God is good and life is precious, friends are dear and true friendship knows no real boundaries of time or space.

Welcome to the family of Christ! That’s exciting! Congratulations! I pray your life from now on will reflect the light you have been given.

As for the points you raised:
It is true that some members of the church misunderstand the whole “Faith vs Works” thing. They think all other Christians just do the “faith” thing. And many other Christians think that LDS church members just do the “works” thing. BOTH faith and works are right and necessary. And hopefully everyone, both inside and outside the church, is both exercising faith AND doing good works! What Nephi meant when he said that “it is by grace we are saved, after all we can do” has been clarified and reiterated by many prophets since then, which is that no matter how good we are, or how many good things we do, we ALL fall short of what Heaven requires, because we all sin. Since no unclean thing can dwell with God, we are ALL saved by grace. Because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, repentance allows us to be clean again in God’s eyes and return to His presence.

In answer to your questions about the things we do in the church (baptism, etc.) the answer there is pretty simple too, and again, people seem to see the ordinances of the gospel as some kind of bad thing, although we’re really simply following Christ’s example. Jesus was baptized, not because He had sinned, but “to fulfill all righteousness.” He directed His original Apostles to baptize those who desired to join the church, and lay their hands on them to give them the Gift of the Holy Ghost, etc. These “works” were (and are) saving ordinances in Christ’s church, “works” that the members did as part of becoming and being members of Christ’s church. So although we aren’t justified by our “works”, some “works” are part and parcel of being a member of Christ’s church. The other ordinances (temple work, etc.) in the LDS church are just a continuation of that. And, as I said before, since I have a spiritual witness that Christ’s true church really is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then whatever ordinances are part of His church are part of His gospel. They’re not a contradiction of scripture, they’re simply just like baptism, a part of His gospel.

Well, I’ve probably commented too much on this blog, so I’ll sign off.

Kate, I wish you well as you embrace and follow Christ as a new Christian! May His light enlighten your mind and heart, and may you reflect that light in all you do. God bless you!

Tell me, do you believe you are saved if you don’t keep the word of wisdom? Baptism? Confirmation? Have a Temple marriage? Baptism for the dead? Sealings for the dead? Etc., etc., etc.?? Can you achieve exaltation without it? Can you live with God again without all of that? How do you reconcile all of that with the Scriptures??

Ephesians 2:8-10 (King James Version)

8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Galatians 2:16 (King James Version)

16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 3:2-5 (King James Version)

2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Galations 2:21
21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

There are so many scriptures like this yet Mormonism sticks to one little sentence “Faith without works is dead.” Which more often than not is taken out of context.

Thanks for your thoughts. Here’s my (hopefully) brief response:

Yes, Bobby, I truly am certain that if I dropped dead in this moment that I would be OK in eternity because of my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Redeemer. Nothing I do, have done, or will ever do can ever repay or even come close to repaying the price He paid for my sins. I will forever be in His debt. OH, how I love my Heavenly Father for sending His Son, and how I love Jesus Christ for His wondrous gift to me and all mankind.

However, I am also certain that Christ restored His church and His authority to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Because of my spiritual knowledge of this fact, I also follow, as best I can, the teachings of His church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Those two statements aren’t contradictory at all. Because I have received a spiritual witness of both, it’s really a simple thing. Recognizing Christ as my Lord and Savior, I naturally want to be a part of His church, and follow its teachings.

Rob, you gave a lot of good information in your comment, but some misinformation as well. You quoted the Third Article of Faith, emphasizing the laws and ordinances part, but glossing over the “through the Atonement of Christ” wording above that. Now that isn’t the exact same wording as “through faith in Christ,” but it’s the same thing. To put it in other words, the Third Article of Faith says that because of Christ’s Atonement all mankind may be saved, if they embrace His gospel and follow its teachings. And, as I said above, logically, because I believe Christ has restored His church, I would naturally want to follow its teachings and receive its ordinances (Baptism, Confirmation, etc.) There’s no contradiction there, either.

The Fourth Article of Faith kind of clarifies this, too, stating that:
“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
So there’s the first four things one should do in joining Christ’s church: first (and foremost) have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This would include what other churches mean by “accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior”; second, repent of your sins; third, be baptized by immersion; and fourth, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Now granted, there are lots more things that as members of the church we are asked to do as we progress in the Gospel and learn more and become better people, but that’s the simple way it begins. With faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I am learning as I go, but that’s how I began this spiritual journey, and that’s the bedrock of my life.

