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Response to claims made in "Chapter 11: Grace and Works"

Response to claim: 150 - The authors claim that "Mormon leaders have redefined the word salvation and given it a split definition that is certainly not taught by the Bible"

The author(s) of Mormonism 101 make(s) the following claim:

The authors claim that "Mormon leaders have redefined the word salvation and given it a split definition that is certainly not taught by the Bible."

FAIR's Response

Fact checking results: The author has stated erroneous information or misinterpreted their sources

Question: What can the writings of early Christians tell us about how to receive salvation in Jesus Christ?

Here are a few examples of what the early Church fathers taught on salvation:

Justin Martyr (AD 110–165)

Justin said:

“works deliverance from death to those who repent of their wickedness and believe upon Him.” (Ante-Nicene Fathers 1:249, chap 100, Dialogue with Trypho)

“by our works also to be found good citizens and keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation.” (Ante-Nicene Fathers 1:185, chap. 65, First Apology of Justin)

"But there is no other [way] than this,-to become acquainted with this Christ, to be washed in the fountain spoken of by Isaiah for the remission of sins; and for the rest, to live sinless lives." (ANF 1:217, chap. 44, Dialogue with Justin)

“Christ has come to restore both the free sons and the servants amongst them, conferring the same honour on all of them who keep His commandments” (Ante-Nicene Fathers 1:267, chap 134, Dialogue with Trypho)

Irenaeus

Irenaeus said:

“But He taught that they should obey the commandments which God enjoined from the beginning, and do away with their former covetousness by good works, and follow after Christ.” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chap. 12, Ante-Nicene Fathers 1:476)

“God has always preserved freedom, and the power of self-government in man, while at the same time He issued His own exhortations, in order that those who do not obey Him should be righteously judged (condemned) because they have not obeyed Him; and that those who have obeyed and believed on Him should be honoured with immortality.” (Ante-Nicene Fathers 1:480, Against Heresies 15)

“God, who stands in need of nothing, takes our good works to Himself for this purpose, that He may grant us a recompense of His own good things, as our Lord says: "Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you. For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: naked, and ye clothed Me; sick, and ye visited Me; in prison, and ye came to Me."[Mat. 25:34]” (Irenaeus Against Heresies, book 4, Ante-Nicene Fathers 1:486)

“And when we come to refute them, we shall show in its fitting-place, that this class of men have been instigated by Satan to a denial of that baptism which is regeneration to God, and thus to a renunciation of the whole[Christian] faith.” (Ante-Nicene Fathers 1:331, Irenaeus Against Heresies, Chap. 21)

Clement of Alexandria

Clement said:

“Being baptized, we are illuminated. Illuminated, we become sons...This work is variously called grace, illumination, perfection, and washing. Washing, by which we cleanse away our sins. Grace, by which the penalties accruing to transgressions are remitted. Illumination, by which that holy light of salvation is beheld, that is, by which we see God clearly.” (Clement of Alexandria, Ante-Nicene Fathers E 2:215)

“Straightway, on our regeneration, we attained that perfection after which we aspired. For we were illuminated, which is to know God.” (Clement of Alexandria, Ante-Nicene Fathers E 2:215)

Theophilus

Theophilus said:

“The things proceeding from the waters were blessed by God, that this also could be a sign of men being destined to receive repentance and remission of sins, through the water and bath of regeneration-as many as come to the truth and are born again” (Theophilus, Ante-Nicene Fathers E 2:101)

Mormonism's Attack on the Doctrine of Salvation by Grace

151-152

Claim

• Latter-day Saints "stereotype the evangelical Christian church as teaching that works are not important." According to the authors, Bruce R. McConkie said that salvation by grace alone was "the second greatest heresy of Christianity."

• Bruce R. McConkie, BYU 1983-84 Fireside and Devotional Speeches, "What Think Ye of Salvation by Grace?" 45;
• Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 670-671.
• LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, 25.
• Talmage, The Articles of Faith, 478-480.

