Sincere question for LDS (Mormons)?

Question

I seldom ask questions, so when I do I want you to understand that I do want to know and that I am not bashing.

Many on here have said that the Bible is incomplete and the the Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price complete the Gospel. So my question is does the LDS church believe that I can be saved with just the Bible or do I NEED the other books to be saved?

If you believe that I need the complete gospel to be saved, what part am I missing that is necessary for salvation?

I thank you ahead of time for all sincere answers.

Answer 1

Hi there, and thanks for your sincere question.

LDS believe in continuing revelation ... so even though our cannon of scripture contains "the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ" (ie enough to show us the way to eternal life)... we believe that there is yet more to come (ie not complete).

Have a look at our Articles of Faith, and it may give you some idea of where we are coming from (including the concept of continuing revelation).
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/a_of_f/1

To cut a very long story short, those who take the Holy Spirit for their guide are on the right path.

Ordinances are one thing that we need to obtain eternal life (living in the presence of our Father in Heaven). This would be the thing that we consider other Christians to be lacking for their salvation - the power of authoritative ordinances.

Heavenly Father creates order in this universe, and also in his church. The ordinances are administered by the authority of the holy priesthood of God... similar to that power and authority given by God to the Levites in ancient times, and the same power and authority that Jesus spoke with and gave to his Apostles.

Authority of the Priesthood explained briefly:
http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/the-restoration-of-truth/the-restoration-of-the-priesthood

The ordinances have a great deal of spiritual power. I have found this to be so in my practice as a Mormon. It gives me an increase in the feeling of the Holy Spirit, which makes it easier to know how to follow his guidance, and come closer to Christ and God.

Answer 2

Books do not save us, only teach us. You could be saved if you didn't have the book of Luke, right? However, there are truths and insights to be gained from the Book of Luke that can't be found anywhere else. So it is with the Book of Mormon.

The Bible does not include all truth (try to learn algebra from the Bible...it's not there).

The Book of Mormon and the Bible do not teach "all truth" that there is to know either.

Look at all the doctrinal bickering that exist among "mainstream Christians" churches, and I think you'll see that the Bible isn't exactly perfectly clear regarding many things. Those who disagree believe that THEIR interpretation is correct and clear and that everyone elses is incorrect.

Mormons believe that you will find people from all walks of life in both Heaven and Hell. It is not a "Mormon" heaven. There will be plenty of Mormons in both heaven and hell. Additionally God has created a plan whereby everyone that is ever born can return to live with God.

So, the Book of Mormon does clarify many obscure doctrines that appear in the Bible. Additionally, upon learning that the Book of Mormon is true, you'll also know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet. And if both of those things are true, it means that there is ONE church on earth that is led by Jesus Christ himself and that it teaches God's truth.

So.....ask God. He knows.

Answer 3

You already have some good answers here.
Well, if you were a special needs student, the requirements would be very different. I once met a beautiful young lady in Puerto Rico who could not say an intelligible word or even walk on her own, but I believe she will be going straight to the celestial kingdom regardless of anything she has or has not done in this life, because her mental and physical capacity was that of a young child.
Now to whom much is given, much is required. Note how another answerer said that you have to define what "saved" means. Anyone can be forgiven of their sins with sincere repentance. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is just that accessible. The question is, do you want to remain on one level or do you want to keep progressing? Spiritual maturity requires further commitment, and adults have more required of them than children. So I would say, if you can read on the same level of the Bible, and more is offered to you, why would you be afraid of growing even further in the Gospel of Jesus Christ? If there is a church with the true authority of God, why wouldn't you want to receive all the blessings that authority offers? Have a happy day, and I send you a gummy bear.

Answer 4

In the end, what is the gospel of Jesus Christ? is it just His teachings? or were there necessary ordinances and covenants to be made? One of the things I appreciate about the Book of Mormon, is near the end, as Moroni realizes that he is going to die without leaving behind someone who knew how to perform basic ordinances like the sacrament and baptism, he explains the procedure.

