Exploring Mormon Beliefs and Historical Contexts

Live from the Mecca of Mormonism, Salt Lake City, Utah, it's… HEART OF THE MATTERTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology.! I’m Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion., your host.

Heart in the Home

Last night in Orem, Utah at Tom and Ramona’s home. Fantastic night. And a shout out to all who were there. God bless you.

Interested in hosting your own? Shawn@bornagainmormon.com

Looking to get a copy of Born-Again Mormon: Moving Toward Christian Authenticity? Several ways to obtain it. Benchmark Books in Salt Lake City, Christian Gift and Bible in Sandy, www.bornagainmormon.com

GAMA! Get a Mormon Answer

Last week's GAMA: “Do you believe the LDS prophets and apostles actually meet with Jesus face to face.”

Responses included:

Franklin said: “They meet him through His spirit. Spirit speaks to spirit and they have His testimony first hand through a spiritual connection.”

Ernie P wrote: “Every LDS prophet and apostle is a special witness of the Savior. They see and speak with Him as a man speaketh with his friend.”

Then we get the very LDS dodge from one Michael M wrote writes: “My response to your question about the Apostles is too sacred to discuss! I only wish you had the good sense to leave some things alone.”

I love this stuff! Too sacred to discuss. Paul saw the Lord – was that too sacred to discuss. Steven saw the Lord – was that too sacred to discuss? Even Joseph Smith said he saw the Lord – was that too sacred to discuss? When the LDS say that something is “too sacred to discuss” it’s the religious equivalent of any and every Gnostic game ever played! “I can’t tell you what happened because, because it was just so special, so sacred that I’d have to kill you if I did.” Baloney. Special witnesses are supposed to share their witness – that’s why the Lord gives them the witness! They don’t live in some Gnostic vacuum! See through the rhetoric, my friends.

But let me make this clear – I don’t care if you call your leaders prophets and apostles. That is your religious choice. I just want the reality on the table. That’s all.

All right, next week's GAMA: “Explain spiritual rebirth as you understand it.” shawn@bornagainmormon.com

Engaging in Ministry

We are receiving some very kind requests from people who want to get involved in this ministry but don’t know how. Thank you for your interest. There are some things we’ll hope you’ll consider in this regard:

First, we are in need of your prayers more than anything else. Pray for the state’s dominant religion to see the light of Jesus in all they do. Pray for the lost to turn on their sets. We also ask that you share this show and our website with other people too. Go to our website at www.bornagainmormon.com and click on “Getting Involved” for more information.

CHURCH SCOUTS

Intermountain Baptist Church 4770 South 1950 West Taylorsville, Utah 84118 Pastor Dean Shriver www.intermountainbaptist.org 11:00 am service 4 years in the book of Matthew!

Responding to Criticism

ABUNDANCE OF EMAILS LOADED WITH QUESTIONS

LDS writers get very annoyed with me because I often do not respond to their queries. Why? I am here to share Jesus. I make comparisons to LDS doctrine and the Bible. I can usually tell when someone is writing to learn and when they are writing to argue. I am not here to argue. Just here to present the facts.

When I am silent to respond, the LDS questioner boldly proclaims a victory, throwing arrogant pejoratives at me and telling me I am a fraud because I do not reply to THEM! How dare I not reply to them! Over the past three weeks, I’ve received no less than 28 emails that have accelerated in tone against me. Why? I have not taken the time to cite a comment I made on a show from Boyd K Packer.

Reflection on Hebrews 7

Most things we use in life begin at a “sufficient and acceptable level” then progress to an “advanced and better” state later on.

Judaism was a divinely inspired religion that sufficiently expressed an acceptable outward devotion to God. Just as the Model T was not an extremely comfortable ride, Judaism was not an easy religion to live. But it was “sufficient and acceptable” for the time and all for things considered.

When Jesus came, fulfilling the Law and the Prophets, and shattering all barriers between man and God, ripping the veil, as it were, by his deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God., he parked the Model T of religion and introduced the Rolls Royce of Relationship to the world. This was not an easy thing for the Christian-Jews to readily embrace, and we see in scripture that many of them returned to their Model T’s, finding the luxurious grace of a relationship…

Understanding the Superiority of Jesus in Hebrews

Jesus in Comparison to Figures of the Past

Chapter one teaches, among other things, that Jesus is greater than angels. Chapter three teaches that Jesus is greater than Moses. Chapter four teaches that Jesus is greater than the Old Testament priesthood (which we discussed last week). REMEMBER: The content and context of the Book of Hebrews was to show the struggling Christian-Jews, who were equivocating in their faith in the Lord by yearning for their “older model of religion,” that a relationship with Jesus is the superior way. Then in chapter 7 we come upon a reference and comparative to a very mysterious man named Melchizedek.

