Do Mormons Believe in Salvation by Grace or Works?

[Greg West]

This is a post that has been up on S.P.A.M for almost two years. As we are getting visitors from the anti-Mormon "Ephesians2.net" web site, I'm bumping this one for currency. Perhaps they'll learn what Mormon really believe about salvation, grace, and works.
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A news article provided the impetus for the topic of this chapter on the doctrines of grace, works, and forgiveness. I had been mulling over how to approach this issue for several weeks. I stumbled upon the story of a man on death row for murder, who went to his execution celebrating. He had “received Jesus” while in prison and despite his crime of beating a man to death during a robbery.

His victim's family had granted him their forgiveness and he fully anticipated a glorious reunion with Jesus in the hereafter. It seemed to me that the man was deluded with false confidence instead of the humility that one should manifest knowing that his reunion with Deity was imminent. This man was obviously unaware of the Bible passage that states, “...that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15)

In our fallen, mortal conditions, we are all imperfect. We are sinners. Disobedience to God's commandments is a part of the "natural man." Our nature is to seek our self-interest. Selfishness, jealousy, covetousness, envy, pride, and lust come with the package of the mortal body. It is through the light of Christ and the influence of the Holy Ghost that we are inspired to lay aside the sins that so easily beset us (2 Nephi 4:18) and can have a hope of putting off the natural man, becoming a saint through the atonement of Christ. (Mosiah 3:19)

As critical as receiving God's forgiveness is to our eternal welfare and present happiness, the churches of Christendom are divided on how one receives it. The battle lines of the opposing philosophies are drawn between faith and works.
Although Christian sects and denominations disagree over this doctrine, they quickly close ranks and falsely claim that the teachings of the Mormons are untrue because they claim we believe one is saved by his works, not by grace. In answer to that charge, I will try to present our view as accurately as I can. Especially, I wish to demonstrate that the Book of Mormon provides clear and simple teachings concerning this doctrine.

The teachings of Jesus Christ were consistent with the teachings of all the prophets of God who preceded him. To Moses, God gave the Ten Commandments, which included:

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:5-6)

The Lord shows mercy to those who keep his commandments. Jesus said to the rich young man who came seeking salvation:

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:17)

Following this chain of logic, Jesus taught that the greatest commandment was to love God with one's entire heart, soul, and mind. How do we demonstrate to God that we love him? Jesus gave the answer in John 14:15.

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

The Apostle John, echoed his Master's teachings when he wrote:

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:4)

There is probably no single concept repeated more frequently in the Bible (not to mention the Book of Mormon and the other latter-day scriptures) than to keep the commandments. One of the mortal missions Jesus had was to write the law on our hearts and help us internalize the principle of willing obedience and sincere repentance whenever we fail.

WHAT IS THE DOCTRINE OF WORKS?
A prominent false doctrine emerged from the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther criticized the Roman Catholic Church for the sale of indulgences. This practice stemmed from a succession of other misguided notions, such as:

-A priest can grant absolution for sin
-Ritual practices such as offering repetitious, rote prayers addressed to saints could obtain grace from God
-Through pious acts such as lighting candles, making a pilgrimage, etc. one could not only obtain sufficient grace for oneself, but also for others.

From a Latter-day Saint perspective, we might say that these incorrect practices were corruptions of true doctrines taught during the Apostolic Age. For example, only God can forgive sin, but an appropriately authorized administrator like a bishop may impose or waive penalties of Church discipline, such as excommunication, disfellowshipment, etc.

The waiving of a church-imposed disciplinary action does not grant forgiveness from God. The transgressor is only relieved of additional any additional burdens in the interest of their spiritual convalescence.

The belief that, through pious acts, one can obtain grace for another may well be a corruption of the true doctrine of salvation for the dead. Ancient Christians practiced proxy baptisms for those who had died prior to the advent of Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:29) Although this proxy ordinance is rendered in behalf of another, it is done with the understanding that God will respect the agency of the individual as to whether the ordinance is accepted or rejected. Mormons do not believe their personal worthiness has any impact on the validity of the ordinance or the grace extended to the person for whom acts as proxy.

Over the centuries, the Roman Church drifted towards assumptions that were not only extensions of corrupt, failed logic, but also convenient to the natural man. It was supposed that if one might accumulate excess grace by pious works that might be extended to another, it might also be reasonable to assume that one could bank up extra grace for future sins.

Since the donation of valuables to the church was a measurable good work, would it not be possible for a wealthy person to simply purchase forgiveness as needed? Even better, would it not be possible to purchase a credit against future sin? Thus the sale of indulgences was born in the Roman Catholic Church.

Martin Luther was appalled at this notion. In 1517, he justly condemned the practice and systematically began an intellectual attack, not only indulgences, but the traditions and practices that led to them. By rejecting the authority of the Papacy and Rome, he began to insist that the Bible itself was sufficient, inerrant, and the sole measure by which truth could be measured. Luther's own translation of the Bible is said by scholars to be masterfully done.