Salvation in Jesus Christ is two-fold. First, all mankind are saved from death through the resurrection of Christ. Second, through the atonement we can obtain a remission of our sins if we repent. The Savior himself demonstrated the need to be obedient to the laws and ordinances of God by being baptized by John.
It's not so much that books or their contents will save you, as following the gospel of Christ and having the necessary ordinances performed by those with the necessary priesthood authority.
One of the reasons we love the Book of Mormon is that it is written more simply. The stories are easier to follow, the examples simple. It lacks much of the poetry found in the Old Testament, simply because it was originally a written record rather than an oral record which was later transcribed.
The Book of Mormon doesn't bite. You're welcome to a free copy with no strings attached. Read it for yourself.

Answer 5

Whenever I've asked that question, the Mormons tell me that believing in the bible is good, but if you are actually saved then you will recognize that the book of Mormon is also God's Word. The same is true about recognizing Joseph Smith as a prophet. However, I'm trying to contact one Mormon who has told me he thinks people other than LDS members can get into heaven. But it's stupid how so many people on here don't allow email contact! Although, he might just be talking about souls that have accepted their baptism for the dead.

Answer 6

K, going to combine a couple of other people's answers here.......... As the Senator said, there is not mention in section 132 of polygamy being required to obtain full exaltation. As Lillith said, we do believe that polygamy is an eternal principle, and will be in Heaven. Also, they fled to the Utah Territory, which at the time was NOT a state in the union. They fled to escape the persecution that they were facing in places like Missouri.They were facing persecution for many things, not just polygamy. Polygamy was abolished when Utah became a state, because there was a law against it, and we believe in following the laws of the land. The US invaded Utah for reasons other than to put a stop to polygamy. The FLDS does not adhere to the teachings of the Church, and are NOT "real" Mormons. Yes, they follow the original teachings, but God ordered those things to be stopped. Since they did not listen they were excommunicated. They are not part of the Church. "they are the ones that are actually continuing to practice the religion as it was meant to be practiced" You need to understand that the Church was NOT founded on the principles of polygamy. That was something that came later, and was practiced by a select few who were chosen by the leaders of the Church. It was not something that just nayone in the Church could choose to do if they wanted too.

Answer 7

No, you don't need any scripture for salvation.

We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Answer 8

Bud, this is a wonderful question, and I thank you for your open heart concerning this issue. I hope that I can answer this question as openly as you asked it.

Let me begin by asking you a question Bud: Does the Bible bring about salvation, or does Christ? I hope that we can both agree with each other that it is through only Christ whereby salvation can come unto us. Therefore, in order to be saved, be have to come unto the Savior. I believe the best way for us to come unto the Savior is to know Him. We can come to know Jesus Christ through our study of the scriptures and applying the things that we learn in the scriptures to our lives.

Now Bud, if you had the opportunity to learn more about the Savior so that you could come to know Him and therefore receive salvation, would you?

The Bible offers a tremendous amount of knowledge to us about the qualities of the Savior. Through studying the Bible, we can come to know our Savior Jesus Christ. It is God's revealed word to us so that we can learn more about the Savior and therefore receive salvation by following His perfect example.

The Book of Mormon and other revealed scriptures does that as well, but takes our knowledge to even greater levels. The Book of Mormon is the Gospel of Jesus Christ made known to the ancient inhabitants of America (whereas the Bible is the Gospel of Jesus Christ made known to the ancient inhabitants of the Middle East). Because God loves all of His children, He has revealed the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all of His children throughout the ages. The Book of Mormon was recorded by ancient prophets so that we can benefit today. Through the Bible, Book of Mormon, and other revealed scripture, we can come to know Jesus Christ. Then, when we know Him, we can know His will for us.

Can you be saved with just the Bible, Bud? I believe that that question could be re-worded better: Can you come to know the Savior enough through only the Bible to be saved? Or can more revealed knowledge help?

Answer 9

You pose a very interesting question: first we need to get on the same page of what "saved" or "salvation" means, as I've seen different religions define it differently.

May I refer you to this link from our official church website that goes over the way we understand the plan of salvation:

http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/heavenly-father-s-plan-of-salvation/god-has-a-plan-for-your-life

You should be able to find your answer in there, or at least get a better understanding of what our beliefs are on this topic.

Merry Christmas

Answer 10

You do need the others, if for no other reason, than it here's the key. The knowledge that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God.