I guess it really comes down to the different way we all say things. Many churches teach about the importance of having faith in Christ and accepting His grace. In our church we teach this, too, only we speak of the “Atonement” of Christ and His sacrifice for our sins.

I guess part of the difference, too, is that in our church we follow both the biblical teachings of Paul and of James. Paul spoke of the power of Christ’s grace, and that our faith can save us. James spoke of the need for good works in our lives as a demonstration or physical manifestation of our faith. “Faith without works is dead, being alone.” So leading a true Christian life means more, much more, than simply having faith in Jesus or accepting Him as your Savior. Our works, or in other words, what we do every day, should be a witness to the world of our faith. Faith and good works are not polar opposites in some religious battle. Good works, which include keeping the commandments of God, following His teachings, and accepting the ordinances of His church, are simply an outward manifestation of our faith. Good works will naturally flow from our lives, because of our faith in Christ. Both should be evident in the life of anyone who is truly trying to follow Christ.

Anyway, thanks for your comments, both of you. I hope I’ve helped clarify a few things. I didn’t address everything, because then this would be longer than it already is! The bottom line for me is that I admire the faith you both show, and wish you well as you try to follow Christ and make Him the center of your lives. Because of the spiritual truths that God has revealed to me through the Holy Ghost, I will continue to follow Christ and make Him the center of my life. I will also strive to follow the teachings of His church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Have a great day!

As I was a member of the LDS church for 39 years, I too am very familiar with its teachings and doctrines. While your assertions sound very mainstream Christian, they are very misleading and fall short of honest and real disclosure of long-standing LDS doctrine.

The Bible indeed declares without equivocation: Jesus answered, “I AM the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except THROUGH ME. John 14:6. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes IN HIM shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16. That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you WILL BE SAVED. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:9. Salvation is found IN NO ONE ELSE, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12.

However, your (and the LDS church’s) slight of hand and clear deviation from biblical declaration are illuminated in the following official LDS church declarations made in the Articles of Faith:

“We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, BY OBEDIENCE TO THE LAWS AND ORDINANCES OF THE GOSPEL.” Notice that DOESN’T mention “by faith in Jesus Christ.” Instead, the LDS third article of faith says that it is through the Atonement of Christ, “by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel” that mankind “may” be saved.

Note that the Bible declares that: “For it is BY GRACE you have been saved, THROUGH FAITH —and this not from yourselves, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD — NOT BY WORKS, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10 (And Jesus declared: “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” John 6:29.)

But, in addition to “by obedience to the laws and ordinances . . . “, the Book of Mormon adds: It is “by grace that we are saved, AFTER ALL WE CAN DO.” (2 Nephi 25:23.

So, what then, according to Mormonism, are “the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” that we must be obedient to and what is the “all we can do” that we must first do before qualifying to receive the grace (gift) of God? (to really completely understand, an examination of LDS definition of “salvation” is really in order but I will leave alone here for space considerations – suffice it to say that, according to LDS doctrine, Salvation really means only resurrection to a new immortal body but not necessarily entering into the Kingdom of God; Eternal Life, on the other hand, means entering the highest degree of glory or the Celestial Kingdom – the real Mormon counterpart to the traditional “salvation” in the mind of the average Christian – but Eternal Life in the Celestial Kingdom is significantly different in meaning for Mormons).

Among of the “laws and ordinances” and the “all we can do” list are (in addition to “having a ‘testimony’ of Jesus Christ’s atonement and his role as Savior and Redeemer”) that you must:

-Accept and believe in Joseph Smith as a Prophet, Seer, Revelator, and restorer of the one and only true church on the face of the earth (numerous are the LDS Prophet and Apostle quotations that there is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith);
-Accept and believe in the Mormon church as the one and only true church on the face of the earth;
-Accept, believe in and commit to following the current Prophet and church leaders in strict obedience;
-Committing to and living the Word of Wisdom (no coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs), Commit to living the law of Chastity (no sex outside of marriage), faithfully Tithing, faithfully attend church, keep the Sabbath day holy, etc.
-Be baptized by the Mormon church (the only church with authority to perform such an ordinance to be valid);
-Be confirmed a member of the church and receive the “gift of the Holy Ghost” (again, can only be performed by a faithful LDS priesthood holder);

