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August 23, 2019 5:16 am
One member is examining the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from a biblical perspective view .1 Mormonism sponsored by Mormonism research ministry since 1979 Mormonism research ministry has been dedicated to equipping the body of Christ with answers regarding the Christian faith in a manner that expresses gentleness and respect. And now, your host for today's viewpoint on Mormonism welcome to this additional viewpoint on Mormonism on your host, Bill McKeever, founder and director Mormonism research ministry with me today is Eric Johnson my colleague that MRM well it's Friday and we are wrapping up a short series on an article written by Mormon blogger Jana Reese titled three reasons Mormons don't know what to do with the apostle Paul. The context of this whole article has to do with the curriculum that was going to be examining the writings of the apostle Paul when I read this article. At the very beginning. As I mentioned on Monday, I was pretty excited about what I was reading, but as I got towards the end, my excitement certainly dissipated quite quickly. I think as we mentioned in yesterday's show when she tries to distance the modern LDS church from teaching, such as those about grace with Mormon apostle Bruce R. McConkie back in the 1960s. She seems to have the impression that the Mormon church is gotten away from some of the things that McConkie taught and I would wholeheartedly disagree with that.
I think the church today is certainly teaching pretty much the same thing. Although it's not perhaps as blunt as McConkie used to be and that was one of them. Sure a lot of Mormons saw as a fault. I kind of liked his bluntness because it was easy to know where McConkie was coming from but in the last section of her article, she talks about the apostle Paul being really adamant about the grace thing.
She calls it and remember the whole point of this article is to show why, in her opinion that Mormons don't really know what to do with the apostle Paul that she says Mormons still don't quite know what to do with that irascible outsider Paul but I'd be quite honest. Eric when I read this last section.
It makes me think that maybe Jana Reese doesn't know what to do with the apostle Paul because at one point, I think she's getting it. She's getting it. And then we get to this last portion were going to discuss today and I just become very disappointed we left off yesterday talking about Bruce McConkie and Moron I can 30 212 start with that. That paragraph. This conditional approach this conditional approach to grace runs headlong in the Paul full on polling. Grace is scary to Mormons. It sounds lawless and potentially dangerous, like all the traffic lights have been turned off and people have license to drive as recklessly as they please.
Is Paul really saying that people don't need to keep commandments in order to be saved.
Mormons like rules Presbyterians may have popularized the phrase decently and in order, but Mormons have exalted order to an art form that she uses the illustration of lawlessness potentially dangerous, like all the traffic lights have been turned off and people have license to drive as recklessly as they please.
I was impressed with that illustration.
And this is why I've heard Mormons say something very similar to that. They think that grace means that we have a license to do whatever we want to do because after all, were saved by that grace.
So commandment keeping wouldn't be necessary or important.
Let me give you an example. This is 12 Pres. Spencer W. Kimball in the classic work, the miracle of forgiveness and he cites Ephesians 289 and he says some people are not of our church like to quote that passage you and I like to quote it to because we think that the gospel is encapsulated in those short verses. This is what he writes about Ephesians 289 about being saved by grace through faith, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God and this is on page 2061 of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan, propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation will you and I would say amen. This is what he says, along with all the other works necessary for man's exultation in the kingdom of God. This could rule out the need for repentance. It could give license for sin, and since it does not require man to work out his salvation could accept instead lipservice deathbed repentance and shallow meaningless confession of sin. So it sounds like Spencer Kimball with what you just read is going along with her illustration about the traffic lights will be interned all right. Kimball had that idea.
We have heard many Latter Day Saints explain it that way to us, which shows that they really don't understand what Paul was saying, but Paul knowing that's what people would probably say it's funny.
You would think that a guy like Spencer Kimball would recognize hey wait a minute, pulse talking about me when he says what you're about to read what is he say about this idea that grace gives us a license to do whatever we want there to passages and this is found in the book of Romans the same book that they that the Mormons are supposed to have read over the course of two weeks. This is what it says in verse five of chapter 3. But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly what shall we say that God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us. I am using a human argument, certainly not. If that were so how could God judge the world. Someone might argue if my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned at the center why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say let us do evil that good may result their condemnation is just and then he says in Romans 61 and following.
He says what shall we say then shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase by no means and literally the word.
The words in the Greek is God forbid we are those who have died to sin.
