FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Difference between revisions of "Mormonism and Christianity/Grace and works/Neglect grace"
m (→Response) |
m |
||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
==Response== | ==Response== | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Book of Mormon=== | ||
The Book of Mormon teaches the doctrine of grace clearly, and repeatedly. It insists that it is one of the most important of all: | The Book of Mormon teaches the doctrine of grace clearly, and repeatedly. It insists that it is one of the most important of all: | ||
| Line 16: | Line 18: | ||
33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. [http://scriptures.lds.org/2_ne/2/32#33 Moroni 10:32-33]</blockquote> | 33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. [http://scriptures.lds.org/2_ne/2/32#33 Moroni 10:32-33]</blockquote> | ||
| + | ===Joseph Smith=== | ||
| + | ===Bruce R. McConkie | ||
| + | |||
| + | Elder McConkie is not known for his "soft" take on doctrinal issues, yet he teaches this doctrine clearly and full of hope: | ||
| + | |||
| + | <blockquote>Everyone in the Church who is on the straight and narrow path, who is striving and struggling and desiring to do what is right, though far from perfect in this life; if he passes out of this life while he’s on the straight and narrow, he’s going to go on to eternal reward in his Father’s kingdom. | ||
| + | |||
| + | We don’t need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. … The way it operates is this: you get on the path that’s named the ‘straight and narrow.’ You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that’s called eternal life. … Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you’re working zealously in this life—though you haven’t fully overcome the world and you haven’t done all you hoped you might do—you’re still going to be saved<small>- Bruce R. McConkie, “The Probationary Test of Mortality,” Salt Lake Institute of Religion devotional, 10 Jan. 1982, 12.</small></blockquote> | ||
| + | And, elsewhere, Elder McConkie taught: | ||
| + | <blockquote>As members of the Church, if we chart a course leading to eternal life; if we begin the processes of spiritual rebirth, and are going in the right direction; if we chart a course of sanctifying our souls, and degree by degree are going in that direction; and if we chart a course of becoming perfect, and, step by step and phase by phase, are perfecting our souls by overcoming the world, then it is absolutely guaranteed—there is no question whatever about it—we shall gain eternal life. Even though we have spiritual rebirth ahead of us, perfection ahead of us, the full degree of sanctification ahead of us, if we chart a course and follow it to the best of our ability in this life, then when we go out of this life we'll continue in exactly that same course. We'll no longer be subject to the passions and the appetites of the flesh. We will have passed successfully the tests of this mortal probation and in due course we'll get the fulness of our Father's kingdom—and that means eternal life in his everlasting presence.<small>- Bruce R. McConkie, "Jesus Christ and Him Crucified," )Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1977), 400–401.</small></blockquote> | ||
| − | + | Finally, many recent conference talks address this doctrine specifically.[[#External Links|]] | |
==Conclusion== | ==Conclusion== | ||
Revision as of 15:21, 24 September 2005
This article is a draft. FairMormon editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.
Contents
Criticism
It is claimed that the Church ignores the doctrine of grace at the expense of "works." It is claimed that Church leaders do not teach this doctrine, and as a result most members of the Church do not expect to be saved, since they are not "good enough."
Source(s) of the Criticism
Response
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon teaches the doctrine of grace clearly, and repeatedly. It insists that it is one of the most important of all:
Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. 22 Nephi 2:8
And, the Book of Mormon's final verses teach a similar key doctrine:
32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. 33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. Moroni 10:32-33
Joseph Smith
===Bruce R. McConkie
Elder McConkie is not known for his "soft" take on doctrinal issues, yet he teaches this doctrine clearly and full of hope:
Everyone in the Church who is on the straight and narrow path, who is striving and struggling and desiring to do what is right, though far from perfect in this life; if he passes out of this life while he’s on the straight and narrow, he’s going to go on to eternal reward in his Father’s kingdom. We don’t need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. … The way it operates is this: you get on the path that’s named the ‘straight and narrow.’ You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that’s called eternal life. … Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you’re working zealously in this life—though you haven’t fully overcome the world and you haven’t done all you hoped you might do—you’re still going to be saved- Bruce R. McConkie, “The Probationary Test of Mortality,” Salt Lake Institute of Religion devotional, 10 Jan. 1982, 12.
And, elsewhere, Elder McConkie taught:
As members of the Church, if we chart a course leading to eternal life; if we begin the processes of spiritual rebirth, and are going in the right direction; if we chart a course of sanctifying our souls, and degree by degree are going in that direction; and if we chart a course of becoming perfect, and, step by step and phase by phase, are perfecting our souls by overcoming the world, then it is absolutely guaranteed—there is no question whatever about it—we shall gain eternal life. Even though we have spiritual rebirth ahead of us, perfection ahead of us, the full degree of sanctification ahead of us, if we chart a course and follow it to the best of our ability in this life, then when we go out of this life we'll continue in exactly that same course. We'll no longer be subject to the passions and the appetites of the flesh. We will have passed successfully the tests of this mortal probation and in due course we'll get the fulness of our Father's kingdom—and that means eternal life in his everlasting presence.- Bruce R. McConkie, "Jesus Christ and Him Crucified," )Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1977), 400–401.
Finally, many recent conference talks address this doctrine specifically.[[#External Links|]]
Conclusion
A summary of the argument against the criticism.
Further reading
FAIR wiki articles
- Links to related articles in the wiki
FAIR web site
- Links to articles on the FAIR web site; Topical Guide entries go first
External links
- David A. Bednar, “In the Strength of the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 2004, 76.
- Gene R. Cook, “Receiving Divine Assistance through the Grace of the Lord,” Ensign, May 1993, 79.
- Bruce C. Hafen, “The Atonement: All for All,” Ensign, May 2004, 97.
Printed material
- Printed resources whose text is not available online