Mormonism still offers me nothing on these points norm.
ALMA 5:27-31 states that one must be "blameless before God", "humble", "stripped of envy", "stripped of pride". If you are not perfect in these things norm, it states that "if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God".
If one in in 'continual repentance for sin', it means that sin is still present in one's life. Again ALMA 11:37 states clearly that Jesus will not save you in your sin. The presence of sin requiring 'continual repentance' is addressed by Kimball in "The Miracle of Forgiveness" where he writes "There is one crucial test of repentance. This is abandonment of the sin….The saving power does not extend to him who merely wants to change his life. …Nor is repentance complete when one merely tries to abandon sin. ...Discontinuance of the sin must be permanent.... "(pp. 163-165, 176, 354-355 ). SMith also warned "Daily transgression and daily repentance is not that which is pleasing in the sight of God.” —Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 148
God knows we are imperfect and flawed, and I believe he is merciful to those who honestly strive to overcome their sins and weaknesses.
Again, norm, this is what I read in your doctrine. D&C 1:31-32 states: “For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven.” What is it to repent? D&C 58:43 states: “By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.” Already from above, that forsaking must be perminent.
Finally on this point, MORONI 10:32 state: “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." Grace isn't even available until you have removed all ungodliness from your life (sins, pride, envy, etc), mercy has no play.
So I still see that in mormonism
- my life must be perfectly sinless else I would not be prepared to meet God
- "continual repentance" is flawed, discontnuence of sin must be permanent and that such continual repentance is not pleasing to the lord
- the presence of any sin in my life precludes Jesus from saving me
- God will not view any unrepentant sins with any allowance
Not a whole lot there to entice one into becoming a mormon norm. Reminds me of Sisyphus, for ever rolling the boulder up the hill, only to have it go back to the bottom. Given that God doesn't grant any allowance for unrepented sin - can a mormom say that if they died this very moment they'd be in heavenly father's presence?
Yes, I believe repentance includes forsaking and abandoning sin. Jesus did command us to be “perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect” (Matt: 5:48)
I also believe that God judges us us according to our desires as well as our works:
“For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.” (Doctrine and Covenants 137:9)
“And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good (Book of Mormon, Alma 41:3)
Our disposition regarding other people also seems to play an important part in how God will judge us:
“Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7)
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15)
Since no one is going to be faultless in this life, I believe the mercies of Christ will be sufficient for those who are honestly striving to overcome sin and follow Christ’s example and teachings.
Best regards,
Normandy