3 Nephi 27

3 Nephi 27

For centuries Christians have debated the merit of grace vs works.  This chapter gives us the Lord’s own commentary on works when He defines His gospel to the New World disciples (see verses 13 - 22).  Christ came to be crucified so that all men might be judged of their individual works.  Because of the justice of the Father (see verse 17) no one can be saved by their works, yet it is by our works that we will be judged.  As works cannot save us, we need the grace of Christ.  How do we obtain that?  We must repent and be baptized.  The Lord promised that if such a person “endureth to the end, behold him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world” (v. 16).  Notice that endurance to the end, which must include love and its resulting good works, does not render us guiltless.  Rather such endurance allows the Lord to apply His grace and to hold us guiltless when He judges us.  This is why He came here among us, to die sinless having first taken upon Him all our guilt, and then to live again to apply saving grace to His final judgment of us.