Repentance And Works In Cultic Theology: Part Two

By Ron Rhodes

Ron Rhodes earned his Th.M. and Th.D. degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. He is President of Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries—a discipleship ministry helping Christians become biblically literate. His address is P.O. Box 80087, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688. His email address is RonRhodes@earthlink.net.

Introduction

Mormons feel strongly that the Christian doctrine of justification by faith alone is wrong. James E. Talmage goes so far as to say that “the sectarian dogma of justification by faith alone has exercised an influence for evil.” [1] They view repentance and works as prerequisite for eternal salvation. In Mormon theology, grace is simply God’s enabling power that allows people to “lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.” [2] Grace aids people as they seek to attain perfection by personal effort.

In Mormon theology God’s grace alone does not save. Spencer Kimball made the point that “one of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation.” [3] There is a great necessity for personal striving and doing good works in order to be saved.

An Overview of Mormon Theology

Although at times the language seems similar, the theology of the LDS Church is foreign to most evangelicals. They view several books outside of the King James Bible as canonical Scripture: The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covanants, and The Pearl of Great Price. This examination of the doctrine of salvation in Mormon theology draws upon the LDS canon and works by noted Mormon theologians, apostles, and prophets.

General Versus Individual Salvation

Mormons talk about both general salvation and individual salvation. General salvation is “that which comes by grace alone without obedience to gospel law, [and] consists in the mere fact of being resurrected. In this sense salvation is synonymous with immortality; it is the inseparable connection of body and spirit so that the resurrected personage lives forever…. This kind of salvation eventually will come to all mankind, excepting the sons of perdition.” [4] On the other hand, individual salvation refers to “that which man merits through his own acts through life and by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.” [5] According to noted Mormon theologian, Bruce McConkie, “salvation in its true and full meaning is synonymous with exaltation or eternal life and consists in gaining an inheritance in the highest of the three heavens within the celestial kingdom…. This full salvation is obtained in and through the continuation of the family unit in eternity, and those who obtain it are gods.” [6]

A perusal of Mormon literature makes clear that the ultimate goal in Mormonism is godhood. Brigham Young, for example, said “the Lord created you and me for the purpose of becoming Gods like himself…. We are created… to become Gods like unto our Father in heaven.” [7] Exaltation to godhood in Mormon theology ultimately involves not just what one does in mortality, but what one has already done in premortality and will do in postmortality. [8] Exaltation to godhood is an extended process.

Understanding Eternal Progression

Fundamental to understanding the Mormon concept of exaltation is the doctrine of eternal progression. According to Mormons, man is to seek perfection not only in this life, but also beyond the grave. Therefore, salvation does not come all at once. For those deemed worthy, there will be great progress beyond the grave. Joseph Smith describes eternal progression this way:

Here, then, is eternal life — to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation [emphasis mine]. [9]

Joseph Fielding Smith urges: “We have to pass through mortality and receive the resurrection and then go on to perfection just as our Father did before us.” [10] Salvation does not come all at once, but instead through an extended process of perfection, which in turn leads to exaltation and godhood. This process of perfection will go on and on. But how can all of this be accomplished?

The Right Use of Agency

Essential to the process of eternal progression is the concept of agency. From the moment of birth, man is born not only with the capacity to choose, but moreover the right to choose between good and evil. According to Mormons, agency or the capacity and right to choose is itself inclined toward doing good. Agency is very important because man progresses toward godhood only by making wise use of his agency in premortality, mortality, and postmortality. [11]

Individual Salvation

Individual salvation or eternal forgiveness does not come easily in Mormonism. According to the Gospel Principles, “the Lord will not forgive us unless our hearts are fully cleansed of all hate, bitterness, and bad feelings against our fellowmen.” [12] Bruce McConkie states, “complete forgiveness is reserved for those only who turn their whole hearts to the Lord and begin to keep all of his commandments.” [13] Attaining forgiveness in Mormonism requires that they engage in good works: “There must be works— many works—and an all-out, total surrender, with a great humility and ‘a broken heart and contrite spirit.’” [14] What are some of the elements of individual salvation according to Mormon theology?