LUTHER'S DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
Luther is sometimes accused of advocating faith at the expense of doing good works, particularly by his reference to the Epistle of James as "the epistle of straw." Luther's theology focused on justification by faith, using Romans 1:17 as its basis.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Indeed, Luther himself at times attempted to reconcile Paul and James:

Faith is a living, restless thing. It cannot be inoperative. We are not saved by works; but if there be no works, there must be something amiss with faith. (Bainton, Roland H. Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther. New York: New American Library, 1950; 1978. p.259)

Yet Luther himself understood the intimate connectedness of faith and good works.

Yes, since faith alone suffices for salvation, I need nothing except faith exercising the power and dominion of its own liberty. Lo this is the inestimable power and liberty of Christians.

In doing these works...we must not think that a man is justified before God by them, for faith, which alone is righteousness before God, cannot endure that erroneous opinion.

Good works rather follow from faith as day follows night, as good fruit comes from a good tree. Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works. (Dillenberger, John, ed. Martin Luther: Selections From His Writings. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1961. p.64, 65, 69).

If there is faith, there will be works; if there are no works, there is no faith. Clearly, for Luther all good works should be seen as following as a result of one’s justification, but not in any way as contributing to, or as a condition of, justification. (Luther, Freedom of a Christian—1520)

Modern day sectarians, particularly those of the evangelical bent, gravitate towards a gospel presentation based on emotional appeals, offering an easy path to salvation. Forsaking the solid reasoning of Luther, They often cite this scripture as the basis of their message:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9).

These Christians will argue until they are blue in the face that good works are irrelevant yet they ignore the verse that immediately follows in Ephesians.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

GOSPEL ORDINANCES ESSENTIAL TO SALVATION
The scriptures are a vast repository of knowledge, instruction, and doctrine that must be studied in context. It is easy to pick out one isolated scripture and nail one's feet to the doctrinal soapbox while ignoring harmonious passages that amplify, reinforce, or provide background.

For example, many Christian ministers and their adepts with whom I have spoken over the years present this scripture to assert that a confession of faith is all that is required for salvation.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)

To someone who has not read the Bible in entirety, that seems to be a reasonable statement. Most folks, in ignorance of the contents of the scriptures, blindly trust their pastor or some evangelist on television. They'd reason, "Well, it's right there in the Bible. I guess it must be true."

Thus, a sincere person may be moved by their conviction of sin and guilt to respond to an altar call and seek forgiveness in all sincerity. They might be led in a prayer similar to this by a preacher, deacon, pastor, or minister:

Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”

This is a version of The Sinner's Prayer. It is not found in the Bible or any other scripture. It is a man-made invention contrived to fulfill the requirements imposed by Christian creeds devised by uninspired men some 300-400 years after the time of Christ. I discussed this at length in the earlier chapter about creeds.
The dangerous assertion here is that, if someone says this prayer, they believe they are saved by the blood of Christ and bound up unto eternal security. Many misguided evangelists assert that, once a person has said this prayer, they can never fall from grace again.

Let's take a moment to illustrate this absurdity. Several years ago, there was a case very similar to the one of the prisoner I mentioned earlier. A female murderer on death row in Texas was facing execution. Television evangelist Pat Robertson (normally a politically conservative advocate of the death penalty) intervened on her behalf, asking that she might receive clemency because she had accepted Jesus while she was on death row.

Now let's assume for a minute that Robertson's theology was correct. Let's think hypothetically. Let's say a murderer on death row, who took an innocent life is now facing death for his crime. Out of mortal fear and the possibility of eternal damnation, this murderer sincerely seeks to escape God's wrath and says the Sinner's Prayer. He now joins the ranks of saved Christians and when he dies, he goes to heaven to enjoy eternal felicity in God's presence.

Now, let us suppose that the person murdered was not a Christian, but was a decent, honest person who loved others and was guilty of no major transgressions of the laws of man or God. Let's even go so far as to say that the person was considering the possibility of accepting Jesus Christ and becoming a Christian. He was on the verge of making that confession of faith, when on the way to the supermarket, he was robbed and murdered by the aforementioned perpetrator.
According to this out-of-context “confess with thy mouth” interpretation, the murderer would be saved in God's kingdom, but the person who was about to accept Christ, whose life was prematurely snuffed out, would burn in hell for eternity. A few sectarians event went so far as to tell me that it was God's will that the innocent victim die before being saved, that he wasn't “elect according to foreknowledge of God.” (See 1 Peter 1:2)

The logical, but fallacious extension of this reasoning is the Calvinist doctrine of predestination, which states that God, knowing all things, predestined some souls to be saved and others to be damned, no matter how deserving and worthy they might be.

