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“Your description is very close to the way I have come to know Jesus.”

Tant, last night when I finished posting, I made sure all
my chickadees were in before their 12am curfew, then I
headed upstairs to bed. As I was brushing my teeth, I was
replaying your words in my head and I stopped to jot down
a thought so I wouldn’t forget it.

Here it is...

You say your experience was “very close” to mine. Yet in
the final analysis, placing faith in Christ is not an
experience - meaning, it is not the experience that saves. It is entrusting ourselves to Him fully that saves.

And what I specifically wrote was, “Ask Tant if his “experience”
resulted in the 100% assurance that, if he were to die
tonight, he would spend eternity in the presence of God.”

So, you can PM me or post here or skip answering as you like,
but I wondered as a follower of the doctrines of young Smith,
did you “experience” result in the certainty that you will
spend eternity in God’s presence?

Here’s why I ask...

The Bible teaches, that for those who have placed their trust
in Christ’s finished work on the cross for them, to be
absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We step
out of this life and step into eternity, in the presence of
God. And this is not based on anything we did, added to or
contributed by way of good deeds or works or any ritual
whatsoever.

To you now...

best,
ampu

~”Ask Tant if his “experience” resulted in the 100% assurance that, if he were to die tonight, he would spend eternity in the presence of God.”~

Because of my faith in Christ, I have hope of obtaining Eternal Life (i.e. Salvation). This hope helps me be determined to obey the Lord. We might call this obedience “works.”

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/ether/12/4#4
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/7/24#24

Of course, I could cite many supporting verses from the Bible; but they have already been presented numerous times.

The three concepts are interlocked. If I cease to strive to obey (cease to perform “good works”), then my hope fades. As my hope fades, my faith dwindles.

In other words, my obedience is a means to keeping my faith well-maintained. Therefore, as long as I’m striving for obedience, I have the assurance - a result of faith - that you mention.

I believe that we view faith differently; you view it as an event. I view it as a process. Faith is like a seed; tend it well, and it will grow. Neglect it, and it will struggle and finally wilt away.

This analogy is explained and expanded here:

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/32

Whether a Christian believes in the Book of Mormon or not, that chapter is one that is well worth the time to read and ponder. If you were to say to me, “OK, bub, I’m only going to read one chapter from the Book of Mormon. What’s it gonna be?” then this would be my suggestion. Better than any other place in the scriptures, in my opinion, it expounds on and explains the simple principle of faith. It is profitable for any person who wants to learn about faith.

Some people say, “Don’t feed me that Book of Mormon rubbish! The whole book is false!” I don’t think you are one such. Whether or not the book is false, this chapter is filled with good wisdom, and I hope you will be able to profit from it.