Why do people think that the Mormon definition of Grace is different than the rest of Christianity's?

Question

I have heard all the time that Mormons don't beleive in being saved by Grace, but I am Mormon and I can tell you that I have been taught all along that I am saved by the Grace of God, through faith (as it says in Ephesians). I have looked, and nowhere in the Book of Mormon does it say anything to the contrary of this, so please, somone enlighten me, people have asked me why we don't beleive in being saved by Grace, and I have no idea where they are getting that.

Answer 1

Mormons believe everything in the Bible. So they believe everything that any Christian should believe.

Mormons put more emphasis on the obedience apects than most Christians do though. That is why Mormons tend to be better examples of faith than other Christians.

In the end, most Christian faiths are relatively unremarkable. If they are saved, you couldn't tell them from the unsaved portion of the population because they don't live any different.

Mormons live different because they believe in a judgment day. A day when we are judged for our actions.

Matt. 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.

Mormons believe that the grace of God is necessary for everyone. But they believe that we need to do the will of God as well and not just cry Lord, Lord all the time with no sign of true belief.

Answer 2

Generally, non-Mormons that believe that we are saved by grace believe that there is nothing else involved, other than our oral statement that they accept Jesus as their Savior. When Mormons claim that you must also be baptized, the implication to the grace folks is that evidently the grace of God was not enough because some works on your part are also necessary. To them it is an all or nothing proposition. Either you are saved by grace, or you are saved by works. Since the Bible (and Book of Mormon) say that you are saved by grace, any mention of works, ordinances, keeping the commandments, and so forth is false doctrine.

Some people believe that you are saved by grace in spite of all that you do, instead of after all that you do. To them any other interpretation of grace is non-Christian. By arbitrary whim Jesus decides who to bestow his grace upon, and they are saved. Others, He sends to hell, just to demonstrate that it is His will that makes the difference, not anything a mortal does.

Mormons believe that grace comes from God, and we may be saved only because Jesus suffered and died for our sins. Not only so that we may be forgiven of our sins, but that we may have the grace to actually desire to repent and overcome our sins.
We definitely cannot be saved on our own works. The non-Mormon believes that grace makes it so that works are a sort of false pride that we ought to avoid.

You are right, there is no difference between the Mormon belief in grace, and the Biblical teaching of grace, but you are going to find some opposition to that idea by those who are hampered by the teachings of their fathers.

Answer 3

My own personal opinion based on my studies (I'm LDS) I like to give Grace the very broad definition of someone doing something on my behalf that I couldn't do for myself. So my mom giving birth to me and raising me is grace. The creation of the world was Grace. The Atonement of Christ is the ultimate Grace. I could never have saved my own soul. I do believe that it is through faith that we are saved. However I also believe that in order to develop that type of faith requires works. How can a person have true faith that God will save them, when they don't even try to do what he asks. Only when a person is truly living his life as best as he can in the example that Christ set can he have the faith necessary to allow exaltation.

Answer 4

I agree with you...we are saved by God's grace, but we still can't be a bump on a log and just sit there and expect to do nothing. I would love it ( maybe not), but God does expect us to do something once we know the truth. Grace alone cannot save us, if we choose to do nothing else. If it were so easy then all I have to do I was so "I BELIEVE" and then just do nothing for the rest of my life, and be content that I would not have to lift one finger. "Faith without works is dead". I don't think that it is the works that save you, but by believing you have certain obligations to do the work of God. So I find my definition of Grace to be no different that others, just that I understand it in a way that they may not be used to.

Answer 5

Honestly the only thing that I have heard about LDS is that you believe that you can achieve certain levels of knowledge that lead to becoming Gods? Now, I have never ever read much about your religion or your beliefs(and no, I don't want any free literature). I think that LDS put a lot of value on family, hard work, etc. but I don't know much else. So until I take the time to make an in depth study of your beliefs, then I can honestly tell you that I personally have never said that or heard that said.

Answer 6

I don't know about being saved by Grace and being Mormon but I do know that when I was young I babysat for a Bishop and he explained that as Mormons you are up in Heaven with God/Jesus and must come down and live a life through a human body (hence he was explaining to me why they had a lot of children) and then and only then does that make you equal with Jesus when you go back up to Heaven. That has always haunted me. I'm sorry but I chose to believe Jesus came to earth and died for my sins. I do not think any of us will attain the same status as Jesus, He is God's only son. We are human, only made in His likeness. That is part of my confusion about the Mormon faith in a nutshell for you. I do know, however, that it is each of our personal relationships with the Lord that matters most and I pray for that daily, that all will come to a personal relationship with the Lord, no matter what faith they claim.

Answer 7

Mormons and Christians have a different definition of the word Grace. When a Christian thinks of Grace they are thinking of something substantially different from when a Mormon thinks of Grace.

Mormon: The power God gives people to save themselves, conditional on their earning it by doing all they can do on their own. "This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts" (LDS Bible Dictionary, p. 697). "We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23). This grace does not directly provide them with eternal life, but rather with the power to make up the difference between "all they can do" and perfection.

Christian: The unconditional, free gift of eternal life given us through faith in Jesus' saving work (and through doing His will). Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Answer 8

Mormonism is not considered a religion by me, but as a cult. Why would God send an abscure angel no one had or has ever heard of to one man and give him his testament on precious metal, when God presented Moses with our ten commandments on stone. And Jesus, the Son of God was seen by thousands of people. And he told us we would be save by Grace and nothing else, not all the good deeds, thoughts without being saved by the Grace of God through his Son, Jesus Christ.

Answer 9

To most people, save by grace means be saved without any work.
LDS believe save by grace, that is save from death,able to be resurrected, save from exile from God the Eternal Father, able to repent and go back to heavenly Father.
but LDS also believe to be exalted , worthy to the highest degree of heaven, which is beyond "Saved".
Being exalted needs good work, that is why most people mistakenly say LDS do not believe in "Save by Grace".

Answer 10

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