“I think that the idea is that it’s possible to be saved by Jesus Christ while belonging to a Mormon ‘church.’ If you believe that he died and rose again to save you from sin and death. It’s just impossible to be a GOOD Mormon and Christian at the same time.”
Ray Comfort once noted that it isn’t necessary, as a young Christian, to understand all the fine points of Christian doctrine to be saved. One can be saved and be utterly ignorant about the trinity, etc. Let’s have the hypothetical situation of a person who has faith in Jesus Christ, a biblical Faith (not the Mormon version) but was still in the LDS, perhaps with an imperfect knowledge. It basically would be equal to being a Muslim and a “Christian”. One cannot know a person’s heart, but it isn’t a safe place to be, and for a person who stays in that situation, it is extraordinarily doubtful that they are actually saved.
RaisingCain said, “...for a person who stays in that situation, it is extraordinarily doubtful that they are actually saved.”
I thank God in Heaven every day that it is His Son Jesus Christ who will judge me, and not any imperfect mortal beset with judgemental attitudes like yours.
Raising Cain, I have been LDS for over 42 years. I was raised a Southern Baptist, but my Dad and I joined the LDS church in 1970. I have been in all sorts of psitions within the church in that time, from a missionary to a Sunday School teacher, to a members of bishoprics, etc.
Jesus Christ, miraculously (through the power of the Holy Spirit) born of the Virgin Mary, is my Savior and author of my Salvation. His atonement and redemption in the Garden and on the Cross have saved me, and it is that alone that has saved me. This is the same Christ, written of in the Holy Bible, which I accept as God’s word and His scripture, who was born in Bethlehem, raised by the caprenter, Joseph in Nazareth. He taught in the Temple when young, He grew up and taught His gospel, performed great miralces, healing the sick, feeding the multitudes, raising the dead. He chose His disciples. He hismelf said He was the Christ and the Son of Almighty God. He was unjustly tried by the Jews and the Romans, and was crucified according to Biblical prophesy for the sins of mankind and rose the third day. He will return to this Earth and reign in honor and glory through a glorious Millennium. I look forward to the day of His return.
As I said, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What many call a Mormon. We do have different beliefs about the Godhead. We believe in three, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We believe they are seperate and distinct and turn to the Bible itself of that interpretation. Christ indicated indeed that He and the Father are one, but in the great intercessory praye in Johnr, he explained exactly what that meant when he prayed to the Father and asked that His discplies might be one, even as He and the Father were one. He prayed to the Father...not to himself. He said He came to do the will of His Father, not His own will. His Father’s voice was heard at His baptism and on the mount...separate from His own. The martyr Stephen saw Christ sitting individually next to the Father.
We also believe that we are saved through faith and grace. Our own actions are not sufficient to save us...but we do believe that Christ indicated, very clearly in the Bible that there were certain things that we, as His disciples should do...necessary as a part of our salvation. He said if we love Him, we will keep His commandments...and His apostles taught (notably John) that if we did not keep His commandments, His love was not in us. He sent His disciples forth to baptise and indicated that they who believed and were baptised would be saved, and they who did not would not. These are all things that various denominations interpret differently and have differences over...and that is fine.
We believe, as Paul taught, that the Church of Christ is made up of Apostles, and Prohets, evangelists, bishops, etc. We believe that His Church was restored to the earth...not for “Mormons” but for all mankind and we go about teaching people of it. We believe that all mankind, whenever and wherever they have lived throughout history will be brought to a knowledge of Christ in this life, or before the judgement in the spirit world, so they can either accept or deny His salvation. We believe Christ himself set up this great work on the other side after He was cruicified and before he was resurrected when he “taught the spirits in prison,” according to Biblical verse in Peter.
We do not worship Jospeh Smith or set him up equal in any instance to Jesus Christ. We believe Christ used Him to perform a mission and that mission was the restoration of Christ’s church, also as prophesied in the Bible, with Prophets and Aposles and all that Paul spoke of. Do others believe the time for that is past? Yes. And that is fine as a part of their faith. We also believe in the Book of Mormon, which itself clearly states that it is a second witness of Christ and goes along with the Holy Bible (which we also believe in as Holy Scripture) to witness of Him. It does not replace the Bible...it is not “another Bible,” we believe it is a witness of Christ from ancient America. Do others believe we do not need this witness? Yes...and that too is fine according to the dictates of their faith. Joseph Smith ultimately sealed his mission, despite whatever faults he had...and he had them for he was a human and imperfect...with his own blood.
We believe that when Christ said, in Matthew to “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect”, that he meant it and that our ultimate purpose, through the salvation of Jesus Christ is to do so. But that would be in the far hereafter. We believe what Paul said, in Romans when he said, “We are the Children of God, and if children, then heirs, and joint heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with Him, that we might also be glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.”
I witness, in all humilty, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. He is my personal Savior and the only one to whom I look for salvation. That is a true and sincere statement. It is He who will judge me. By most all Chrsitian standards, that statement of acceptance of Jesus Christ means to most that I am saved. The Bible teaches that it is only through the power of the Holy Ghost that I can make such a witness...and I so witness now.
Hope that helps in your understanding...and coming directly from a long-time, card-carrying member of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I will not argue about it or contend...just leave it with you in the hopes the thread can get back to its purpose regarding Israel and our support for it.
AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS OF HISTORY
http://www.jeffhead.com/crossroads.htm