And the foregoing list of requirements is only the beginning to achieve the bottom rung of the Celestial Kingdom (aka: Eternal Life in God’s Kingdom). It is the opening of the gate. Miss any of the above requirements, and you MAY NOT enter the bottom rung of the Celestial Kingdom. To achieve the higher levels of the Celestial Kingdom, one MUST:

-Receive the Aronic and Melchezidek Priesthoods (if you are male);
-Be faithful in any church callings you may receive
-Be endowed in an LDS temple where you will learn the required signs, tokens and penalties that will allow you to pass by the angles that stand as sentinels that lead to the kingdom;
-Wear the prescribed LDS garment night and day;
-Be married in an LDS temple (the key to entering the highest level of the Celestial Kingdom) [And, if you believe in the Doctrine and Covenants, Brigham Young and other subsequent LDS prophets and apostles, you must accept polygamy and enter into polygamous marriages (read D&C 132) (“for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same. For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.”)]

Fail to be faithfully obedient to and accomplish any of the foregoing list of “must-do’s” (and you must be Mormon to do so), you may not achieve the highest levels of the Celestial Kingdom.

So when Mormons say that: “Mormons unequivocally believe that there is no other way to heaven besides accepting Jesus Christ as their savior and having faith in him”, there is much more than meets the eye with such a simple but misleading statement.

In addition to the “all we can do”, the next slight of hand and other problem is that Mormonism teaches that the LDS Church is the way, the truth and the life and the only way that men can receive eternal life.

Brigham Young declared that anyone who does not confess that Joseph Smith was sent of God is of the anti-christ. Further he said: “They may say that they acknowledge Him [Jesus Christ] until doomsday, and he will never own them, nor bestow the Holy Spirit upon them, and they will never have visions of eternity opened to them, unless they acknowledge that Joseph Smith is sent of God. Such people I call unbelievers. They tell about believing in Jesus Christ, but they might as well talk about birds understanding the Hebrew language.” Journal of Discourses 8:176.

Brigham also declared that “no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith.”
Joseph F. Smith also stated that there is “no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith.” Journal of Discourses 7:289.

Marion Romney (LDS First Presidency) said, “THIS CHURCH is the ensign on the mountain spoken of by the Old Testament prophets. IT IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE” (Conference Report, April, 1961, pg. 119).

“This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is ‘the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth’ according to the word of revelation [D&C 1:30]. Here lies the truth. Here lies the priesthood. Hold to THE CHURCH. Do not ever lose sight of the fact that THE CHURCH must ever remain preeminent in your lives if you are going to be happy as the years pass. Never let yourselves be found in the position of fighting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You cling to IT and be faithful to IT. You uphold and sustain IT. You teach ITS DOCTRINE and LIVE BY IT. And I do not hesitate to say that your lives will be the richer and the happier because of that. You cannot find happiness fighting the work of God. Those who have done so have gone down to a dismal end” (Gordon B. Hinkley, Ricks College regional conference, Rexburg, Idaho, 29 Oct. 1995).

“One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation,” (Miracle of Forgiveness, Spencer W. Kimball, p. 206)

Clearly these unambiguous statements from LDS prophets and apostles contradict your assertion that the Mormon Church teaches that Christ alone is the path the eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

True, as you state, the LDS church teaches that “none of us could make it back to the presence of God without the grace of Christ and His atoning sacrifice for us, no matter how good we are or how many good works we do”, but that is only part of the story (and arguably a relatively small part of the story).

The declarations of the LDS “prophets” and “apostles” are directly contrary to the clear, plain and simple Word of God:

Jesus answered, “I AM the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except TROUGH ME. John 14:6

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes IN HIM shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
. . . .
I AM the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I AM come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:1;9-10

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12

It would appear that Mr. Thomas’s statements were indeed on the mark, after all. It would appear also that Mormonism has deviated far from the plain and simple truth that is in Christ.

May God bless you as you seek Him in truth.

I think what you are saying about grace and works fits in with how I see it biblically, however when we get in to exaltation being what Mormonism would think of as the top goal of man in salvation, we see that it most certainly isnt by grace alone, biblically I see nothing to support this and that all salvation is a work of God in the lives of sinners who put their trust in Christ.

One question I would ask is do you have 100% assurance right now of your eternity because of your faith in Christ alone if you were to die today?