Works For The Living, Grace For The Dead by Bob Betts

I am one of the few in the ministry of Concerned Christians who has never been Mormon. As it turns out, that gives me, and others who have never been Mormon, a definite advantage over living Mormons in matters of salvation.

Mormonism teaches that the performance of LDS ordinances and obedience to LDS principles in this life will make Mormons worthy of the "Celestial Glory" (their highest of three heavens). What I am about to share, reveals a major difference between Mormonism's works-based doctrine of salvation for the living and its works-free acceptance of the LDS gospel available to the dead. Mormonism's teachings on how salvation is attained by those, like me, who would die non-Mormons makes it much more desirable to decline Mormonism in this life, rather than strive to live it out.

MORMONISM'S WORKS-BASED SALVATION IN THIS LIFE
In Mormonism, salvation is attained "by grace…after all we can do" (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 25:23b [emphasis added]).

The Bible teaches us that there is no deed, which we can perform to earn our salvation. Christ paid the price for our sins on the cross, with His blood, making salvation a free gift we immediately receive if we believe in Him (Eph. 2:8,9; John 1:12 and 6:29).

What "after all we can do" means to Mormons is spelled out in a book written both as a personal study guide and as a teacher's manual for Mormons called Gospel Principles. In the 1997 edition, pages 303-304, the "Requirements for Exaltation" (eternal life) include:

• Being baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ [of Latter-day Saints].
• Receiving the temple endowment.
• Being married for time and eternity.
• Paying honest tithes and offerings.
• Obeying the Word of Wisdom (no tea, coffee, tobacco, alcohol, etc.).
• Searching out their kindred dead (genealogical work, which leads to doing baptisms for the dead) and performing the saving ordinances of the LDS gospel for them in the Mormon temple.
• Attending Ward (church) meetings as regularly as possible so they can renew their covenants by partaking of the sacrament (communion).
• Listening to and obeying the inspired words of their prophets.

Spencer W. Kimball, 12th prophet of the LDS church wrote, "All transgressions must be cleansed, all weaknesses must be overcome, before a person can attain perfection and godhood" (The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 16). In the same book he stated, " This progress toward eternal life is a matter of achieving perfection. Living all the commandments guarantees total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation through that perfection" (p. 208).

Clearly, no one gets to the Mormon's highest heaven without obeying all the principles and performing all the ordinances of the Mormon gospel.

MORMONISM'S WORKS-FREE SALVATION, POST-MORTEM
Most Mormons you talk with cannot conceive of salvation being a works-free gift of God and receivable upon belief in Jesus Christ. Yet, in Mormonism's doctrine for the dead, acceptance of the Mormon gospel is also works-free. Here's the scenario:

Today, I die a non-Mormon. Not having accepted the Mormon gospel, I would go to "spirit prison."

Again, in Gospel Principles, under the heading of Ordinances Performed for the Dead, p. 104, we learn that:

Jesus has provided for everyone to hear the gospel, whether on earth or after death. Between his death and resurrection, Jesus went among the spirits of those who had died. He organized missionary work among those who were dead. He appointed righteous messengers and gave them power to teach the gospel to all the spirits of people who had died. This gave them an opportunity to accept the gospel. Living members of his (LDS) Church then perform ordinances on behalf of the dead. Ordinances such as baptism and confirmation must be done on earth.

So, one year from my demise (the Mormon's decided waiting period), a worthy Mormon could go into their temple to baptize me by proxy. If I then accept the Mormon gospel in spirit prison, I would literally be home free. LDS apostle, Bruce McConkie explains:

By accepting the (Mormon) gospel in the spirit world, and because the ordinances of salvation and exaltation are performed vicariously in this world, the worthy dead can become heirs of the fullness of the Father's kingdom… and will then be entitled to all the blessings which passed them by in mortality (Mormon Doctrine, p. 673).

There it is. All I would have to do in spirit prison is accept the Mormon gospel, taught to me by the "righteous messengers," in order to be "worthy" of the inheritance of "the fullness of the Father's kingdom" and "all the blessings" therein. Someone else does the required works. I would not be required to perform any ordinances or obey any principles required of living Mormons on earth. I would cross over to "spirit paradise" and eventually advance to the "celestial glory."

The Irony Of It All
The irony is that Mormonism's salvation for the dead is a works-free acceptance of the LDS gospel available only to dead non-Mormons, while living Mormons have a life-long, works-laden expectation of perfection to look forward to. Living Mormons have the hard path to salvation, while at the same time making the path easy for the dead through proxy works for the dead.

Pray that Mormons accept the biblical Christ, that they, too, may enjoy works free (grace-based) salvation offered in this life only.

Back to No Comparison or Grace vs Works