Saved by Grace -- Stake Priesthood Meeting

[Guest]

This last Sunday I took my two Aaronic Priesthood sons to our stake priesthood meeting.  In that meeting, the Stake President asked the question

Quote

How many of you brethren believe we are saved by grace? < I was one of the few who raised his hand >

How many believe we are saved by works? < Significantly more raised their hands >

How many of you believe we are saved by both? < Some who raised their hands for either one also raised their hands for this option -- but many were originally of this position >

Whenever someone asks you if Mormons believe whether we are saved by grace or by works, I want you to look them square in they eye and tell them,"In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe we are saved by grace."  Full stop.

He then explained to the "works-centered" among us that works are important and they do open up certain doors.  And he certainly didn't mean that we can just stop doing ordinances.  But it is through the power of the Atonement and not of man that we can even do those works to have any efficacy in eternity.  Everything we do for salvation and exaltation is because of the grace of God.  Anything we CAN do is through the grace of God.  No man is justified in believing that his works can save him.

That sounds an awful lot like a certain verse that Paul wrote.

Edited September 20, 2016 by Guest

[prisonchaplain]

I won't judge an individual soul, but I do fear that many, who are sure they are saved by grace, but produce little or no good fruit, will find themselves in a regrettable place on the Day of Judgment.  On the other hand, those who lose sight (or never got sight) of the grace that empowered them to good works will face the same fate.  Jesus said both that trees can be judged by their fruit AND that many would come on Judgment Day waxing eloquent about the good works they did in his name, only to hear, "Depart from me, I never knew you..."