He Received a Fulness

One of the words repeated numerous times in Doctrine and Covenants 93 is fulness. It is used fifteen times in this revelation, describing both what the Savior received and what we can receive. The Savior declared, “And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one—The Father because he gave me of his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men. I was in the world and received of my Father, and the works of him were plainly manifest. And John saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory” (v3-6). We learn that Christ did not always have a “fulness” but had to obtain it: “And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace; And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness; And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first” (v12-14). But He did ultimately receive a fulness from the Father: “And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father; And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him… He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth” (v16-17, 26). Christ grew from grace to grace and did all that was required to receive a fulness of truth and glory and power from the Father. So, we need not wonder if the Savior can help us—He can never run out of ability to come to our aid. His grace and power and capacity are always available.     

            My seven-year-old son has learned about the gas gauge in a car, and he often looks at it when we are driving to make sure we have enough. When it starts to get low, he is very quick to tell me we are almost empty and will insist that we go get gas. He understands that the car can only go so far before it needs a refill. The Savior, on the other hand, needs no refill because He is always full. He received a fulness and He has an eternal supply of aid to offer us. Many other scriptures testify of what the Savior is full of. Alma testified, “I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name” (Alma 5:48). Jesus is full of grace, mercy, and truth. Alma also said to another group, “And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people and to answer their prayers” (Alma 9:26). The Son of God is full of grace, equity, truth, patience, mercy, and long-suffering. Alma taught again to the same people that “the Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of days or end of years… is full of grace, equity, and truth” (Alma 13:9). Lehi confirmed that “redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth” (2 Nephi 2:6). He will not run out of grace to forgive us or truth to teach us. A modern revelation declares, “Glory, and honor, and power, and might, Be ascribed to our God; for he is full of mercy, Justice, grace and truth, and peace, Forever and ever, Amen” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:102). The Savior is full of mercy, justice, grace, truth, and peace.

             In the book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price we have several more affirmations that the Savior is full of grace and truth. The Lord said to Moses, “And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, and all things are present with me, for I know them all” (Moses 1:6). Moses could do his work because the Savior had grace and truth to give him. The angel of the Lord said to Adam as He made sacrifice, “This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth” (Moses 5:7). The Lord also said to Adam, “If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you” (Moses 6:52). The Only Begotten is full of grace and truth and thus can give salvation unto the children of men. He will not run out of it, for the Son “is full of grace and truth” and the Holy Ghost “beareth record” of Him (Moses 7:11). We need never wonder if there is any grace left for the Savior to forgive us or give us power in our trials. He obtained a fullness and will always be full of capacity to bless us as we come to Him.