Full of Grace and Truth

A phrase that we see in all four standard works is that Christ is “full of grace and truth.”  These two attributes seem to summarize the perfect power He has to redeem us from spiritual death.  John testified Christ “dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (JST John 1:14).  In the Doctrine and Covenants this statement from John is repeated, “And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us” (D&C 93:11).  Lehi taught Jacob about the atonement of Christ saying, “Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth” (2 Nephi 2:6).  Moses learned that the Savior is the “Only Begotten” and “the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth” (Moses 1:6, 32).  God invited Adam to be baptized “in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth” (Moses 6:52).  The Lord similarly told Enoch that he should “should baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, which is full of grace and truth” (Moses 7:11).  The phrase assures us that He indeed has the capability to save and redeem us, to help us overcome spiritual death.  The Savior has all power through His atonement to forgive and ultimately save us (His grace) and He also knows all things so that He knows how to do it (truth) and how to “succor His people” (Alma 7:12).  He is full of forgiveness (grace) as well as an intimate knowledge of each of us individually (truth).  He also knows the Father perfectly (truth) and has received power (grace) of the Father to save all mankind who will come unto Him.  And of course, He is full of grace and truth only because His Father was first: “You shall have a crown of eternal life at the right hand of my Father, who is full of grace and truth” (D&C 66:12). 

               Grace and truth aren’t the only two attributes that Christ is “full of” as recorded in the scriptures.  The Psalmist testified, “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion” (Psalm 111:4).    He wrote three other times that He is “full of compassion” and added that “the voice of the Lord is full of majesty” (74:20, 78:38, 145:8, 29:4).  In another text the Psalmist said, “According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness” (Psalm 48:10).  Alma added “equity” to the list attributes Christ is full of: “The Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth” (Alma 13:9).  He repeated the same phrase to the people of Ammonihah and added that He is “full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering” (Alma 9:26).  He said to the people of Zarahemla that “Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth” (Alma 5:48).  We shall one day sing this “new song” which testifies, “he is full of mercy, justice, grace and truth, and peace” (D&C 84:102).  Putting these all together we find that the Savior is full of grace, truth, compassion, majesty, equity, righteousness, patience, mercy, long-suffering, justice, and peace. It is not simply that He sometimes exhibits these characteristics or that He has been known to show these traits to men; no, he is full of them.  He is never without them and cannot use them up even though He ministers to the countless number of His Father’s children.  We similarly strive to develop mercy and compassion and truth and patience, but we come short and only sometimes are able to exhibit them.  But He is full of them, and giving us faith as we turn to Him that we can receive of His goodness.  He won’t run out of mercy to forgive us or truth to reveal to us or peace to offer us.  He is our exemplar to follow as we try to fill our souls with these same divine attributes.