The founders of Mormonism hadn't a clue what the Real Gospel of Christ IS. Romans 3:28 is both plain as plaster and as complex as a child's smile: The Gospel of faith in Jesus Christ has replaced the impossible requirement to follow the law without transgressing in even one jot or tittle else you are in violation of the whole law. Paul taught repeatedly that the flesh (that is the body and the soul/behavior mechanism) cannot keep the law, the Torah.
Mormonism teaches that one confess Jesus, then do all that you can do to keep the law so you will work your way to ‘deserving’ exaltation! If it is God in you to will and to do of His good pleasure, who is keeping the laws and ordinances of the Gospel? [caption: what is the 'work of God': John 6:28-29 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. {KJV}. Romans 3:28 For we account a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law. {Douay Rheims Version}]
I would not presume to explain the particulars of what Mormons believe is ‘God’s Kingdom after this life’ … Mormonism appears to teach there are many levels in ‘that’ kingdom and that Mormons can earn their way to these differing levels; Mormonism assimilates some truth of the scriptures --like Paul‘s vision of the Heavens-- but they base their levels of Heaven assertions upon Joseph Smith‘s claims, then cite Bible passages as if they substantiate those Smithism assertions.
Paul told some Church members, 1 Corinthians 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. {KJV} The reason Paul gave this teaching is related to what Salvation is, when it happens and how it functions in the life of one ‘faithing’ in Jesus Christ. Works and especially keeping the law type works are not the means to salvation. Salvation in the Greek is ‘deliverance‘ (‘soteria’, related to ‘soter‘= deliverer); deliverance requires the Deliverer; Salvation comes when the Deliverer sprinkles His blood on the mercy seat and takes His place on the Mercy seat; deliverance comes day-by-day as He on the mercy seat transforms the soul of the faither as the old nature inherited from Adam is crucified to end its reign over you, bit by bit.
Once the human spirit is cleansed, The Holy Spirit of God comes to indwell that human spirit (that‘s why we ‘work out our own salvation with fear and trembling‘, it is the God of Creation Who is in you! … our ‘own salvation’ is the daily crucifixion of the old nature so the indwelling Spirit can transform you, and Jesus promised THAT Spirit would never leave you or forsake you once He‘s there) .
Transformation of the human soul/behavior mechanism will manifest works of righteousness/fruit of the Spirit (note the capitalization), but it will be ‘works’ which GOD does, not ‘all that you can do‘. Through The Word all things are made so The Son of God is the One deserving of exaltation and praise for HIS creative works. The Jewish believers were under the admonition to follow the law which could make no man righteous because no man but Jesus ever fulfilled it all without failure … but with faith Abraham and Rahab were counted righteous! It was ‘seeded‘ in the Old Testament that righteousness would come ONLY through faithing in His faithfulness. The perfect will of God is that we faithe in His faithfulness, so that His Son is the deserving One because He was first in Faith, even unto the death of the cross. [caption: Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.{KJV}]
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth (Greek word is ‘pisteuo’= faithe) unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision (Jews) only, or upon the uncircumcision (Gentiles) also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Faithe is an action word --action based upon belief sustained by confidence in God’s promises-- and your fuel level of faith --your confidence in the promise of God-- is renewed daily by the Word as your mind ‘hears‘)
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Without faith, it is your flesh, your nature inherited from Adam, doing all that you can do.)
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (If you are not born of the Spirit, you cannot renew your own mind for you have not the LIFE of God in you to Create new LIFE.)
“These same statements could be made of Islam without changing a thing other than ‘Christians‘ replaced by Moslems and ‘Gospel‘ replaced by sharia!”
Take you complaint to Paul then:
1Cor 6
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Or perhaps Christ:
Matt &: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.
Matt 19:17 ...if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
“The Gospel of faith in Jesus Christ has replaced the impossible requirement to follow the law without transgressing in even one jot or tittle else you are in violation of the whole law.”
One who has faith will strive for obedience,(see Heb 11) and when they fall short they will repent. Because of the atonement they will be able to find forgiveness. The gospel doesn’t remove our obligation to obey, it just makes it possible for the the barriers our failures to obey create to be removed.
Btw, thank you very much for your work. I’m thinking there’s a thread here, aren’t you?
Wow, an entire sermon in a post! Thank you for the ping. Sorry to be so late getting to it.