FAIR's Rising Generation

Posts Tagged ‘grace vs works’

Most critics are one trick ponies, meaning they have a very small arsenal of baseless accusations to draw from. Nevertheless, if you tell the same lie enough times, people start to believe it no matter how incredible. The criticism I find the most implausible is that Mormons believe in a “different Jesus”, who is either imaginary or fraudulent.

I always root for the underdog; I believe all human beings deserve respect regardless of status; and I’m quick to speak out against injustice towards others. One thing I’m not, however, is vengeful. It is said that hate begets hate, and violence begets violence, but when I recently considered the amount of pain, betrayal, and abuse I had been the recipient of throughout my life, I only had to wonder briefly why it now seemed so irrelevant. The reason came to mind almost instantly: “Because you have been saved.” Temporal loss means nothing when you know you’ve been promised everything.

While I don’t think my experience is unique among Mormons, I’ve often wondered why, if you ask a Sunday School class of Latter-Day Saints whether we are saved by grace or works, they’ll each give you a different answer. To be fair, when asked the same question, I always fail to offer a concise reply. How could I have been raised on the truth of the restored gospel and not know? Perhaps it’s because we’ve all been cornered into using the wrong terms–those of our critics. Thus, in my own words, I will explain how I believe we are saved.

God has a gift for us. It’s more than just a happy place; it’s an endowment of power, obtained by means of covenant–not payment. We don’t earn it, nor do we even deserve it, but we still must ultimately prove that we’re ready to receive it. When we become Latter-day Saints, we commit through faith to be Sons and Daughters of God. Thus, we covenant to be his children, and he covenants to be our Father. This is a parent-child relationship and easy enough to understand. If you’re weak but committed, God will be long-suffering towards you. If you’re able but stubborn, then he may ultimately give up on you.

The Book of Mormon itself says that Salvation is free. Once you have obtained the promise, you only want to live worthily of it and grow. Your works become acts of gratitude. Is the gift of Salvation conditional? Yes, but that doesn’t change the fact that God will never lose faith in you if you never lose faith in Him.

My Savior has been long-suffering, generous, and merciful towards me. Because he has given and taught me so much already, I have no reason to doubt the promise of Eternal Life and proclaim it to others. So I ask, what ‘other Jesus’–being so silent and inconsequential–is more deserving of my devotion?