by Sharon Lindbloom
19 February 2025

Dieter Uchtdorf, an apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, recently assured his readers:

“Despite what Satan would have us believe, none of us are beyond the Savior’s ability to rescue us. None of us are disqualified from the grace of forgiveness. None of us are beyond being ‘encircled about eternally in the arms of his love’ (2 Nephi 1:15).” (“I Will Heal Them,” Liahona, 2/2025, 4)

While no doubt comforting to his audience, Mr. Uchtdorf’s statement doesn’t align with Mormonism. In fact, it contradicts LDS scripture and a long history of authoritative LDS teachings because, according to Mormonism, the sin of murder is unforgivable. Consider:

• Doctrine & Covenants 42:18: “And now, behold, I speak unto the church. Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come.” (See also D&C 132:27.)
• Joseph Smith: “Remission of sins by baptism was not to be preached to murder­ers. All the priests of Christendom might pray for a murderer on the scaffold forever, but could not avail so much as a gnat towards their forgiveness. There is no forgiveness for murderers.” (Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 221)
• Joseph Fielding Smith: “John says there are two kinds of sins. One kind that can be for­given; the other kind a sin unto death, for which there is no for­giveness. Murder is one of the latter class.” (The Restoration of All Things, 1964, 204)

Many LDS leaders have taught this church doctrine over the years, including a current member of the First Presidency, Dallin Oaks:

“A deliberate murder is what the scriptures call ‘a sin unto death.’ (1 Jn. 5:16.) It deprives the murderer of eternal life (1 Jn. 3:15) because there is ‘no forgiveness’ for this act (D&C 42:79).” (The Lord’s Way, 1991, 213)

Dieter Uchtdorf is sustained as a “prophet, seer, and revelator” in the LDS church by virtue of his apostleship. Even so, he doesn’t have the authority to disregard or otherwise undermine church scripture and established church doctrine. Regardless of what Mr. Uchtdorf wrote, Mormon teachings are clear: Some are “beyond the Saviors ability” to forgive and rescue.

As is often the case, the Bible disagrees with Mormonism. Though God is absolutely holy, He forgives all manner of sin. He forgave “a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent,” the foremost of sinners, the apostle Paul (1 Timothy 1:12-16). He forgave a serial denier, the apostle Peter (John 18:15-18, 25-27; 21:15-19). He forgave a man that defrauded his countrymen, Zacchaeus the tax-collector (Luke 19:1-10). He forgave a thief, the criminal who was crucified beside Him (Luke 23:39-43). He even forgave King David, an adulterer and a murderer (2 Samuel 11-12, Psalm 51). For God is “good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon [Him]” (Psalm 86:5).

LDS leaders have not always agreed on the particulars associated with the Mormon church’s doctrine regarding murder/murderers. Some have taught that the sin of murder, while not forgivable, can be mitigated to a certain degree. Nineteenth century LDS apostle George Q. Cannon taught that one who commits willful murder, “according to the Law of God, his blood should be shed; it is a crime which tears and repentance alone cannot entirely wash away” (Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of President George Q. Cannon 1:121). Brigham Young explained, “It is true that the blood of the Son of God was shed for sins through the fall and those committed by men, yet men can com­mit sins which it can never remit” (Brigham Young, 1856, Journal of Discourses 4:54). And according to Joseph Fielding Smith,

 “Joseph Smith taught that there were certain sins so grievous that man may commit, that they will place the transgressors beyond the power of the atonement of Christ. If these offenses are com­mitted, then the blood of Christ will not cleanse them from their sins even though they repent. Therefore their only hope is to have their own blood shed to atone, as far as possible, in their behalf.” (Doctrines of Salvation 1:135)

This LDS teaching, known as the doctrine of Blood Atonement, is not practiced in the Mormon church today; church officials deny that the doctrine was ever practiced. This is historically debatable, but for my purposes here it doesn’t matter. What matters is that the idea was clearly and repeatedly taught. Mormon prophets and apostles (and other LDS authorities) have insisted that the shed blood of Christ is insufficient to atone for some particularly “bad” sins. Furthermore, sometimes a sinner’s “only hope” is to have his or her own blood shed to make atonement for themselves. According to Mormonism then, an individual sinner’s blood is more powerful for atonement than the blood of Christ alone.

In contrast, the Bible teaches that Christ’s blood is entirely sufficient to atone for sin and “secure eternal redemption”: “He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (see Hebrews 9-10). Jesus is identified as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Truthfully, “the blood of Jesus [God’s] Son cleanses us from all sin…if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7, 9).

Pastor Scott Hubbard explains,

“The God we meet in Scripture does not hoard his forgiveness like a miser with his money. The storehouses of his heart are always open and stocked with all the grace a sinner will ever need. With God, there is forgiveness (Psalm 130:4) — and not out of reluctance or necessity, but out of the overflow of his broad heart…

“When Jesus began his public ministry, he set his face toward sinners (Mark 2:17), forgiving even the worst (Luke 7:47–48). He taught us to pray for forgiveness (Matthew 6:12), and, in his moment of greatest agony, he himself prayed for us: ‘Father, forgive them’ (Luke 23:34).

“…He took on a back to bear our griefs, shoulders to carry our sorrows, hands to be pierced for our transgressions, and a body to be bruised for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:4–5). Then he hung there on the cross, pouring out the kindness of his forgiving heart from the wounds that we created.” (“His Heart Is Broad as Heaven” at desiringgod.org)

Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Remarkably, it’s not only that Jesus is able to atone for our sins. He’s not only willing to forgive. But, as Pastor Hubbard says, “God delights to forgive.” 

“What makes God glad to forgive you? Not your merits, not your vows, and not your future potential, but rather the worth of the Lamb who was slain.” 

It’s all about Jesus. With so great a Savior, clearly no sin can “place the transgressors beyond the power of the atonement of Christ.” No sinner’s blood can be added to Christ’s to provide atonement. Dieter Uchtdorf had the right idea when he said no one is “beyond the Savior’s ability to rescue,” but this certainly isn’t the doctrine of Mormonism — a faith whose Christ is considerably “less than” the Bible’s “different Jesus,” who alone is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
(John 1:1-14)

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