Let me ask you? Is that the teaching of Jesus Christ? Is that the doctrine of a just God? I've actually discussed this with ministers of various evangelical churches and they've actually gone so far as to quote Isaiah 55:8 to me to justify this illogic.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

“Give me a break,” I say! Who could not discern, because God's ways are higher than ours, that they would appear to be more just, not less. This qualifies as wresting the scripture to one's own destruction. (See 2 Peter 3:16.) Indeed, this scripture refer to the writings of Paul, which Peter admits "are some things hard to be understood."

WHAT DOES PAUL MEAN BY WORKS?
When Paul and Luther use the term works, they are talking about different things. To Luther, "works" meant unscriptural ritual observances that had become a part of the Roman Church practice.

On the other hand, Paul repeatedly makes references to the "works of the law" being dead, meaning that the scriptural Law of Moses had been fulfilled in Christ. There was no longer any saving value in observing the rituals and ordinances of the Mosaic law.

If a Jew accepts Jesus Christ, he can continue to practice the rituals such as circumcision, Passover, and the various feasts. His salvation comes through his faith in Christ and obedience to the commandments of God, not the ritual observances of the law that was fulfilled.

In the ancient Church, as Gentiles began to enter the fold, there was a contention that Gentile converts must first become Jews, then Christians. Paul staunchly defended the Gentiles from this unnecessary requirement. Gentile converts would not have to submit to the Mosaic dietary restrictions, circumcise their men and male children, etc. Those were the works that were "dead."

What were the commandments they were expected to obey? Those that were taught by Jesus and the apostles that continued with the New Covenant. Here is a short list:

-To have faith in Jesus Christ (John 20:31, Act 8:37)
-Repent of sins and be baptized by immersion (Mark 16:16, John 3:5. Acts 2:38, Acts 8:12)
-Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14-17, 19:1-6)
-Love one another (John 13: 34-35, 15:12, 15:17, 1 Thessalonians 4:9, 1 John 3:23
-Practice charity (Matthew 6:1-4, Ephesians 4:28, James 2:16)
-Endure to the end (Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13, 1 Corinthians 13:7, 2 Corinthians 1:6, 2 Timothy 2:3, James 1:12)

These are the good works the disciples were to let shine before men in Matthew 5:16. Paul, whose teachings on grace are so widely taught, is often ignored when he wrote:

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:10)

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:17)

Paul reproved those who professed faith in Jesus Christ and then denied him by their later unfaithfulness and departure from good works.

They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (Titus 1:16)

The Epistle of James reminds us forcefully, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (James 2:26)

THE MODERN CONTENTION OVER FAITH AND WORKS
There are many sectarian evangelists today who defy Martin Luther's carefully crafted understanding of the interrelation of faith and works. They promote an easy path to salvation whereby one can obtain grace by saying a contrived prayer that fulfills the requirements outlined by the Nicene Creed.

The real danger in their repudiation of works as being necessary for salvation is that they have categorized essential gospel ordinances as dead works.

These religionists claim that baptism, declared to be essential by Jesus Christ himself (John 3:5), is unnecessary for salvation because their doctrine is based in out-of-context statements by the Apostle Paul. They conveniently rationalize away the ordinances of the gospel which they lack the authority to perform.

If it is believed that the authority of Jesus Christ given to the ancient apostles was transmitted down to our time in the Roman Catholic Church, from where do non-Catholics claim authority to baptize and bestow the Holy Ghost? If that authority was lost from the Roman Catholic Church due to apostasy, as many Protestants claim, where is that authority now?

Now you see the quandary in which they find themselves. If a branch of a corrupt tree separates itself from the trunk and roots, is it no longer corrupt? Can it have any power or attribute that did not stem from its origin? If the Roman Church lost Divine authority, when and how was it restored to the Protestants?

Protestant churches find themselves in an untenable position. Without investiture of Divine authority, they resort to claiming authority from a book they declare to be inerrant and sufficient for salvation. However, there is no passage within the Bible that shows authority being transmitted from a book.

To those who act in Christ's name having not authority, the day will come when the Lord will say to them, "I never knew you." (Matthew 7:23) Divine authority is shown by the Bible to come from heavenly messengers or from God himself to prophets and apostles of old. Where are the living apostles and prophets in the churches of Christendom today? To whom have heavenly messengers appeared and given Divine authority and a legitimate commission?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims restoration of ancient priesthood authority by heavenly messengers and revelation from God in modern times. It does not stem from the roots of a corrupt tree. It is a new revelation. The creed-based churches of men could not accept it. One cannot put new wine in old bottles. They cannot receive it and remain intact.

