Posted on 09/30/2011 11:12:07 AM PDT by Colofornian
I found this article "Our Relationship With the Lord" written by Bruce R. McConkie and found in the BYU Devotional dated March 2, 1982. This portion of the article left me somewhat stunned :
"5. Christ worked out his own salvation by worshiping the Father.
After the Firstborn of the Father, while yet a spirit being, had gained power and intelligence that made him like unto God; after he had become, under the Father, the Creator of worlds without number; after he had reigned on the throne of eternal power as the Lord Omnipotent-- after all this he yet had to gain a mortal and then an immortal body.
After the Son of God "made flesh" his "tabernacle," and while he yet "dwelt among the sons of men"; after he left his preexistent glory as we all do at birth; after he was born of Mary in Bethlehem of Judea--after all this he was called upon to work out his own salvation.
Of our Lord's life while in this mortal probation the scripture says, "He received not of the fullness at the first, but received grace for grace; and he received not of the fullness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fullness." Finally, after his resurrection, "he received a fullness of the glory of the Father; and he received all power both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him." (D&C 93:12-17)
Do Mormons actually believe that Christ needed salvation? If so, from what did he need to be saved? From sin? If not sin, then what?
Thank you.
A In contrast to the Mormon christ -- who is but a "saved being"--a mere creature like dear ole Dad, the true Jesus Christ is eternal!
The 'Mormon' Jesus: "Christ is a saved being” (lds "apostle" McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol. 3, p 257)
“Modern revelation speaks of our Lord as he that ‘ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth‘ (D&C 88:6). Christ's rise to the throne of exaltation was preceded by his descent below all things. Only by submitting to the powers of demons and death and hell could he, in the resurrection, serve as our exemplar of a saved being...” (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 234)
Please also see...
* McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 238 where he said the Mormon "jesus" "Needs salvation...Came to earth to work out His own salvation”)
* McConkie, "The Seven Deadly Heresies,' in Speeches of the Year, 1980 [Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1981] p. 78 where he said: "There was only one perfect being, the Lord Jesus. If men had to be perfect and live all of the law strictly, wholly, and completely, there would be only one saved person in eternity." [cited in Come, Follow Me: Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide 1983 (1983) p. 72
I'm sorry, but the real Christ did not need to "work out His own salvation" as Lds apostles teach; in fact, He is THE Savior of the world: And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be THE Savior of the world. (1 John 4:14; cf. John 4:42).
More ‘thumping ‘ sounds as McConkie gets tossed under the bus again.
It saddens the heart that Mormons know of Jesus but don’t really know Jesus.
Maybe he played for BYU!
Short answer: Heresy.
Wow, this is something I never knew about Mormon beliefs. Thanks for sharing.
The mormons have a seriously perverted view of Jesus which I find highly offensive.
It saddens my heart that people are willing judge our relationship with Jesus without even talking to us. Instead, they rely on information from people who clearly have a chip on their shoulder about Mormonism.
Bruce R. McConkie wrote and spoke volumes about Christ. A few cherry-picked quotes won't change the fact that he knew and loved our Savior.
And, by the way, Mormons believe and teach that Christ was God before He was born on this earth, he was God while He was here and He's God now.
It’s not just a few quotes from McConkie that proves Mormonism teaches attributes about Jesus that are vastly different from the Biblical Jesus. Mormons can use the same name, “Jesus” all they want, but the teachings of Mormonism make it clear they are not talking about the Biblical Jesus.
Our LDS friends claim to be Christian. Whether that is so, I do not know. When is heresy so great that the heresiarch and his followers can no longer be called Christian? Where is the line?
They claim, sometimes, to be Trinitarian. Again, I do not know. And I don't know how important the mere words "Christian" and "Trinitarian" are if they can comprehend so much variability.
But if they stand by these words, then they cannot claim to agree with Nicea, Ephesus, or Chalcedon.
And if THAT be shown, then we can BEGIN to have a real conversation with them, since there will be some small agreement on, so to speak, the terrain.
They certainly do - they believe Christ was one of many Gods both before he was born, while he was on earth and now. He is simply the god we earthlings worship. ...or at least that was what I was taught during my 45 years in Mormonism.
If you want to know what Mormons believe, ask us. No, we don't believe that Christ had to be saved. He came to earth to bring salvation to us.
If we really taught that Christ had to "work out his salvation", why would Colofornian have to go back 29 years to dig up a quote?
OMG! This was asked?
Hello....Christ...The Savior....is anyone listening?
Mormons also believe that Jesus was baptised, and the purpose of baptism is tied to the purpose of salvation.
Whether you want to accept it or not, Mormons believe in the Biblical Jesus and are saved by the Biblical Jesus.
There are numerous differences between the Biblical Jesus and the version of Jesus as taught by Mormons. The differences are so vast that one can’t logically conclude they are the same being being discussed. Here are just a few of the differences:
1. Jesus of the Bible is eternal and not created. Jesus of Mormonism was once a man that earned his Godhead and was the physical offspring of heavenly father and his goddess wife.
2. Jesus of the Bible is the Creator. Jesus of Mormonism is the spirit brother of Lucifer and mankind.
3. Jesus of the Bible is one person of the Triune God. Jesus of Mormonism is one of many gods.
4. Jesus of the Bible had no wives. Jesus of Mormonism had multiple wives.
5. Jesus of the Bible is worshipped as Almighty God. Jesus of Mormonism is not worshipped.
6. Jesus of the Bible offers salvation by His sacrifice on the cross by grace through faith. Jesus of Mormonism atoned for sin in the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross, but His sacrifice isn’t sufficient to cover all sins. One must be obedient and be declared temple worthy to obtain the highest level of paradise, according to Mormonism.
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