The Relationship Between Charity and the Attributes of Christ

My son and I were recently discussing charity, and since he returned home from his two-year mission last year, he had been studying Preach My Gospel and the Attributes of Christ that it lists. He pointed out to me that the attributes Christ closely parallel the attributes of charity that Paul teaches about in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and Moroni teaches in Moroni 7:45-48. I had also been studying the last half of Mosiah 3:19 to understand how we "becometh a saint."

Elder Bednar gave a very helpful talk about charity entitled "The Character of Christ." Here is one of the quotes from it that has helped me:

Let me suggest that you and I must be praying and yearning and striving and working to cultivate a Christlike character if we hope to receive the spiritual gift of charity--the pure love of Christ. Charity is not a trait or characteristic we acquire exclusively through our own purposive persistence and determination. Indeed we must honor our covenants and live worthily and do all that we can do to qualify for the gift; but ultimately the gift of charity possesses us--we do not posses it (see Moroni 7:47). 

The Lord determines if and when we receive all spiritual gifts, but we must do all in our power to desire and yearn and invite and qualify for such gifts. As we increasingly act in a manner congruent with the character of Christ, then perhaps we are indicating to heaven in a most powerful manner our desire for the supernal spiritual gift of charity. And clearly we are being blessed with this marvelous gift as we increasingly reach outward when the natural man or woman in us would typically turn inward.

Aspects of Charity

Charity- Moroni 7, 1 Cor. 13	Attributes of Christ– PMG 6	Becometh a Saint-Mosiah 3:19
suffereth long	patience	patience
kind	charity and love	full of love
envieth not	humility
not puffed up	humility	meek, humble
seeketh not her own	obedience	submissive
not easily provoked	patience	patience
thinketh no evil	virtue
rejoiceth not in iniquity	virtue
rejoiceth in the truth	virtue
beareth all things	diligence	willing to submit to all things
believeth all things	faith in Jesus Christ
hopeth all things	hope
endureth all things	diligence
		becometh as a child
	knowledge

Elder Maxwell  The Greek rendition of the word "meek" in the New Testament, by the way, is “gentle and humble.”  Actually, meekness is not an attribute which is essential only in itself, said Moroni. It is also vital because one cannot develop those other crucial virtues—faith, hope, and charity—without meekness. In the ecology of the eternal attributes, these cardinal characteristics are inextricably bound up together. Among them, meekness is often the initiator, facilitator, and consolidator.

Meekness, however, is more than self-restraint; it is the presentation of self in a posture of kindness and gentleness, reflecting certitude, strength, serenity, and a healthy self-esteem and self-control.

Furthermore, not only are the meek less easily offended, but they are less likely to give offense to others. Meekness also cultivates in us a generosity in viewing the mistakes and imperfections of others.