The Role of Faith

In his book Faith Precedes the Miracle, President Kimball remarks: “In faith we plant the seed, and soon we see the miracle of the blossoming. Men have often misunderstood and have reversed the process.” He continues by explaining that many want to have health and strength without keeping the health laws. Likewise many desire to have prosperity without paying tithes; closeness to the Lord without fasting and prayer; rain in due season and peace in the land without observing the Sabbath as a holy day and without keeping the other commandments of the Lord. [15]

In Mormon theology, to have faith in Jesus Christ means to have such trust in him that we obey whatever he commands. There is no faith where there is no obedience. Likewise, there is true obedience only where there is faith. As we place our faith in Jesus Christ, becoming his obedient disciples, Heavenly Father will forgive our sins and prepare us to return to him. [16]

According to the LDS Church, faith necessarily involves works.

What Is Repentance?

Repentance in Mormon theology is the way provided for man to become free from sins and receive forgiveness for them. Sins slow spiritual progression and can even stop it. Repentance makes it possible to grow and develop spiritually again.

In addition to recognizing his sins, man must feel sincere sorrow for what he has done. He must feel that his sins are terrible and want to unload and abandon them. According to the Doctrine and Covenants, “All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and… have truly repented of all their sins… shall be received by baptism into his church.” [17] However, to make his repentance complete, man must keep the commandments of the Lord. [18] He is not fully repentant if he does not pay tithes, keep the Sabbath day holy, and obey the Word of Wisdom. He is not repentant if he does not sustain the authorities of the church and does not love the Lord along with his fellowmen. If man does not pray and is unkind to others, he is surely not repentant. True repentance requires the evidence of a dramatically changed life.

The Constant Necessity of Good Works

Ultimately, salvation in Mormonism involves a consistent life of good works. Complete salvation—eternal life—is said to result from man’s endeavor to conform to God’s laws and commandments. Man essentially saves himself with the aid of the Lord. Mormons assert that “Salvation comes through living the Lord’s commandments and doing good works.” [19] Indeed, “keeping the commandments of God will cleanse away the stain of sin.” [20] Among the passages Mormons cite to support this view are James 2:17, 26, Philippians 2:12, and 1 John 2:3–5.

In accordance with the Mormon view of perfection, sin cannot be permitted. Joseph Fielding Smith states, “to enter the celestial kingdom and obtain exaltation it is necessary that the whole law be kept.” [21] According to Gospel Principles, “we must keep all our covenants with exactness. If we do, our Heavenly Father promises us that we will receive exaltation in the celestial kingdom.” [22]

President Kimball once said that “each command we obey sends us another rung up the ladder to perfected manhood and toward godhood; and every law disobeyed is a sliding toward the bottom where man merges into the brute world. Only he who obeys law is free.” [23] He also said that “the forsaking of sin must be a permanent one. True repentance does not permit making the same mistake again…. There can be no holding back. If the sinner neglects his tithing, misses his meetings, breaks the Sabbath, or fails in his prayers and other responsibilities, he is not completely repentant.” [24]

Church Membership and Worthiness

Milton R. Hunter states that the person on the road to godhood “must become a member and live the gospel principles and ordinances of the true church of the Master—which is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, restored to earth through divine revelations to the prophet Joseph Smith.” [25] The Mormon concept of worthiness is intimately related to membership in the LDS Church. Being worthy involves living a good, clean, moral life and obeying God’s commandments. A Mormon must be found worthy before he can gain entrance to one of the LDS temples. [26] Gospel Principles states, “before we can go to the temple, each of us must have been an active, worthy member of the Church for at least one year.” [27] For this reason, a Mormon must be found worthy before he can progress within the Mormon Church.