Last week, we covered the misapplication of the Aaronic Priesthood in the LDS Church. Well, according to a very suspect timeline, somewhere between May of 1829 and June, Joseph said Peter, James, and John visited him and restored what he called the Melchizedek priesthood to the earth. Doctrine and Covenants 84:19-22 reads:

“And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of God is manifest. And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of Godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; for without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.”

McKonkie said (Mormon Doctrine pg. 481):

“the presence of absence of this priesthood establishes the divinity or falsity of a professing church!”

He adds:

“If there is no Melchizedek priesthood on earth, the true church is not here and the gospel of Christ is not available to men. Where the Melchizedek priesthood is, there is the kingdom, the Church, and the fullness of the Gospel.”

The Superiority of Jesus and the Gospel

Now, I must admit, that without a scriptural backing, this all seems to make some sense. It’s orderly. It’s processional. There was a biblical person named Melchizedek who was a high priest. Why not go along with it? It gives people meaning, right? It causes men who are otherwise just beasts to be accountable to something, right? “Honorable priesthood bearer” and all that? No harm, no foul?

The once black and white television is now a flat screen high definition surround sound. Concerned parenting skills often go from being typically-but-properly-legalistic to abundantly patient and loving as life moves forward. Rigid business models often transform into dynamic open-ended applications ready for the masses.

Jesus: The Better Way

The Book of Hebrews – found in the New Testament – was written to these Christian-Jews to help them transition into the idea that… Jesus is the “better way.” Relationship is a “better way.” Christ is supreme and completely sufficient for salvation. Hebrews teaches that Jesus is superior to angels… Jesus is superior to Moses. He was superior to their priests. He was superior to their sacrifices. The Book of Hebrews teaches that Christianity (or a personal relationship with Jesus by faith) surpasses Judaism because it is a “better covenant,” which offers a “better sanctuary,” and a “more sufficient” sacrifice for sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace..

It seems that whenever there was a mystery event or person in the Bible, Joseph Smith offered a rather far-fetched extrabiblical interpretation of its meaning. Consider what he said about John the Beloved and the Three Nephites never dying but living on the earth even in our day. How about Enoch? We know from the Bible he was translated. But little else. Joseph taught that not only was he translated, but a whole city that carried his namesake! If there is a mystery or uncertainty in the text of the Bible, Joseph addressed it, expanded it, and called it truth. Perhaps nothing was expanded more than the role and meaning behind the person called Melchizedek.

Mormonism teaches that the name Melchizedek was given to this priesthood to avoid to frequent repetition of Deity (D&C 107:2-4). Melchizedek was the greatest high priest ever (Alma 13:19). That this highest priesthood he offered was “eternal,” meaning God has always operated by it. That it was given to Adam and passed down generationally until the Children of Israel, according to McKonkie, “rebelled, rejected the higher law and took Moses and the fullness of the priesthood from them.” The Aaronic priesthood then became the authority on earth until Jesus came. The Melchizedek priesthood was lost from the earth with the death of the last apostle and was then restored to the earth through Joseph Smith. That the LDS Church is the only church/religion that has this power of God here on earth. Men from 18 years of age and up are in a position to receive this “Holy Melchizedek Priesthood.”

Understanding Types in the Old Testament

When reading the Old Testament, it is vital to understand the use of “types.” A type is a figure or representation of something to come.

So who was Melchizedek? He was a TYPE of Jesus Christ, not of a priesthood to be handed down like the Levitical priesthood. He was a TYPE of Jesus to come, who would become our high priest forever and ever. Recall that last week, we explained that prior to Sinai, the patriarchs were the established priests of the land. Then at Sinai, God established a priesthood based on heritage. Melchizedek was a great high priest prior to the establishment of the priesthood based on heritage.

So when we combine the idea that 1) Melchizedek was a high priest prior to the establishment of the Levitical priesthood AND that what he was, was a figure for our final high priest Jesus Christ… we can then begin to understand what Melchizedek was biblically. In this context, let’s read the few verses written about him.

