Wednesday, March 6, 2002
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Wednesday, March 6, 2002 |
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'Latter Day Saints' believe faith plus works This letter is a response to the religion column printed in your newspaper Feb. 27. Perhaps I can shed some additional light on the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, because I have been a member since my conversion in 1954. While I believe my comments will be correct, and I believe that the doctrines I shall mention are true, I speak only as an individual member of my Church. First, the Rev. [John] Hatcher seems troubled because my Church wants to be known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! He suggests that the change in name (or, at least, the recent emphasis on this name) is because of "Olympic fever heating up." But in fact, the name of our church, we believe was given by revelation by the Lord in 1838. "For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." Doctrine and Covenants 115:4. I understand that the Rev. Hatcher does not accept that as scripture, but that is not the point. The point is, the above quote was recorded by Joseph Smith in 1838. So the name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is not a recent change in our name because of the 2002 Olympics! It has always been the name of our church. Incidentally, in my nearly 50 years in this church, I have never referred to any other member of my church as a "Mormon," nor have I ever heard anyone else in the church use that term to describe members of our church. It is a name, originally an opprobrium, given to us by nonmembers! Among my friends, we sometimes will refer to ourselves casually as "LDS" (meaning "Latter-day Saints"), but we just don't use the term "Mormon" the way that nonmembers do when they refer to us. Because our nonmember friends DO use that term, you'll sometimes find the term "Mormons" used by Church members when we/they want nonmembers to clearly understand who we are. Thus, the spiritual and family-oriented messages from our church that appear on television often end, "A message from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the 'Mormons.'" And of course, there is the "Mormon Tabernacle Choir." (I suspect that the name, "The Tabernacle Choir of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" may be too long to put on a record or CD label!) Because so many members of other faiths do not understand that "Mormons" means "members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," and also because so many of those "nonmembers" erroneously believe that we aren't even Christians, our leadership has felt it appropriate in recent years to stress our "real" name, so that the message might get through more clearly. Second, the Rev. Hatcher writes that all Christian religions can be divided into two "camps" those that believe in faith, and those that believe in works. He states that "Mormons" are in the "works" category. But our church believes that both faith and works are necessary. In fact, our doctrine considers faith (NOT works!) to be the first principle. "For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name ... " Moroni 7:38. "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." 1st Article of Faith. "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ ..." 4th Article of Faith. So, again faith is a requirement! But faith and works are not mutually exclusive! In fact, Biblical scriptures say it is essential that good Christians should evidence their faith by their works. "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 2:20,26. So it would be more accurate to say that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that both faith and works are necessary. This belief of both faith and works is shown in this Latter-day Saint scripture: "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." 2 Nephi, 25:23. So both James and Nephi stated that we are expected by our Heavenly Father to demonstrate our faith by doing works. If we do NOT do good works that we are capable of doing, then we must accept that we have not done all that God expects of believers. HOWEVER! Works alone, no matter how good, how consistently done, how extensive they may be, are NOT adequate to get us into "Heaven"! "I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning ... I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants." Mosiah 2:21. So, no matter what manner of good works we perform in this life, even if we devoted our entire life working those good works, we would still be " unprofitable servants". So it seems obvious that works, by themselves, are insufficient to secure our entry into "Heaven". The reason that we are absolutely dependent on Jesus Christ is because we have all sinned! As Paul said, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. Because of these sins, each of us would be doomed if it were not for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he offers to us through his infinite atonement. "Mormons" believe that Jesus Christ is the only path to "Heaven." "... behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved." 2 Nephi 25:20. So, in effect, Christ opens the door to "Heaven" for us through his Atonement. But we believe we are expected to walk through that door, with deeds befitting a person who has a testimony of Christ as his personal Savior. Third, the Rev. Hatcher suggests that, because "Mormons" believe that they are not supposed to drink tea, that "Mormons" believe that all other religions "that host dinner-on-the-grounds with plenty of sweet iced tea" are apostate. That would be hilarious, if it weren't for the fact that many of his readers probably believe that "Mormons" really do think that! We believe that a person will be judged by Jesus Christ at Judgment Day for the law that he knew and understood, not by the law that somebody ELSE believes in! Nobody will be held responsible for "violating" a law that he didn't even know existed! As it happens, even a "Mormon" can drink tea (or coffee, or booze) without being considered apostate! (A true apostate would probably be excommunicated, but he would have to be guilty of far greater sins than drinking tea!) True, a tea-drinking member would miss out on some great possibilities, because he would not (for example) be allowed to serve in any of our Temples. But he could still participate in most other areas of church life! So, since we don't even consider our OWN members who drink that stuff to be apostate, it is ludicrous to suggest that we consider tea-drinkers of OTHER faiths to be apostates! Yes, I understand that the Rev. Hatcher was speaking in a jocular way, and I think that he did it to make fun of our doctrines. If you don't sincerely believe that drinking tea is a transgression of the law, then I believe that, for YOU, it is NOT a transgression! Again we will be judged by the law as we understand and accept it, and not by somebody else's beliefs. Anyhow, there are so many worse sins than drinking tea that it hardly seems worthwhile for him to make such a big point of it! The Rev. Hatcher may be right when he says, "Still, however, the dividing line falls between religion of grace and works." Well, next time he makes public his dividing line concerning the "Mormons," kindly ask him to indicate that we believe that BOTH faith and works are necessary for good Christians to have. Also, that, like him, we "Mormons" are utterly and absolutely dependent on the grace of Jesus Christ and his Infinite Atonement. Sincerely (and trying hard to be a good Christian), F. William Houghtaling 6701 Van Haven Drive Raleigh, NC 27615
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