The most important decision we will make in this life, is the one that determines where we will spend the next life.
Yes, we actually get to choose where we spend eternity!
We have two choices.
Option 1:
We can choose to live our life here on earth without God, depending on our own wisdom and strength. This option results in us spending eternity without God, a condition which the Bible describes as follows:
“…those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus…will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power” (2 Thess 1:8-9)
Option 2:
We can accept God’s free gift of salvation from our sins – available to us because of Jesus’ death on the cross – and live our life here on earth in His wisdom and strength. This option results in us spending eternity as beloved children of God, grateful recipients of His love, mercy and forgiveness:
“…to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12)
“…God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12)
“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col 1:13-14 NKJV)
The Bible makes it clear that the only way to salvation from our sins is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. On the cross, He willingly paid with His life the price for all the sins of mankind. (Hebrews 9:12-14) When we repent of our sins and ask Jesus to be Lord of our life, the mercy and grace of God makes the righteousness of Christ and eternal life available to us.
Mormonism does not teach a salvation based on Christ’s finished work on the cross alone. Instead, Mormonism presents a “salvation” which includes man’s works—which is no salvation at all!
Mormonism encompasses all followers of Joseph Smith. It includes the Restorationist churches and the Community of Christ churches (CoC) headquartered in Independence, Missouri, as well as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), also known as the Mormon church, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The following chart contrasts the Biblical doctrine of salvation with Mormonism’s doctrine of salvation. Sources used are as follows:
- Biblical references are from the New International Version (NIV) except where noted.
- RLDS/CoC references are from RLDS versions of the Book of Mormon (RLDS BOM), Doctrine and Covenants (RLDS D&C) and Holy Scriptures, often referred to as Joseph Smith’s “Inspired” version of the Bible (JSIV).
- LDS references are from LDS versions of the Book of Mormon.
BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF SALVATION
MORMONISM’S DOCTRINE OF SALVATION
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph 2:8-9)
“[God] who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus…” (2 Tim 1:9)
“…for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” (RLDS BOM 2 Nephi 11:44, LDS BOM 2 Nephi 25:33) “….Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, , ye shall be saved at the last day….” (RLDS BOM 1 Nephi 7:69; LDS BOM 1 Nephi 22:3)
“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Gal 2:21)
“And he that will not take up his cross and follow me, and keep my commandments, the same shall not be saved.” (RLDS D&C Sec. 56:1b; LDS D&C Sec. 56:2)
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” (Titus 3:4)
“…unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.” (RLDS BOM 2 Nephi 13:19-22; LDS BOM 2 Nephi 31:15-17)
“Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” (Rom 10:4)
“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Rom 3:22-24)
“…I know if ye keep the commandments of God ye shall be saved…” (RLDS BOM Mosiah 7:94; LDS BOM Mosiah 12:33)
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…” (Eph 2: 4-6)
“Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you cannot come.” (RLDS D&C Sec. 24:4b; LDS D&C Sec. 25:15)
“Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.” (Rom 3:27-28)
“…the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins….” (RLDS BOM Moroni 8:29; LDS BOM Moroni 8:25)
“…We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved…” (Acts 15:11)
“And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” (Rom 11:6)
“…if you keep not my commandments you cannot be saved in the kingdom of my Father. Behold, I, Jesus Christ… have spoken it.” (RLDS D&C Sec. 16:7d,e; LDS D&C Sec. 18:46)
“Therefore ye are justified of faith and works, through grace.” (JSIV Rom 4:16a)
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life…” (John 3″36)
“…if you keep my commandments and endure to the end, you shall have eternal life…” (RLDS BOM Helaman 4:73; LDS BOM Helaman 12:26)
“I tell you the truth; he who believes has everlasting life.” (John 6:47)
“They that have done good shall have everlasting life; and they that have done evil shall have everlasting damnation….” (RLDS BOM Helaman 4:73; LDS BOM Helaman 12:26)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)
“And whosoever… keepeth the commandments of God…he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit…” (RLDS BOM Alma 5:28; LDS BOM Alma 7:16)
“For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” Rom 1:17
“And all that call upon the name of the Lord, and keep his commandments, shall be saved.” (RLDS D&C Sec. 97:4d; LDS D&C Sec. 100:17)
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand…” (Rom 5:1-2)
“And if you do these last commandments of mine, which I have given you, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; for my grace is sufficient for you, and you shall be lifted up at the last day.” (RLDS D&C Sec. 15:3b; LDS D&C Sec. 17:8)
“….to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…” (Eph 1:6-7)
“… that by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins…” (RLDS D&C Sec. 76:5b; LDS D&C Sec:76:52)
“He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’” (Acts 16:30-31)
“He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’” (RLDS D&C Sec. 42:16b; LDS D&C Sec. 46:60)
“…So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.” (Gal 2:16)
“Therefore come unto me and be ye saved; for verily I say unto you, that except ye shall keep my commandments, which I have commanded you at this time, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (RLDS BOM 3 Nephi 5:68; LDS BOM 3 Nephi 12:20)
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31)
“…inasmuch as they keep my commandments they shall be saved…” (RLDS D&C Sec. 97:4b; LDS D&C Sec. 100:14)
So which will you choose?
Salvation according to the Word of God as found in the Bible?
Or Salvation according to the words of Joseph Smith as found in the books that he wrote?
It is our prayer that you will choose wisely—Your eternity depends on it
“For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
“…God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
He who has the Son has life;
he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
1 John 5:12
“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life….”
John 6:40
“…whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me
has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
John 5:24
“…no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
Luke 18:29-30
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16-17