Scriptural References

Genesis 14:18: And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

Secondly, let’s look at his name (Verse 18.) “And Melchizedek…” Melchizedek’s name in Hebrew is “Malki – tsedek,” signifies “my righteous king”, or “king of righteousness.” This name he probably had from the pure and righteous administration of his government; and this is one of the characteristics of the Lord, a character which can be applied to him only, as he alone is essentially righteous, and the only Potentate; but a holy man, such as Melchizedek, might bear this name as his type or representative.

And what did Melchizedek bring to Abraham? “Bread and wine!” Brothers and sisters, do I need to say more? This type of Jesus, whose name means king of righteousness, whose kingdom is a place called peace, brings bread and wine, the elements of communion, as refreshment to Abraham after a battle made victorious by the True and Living God! Are you seeing the type?

What other evidences point to Melchizedek being purely a type for Jesus and nothing else? Let’s turn to a second set of passages to help us understand him:

The Book of Hebrews

Hebrews 7:1-4:

1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him.
2 To him Abraham also gave a tenth of all. He was first by interpretation king of righteousness, and after that also king of Salem, which is king of peace.

Then, verse three in Hebrews 7 says, speaking of Melchizedek, that he was:

3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest continually.

Finally, David gives us some insight into Melchizedek when he writes:

Psalm 110:4: The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Heb 5:9: And being made perfect, he (JESUS) became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek. This was not another priesthood. This was a single position that could only be filled by one being – Jesus.

Conclusion

Let me conclude with a few final passages from Hebrews 7:22-27:

Hebrews 7:22: By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23 And there truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
24 But this man (Jesus), because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an high priest came to us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27 Who needeth not daily, as those first high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Well, let’s look at a sound Biblical understanding of Melchizedek.

Examples: Egyptian bondage was a type for the bondage of sin. Moses was a type for the Messiah. The Exodus was a type for leaving the world behind. The Passover Lamb was a type for the shed blood of Jesus. The Pillar of Fire – Jesus, Manna from Heaven – Jesus, Water from the Rock – Jesus, The Flesh Pots – type for sin, The Sacrificial Offerings – Jesus, The Festivals and Feasts – Jesus, The Brazen Serpent – Jesus. Look at the Tabernacle. There were three entrances to…

A Gate, A Door, and A Veil Representing Jesus

A gate – Jesus
A door – Jesus
And a veil – Jesus flesh

Seven Articles of Furniture

• Brazen Altar type of the cross
• Laver: Washed clean by Christ
• Golden Lamp: Christ is the Light
• Table of bread: Jesus bread of life.
• Altar of Incense: Jesus our intercessor!
• The Mercy Seat

One of my favorite types in the OT represents Jesus as all Man and all God.

The Ark of the Covenant

What is the type?

Exodus 25:10-11 And they shall make an ark of acacia-wood . . . And you shall overlay it with pure gold. You shall overlay it inside and out, and shall make on it a crown of gold all around.

Now acacia-wood is gnarled and thorny, representing man. And gold was pure and costly, representing God. The Ark was wood. The Ark was Gold. Jesus was All Man. Jesus was All God.

Contents of the Ark? Manna, The Law, Aaron’s Blossoming Rod. Covering of the Ark? The Veil!

First of all, Melchizedek appears to have been a real person who knew the true and living God. Some Christian’s think he was a “Christophany” but I think he was living human patriarch. The Rabbins believed he was quite possibly the man Shem, son of Noah. What we do know, real or not, is he was a type of Jesus Christ.

Third, let’s look at “. . . king of Salem . . .” (verse 18). Where was Salem? Massachussets? No. Have you ever heard of Jerusalem? Psalms 76:1,2: "In Judah is God known; his name is great in Israel. In SALEM also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion." “Shalam” signifies to make whole, complete, or perfect, to bring peace. Christ is called the Prince of peace, because, by his incarnation, sacrifice, and mediation, he procures and establishes peace between God and man. Remember . . . “Peace on earth good will toward men!” The Lords residence is peace and quietness and assurance for ever, in every believing upright heart. He governs as the Prince and Priest of the most high God, ruling in righteousness, mighty to save; and he ever lives to make intercession for, and save to the uttermost all who come unto the Father by him. There is but one KING of SALEM – Jesus.

