Dear Evangelical Friends: Can A Mormon Be A Christian?

Anakin7 · October 23, 2014

Ever learning but never coming to a knowledge of the truth.

In His Debt/Grace

Anakin7

LOSTONE · October 23, 2014

Can a sinner be saved? Of course they can be, but they must ask to be.

Anakin7 · October 23, 2014

Unless they are predestined to stay a sinner as some believe.

In His Debt/Grace

Anakin7

danielwoods · October 23, 2014

Nobody is saying that anyone will be judged based on anything other than works in this life, but that does not negate the need to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. All men will be judged according to the flesh, just like it says, but it is only accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ that allows anyone to live according to God in the Spirit.

Yet, your theory is that a person is able to accept the gospel of Christ because of preaching to him after he dies. Thus you are claiming this person won't be judged for what he does in this life, but what he does after he dies.

Here is what the NT states:

Romans 2:9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.

12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

Notice that he doesn't state what you are theorizing. Rather, he supports what every other scripture states. That God makes a righteous judgement based on what we have done in this life, with the knowledge he has given us, in this life.

The parable of the 10 talents outlines that we will be judged by what we do with what we are given.

Exactly right.

If you are looking for a specific wording then you will miss a lot of what the scriptures have to say. Preaching the gospel to every creature is taught in the NT. There are more people that have never heard the gospel than have heard it. Do they just never get to hear it before final judgment?
Essentially you are saying that the gospel of Jesus Christ is irrelevant because nobody needs to hear it or even accept it.

Essentially I am not saying that. Essentially, I am saying that these LDS teachings aren't derived from the NT. We are analyzing the texts, and it's simply not taught in the NT.

Edited October 23, 2014 by danielwoods

danielwoods · October 23, 2014

dberrie2000, on 22 Oct 2014 - 12:05 PM, said:

Acts 2:38---King James Version (KJV)
³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Is Acts2:38 an example of those who put their trust in Him?

Then obedience is an integral component to faith--and God gives His salvational grace to those who obey Him.

That fits the LDS theology well--but it renders the faith alone theology false. Faith alone is a theology of salvation through faith without works.

The interesting thing is God gives his salvational grace even to those who don't obey him, because the truth is we can't obey him completely, that's why we need salvation given to us.

dberrie2000 · October 23, 2014

The interesting thing is God gives his salvational grace even to those who don't obey him, because the truth is we can't obey him completely, that's why we need salvation given to us.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9---King James Version (KJV)

⁷And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

⁸In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

⁹Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Could I ask you how that compares to the faith alone theology--where salvation is through a faith without works of obedience to the gospel of Christ?

dberrie2000 · October 23, 2014

Can a sinner be saved? Of course they can be, but they must ask to be.

Is this an example of asking to be saved?

Acts 2:38---King James Version (KJV)

³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Or does one receive eternal life without repentance--IE--by only asking?

Edited October 23, 2014 by dberrie2000

Vance · October 23, 2014

We are not born saved (which is what Jesus told Nicodemus in that we have to be born again) but have the opportunity to repent and have our sinful nature dealt with as God has prescribed for all with the Gospel message or the inner conviction from general revelation (Romans 1&2, no Vance you haven't refuted the Biblical teaching on the matter) before the New Testament Gospel was being proclaimed beginning in Jerusalem (Acts 1).

There is no general revelation mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Plus, the whole concept has been refuted several times.

Your refusal to acknowledge it's refutation says more about you than it does about the refutation.

Nobody knows anything about Jesus Christ until or unless they are informed, either by hearing or reading about him. Your whole concept of a "general revelation" of Jesus Christ is a complete, total, unnecessary and silly fabrication.

Vance · October 23, 2014

KevinG, Mormons put their trust in Joseph Smith who wasn't there with the apostles but has usurped their teaching in many areas of doctrine.

That is just bovine excrement.

Mola Ram Suda Ram · October 23, 2014

The interesting thing is God gives his salvational grace even to those who don't obey him, because the truth is we can't obey him completely, that's why we need salvation given to us.

You are getting confused with following the commandment perfectly and a general "following the commandments". One is total works based. The other is allowing our faith to work in our lives through our works. WE all make mistakes. The point is that we try. Not just say" Jesus I accept you into my heart" and then think you are saved from then on out with out anything else in your life to show for it. Most Evangelicals I know do more than just profess a belief they show it through works. Its just funny that most Evangelicals reduced their theology to a form of easy believism where works play no part in salvation.

That is what you are doing when you proclaim the above. You are saying that "I don't need to obey because I can't do it perfectly that is why I just need to confess Jesus and I can go on my marry way and I am saved".

Edited October 23, 2014 by Mola Ram Suda Ram

Vance · October 23, 2014

Romans 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

Why would Paul be ready to preach the gospel if the gospel is a "general revelation" as has been claimed?

Answer. There is no "general revelation" of the gospel.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Why just the Jews and the Greeks if it is a "general revelation"? What about the Chinese, Africans, and Japanese?

Answer. There is no "general revelation" of the gospel.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

What is revealed from what?

The righteousness of God, meaning the way to follow the example set by Christ is reveal in the gospel, which is delivered from faith, meaning someone, like Paul, preaching it.

There is no "general revelation" of the gospel.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

What is revealed against what?

Answer. The "WRATH" of God is revealed against wickedness and the wicked, who know better. Where did they get this knowledge? From someone, like Paul, preaching it to them.