I am truly pleased that you hold us Mormons to just high standards, even higher than you hold your fellow Evangelicals to. Might Christian of you.
Oh, BTW, define “pattern” please.
An Lds majority leader legislator...committing a major scandal...leading to his resignation. (It's happened twice in 2010...same party...same state...same county even)
Right before this last scandal, the Deseret News ran a column recently saying that "our job" was to forgive fallen heroes. And I think that's true. But when the Lds church has placed those heroes so high upon a divine pedestal by labeling them as "god-in-embryos" -- are we then to go around forgiving "gods?" (Sorry, but if the "gods" need forgiving, then they are not, by nature, true gods!)
I am truly pleased that you hold us Mormons to just high standards, even higher than you hold your fellow Evangelicals to. Might Christian of you.
Now why would I want to hold Lds to anything less than what the Mormon Jesus does? "Therefore I would that ye should BE PERFECT, even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect." (3 Nephi 12:48)
(Did ya notice that this says BE perfect -- not BECOME perfect?)
Are Lds perfect? Have Lds done ALL they can do per 2 Nephi 25:23? If they haven't, like these legislators, how will grace ever begin to kick in per the Mormon standard found in 2 Nephi 25:23 -- "AFTER ALL they can do"?
Now do you see why Evangelicals stress…
…that God, not ourselves, is our source of righteousness (Romans 10:3)
…that Jesus Christ, not ourselves, is our source of righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)
…that we’re saved by grace alone (Romans 11:6)
…that the true gospel is ALWAYS gracious & grace-filled (Acts 20:24)
…and that this all can be a point of agreement between Christians and transitioning Mormons…’cause even when it comes to alignment with God’s will, does not 2 Nephi 10:24 in the Book of Mormon say, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is ONLY IN AND THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD THAT YE ARE SAVED."
Urroner: God’s will is the same for all of us;
Mormon or Evangelical;
legislator or non-legislator;
saint or sinner.
After all, He intended us all to be His people;
He intended that we would all exercise servant-leadership in various spheres of life;
and He intended that once we became sinners, that we would become holy (saints) in His Son (1 Cor. 1:30). Christ is our holiness; Christ is our righteousness. He is our Standard! And the Father accepts nothing less than perfection. He is indeed perfect. He’s my substitute. I’m holding on to Him when I appear in His presence.
So before Smith got it wrong in 2 Nephi 25:23, at least got it right both in 10:24 in that chapter and parts of 2:4-8: “Salvation is free…And by the law no flesh is justified…Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered. Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life…” (2 Nephi 2:4-5, 7-8)