Melchizedek's Role

Fifth, let’s look at Melchizedek’s office – “a priest of the most high God.” The word “Nhk” or “cohen,” signifies an office of both “prince” and “priest” because the patriarchs sustained such a double office at this time. It has both its root in the Arabic word, “kahana” which signifies “to approach, draw near, have intimate access to; and from hence to officiate as priest before God, and thus have intimate access to the Divine presence. Melchizedek, being a priest of the most high God, represented Christ in his sacerdotal character.

Even Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek! What is the purpose of this? Abraham was certainly at the top of the heap in authority, wasn’t he? Yes. Remember how the Jews regarded Abraham at the time of Jesus? When John the Baptist preached repentance to the Jews, they would say to him “We have Abraham for our father.” And remember what Jesus said to them about Abraham “Verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek as an indication that Jesus’ position of authority and power were far above even Father Abraham. You get it?

Now, you’ve gotta think here . . because the payoff is worth it. If Melchizedek was a real person, did he really not have a father or mother? Did he really not have decendents? Was he really lacking a beginning and an end!? NO! But what the writer of Hebrews is saying is the Word leaves all this out about him! Now ask yourselves why? Because as a type for Jesus, those things make sense. For Jesus is without father or mother or decent! And Jesus really does have no beginning or end of days!

Who is this speaking of? LDS men 18 years of age or older OR Jesus Christ, who Melchizedek was a perfect type of from the get go?

Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec.

What forefunner entered the holy of holy for us with his own shed blood? Jesus! And what was Jesus made by God? Our high priest! After the order of whom? Melchizedek! And what do we know about Melchizedek? He was king of righteousness. He was the king of peace. He brought bread and wine to Abraham to refresh Him after a victory won by God. He had intimate access to God.

Understanding Melchizedek and Jesus as the High Priest

As the great high priest of old. Abraham acquiesced to him by giving him tithes. And like Jesus in so many other ways, He was . . . without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest continually.

My friends, my LDS brothers and sisters, it ALL points to Jesus now. Drop this mythical Melchizedek priesthood stuff and come to the Only High Priest who you will ever need – Jesus Christ. I challenge you to re-read or re-listen to this message. bornagainmormon.com. Go to the passages quoted and start searching. Jesus is real, ready, and waiting to make permanent intercession for you as your ONLY high priest.

Alright, let’s go to the phones. (801) 973-tv20 973-8820

Conclusion on Financial Giving

Out of necessity, I am going to close with a few remarks about a subject I don’t particularly enjoy. We get a number of questions about giving financially to our ministry and it seems I need to make our approach and position clear on the matter.

First, check out 2 Corinthians 9:7: Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. Please feel no compulsion. Let God be your guide and nothing or no one else. Second, if you attend a local church be sure to support them first. And third, we are a 501(c)3 tax-exempt corporation. All donations are tax-deductible. You can donate online at bornagainmormon.com.

OR

Our mailing address is: 314 South Redwood Road Suite 200 Salt Lake City, Utah 84

Psalm 82 and the Word "Elohim"

See you next week on HEART OF THE MATTER Live from the Mecca of Mormonism Salt Lake City, Utah It’s Heart of the Matter! Host Shawn McCraney

Streaming video Express my gratitude for our management, staff, crew and volunteers. Relentless in their dedication to this ministry. Answering phones, sending out information, producing shows, building technological empires. You are all a great blessing. I love you guys. Hey, I gotta make a correction!

Last week we had a person call and ask me about Psalms 82 where it reads: “I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the most high.” I made the statement that the lowercase ”g” in gods was not translated in the Hebrew as Eloihim. It is. I was wrong. But I was correct in the usage of the word.

“Elohim” is used in the Hebrew to denote both God and earthly judges! You can find such an example in Exodus 21:6 where it reads: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.

Apologies. Just goes to show what a failure I can be. GAMA – Get a Mormon Answer! Last week’s question: “Explain spiritual rebirth” Responses included:

Next week’s GAMA: Church Scouts!

If you are LDS, I want you to know that I am very well aware that you “believe in Jesus Christ.” Somehow in the conversations between Christians and Latter-day Saints, the fact that Mormons embrace Jesus does not get through and it creates a great amount of frustration for the LDS involved.

I get emails that, like a mantra, repeat “But we are Christian. We believe in Jesus Christ. You are so uninformed! I can’t even believe you were ever LDS!” are evidence of this frustration. I thought I would take this show to try and explain the problem here.