• For a detailed response, see: Grace and works

Celestial Law—Can it be Lived?

153-154

Claim

• Latter-day Saints have unrealistic expectations with regard to achieving exaltation. The authors claim that it is not possible to live "celestial law." Joseph Fielding Smith "sounded pessimistic" when he said "that if we save one-half of the Latter-day Satins, that is, with an exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God, we will be doing well." Orson Whitney said that we have to obey "every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" in order to live "celestial law."

• Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:15.
• Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, 404.
• John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom, 3rd ed., 327-328.
• Orson Whitney, Conference Report (October 1910): 53.
• Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 14:133.
• John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom, 20.

• For a detailed response, see: Do members of the Church despair because they cannot keep all the commandments?

155

Claim

• The authors claim that "[b]ecause of the unreasonable demand put on them, [Latter-day Saints] may live their daily lives with the guild of never being good enough for celestial exaltation. Some have even given up trying."

• Stephen E. Robinson, Believing Christ, 45.

• For a detailed response, see: Do members of the Church despair because they cannot keep all the commandments?

"I Can Do it Later"

155-156

Claim

• The authors make an anecdotal claim that "[s]ome Latter-day Saints have felt that moral lapses in obedience can be overcome in the next life. Such thinking undermines the LDS concept of a mortal probation. They then quote several LDS leaders and the Book of Mormon to support this position.

• Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 1:69
• Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 229.
• Alma 34꞉32-33
• Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, 210.
• Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, 9-10.

• In this particular instance, we agree with the authors, LDS leaders and the Book of Mormon. This life is our mortal probation, and any Latter-day Saint who believes that they can sin in this life and simply make it up in the next is mistaken.

"That is Why we Have Repentance"

156

Claim

• The authors dismiss the concept of repentance by claiming that it is inconsistent, "since it is in keeping the law that one is exalted, not admitting you broke it."

• Yet, repentance is taught in the Bible, and a true prophet will preach repentance.
• For a detailed response, see: Grace and works/Salvation by faith alone and Biblical Keys for Discerning True and False Prophets/Tests/Preaches repentance

157

Claim

• The authors claim that "no Mormon will ever receive" forgiveness, since no "human has the ability to clear the desire or urge to sin out of their life." They claim that Spencer W. Kimball said that "those who thought frequent repentance was a means of getting right with God must 'straighten out their thinking.'"

• Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, 170.

• The authors wish to paint the LDS concept of repentance as something difficult and unachievable.
• For a detailed response, see: Grace and works/Salvation by faith alone

Achieving Perfection

157-158

Claim

• The authors claim that LDS leaders give "mixed signals as to whether or not perfection is necessary for exaltation."

• Marvin J. Ashton, Ensign (May 1989): 20-21.
• Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, 208-209.
• Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign (November 1999), 5.
• Henry B. Eyring, Ensign (November 1999), 34.

• Latter-day Saints believe the Jesus Christ was the only perfect person to ever live on the earth. To imply that LDS leaders are sending "mixed messages" regarding whether or not one can achieve perfection in this life is erroneous.
• For a detailed response, see: Nature of God/Deification of man

"But I'm Trying!"

159

Claim

• The authors claim that Gordon B. Hinckley stated that Latter-day Saints should "keep trying" to attain perfection. Yet, since it is impossible to be perfect, the authors claim that "it is wrong for the LDS Church to demand complete obedience to all the laws of God in order to receive exaltation." They quote Stephen R. Robinson, who they claim "admits" that "keeping the commandments" is "a troublesome expression for Latter-day Saints."

• Robinson, Believing Christ, 45-46.

• For a detailed response, see: Grace and works/Neglect grace and Nature of God/Deification of man

159-160

Claim

• The authors claim that Russell M. Nelson said that "trying was good enough," while Spencer W. Kimball contradicts this.

• Russell M. Nelson, Ensign (November 1995), 88.
• Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, 165.
• Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, 164.

• For a detailed response, see: Grace and works/Neglect grace and Nature of God/Deification of man

Further reading

FairMormon Answers articles