The Word of Wisdom and Worthiness

A key element in the Mormon works-system of salvation is the Word of Wisdom, revered as “the Lord’s law of health.” This revelation has come to be interpreted as a command to abstain from drinking coffee and liquor, and partaking of tobacco. [28] Obeying the Word of Wisdom is considered one of the fundamental requirements of being worthy. Spencer W. Kimball said: “For observing the Word of Wisdom the reward is life, not only prolonged mortal life but life eternal.” [29] According to Doctrines of Salvation, “If you drink coffee or tea, or take tobacco, you are letting a cup of tea or a little tobacco stand in the road and bar you from the celestial kingdom of God, where you might otherwise have received a fullness of glory…. God is not going to save every man and woman in the celestial kingdom.” [30] Obviously, the penalty for not heeding the Word of Wisdom is severe.

Temple Work and Worthiness

Temple work is another key to progression in Mormon theology. In fact, a Mormon cannot attain exaltation without temple work, which involves Mormon rituals—such as endowments, marriages, and baptisms. However, only worthy Mormons can enter the temple. A bishop interviews Mormons to determine their worthiness. Only those found worthy in their moral life and obedience to the Word of Wisdom receive a “temple recommend.” One cannot enter the Mormon temple without showing the “temple recommend” at the door.

Once inside the temple, Mormons can perform rituals on behalf of the dead. [31] Neglecting to engage in temple rituals is to jeopardize your own progress toward godhood. Joseph Fielding Smith went so far as to say that “those saints who neglect it, in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation.” [32] The question remains, why are these ritual on behalf of the dead so important?

According to the Journal of Discourses: “we have a certain work to do in order to liberate those who, because of their ignorance and the unfavorable circumstances in which they were placed while here, are unprepared for eternal life; we have to open the door for them, by performing ordinances which they cannot perform for themselves, and which are essential to their release from the ‘prison-house.’” [33] In Doctrines of Salvation, Joseph Fielding Smith said that the “greatest commandment given us, and made obligatory, is the temple work in our own behalf and in behalf of our dead.” [34]

A Gratuitous Misinterpretation of Matthew 5:48

Although the LDS Church misinterprets many passages from the Bible in order to maintain a theology of works, its view of Matthew 5:48 is exemplary in justifying the mistaken notion of worthiness or perfection. Regardless of the terms Mormon theology uses—“attaining eternal life,” “having an eternal family,” “exaltation”—it is clear that Mormonism's ultimate goal is to attain godhood. However, in the more immediate context, it is worthiness in pursuit of perfection that allegedly moves man closer and closer to godhood.

Mormons claim that Matthew 5:48 supports their idea of perfection: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. [35] In The Way to Perfection, Joseph Fielding Smith said: “The words of the Savior in his Sermon on the Mount, ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,’ have served as a text for many a sermon. We have been informed that his meaning is that we, in this life, should try to perform every duty and keep every law and thus endeavor to be perfect in our sphere as the Father is in his.” [36] From this idea of perfection flows the concept of worthiness. The purpose for Mormons being deemed worthy is that they would “endeavor to be perfect.”

Elsewhere Smith writes: “(I)t is our duty to be better today than we were yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today.

Why? Because we are on that road… to perfection, and that can only come through obedience and the desire in our heart to overcome the world.” [37] For those found worthy, this road ultimately leads to the attainable goal of godhood. In this regard, Mormons will often ask: “Would Jesus give us a command that we couldn’t keep?”