Now, imagine that you take the powder and add just a teaspoon of liquid to it – you know – just to make it a little more palatable. It’s still powerful, in fact, you’ve made it more functional by the addition of liquid! But in the end, you have diluted the grace found in the finished work of Jesus Christ. It came to you full of power. It came ready. You added something to it to make it work better for you.

Now suppose you pour the perfect powder into a five-gallon bucket of water. It becomes very weak, doesn’t it. But the flavoring has been added hasn’t it? The flavoring is there, but it is barely detectable.

All right, what if you pour a cup of it into a backyard swimming pool? You could honestly say that it has been added, couldn’t you? That it is part of the chemical makeup of the water. You could rightly say that it is there in the mix, and even get insulted when people claim it's not.

Finally, let’s say you dump the mix into the middle of

Exploring the Dilution of Faith

The Pacific Ocean! Within minutes it would be diluted to the point of non-existence! But you could claim its there, couldn’t you?

The question is not, “Do you believe in Jesus” or “Are His teachings in your church,” or even “Do you recognize Him as the Savior?” The question is

How diluted is your faith in the Grace and Finished Work of Jesus Christ?

If believing in the historical Jesus is enough, then everyone but the “Jesus-was-never-a-real-person” people will be saved. While very generous, it’s not biblical. If mentioning Him in the body of your theology is enough, then Jehovah’s Witnesses, Islam, and Buddhism should be considered Christian too. Believing in Jesus, mentioning Jesus, recognizing Jesus is not the same as worshipping and knowing the undiluted Lord. The more you embrace the grace Jesus gives, the more you walk by faith in Him, and the more able you are to do the will of the Father, and not of man. And the more you walk by faith in Him, the more you please God.

Faith and Works

Remember Heb 11:6: “without faith it is impossible to please God.” I know you believe He is the Son of God. That He suffered for the sins of the world. That he resurrected and overcame the grave. I KNOW YOU BELIEVE THESE THINGS, if not with your whole heart, than certainly intellectually. And yes, having been deeply involved in Mormonism, I am well aware that His name is even in the title of your church. Email reminders of this are not entirely necessary unless you feel overly inclined.

I want you to imagine that you’re holding a cup of Crystal Light powder in your hand. This happens to be lemon. This product represents the grace found through the absolute finished work of Jesus Christ. Let me repeat this: This product represents the grace found through the absolute finished work of Jesus Christ. You take off the lid (FUMES) and stick the tip of your tongue in the powder. Powerful, right? Overwhelmingly concentrated. Why? Because it hasn’t been diluted.

Now, let’s suppose you add the full amount of liquid to the powder. It’s refreshing, it meets the standards set, it is more useable, you might say. Nevertheless, compared to the pure form, it is been greatly diluted. I call this drink religion today. It is lukewarm. It is acceptable, it refreshes, but it does not have the same power and effect on the individual as the undiluted mix. And though it’s widely embraced and consumed, it makes little impact on the lives of individuals. Remember now, we’re talking about a relationship of faith and grace based in Jesus here, not a flavored drink mix.

Historical Perspectives

Applying our example to the topic at hand, we must remember that Muslims believe and recognize Jesus. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Branch Dividians, and even demons believe in Jesus – some of them even use His name in their worship! Diluted faith in Jesus will not ever save anyone. Diluted faith is, in fact, a tremendous deceptor; a counterfeit that merely gives people the false notion that they know Him, but in reality don’t.

Matthew 7:21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Let’s go back in time for a moment, and take a look at the historical attempts there have been to dilute the grace that comes through the finished work of Jesus. In the forth century of our Lord, there was this British monk whose name was Pelagius. He grew tired and impatient of the writings of St. Augustine which he thought were too “grace oriented.” Augustine had some unique ideas but he certainly represented Apostolic thought when it came to grace. So in order to show Augustine wrong, Pelagius reintroduced to the world the very natural and humanist idea that human beings achieve salvation by their own efforts. I say, “reintroduced” because this deluded concept was nothing new to the body of Christ.

When the rich young ruler came to Jesus and walked away because of his many possessions, the disciples were blown away because Jesus said he would not enter the kingdom of heaven! And he was otherwise a righteous dude! So they cried, “Well who then can be saved?” And Jesus replied,

Understanding Salvation by Grace

“With man it is impossible. But with God all things are possible.” With “man's works” it is impossible, but by God’s grace—based on faith in the finished work of Jesus— all things are possible.

