Starting point of division: Conception, perception and understanding of the nature, and characture of God.
The world teaches that god is a thing that is unknowable, unpersonable, and uninterested.
The world teaches that the church is a corrupt organization set up to:
- empower those within its structure, and protect them from any consequence of their wrong doing
- to stifle and oppress everyone else
- compete with any and every other benevelant organization that seeks to do good.
This as opposed to:
A god who created man in his image, is very knowable, is interested in man's wellbeing, and waiting and eager for a personal relationship with each man individually.
The church is an organization for:
- the teaching of the principles by which this interested God would have man live in peace and joy, then allowing each and all to govern themselves
- seeks to enoble and uplift all so far as each is willing to abide truth
- set a pattern and framework for serving and doing good.
- - -
It came to my attention while listening to a man on the radio that the LDS church does not have the same conception of Grace and Forgiveness and 'The Cross' that so many in the sectarian community appearantly do. That when asking if a member of the LDS church is 'forgiven' the LDS person cannot answer with faithful assurance that he has and is.
'They' are right, somewhat. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we do not emphaisize this doctrin as much as some suppose we should.
I am not versed in apologetics, and am not going to try to give a scholarly answer.
My perception of Grace, as taught in the LDS church and from the books we hold to be scripture is mainly two fold: 1) God doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves, 2) God in his mercy giving to us what we do not in justice merrit.
'By grace ye are saved after all ye can do' is the phrase from the Book of Mormon. This is taught to mean that Jesus as the Messiah and arbitur of the atonement, or 'The Cross', has right and authroity to set the conditions of it. Which conditions are to:
- exercise faith in Jesus as the Savior
- repent of my sins
- recieve the ordinances and associated covenants from those who have the authority to administer them
- then live by those covenants seeking to be 'perfect as the Father which is in heaven is perfect.'
In return he will and does forgive my sins, he also empowers me to be and do greater good according to my obedience to the principles of the covenants from the ordinances.
I understand 'The Cross' to be sectarian vocabulary for 'the atonement of Jesus Christ' drawn from Paul's letters in the New Testament. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we understand this principle to essentually be:
- Jesus took upon himself the just punishment of all mankinds sins
- in this He redeamed Man from the Fall, and overcame the 'second death' or death of the spirit wherein man is forever cut off from God the Father.
- and then died and was resurected so that we may all be likewise resurected, and overcame the 'first death' or death of the body wherein man is left without a physical body.
Our understanding is that this did not just happen at the cross, but also in Gethsemany at the time when he sweat blood, and at the tomb. I.E. the whole passion, not just the cross.
Summary: when asked 'have you been saved?' or 'have you been forgiven?' the faithful Latter-Day Saint should automatically answer 'Yes.' Except that that is outside of our vocabulary.
Being outside of the vocabulary is not outside of the truth.
'Have I been forgiven?' meaning have I recieved the grace of god whereby I have been absolved of my sins? I try to be. But I am imperfect and keep adding to the burden, and have to go ask for more. Forgiveness in not a one-shot deal but a daily struggle coupled with the daily struggle of obedience. That is why The Sacrament is a weekly event. Have my past sins been forgiven? Yes. My future ones? Only if I repent of them, or don't make them.
This goes back to the 'second death' and being redeemed from the fall and from sin. Obedience to the law of repentance is Jesus' condition for this.
'Have I been saved?' meaning have I done all that Jesus requires of me to enter the Kingdom of God in this life and the one after the resurection? Yes.
This goes to the 'first death' or the seperation of the body and spirit. By the grace of god all recieve this gift who meet the condition. Which condition is to rcieve a physical body.
Should this difference in vocabulary be emphasized more? Perhaps.