Understanding Matthew 5:48

Matthew 5:48 is not communicating the idea that human beings can actually be perfect, or attain sinless perfection in this life. Such an idea is foreign not only to the immediate context of Matthew’s Gospel, but also to the broader context of all of Scripture. Jesus taught that human beings have a grave sin problem, altogether beyond their means to solve. He taught that human beings are evil (Matthew 12:34) and that man is capable of great wickedness (Mark 7:20–23). Moreover, He said that man is utterly lost (Luke 19:10), that he is a sinner (Luke 15:10), that he is in need of repentance before a holy God (Mark 1:15), and that he needs to be born again (John 3:3, 5, 7). Jesus often spoke of sin in metaphors illustrating the havoc sin can wreak in a person’s life. He described sin as blindness (Matthew 23:16–26), sickness (Matthew 9:12), being enslaved in bondage (John 8:34), and living in darkness (John 8:12; 12:35–46). Moreover, Jesus taught that this is a universal condition and that all people are guilty before God (Luke 7:37–48). Jesus also taught that both inner thoughts and external acts render a person guilty (Matthew 5:28). He taught that from within the human heart come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly (Mark 7:21–23). Moreover, He affirmed that God is fully aware of every person’s sins, both external acts and inner thoughts; nothing escapes His notice (Matthew 22:18; Luke 6:8; John 4:17–19).

Therefore within both the immediate and the larger context of God’s Word, Matthew 5:48 cannot (in any way) be interpreted to mean that human beings can actually attain to perfection in this life. What is the real sense of this verse?

Matthew 5:48 is found in a section of Scripture dealing with the law of love. The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day had taught that God’s people should love those who were near and dear to them (Leviticus 19:18), but hate those who are enemies. Jesus refutes this idea, instructing his disciples to love even their enemies. After all, Jesus said, God’s love extends to all people (Matthew 5:45). And since God is the only righteous standard, they should seek to be as He is in this regard. They were to be perfect (or complete) in loving as He is perfect.

Bible expositor, Louis A. Barbieri, is very helpful: “Murder, lust, hate, deception, and retaliation obviously do not characterize God. He did not lower His standard to accommodate humans; instead He set forth His absolute holiness as the standard. Though this standard can never be perfectly met by man himself, a person who by faith trusts in God enjoys His righteousness being reproduced in his life.” [38] As we walk by faith in Christ, His perfection is reproduced in our lives day-by-day. This is the only way Christians move toward perfection based on Christ’s finished work on the cross.

Knowing they are not perfect now, Mormons typically read a future perfection into this verse. Accordingly, though not perfect now, they are deemed worthy by progressing toward perfection unto godhood. Nothing could be further from the meaning of this verse, for the verb tense is not future but present!

Mark Cares, a pastor in Mormon country, emphasizes: “(W)e need to repeatedly and persistently tell them that God demands perfection now. We cannot let them ignore that. They need to sweat over it. They need to lose sleep over it. They need to despair of trying to become perfect themselves. Then, and only then, will they be ready to look to Jesus for salvation.” [39] Again, Matthew 5:48 says be perfect, not “become perfect.” All too appropriately, Hebrews 10:14 speaks of what Christ has accomplished on our behalf: For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified (italics added). [40] Christ has done it all once for all! Christ has perfected forever those who have trusted Him for eternal salvation.

Conclusion

The Jehovah’s Witnesses (Part 1 of this article) and the LDS Church have theologies foreign to Evangelical Christianity and the gospel of grace. Likewise, while there are vast distinctions between Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, both of these cults share gross misunderstandings about the relationship between salvation on the one hand, and good works and repentance on the other. The points of contact between Jehovah's Witness and the LDS soteriological systems (systems of salvation) include:

1. They both redefine faith and grace to fit into a works system of salvation.
2. They say that eternal salvation absolutely requires repentance and continual works.
3. They say that Jesus and His apostles taught that eternal salvation requires good works.
4. They deny that absolute assurance of salvation is not possible.

In sharp contrast to these contentions, Jesus said:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life (John 6:47).

Similarly, Paul said:

Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt. But to him who does not work, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness (Romans 4:4–5).

