Born Again, Part 2

Heart of the Matter: Understanding Justification

LIVE! From the "Mecca of Mormonism," Salt Lake City, Utah – THIS . . . is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology. . . . "Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face to Face." Show 11 Born-Again II March 16th 2010

And I’m your host, Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion.. If you have family or friends who cannot get Heart through television, give them a call and tell them to go to WWW.HOTM.TV and they can watch through streaming video from anywhere in the world!

Hey . . . “I was a Born-Again Mormon.” The manuscript is available online through a downloadable PDF. Go to www.hotm.tv and you can have the book in your hands within minutes.

Are you reading and studying the Word of God (otherwise known as the Bible)? www.calvarycampus.com

Capstone Conference and Church Recommendations

Last Friday and Saturday Calvary Chapel SLC held the first reorganized Capstone Conference. I was fortunate enough to attend and see the just excellent information available. Also, if you are looking for a sound church to attend, check out Calvary Chapel Salt Lake City with Pastor Terry Long. These guys do church really, really well. Go to www.ccslc.com for more information.

Speaking at the Conference, by the way, was none other than Sandra Tanner, of UTLM.org. We have long supported Utah Lighthouse Ministry and believe they provide the most consistent information around on Mormonism. Why? They pull from Mormonism's own sources. www.utlm.org

Finally, we have had a number of compliments on the video segment Cassidy presented last week on the ministry. Many have asked what I was doing when I got sort of emotional. I was being interviewed by my good friend John Dehlin at Mormonstories.org. You can go to the site to review the whole thing. I suggest it as I believe it reveals my true heart for the LDS.

And with that, let’s have a prayer.

PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER

Examining Romans 5:10

Last week we left off having discussed one part of Spiritual Rebirth – JUSTIFICATION – from both the LDS and the biblical perspective. We ended with a verse from Romans 5 verse 10 which says:

For if when we were enemies (or when we were sinners) we were reconciled to God through the deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

What exactly does this verse mean? The verse actually describes all the effects of true salvation, which includes our being justified by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus (or, as it says, through the death of His Son) AND it also speaks of our being, “saved by His life.”

I think most of us have some understanding of what it means to be justified by His blood. As we said last week, justification is the opposite of condemnation, and it is basically a legal term which announces once and for all that we have been rendered innocent of breaking any of God’s commands or laws.

In some ways, justification takes us as we are and announces that by our FAITH we have done everything we were expected to do relative to God’s perfect law. But nothing more. You see, we live in a world where people are paraded as heroes because they tell the truth when it is tough, or return a lost wallet full of money, or kept their virginity until after marriage. In God’s economy, these are plain and simple expectations of all people, not worthy of reward, but expected.

When someone claims, “Well, I’ve lived a good life?” God could say, “Well, you should have lived a good life.” It’s a basic expectation. Where is the reward for doing what everyone should do in the first place?

So, in a sense, this is what justification does on our behalf. The shed blood of Jesus takes our failures of meeting God’s basic expectations (HIS LAW) and removes the condemnation completely. And through this justification, we are essentially made a blank slate by His shed blood. A big blank tabla rasa. Certainly, our crimes on the books are cleared. There are no charges against us.

But we are NOT made holy in this state, just free of all negative charges. Holiness implies more than just a clean slate, it implies righteous attributes, actions, and attitudes. The word Holiness is synonymous with the word sanctify or sanctification.

Justification and Sanctification

Now, if all that Jesus did was to justify those who believe on His name, then the end result would be that…

Immediate Sanctification in Christianity

Our death would go to God cleared of all charges . . . yet without possessing any righteousness or holiness. And God desires all to have holy merit. But how does the Christian who confesses Christ and dies, like the thief on the cross, or those who are babes in Christ, ever really have any merit of their own. The answer: Through the merits of Jesus.

Enter the second part, if you will, of being born-again – immediate sanctification. If all Jesus did in terms of our salvation was to come and justify us or remove all charges from our slate, then I suppose He could have dropped down from heaven, whipped up the body of a fully grown man, been crucified, and the debt would have been paid. But God also sanctifies every believer immediately by the shed blood of Jesus so that His righteousness, gained by taking on a body of flesh from an infant, being tested and tried and tempted in all things but failing in none, can be IMPUTED to them that believe!

Therefore, when a person believes on His name, they are not only justified of their sins – not condemned – but they are also sanctified . . . or made righteous and holy, through His life! Is this amazing or what? This type or aspect of sanctification is why Christians believe in death-bed repentance and know that the thief on the cross was not only cleared of His failures regarding God’s law but was actually made righteous and holy before God THROUGH the righteous life Jesus actually lived!

