “in spite of all we can do,” satisfying the demands of justice while offering us mercy (see Alma 42:15).
Receiving Grace and Going to Work
Keeping this truth in mind, what is our role in receiving Christ’s grace? Elder D. Todd Christofferson explained:
“We do not need to achieve some minimum level of capacity or goodness before God will help—divine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience. But I know that beyond desiring His help, we must exert ourselves, repent, and choose God for Him to be able to act in our lives consistent with justice and moral agency. My plea is simply to take responsibility and go to work so that there is something for God to help us with.”
Because of justice and moral agency, we cannot rely on grace alone to receive all the Lord wants to give us. Choosing to follow Christ means striving to be our best and making covenants with Him. As Elder Uchtdorf clarified: “In Alma’s words, ‘all we can do’ is enter the covenant and repent (Alma 24:11). All we can do is receive what Christ has offered us. We rely on hope and grace that stems from Christ” (46–47).
“All We Can Do” with Christ
“We” in the phrase “all we can do” is less about our individual efforts and more about our partnership with Christ. Ultimately, His grace helps us become a little better and draw closer to God each day.
Therefore, grace and works aren’t either-or concepts that only apply on Judgment Day. Rather, they are overlapping, ongoing principles as part of God’s plan for us. As the Church’s Gospel Topics page explains:
“The grace of God helps us every day. It strengthens us to do good works we could not do on our own. The Lord promised that if we humble ourselves before Him and have faith in Him, His grace will help us overcome all our personal weaknesses.”
Similarly, Elder Bruce C. Hafen said, “The Savior’s gift of grace to us is not necessarily limited in time to ‘after’ all we can do. We may receive His grace before, during, and after the time when we expend our own efforts.”
Covenantal Love and Mercy
The Savior’s grace is available to all, and we can seek His help in greater measure as we make and keep covenants with God. We will also want to serve Him more as we experience His divine strength and support. As President Russell M. Nelson has taught:
“Making a covenant with God changes our relationship with Him forever. It blesses us with an extra measure of love and mercy. It affects who we are and how God will help us become what we can become.”
This covenant relationship binds us to the Lord and sustains us during trials. And when we inevitably make mistakes, Christ will redeem and sanctify us—in spite of “all we can [imperfectly] do”.
“The Lord is not done with us when we make a mistake, nor does He flee when we falter,” Sister Kristin M. Yee said. “Our need for healing and help is not a burden to Him, but the very reason He came.”
Learn more about the Savior’s grace in the articles below:
▶ A surgeon’s mistake caused me intense suffering. What I know now about God
▶ A simple way to feel connected to Christ in the here and now
▶ Your job isn’t to be perfect. It’s to stay close to the One who can perfect you