The Heresy of Pelagianism

So back to this guy named Pelagius in the fourth century AD. His heresy emphasized that sin occurred from “the will” rather than inborn sinfulness. That human beings become sinners by following Adam’s poor example and become holy by following Christ’s good example. There was no original sin to Pelagius. Man would be punished for his own sin and not Adam’s transgression. Everything was by choice, and as a result, the need for spiritual rebirth became a response to “individual sins,” absolved through religious sacraments, and not applied to the whole person. Pelagianism inflamed the fourth and fifth centuries and was at the crux of the battles fought by Martin Luther, who saw the horrible religious results of any system that diluted the pure message of grace through faith on the finished work of Jesus.

Revival of Non-Grace Movements

Several hundred years later, new religious leaders started popping up, who, like Pelagius, didn’t buy into the undiluted message of salvation by grace and began, once again, to add to the pure and powerful grace provided by Jesus. These most popular of these movements included: The Shakers, The Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Seventh-day Adventists, The Christian Scientists, and the LDS. All of these presented their diluted—and sometimes fanciful—versions of the “true” gospel of salvation to the world.

Whether with good intentions or bad, they all decided, in one way or another, that grace through faith on the finished work of Jesus was just not enough. There HAD to be more to it. And they were going to improve upon it, reinterpret the scriptures about it, and provide the imbalanced world of Christianity with their own special blend of man-made additions.

Immanuel Kant, a philosopher who most embodied these beliefs, openly embraced Pelagianism, and recognized Jesus as nothing more than a “good example” of moral duty. “Autonomy” (the rule of the self), seeped into every discipline, including theology, and “the blue ribbon of spirituality” began to be awarded to those who achieved worldly success, intellectual acumen, and the power to overcome human weakness. The supernatural was soon replaced by the “superman”—the Ubermensch, and like Babel, nothing could be kept from human progress. Nothing but true salvation.

The Role of Grace in Christian Theology

Friedrich Nietzsche, that most disturbed philosopher of Humanism, even pointed out the fact that “when Christian morality is severed from Christian theology,” neither can remain. In other words, when Christian morals are applied outside of the unique Christian theology of grace, neither will last. Just look at the Church today. Being Christian does not first mean being moral. Being Christian first means recognizing your sinful nature and turning to the undiluted grace given to you by faith upon the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Now what does the LDS Church maintain?

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

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.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Romans 5:1 ¶ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

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

There is certainly a great attraction toward Pelagianism in the heart of Man even today. It makes us feel good to take our salvation into our own hands. It makes sense to the unregenerated heart that we can please God by our efforts and thereby secure a place with him after this life. But all this configuring does is dilute the power and majesty of what

Righteousness and Faith

Jesus did once and for all to them that believe.

The idea that human beings could “save themselves” by virtue of their own righteousness was alive and well in the Pharisees when Jesus was on earth. These legalists, with their “creeping moralistic views” believed they could actually get to God by virtue of their outward worthiness, even though their inward parts were full of “dead, dried bones.” Jesus despised such thinking and was not reticent in pointing out the inability of people to reach God by virtue of their righteousness. Yet in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said to the people

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

What did all this mean?

Well the Pharisees were the most outwardly obedient people on earth! They lived the Law – their life was the Law! They spent every waking moment attending to the Law and there is not a gentile alive today who comes near their outward righteousness. How could a person’s righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees? Only by faith in the finished work of Jesus! Because through faith on the only “perfectly righteous One,” His righteousness is imputed to us – which righteousness always exceeds that of any Pharisee. Get it?

The Struggle with Grace

Paul also faced an early attempt to dilute the grace provided by the finished work of Jesus. Last week we discussed the book of Hebrews and how it was written to the Christian Jews who were tempted to return to the Law because the Grace of God was too difficult for them to understand or embrace. The entire book is aimed at showing them that faith in the finished work of Jesus is the better way, to not dilute it, and to see faith in Him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Luther saw first hand how the remnants of Pelagianism, which was renounced hundreds of years earlier, corrupted the hearts of otherwise good people by getting them to believe they had to work their own salvation out by virtue of allegiance to an organized religion, strict obedience to rites, rules, and ordinances, and by paying demanded financial obligations to the church to save themselves and their dead. And so he tacked his 96 thesis on the door at Wittenberg and ignited the reformation.