Sanctification by Faith

Speaking of our being sanctified by faith in the Lord, 1st Corinthians 1:30 says that Jesus Christ “ . . .became for us wisdom from God–and (became for us) righteousness and sanctification and redemption– that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD." Christ Jesus became for us . . . wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, WHY? So that when anyone would glory, they would – or ought to – glory in the Lord.” A believer does not ever glory in their own righteousness. Not in their own purity or preparation. But in Him!

When a person understands that Jesus not only erased their crimes against God’s law but that He also makes them righteous and holy before God, all the elements of human pride are stripped away, and the person is left to GLORY ONLY IN THE LORD.

Contrast with Mormon Sanctification

With regard to this aspect of sanctification, Mormonism and Christianity are worlds apart. In Mormonism there is no imputed righteousness that immediate comes from the life of Christ to those who believe. Why? Because to the LDS, righteousness, holiness, sanctification, and personal merit begins and ends . . . in them . . . by their own works of righteousness. Where Christians know that they are holy and righteous and worthy ONLY in and through Him, Latter-day Saints are certain that they are establishing their own righteousness before God.

In Romans chapter 10 there are a series of passages that, in my opinion, clearly describe this errant LDS view, which truly presents another gospel. In it, Paul is speaking to the Jews – whom He dearly loves. And He says:

1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.

2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Speaking of Christ’s work, the writer of Hebrews (10:10) says: “By the which will we are sanctified (not justified, but made holy) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Every Bible believing Christian understands that once a person receives Jesus, they are saved by grace through faith, having been both immediately JUSTIFIED and, AND, AND immediately SANCTIFIED in God’s eyes.

The peace and truth in this assurance cannot be bought or found in any other form as it literally frees a person from fears, worries, and concerns about someday having to face the wrath of a holy God . . . and it brings them wholly and securely to His throne by the righteous blood and life of their new King. And only then God becomes our “papa,” our Dad, our loving, unconditional eternal Father. Then and only then can people say, without hesitation, that they have been “born-again,” that they are

The Mormon Perspective on Rebirth and Salvation

Within Mormonism, there exists perhaps one of the ugliest admixtures or twists of scripture relative to this subject. These sick, man-made doctrines ensure that most Latter-day Saints will never experience true rebirth but are instead trapped into a life of servitude to the LDS church itself. We know from last week's program that Mormonism first teaches that spiritual rebirth only comes about by receiving their ordinances of water baptism and what they call their “the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Brigham Young said: “Every ordinance, every commandment and requirement is necessary for the salvation of the human family.” (Discourses of BY pg 152) But the demands for salvation do not end here. They then take the grace wrought by faith and remove it even further from the hearts of their members by teaching that holiness (or sanctification) comes only by the works and efforts of the individual and that it is NOT imputed to a believer by faith in Christ alone. Wilford Woodruff, fourth president of the Church said: “If I ever obtain a “full salvation,” it will be by my keeping the laws of God.” (Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pg. 23)

Mormon Leaders on Faith and Works

Joseph F. Smith, 6th President of the LDS church, added to this insanity by saying in the April General Conference of 1915: “I do not believe that a man is saved in this life by believing, or professing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, but that He must endure to the end and keep the commandments that are given.”

Since these early years it seems that the animus these leaders have held for the biblical doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone has increased. Where the Bible plainly says:

Romans 10:9
“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.”

Ephesians 2:8
“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.”

Tenth President of the LDS church, Joseph Fielding Smith said: “One of the most pernicious doctrines ever advocated by man is the justification by faith alone; which has entered into the hearts of millions since the days of the so-called reformation.”

When I was a teenager twelfth “ahem” prophet of Mormonism, Spencer W. Kimball, who wrote in his literary piece of filth, “The Miracle of Forgiveness:” “One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and pro-pounded 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.”

Galatians 2:16
"knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”

Christian Sanctification

Now, I would be remiss if I did not speak of another aspect of sanctification – which many people just do not understand – LDS and Christian alike. When the thief on the cross believed, he was justified and sanctified fully and completely by His faith. And the shed blood and righteousness of Jesus fully took away his condemnation AND made Him holy. And the thief died perfectly before God.

But what if, after his dialogue with Jesus on the cross – just what if, okay – but what if the Roman soldiers suddenly took him down, treated his wounds, and then he went on to live another forty or fifty years of life?

Here is where another aspect of Christian sanctification comes into play. Because once you have been justified and sanctified by the shed blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit moves into your heart permanently, He begins a sanctifying work from within the believer. Now sometimes people experience rebirth and they are immediately able to toss away much of the world, becoming actual new creatures in their flesh in a very short period of time.