The Book of Mormon is the most accurate book in teaching the doctrines and requirements of salvation. It is more clear in its message, more pure in its presentation. The Holy Ghost bears witness of it. As a companion scripture, it clarifies the Bible and resolves centuries-old controversies with gentle wisdom from heaven. For example, regarding faith and works, the Book of Mormon teaches:

BELIEVE IN GOD
Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. (Mosiah 4:9)

FAITH IN CHRIST
And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent. (Mosiah 3:17)

REPENTANCE, BAPTISM, AND THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. (2 Nephi 31:13)

AFTER BAPTISM, WHAT?
For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive. And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. (2 Nephi 31:17-21)

And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— (Mosiah 18:8-9)

GRACE AND WORKS
For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. (2 Nephi 25:23)

And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive. And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works. (Alma 7:23-24)

CHARITY
But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen. (Moroni 7:47-48)

ENDURING TO THE END
And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved. (2 Nephi 31:16)

CONCLUSION
The Bible and the Book of Mormon harmoniously teach that salvation is extended to mankind through Jesus Christ alone. We access that salvation through faith in his name and in submitting ourselves to gospel ordinances such as baptism. From there, we are obliged to keep the commandments, love one another, and endure to the end in faith to maintain a remission of our sins. Good works are the fruits of our Christian faith.

The Book of Mormon powerfully teaches salvation through Jesus Christ. It is the evidence of the Divine calling and authority of the Church. The Holy Ghost bears witness that it is true. I invite you, if you are wearied by the philosophies and doctrines of men, to read the Book of Mormon and drink from the pure spring of living water. It will be delicious and refreshing to you. It will fill you with light and the Spirit of God. By this fruit, you may know the truthfulness of its teachings.

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Originally posted 11 April 2008
Bumped for currency on 3 Feb 2010

[Greg West]

Seanette,

I asked an Evangelical about that. I responded to an "altar call" in a Baptist Church when I was ten years old. From his own doctrinal stance, I should have been saved eternally. It kind of stopped him in his tracks.

You'll probably appreciate this tongue-in-cheek post:

A conversation between PC and Mac about religion

[Seanette Blaylock]

Jumping back to the first comment and the reference to the "once saved, always saved" claim, isn't it interesting that that's claimed to not apply to people like me, ex-fundamentalist Protestants who become LDS? Supposedly, I forfeited my alleged guarantee of salvation by recognizing the truth of the Restored Gospel.

[Greg West]

Here's a headline that I just had to append to this topic. Last week, George Sodini, a seriously disturbed guy went into a women's health club, shut off the lights and opened fire with a gun. He killed three women, wounded nine others, and then turned his gun on himself. His motivation for mass murder was because he couldn't get a date.

Nevertheless, according to the "Deacon" of his church, says that the mass murderer went to heaven because he accepted Jesus as his Savior. They believe the "once saved, always saved" doctrine. Of course any reasonable person would realize that this is the twisting of scripture. Most people would agree with the Bible verse that says, "...no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:15)

This obvious misinterpretation of the Bible is not only ridiculous, but it also incredibly insensitive to the feelings of the victims' families. The teachings of men offer no comfort or justice.


http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleynewsdispatch/s_637429.html

[Greg West]

It's a different topic, but I found something similar in France. The French version of missal, which is the Catholic prayer book used in their services has the Ten Commandments listed in it. I was amazed to discover that they took out the commandment about graven images (because praying to images and icons is common among French Catholics) and they split the commandment about coveting into two parts, one for coveting the neighbor's wife and the other about his property to keep the total of 10. I was just dumbfounded when I saw that.

[Mike West]

There was one time while on my mission in Brasil where I was staying with 2 other companionships in a small town called Russas. We were there for nearly a week because in my work area, the city o Aracati, they were having the biggest celebration of Carnival in the northeast. Since we lived on the street that would be the center of the party, our president sent us out to Russas for a week. There, the missionary companionship of Russas lived right across the street from a small evangelical church. One morning during our study hour they started their morning sermon by putting a big amp on the street and preaching so all could hear.

The sermon was probably my first encounter with a sermon from another religion, definately my first sermon from an evangelist church. Of course, the topic reverted to the requirements of being saved. We sat there listening (because their sermon was so loud it destroyed all effort to focus on scripture study.) I followed his scripture references about faith and works and even anticipated the use of the scripture 2:8-10. I opened up to it and was reading it, and noted in verse 10 the requisite that we walk in good works.

As the preacher read his sermon I clued in on something. He read verses 8 and 9 word for word, exactly the same as it was written in the portuguese bible we used (The translation by Joao Ferreira de Almeida...the equivalent of the King James in scope of it's use). He read verse 10, which you said is often ignored like this:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in Him.

It shocked me how they read certain scriptures, picking and choosing the truth out of them, ignoring instructions plainly laid out in front of us. It helped me understand what Joseph Smith said about the various religions interpreting the bible to the point as to destroy any hope of resolving his questions with it.