Appendix

Premortality

Mormons also refer to premortality as preexistence (or “our First Estate”). As the book Gospel Principles indicates, “Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansion of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal [physical] body.” [41]

Mormons believe that because men are born as spirit children of our Heavenly Father, they have the very nature of God. Moreover, since spirit children begin progressing toward godhood in the premortal state, Mormons believe that the very fact that they have been born on earth is an indication that they used their agency wisely in the preexistence. It proves that they did not follow Lucifer in the rebellion against God. “Because we are here on earth and have mortal bodies we know that we chose to follow Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father…. In our pre-earth life, we chose the right.” [42]

Mortality

Mortality is earthly life, otherwise known as the Second Estate. It forms a time of great testing for the Mormon. Man must face and overcome physical temptations to become a god. As a spirit child without a physical body, man cannot be physically tempted. Hence, spirit children take on human bodies. During this time of mortality Mormons face physical temptations in order to progress toward godhood. During this period of time a long list of good works awaits those who would progress toward exaltation, (or godhood), including repentance, baptism, membership in the LDS church, innumerable good works, keeping the Word of Wisdom (which prohibits the use of coffee, tea, alcohol, or tobacco), marriage and other temple rituals (including baptism on behalf of the dead), and “keeping all the Lord’s commandments until the end of [one’s] life on earth.” [43] Each of these plays a critical role in the Mormon system of salvation.

Postmortality

At the moment of death, Mormons say the spirit immediately enters the spirit world. Mormons go to a place called paradise, where they continue in their efforts to work toward godhood. Non-Mormons go to a spirit prison, where Mormon spirits evangelize them as missionaries. [44]

—End—

Notes

1. James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1982), 480.
2. “Bible Dictionary,” in The Holy Bible (Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1990), 697.
3. Spencer W. Kimball; in Book of Mormon Student Manual (Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1989), 36.
4. Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), 669. The “sons of perdition” includes mainly apostates. Their ultimate destiny is the outer darkness.
5. Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1975), 1:134.
6. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 670.
7. Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses (London: Latter-day Saint’s Book Depot, 1854–56), 3:93.
8. See the appendix for more details about these three mortalities.
9. Joseph Fielding Smith, comp. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1977), 356–57.
10. Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:12.
11. Consult the appendix.
12. Gospel Principles (Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981), 84.
13. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 295.
14. Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969), 324.
15. Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle (Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1993), 4.
16. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, 205.
17. Doctrine and Covenants (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1990), 20:37.
18. Ibid., 1:32.
19. Deseret News, Church Section, 11; in Jerry and Marian Bodine, Witnessing to the Mormons (Irvine, CA: n.p., 1978), 14.
20. Young, Journal of Discourses 2:4.
21. Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection (Salt Lake City: Deseret, n.d.), 206.
22. Gospel Principles, 92.
23. The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward Kimball (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982), 153.
24. Spencer W. Kimball, Repentance Brings Forgiveness (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1984), 7, 12.
25. Milton R. Hunter, The Gospel Through the Ages (Salt Lake City: Stevens and Wallis, 1945), 166.
26. The temple is not simply a meetinghouse, but a special, sacred structure where rituals necessary for eternal life are performed.
27. Gospel Principles, 235.
28. Doctrine and Covenants, 89.
29. Gospel Principles, 185.
30. Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:16–17.
31. According to LDS theology, even non-Mormons in postmortality (see the appendix) have the chance to accept Mormonism and progress spiritually. This makes temple rituals on behalf of the dead very important.
32. Smith, The Way to Perfection, 153.
33. Journal of Discourses, 19:264.
34. Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:149.
35. All Scripture is from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, since this is the version which Mormons prefer.
36. Smith, The Way to Perfection, 7.
37. Smith, The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, 292.
38. Louis A. Barbieri, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1989), 32, italics added.
39. Mark J. Cares, Speaking the Truth in Love to Mormons (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern, 1993), 180.
40. Ibid. Are sanctified in Hebrews 10:14 refers to positional sanctification.
41. Gospel Principles, 9.
42. Ibid., 17.
43. Ibid., 292-93.
44. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 554.