Pastor Jeff has put out his latest video, in which he comments on and discusses a talk given by Brad R. Wilcox at BYU around twelve years ago on July 12, 2011, titled: “His Grace Is Sufficient,” in which Brad Wilcox discusses the controversial issue of “grace vs. works,” from an LDS theological perspective (Link). I think that Brad Wilcox has done a nice job of developing the subject from the LDS theological point of view; but I think that he has made it sound a bit more complicated than it needs to be. The issue of “grace vs. works” is a hot topic in Evangelical circles; but not so much among Latter-day Saints. LDS as a rule don’t have an issue with that. They don’t see a conflict between the two (as the Evangelicals do). That is why I am a little bit skeptical about the anecdotal incident that Brad mentions with regard to a BYU student who questions him on that subject. It sounds more like someone who may have been adversely influenced by Evangelical thinking on that subject. LDS don’t have a long list of “DOs” and “DON’Ts” that they are required to adhere to (as the Evangelicals and critics like to insinuate). As true followers and disciples of Jesus Christ, we are expected to do what is good and right in the sight of God, and avoid evil; and everyone knows what that is. The Bible says:
James 4:
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin”.
That sums it up very nicely. That is what Latter-day are expected to do: to do good; to love, serve, and obey God; and to abstain from evil, as summarized in these Bible verses:
1 Thessalonians 5:
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
There is no “list”. But going back to the original question of reconciling “works,” with salvation by “grace” and by “faith,” the answer is simpler than how Brad Wilcox has tried to explain it. The answer is that the gospel of Jesus Christ requires us to repent of our sins and keep the commandments of God to be saved; and that is not the same as “works,” or a “works based” salvation. “Works salvation” means that we save ourselves by our own works; or that our works save us, independent of the saving and redeeming work of Jesus Christ. That is what the Jews believed in at the time, and which is what Paul was arguing against. All of his talk about “faith alone” and no “works,” is directed at that. He didn’t mean that we don’t need to repent of our sins and keep the commandments of God to be saved. Those are two different things. Calvinists and Evangelicals have conflated the two, and have constructed for themselves a perverse “faith alone” theology in which any talk of repenting of our sins and keeping God’s commandments as a requirement for salvation is considered “works,” and disallowed! Repenting of our sins and keeping God’s commandments is something that automatically “happens” to people whether they like it or not just because they have “believed!” That is the perverse, heretical theology of Calvinism and Evangelicalism. And it has all been derived from a few misconstrued passages in the writings of Paul, to the exclusion of 99% of the rest of the Bible, including other writings of Paul, and indeed of Jesus himself, which teach something different. Here are some typical examples:
Matthew 7:
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 6:
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
Matthew 25:
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
• • •
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
1 Corinthians 6:
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 6:
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
• • •
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Hebrews 10:
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Hebrews 13:
15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
2 Timothy 3:
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
James 1:
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
• • •
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
James 4:
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
The Bible teaches that we need to repent of our sins and keep the commandments of God to be saved, no doubts about it. That is the condition for salvation. And if we fall short and do sin, we have the assurance of forgiveness and remission of sins through faith and genuine repentance, by virtue of the redeeming and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But there is no question that according to the gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in the Bible, repenting of our sins and keeping God’s commandments is a requirement for salvation. Another doctrinal perversion that beclouds their thinking is the belief in the Calvinistic heresy of predestination and predetermination, which denies human freewill, which is unbiblical and false, e.g.:
Deuteronomy 30:
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Joshua 24:
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
And in 2 Nephi 25:23, “after all we can do” means in spite of what we can do:
2 Nephi 25:
23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
It doesn’t mean that we do our part, and then Jesus does the rest, or makes up the difference—a common misreading or misunderstanding of that scripture. But it does mean that we need to repent of our sins and keep the commandments of God to be saved.
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