Category: Grace vs. Works
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What Is So Amazing About the Mormon Version of Grace?
Note: The following was originally printed in the September/October 2016 edition of Mormonism Researched. To request a free subscription, please visit here. John Newton (1725-1807), the slave trader turned Anglican pastor, wrote many hymns during his lifetime, but none have enjoyed as much fame as “Amazing Grace.” According to Newton biographer, Jonathan Aitken, “Amazing Grace” is the “most sung,…
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The New and Everlasting Covenant: A Review
Link to the December 2015 article by Seventy Marcus B. Nash: The New and Everlasting Covenant Listen to an 8-part podcast series that aired January 18-27, 2016: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Note: This article—repeated word-for-word here—was written by Seventy Marcus B. Nash and printed in the December 2015 Ensign magazine…
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Are You Keeping the Whole Law?
Emblazoned on the east wall of the Salt Lake City Temple (and other LDS temples as well) are the words “Holiness to the Lord.” This passage, taken from Exodus 28:36, portrays the Latter-day Saints as a people who strive to live a moral code above that of others in the world today. While such a…
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Have You Ever Sinned the Same Sin Twice?
When it comes to the area of God’s forgiveness, there is a vast difference between the God of Mormonism and the God of the Bible. Because of the sinful nature that clothes all humans, everyone struggles with sin and temptation. Not even the apostle Paul was exempt from the daily contentions with sin. Though he…
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A Gift of Grace?
Editor’s Note: The following was originally printed in the May/June 2015 edition of Mormonism Researched. To request a free subscription, please visit here. At general conference in April 2015, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a member of the LDS First Presidency, gave a message called “The Gift of Grace.” In it he said “salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience.”…
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Mormonism 201 (Grace and Works): Response to Kevin Graham
To visit the list of rejoinders, go here. Editor’s Note: In order to make this review easier to read, all original quotes used from the Mormonism 201 rebuttal are boldfaced and italicized to separate these from the rest of the rejoinder. Review by Kevin Graham Rejoinder by Eric Johnson Though Kevin Graham writes one of the…
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Does Mormonism Really offer a "Gift of Grace"? A review of Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s talk on Easter Sunday 2015
For a 5-part Viewpoint on Mormonism podcast series reviewing this talk, go to “Utctdorf’s Gift of Grace (Is Mormonism coming Biblical Christianity’s Way?)” Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 In what may be the most quoted sermon at a General Conference in recent years, “The Gift of Grace” as delivered by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, the second…
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Is it really a gift?
One of the most remarkable things about the Mormon religion is how its leaders can so badly misinterpret the basic meaning of certain words. Take “gift,” for example. When I think of a “gift,” I think of something given to another at no obligation, even though there still is a cost attached. The payment, however,…
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Doesn’t the Fruit (Good Works) Produced in Mormonism Prove This Is the True Church?
Pointing to Mormonism’s welfare program, relief supplies during times of disaster, and other humanitarian efforts, some Latter-day-Saints believe that “fruit” such as these legitimizes their church. Should the LDS Church’s “good works” legitimize its standing as “Christian”?
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Do Christians Believe That They Can Say a Prayer for Salvation and Then Sin Any Way they Like?
En Espanol A false stereotype some may have about Evangelical Christianity is that good works are not important. Hence, it is thought by those outside Christianity that all a person needs to do is walk down a church aisle, say a little prayer, and presto, salvation is secure and a person can now live like…
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How Good is Good Enough?
About a week after the April 2014 General Conference of the Mormon Church the (Provo, Utah) Daily Herald published an article by correspondent Steve Densley titled, “How Good is Good Enough?” Mr. Densley began, “The semiannual conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to a close last week. I watched intently…
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James 2:20, 26: Are Good Works a Requirement for Heaven?
Some use this verse to show how works are a requirement for heaven. However, James was addressing those who claimed to be Christian but minimized the importance of works. Such a view is contrary to the words of both Jesus (Matt 7:16-20) and Paul (Gal 5:16-26). The writer of Hebrews explains that faith, not works,…
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Justification by Faith and the Book of James
When the subject of salvation comes up, many Mormons use certain biblical passages to support the LDS idea that good works are necessary for a person to receive salvation. It is clear Mormonism is a religion that stresses good works. Latter-day Saints are generally good people who are known for clean, wholesome living, volunteer service, and…
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Is Jesus’ Grace Sufficient in Mormonism?
Brad Wilcox is a religion professor at LDS Church-owned Brigham Young University who also serves on the Sunday School board. He gave a devotional address at BYU on July 12, 2011 that has been widely circulated on the Internet. The talk, titled “His Grace is Sufficient: How does God’s Grace really work?” tries to make…
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Understanding James 2:26
In the course of a study on Ephesians, Tabletalk magazine discusses the relationship between a person’s good works and his justification before God. Examining James 2:14-26 (“faith without works is dead”), the magazine offers good insight into James’ teaching. Since Mormons regularly misappropriate this Bible passage as a proof-text to support the LDS doctrine of…
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Aren’t All Mormons ‘Procrastinating Their Repentance’?
By Bill McKeever Listen Ninth LDS President David O. McKay, once wrote: “The fallacy that Jesus has done all for us, and live as we may, if on our deathbed, we only believe, we shall be saved in his glorious presence, is most pernicious. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, has given us the…
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Sacrament Promises That Will Always Be Broken
By Bill McKeever Each week millions of faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints partake in what they call the sacrament service. Though similar to the Christian tradition of communion in that members are asked to reflect on the life of Christ and His sacrifice, the sacrament meeting does have some…
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"Mercy Cannot Rob Justice" — The Need for Mormons to Merit Exaltation
Listen I recall listening on the news to some of the eulogy given at the funeral of a Mormon murder victim. It was not unlike many funeral messages I’ve heard. Much of it dealt with the positive aspects of the deceased’s personality and achievements. It also included a hopeful message that the deceased was experiencing…
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How Has 2 Nephi 25:23 Been Interpreted?
By Aaron Shafovaloff 2 Nephi 25:23 is a key text by which Mormons identify and distinguish their view of grace, repentance, works, and merit. It has consistently functioned in Mormonism as a text speaking of the prerequisite conditions for receiving forgiveness, eternal life, and exaltation, although some neo-orthodox Mormon revisionists are attempting to recast it…
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Book Review: Grace Works: After All We Can Do
By Dr. Robert Millet Reviewed by Bill McKeever The front jacket reads, “As Latter-day Saints we sing and speak of the redeeming love of Jesus Christ, but do we take those words of praise and worship to heart? In whom do we really trust? Upon whom do we really rely? What does it mean to…