Human Ability and Grace

With the Age of Enlightenment, modern-day Peligianists championed “human ability” as the means to overcome the world and obtain sanctification. God became “the moral law giver” but it was Man who possessed the ability to overcome himself. Spires replaced crosses, science replaced faith, and Man, once again, decided he could provide solutions to existential angst, alienation, and sin. With a focus on human achievement, reason, social perfectionism, and ethics over regeneration, Jesus once again was forced into the back seat of many philosophies and religions.

In the Bible dictionary, at the back of the LDS Bible, it reads that grace is God’s “enabling power to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.” This is God’s grace diluted with an ocean full of mans works. It makes me want to wretch. Spencer W. Kimball said in the Book of Mormon Student Manual (page 36) that “one of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and 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.” This man is held up in the highest of esteem by the LDS, and like Pelagius, like the Pharisees, like Kant and Nietzsche, he flat out contradicts the Bible’s saving message of Grace! Which is . . . ?

Grace cannot be grace if it is combined with anything else. There is no salvation by grace AND works.

Romans 11:6
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.

There are always LDS comebacks to this biblical truth. The most popular say:

Well we have to do something?

OR

Faith without works is dead?

OR

You can’t just say I accept Jesus and sin like there’s no tomorrow!

Before we go to the phones –
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Let me address each of these common responses individually.

First, there’s the idea that “we have to do something.”

The Notion of Faith and Works

#2 “But faith without works is dead.”

And the third response is usually something like:

Well, you can’t just say “I accept Jesus” and sin like there’s no tomorrow!

Wrong Understanding of Salvation

The Pharisees, the Judaizers, Pelagius, and Kant got it all wrong. They missed the point. So did Joseph Smith and Spencer W. Kimball, among others. We are saved by grace through faith on the finished work of Jesus. Nothing added at all.

What do you want to do? What can you do but believe? What can you add to the formula provided for your salvation that hasn’t already been taken care of by Jesus? There is nothing you can do that will get God to save you “more.” Nothing. There is nothing you can do to get God to love you “more.” God’s love for you is uncaused by you.

Here’s the thing: God sees you through the shed blood of the son. Period. You are either covered or your not. You have either embraced Him by faith or you have not. If you’re covered, you’re saved, and rewarded according to your works, if you’re not covered, you’re damned, and you go to hell. Your “doings” and “works” and contributions will be seen for what they are in God’s eyes – “Filthy rags” – unless they are done with a heart solely dedicated to Him. You cannot hide your motives from God.

Faith and Works

But remember, by faith we should have

Heb 10:19 ¶ . . . boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.

Glory awaits all them that have faith in the undiluted grace provided by the finished work of Jesus.

Misinterpretation of Faith and Work

This is possibly the most repeated verse in the repertoire of LDS Bible verses. “Faith without work is dead.” Recognize the order here: “Faith . . .” James is talking about faith here. He is talking about how our faith is seen to exist before men, not how the presentation of works definitively prove faith before God! Do you see the difference, here?

Listen to what Paul says about the relationship of works in his life that came as a result of his understanding grace. 1st Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

I had an LDS Bishop once tell me that “90% of the work in the Church is just showing up even though you don’t want to even be there!” When I discovered the grace of Jesus I not only wanted show up, but I wanted to serve, and give, and give away my entire life for Him each and every day! Ninety percent is just showing up. Ninety percent of hell is just showing up. I work a thousand times harder for God as a born-again Christian than I ever did as a committed Mormon. Do you see the difference?

True Understanding of Grace

Anyone I have ever known who comes to know the genuine grace of Jesus in their lives does anything but “sin like there’s no tomorrow.” Whenever someone makes this statement all it tells me is that they have absolutely no idea what it personally means to have been saved by the grace of God through faith on Jesus. They think it’s actually something that is just “said.”

Romans 6 is a fantastic chapter on the relationship between grace and sin. The idea that people accept Jesus and then sin on is a heinous and gross perversion of the reality of the born-again experience and I’ve yet to meet a true Christian who believes it is alright to sin in any way. What’s fascinating however, is that those people who embrace a modified version of Grace are the ones who actually justify sin the most!

All right, let’s go to the phones.

CONCLUSION

Next week, the day after Christmas, the final show of the year! Don’t miss it! See you then on Heart of the Matter.