We all hear stories of alcoholics who receive Jesus and never take another drink and criminals who are saved and immediately turn from a life of crime. To this, we all Praise God, right?

But we also know that having

Living Sanctification and Spiritual Rebirth

been reborn, many others are literally “babes in Christ,” and babies make a lot of mistakes and messes when they are learning to walk. What the thief would do we are not sure. Maybe he would for a season return to a life of crime. Or maybe he would make a 180 about face and become an immediate missionary for Christ – we don’t know. But we do know is that the thief is saved. This knowledge would immediately or over the course of time free the thief in His heart and mind from the bondage he experienced from a life of sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. and uncertainty and in time, God would begin to have the one-time thief producing fruit.

How do we know this? Because he has been born-again! He has a new heart, a new spirit within him. He is a new creature. And the holy spirit within him will forever prompt and push and challenge him to release his fleshly will, and turn it all over to God. In a doctrinal and “living in the flesh sense,” this living sanctification is the making holy what was before defiled and sinful within a person. It is a progressive work of divine grace upon the soul who has been wholly saved by the love of Christ. These believers are gradually cleansed from the corruption of their natures and they will be REWARDED in the eternities for the fruits of the Spirit they produce in their lives.

The Nature of Faith and Sanctification

This second and more processional part of sanctification we’ll call “living sanctification.” Where faith is instrumental in securing wholesale justification and sanctification because it insures our union with Christ (Galatians 2:20), and brings us into living contact with the truth through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, “living sanctification” occurs in the lives of those who claim to believe and are permitted by God to continue living on this earth. Notice something very important: Living sanctification is the RESULT of spiritual rebirth, and not the opposite. In other words, “living good lives does NOT produce or merit spiritual rebirth, but spiritual rebirth produces a desire to sanctify our lives to the Lord in the end. It is our brokenness, not our worthiness, that opens the door to spiritual rebirth.

Notice it was a thief on a cross and not a king in a carriage that was saved. We do not try and perfect ourselves IN ORDER to be born-again or “in order” to be worthy of Jesus shed blood and/or the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. And yet this is but another twist the LDS suggest to their over burdened members – that they must be worthy and righteous by their own efforts in order to have the Holy Spirit with them . . . that this Holy Spirit’s presence is highly conditional on the continuation of the person’s personal worthiness. What a burden! What a load of man-made twistianity.

Listen, we do NOT cause the Holy Spirit to leave by our failings. The Holy Spirit stays in spite of our failings! To help us through. To lead and guide and comfort and inform. Amen! Doesn’t this view support both the sacred and important work of Jesus and the love God has for all?

Challenges and Perseverance in Faith

Now achieving perfect living sanctification is not attainable in this life. (1Ki 8:46; Pr 20:9; Ec 7:20; Jas 3:2; 1Jo 1:8). But this does not mean we abandon our faith! Instead it ought to mean we cling to our faith more tightly, realizing that we have NO HOPE but our hope in Him. This is where God’s chastening and pruning comes into play as believers are subject to the constant chastisement of their Father's loving hand. In this we find true meaning and sound context for good lives lived.

2nd Timothy 1:9 says it all really well. Speaking of God, it says: “Who hath saved us, (1), and called us with an holy calling, (2) not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” (PRINT WHOLE VERSE ON SCREEN!)

Mormons today attempt to teach that being saved and/or born-again – justified and sanctified – is a combined one-two punch of grace and works. This is a biblical impossibility. Romans 11:6 makes it plain: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Now, having heard this plain reasoning from

Christian Revolution and Religious Conditions

God’s word, let’s hear what apostle Bruce R. McConkie said.
Just listen to this utterly binding double-speak: “Salvation is free, but it must also be purchased; and the price is obedience to the laws and ordinances of the (LDS) gospel.”

In a futile and utopian effort to free the proletariat from the bondage of the ruling classes, Karl Marx wrote in the last chapter of his manifesto: “The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.”

I would like to borrow his theme but alter his words and address the LDS leadership today: “The Christians disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing religious conditions. Let the ruling brethren tremble at this internal Christian revolution. The believers have nothing to lose but their chains. And heaven to win.”

Phone Lines and Caller Participation

With that, let’s open up the phone lines: (801) 973-8820 (801) 973-TV20 First time callers. LDS callers if at all possible. Please turn your television sets down!

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Weekly Conclusion

CONCLUSION: Coming up next week we enter into the “C” topics . . . and we’ll begin with . . . CAIN! See you next week, here on “Heart of the Matter.”