How can we live in it any longer, though I think that many Mormons do not understand the difference between justification and sanctification, and so the idea that we would continue to go on sinning, just so we get more grace. That's not the idea that a born-again Christian is going to have it makes you wonder how many in the class of there's going to be two classes 50 minutes each, that they are going to cover the book of Romans and their supposed to spend part of that class talking about what the individual member learned when they read those chapters do you think anybody in that class stood up to say you know I read what you just read Eric from from Romans that Paul is actually denouncing this idea that grace should be understood that is a license to sin. And you know what our evangelical friends keep telling us that over and over again. We should probably quit accusing them of that. I don't know if many people did that affect I would be surprised if any did that at all and you brought this up earlier in the week that when Paul gives his words in Ephesians 289 about this idea of not by works, lest any man should boast. He follows it and it goes right in line with what James says that we are God's workmanship, created by Christ Jesus to do good works, which he prepared in advance for us to do. It makes no sense that Paul would be dissing the idea of works and then all of a sudden he comes in and he says what were created to do good works, it all goes in line when you understand the gospel and you understand the proper view of justification by faith alone and then understand that were sanctified onto good works.
She ends her peace and this is where I was really disappointed to talk about the lesson that they were going to be studying in the book of Romans emphasizes she says that keeping the commandments is not what saves us Christ's atonement. Does that but that through faithful deviance to the commandments, we help open our hearts to receive grace as an enabling power may be Mormons she says are figuring out what to do with Paul. After all, and I read that and I was so disappointed and I thought she missed it. If that was her conclusion where she says that Christ's atonement does that that has nothing to do with keeping the commandments that saves the individual Mormon how can I Mormon who explains clearly what's necessary for them to receive exultation leave out the part about keeping the commandments. The part about being worthy. That is what saves them. How do you get the blessings of the atonement you've read that during the week Eric to get the blessings of the atonement you have certain things that you must do it just doesn't come automatically because of what Jesus did. And of course what Jesus did, they would say took place in the garden of Gethsemane, not necessarily on the cross at Calvary.
Here, for instance, James Faust was a member of the first presidency when he passed away gave a talk called the atonement. Our greatest hope. He said the atonement cleanses us of sin on condition of our repentance.
Repentance is the condition on which mercy is extended. After all we can do to pay the uttermost farthing and make right our wrongs. The Savior's grace is activated in our lives through the atonement, which purifies us and can perfect us. That is not with the apostle Paul was teaching. He never said anything like that.
We have to also understand the difference in terminology were talking about salvation by grace because in Mormonism. Salvation by grace comes to everybody because of what everybody did in the preexistence by obeying Jesus. But then there's exultation by works and this is made clear by 70 Gerald Lund in an inside article April 1981, page 18.
He said the atonement of Christ overcame physical death through the resurrection, that is, salvation by grace because it comes all men automatically and does not depend on what kind of wise. They have lived. But if we wish to overcome spiritual death and enter back into God's presence. We must be obedient to laws and principles. This is exultation by works. Thus, according this explanation we are saved by grace and exalted by works. The fact is you have to be worthy Mormons understand that term.
They have to be worthy in order to get a temple recommend to to go participate in the endowment ceremony worthiness is absolutely essential. This is why I have to wonder how many times was the subject of imputation brought up in any of these classes when they went through the book of Romans. Do you think the teacher really explain clearly what the doctrine of imputation really is how when a person comes to faith in Christ, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to that individual. And that's how we have that standard of perfection necessary to be in the presence of an all holy God. I'm sure it wasn't something that was specifically spelled out in these manuals because we've looked at the manuals and they don't seem to really address this doctrine, but worthiness is absolutely essential.
Gordon B Hinckley himself in 2003, the 15th president of the church said this, you cannot compromise your qualifications to sit as a common judge in Israel. Now remember, he's talking to the local leadership at this time. He said it is a fearsome and awesome responsibility to stand as judge of the people you must be their judge.
In some instances, as to worthiness to hold membership in the church worthiness to enter the house of the Lord worthiness to be baptized worthiness to receive the priesthood worthiness to serve missions worthiness to teach them to serve as officers in the organization.
Look at how many times Gordon B. Hinckley emphasizes personal worthiness and how is this tied in.
When it comes to the thinking processes of a member of the LDS church. It's based on the commandments. They're keeping and it's based on how good they are at repenting or forsaking all of their sins in Romans chapter 4 verse 22 it says therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
You said that you looked at the general conference talks. This verse is not talked about in fact a latter-day St. leaders seem to ignore the passages that seem to be so clear about what a person has to do imputation is receiving God's righteousness, not based on what we do but on what he does.
You don't see that emphasizing their teachings. As I mentioned at the beginning of the series I had great hopes when I began this article but I was certainly disappointed when I read her conclusion. Thank you for listening you would like more information is research ministry. We encourage you to visit our website www.mrm.org you can request our free newsletter Mormonism research. We hope you join us again as we look at another viewpoint is