Viewer Feedback and Concerns

EMAILS From a fellow Christian: BTW: On one of your shows, you were wearing a Ramones t-shirt. Shawn, don't you think a Christian t-shirt would be more "appropriate"? I've attached a photo of my friends wearing them, and yeah – I'd have to say they definitely look more spiritual.

From Troy, a Christian who calls himself an apostle: You are going to Hell for each of these reasons:

1. You said Arminianism is a lie, that God does not predestinate by foreknowing your free-choice: a conditional election, unlimited atonement, resistible grace, for preservation of the saints (OSAS). Read 1 Tim. 4.10.

2. You reject the work of Apostles, those directly commissioned by God to set up the churches and appoint Elders of a locality. Read Eph. 4.11.

3. Weirdly enough you teach non-OSAS like Mormons do which says a person can lose salvation after being saved if they don't keep up their faith or works. Read John 10.28.

There is just no way around this but repentance and to receive Jesus of the Bible who will bring you out of such deception. Praise the Lord for this discernment! Amen. Troy

FROM A CHRISTIAN TEEN Taylor Smith HYPERLINK "mailto:smartness102@yahoo.com" smartness102@yahoo.com Shawn, I am so frustrated because of my friends at school always say that Christians can't be perfect because it is impossible for someone to not sin. Then they say that the impossibility of Christian perfection coupled with God's unending grace makes it basically ok for them to do whatever they want. I always say "Be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect." I say that if this verse meant to just try to be good and follow God's commandments, then it wouldn't include a comparison to the Father in the same sentence. Christians don't have to sin, in fact they should never sin, contrary to what some say. That doesn't mean that we will be perfect, just that it is an attainable goal according to scripture. Is this an idea of the "Emergent Church" that I have been hearing so much about where anybody can just do anything they want and claim that it's ok God forgives? In Christ, Taylor Smith South Carolina

FROM A VIEWER John HYPERLINK "http://www.alatheamedia.com:2095/3rdparty/squirrelmail/src/compose.php?send_to=jlchotmail%40networldmail.com" jlchotmail@networldmail.com Hello there, was just wondering, I married a Mormon so would their church start a record of me and/or our children?

Jaime Morgan HYPERLINK "http://www.alatheamedia.com:2095/3rdparty/squirrelmail/src/compose.php?send_to=mor07008%40live.com" mor07008@live.com Mr. McCraney, My name is Jaime and I am just recently coming out of Mormonism and have never felt better but have…

Deconversion Journey

Never been more stressed. Only two months ago I was dating seriously, looking to go to the temple, attending BYU-I, and my father's dream child for he is currently a Bishop. Once I began to look into the Mormon religion and found my true feelings leading me away from the faith, I came to have a great faith in God and Christ. I could no longer hide my feelings and when I told few close to me that deserved to know, I broke the engagement and left the school. I have not confronted my parents about my true feelings and am terrified of what the repercussions will be. I am not blaming the church for any of this, and am grateful for the church for I feel that without the religion I would have no faith in God or Christ, but know with all my heart that Mormonism is not the way I want to live nor the way my God wants me to live. I have really enjoyed watching your show and have been able to talk with my brother and sister-in-law about my struggles for they have left the church as well.

Sorry for the long description, but I just don't know what to do. I have never felt more terrified of the next few months and the events that will follow than I do now. Is there anything that you would suggest to do in order to make this journey easier? Thanks again for all you do for this community and all you have done for me!

Jamie Greene

jamieanngreene@gmail.com

Former Mormon Experience

I am a former Mormon. Caffeine-free, Primary leader, Suzie Homemaker… (married in the Saint George temple in 1995). I will spare you the long story about my abusive marriage to my RM, and the fight for my life to get away. (I'm always happy to share with anyone who will listen but today this is a thank you note) 🙂

13 years ago, I stopped attending church, and soon after, I stopped believing in God. It's now 2010. I began attending a Christian Church in Boise, Idaho 2 weeks ago. I don't know why or what I'm doing or what I want from this. I'm confused because even after all these years, I am so brainwashed I don't know how to properly study the Bible without mixing in BOM scripture, but I'm trying. I am still brand new at this. I haven't even tried to pray yet, but I am reading the Bible every day, and I am searching and hoping to find the truth.

Seeking New Faith

Anyway, a man at work gave me a link to your website. This is helping me so much. I am searching. I'm seeking God again. I am learning what it means to be saved although it's strange and confusing, I'm really giving it a chance because of people like you. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

Jamie