Question: Is it impossible to receive salvation because the conditions we must meet are too high for any man to obtain?

FAIR Answers—back to home page

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Questions

== Critics interpret Moroni 10:32 to suggest that the conditions we must meet in order to receive salvation are too high for any man to obtain (perfect righteousness), and therefore salvation is impossible.

To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, [[../CriticalSources|click here]]

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Detailed Analysis

== Moroni 10꞉32 reads:

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

There are at least two ways to view this passage from a faithful LDS perspective.

As a formal/creedal instruction for salvation

As an "aspirational" instruction

Moroni 10:32 and similar passages in the Bible can be read as aspirational, with a mark one aims to; not a statement of soteriology (theology of salvation). Jesus' words to love God with all one's heart, mind, and strength and other-like passages in the Bible are of the same character; God does not literally expect perfect obedience to the law (whether the Universal law or the Law of Moses [moral and/or ceremonial divisions]), but expects us to aspire to such in this life.

In the Bible, Christ says "follow me", "be ye therefore perfect", “sell all and give”, and "keep my commandments". Like Moroni 10:32,these commands seem quite absolute, but they are just as easily understood to be aspirational in nature.

Evangelical Christian scholar Millard Erickson says something similar;

"Certain difficulties attach to assuming [we can achieve freedom from sin], however. One is that it seems contradictory to repeatedly exhort Christians to a victorious spotless life unless it is a real possibility. But does this necessarily follow? We may have a standard, an ideal, toward which we press, but which we do not expect to reach within a finite period of time. It has been observed that no one has ever reached the North Star by sailing or flying toward it. That does not change the fact that it is still the mark toward which we press, our measure of “northerliness.” Similarly, although we may never be perfectly sanctified within this life, we shall be in eternity beyond and hence should presently aim to arrive as close to complete sanctification as we can." --- Christian Theology, 2nd Edition, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI, p. 986

Moroni 10:32 in the Book of Mormon can be read similar to biblical admonishments. They reflect God’s standard/requirement. Consider that when God admonishes us, He really can’t make any allowance for sin (Alma 45:16, Doctrine and Covenants 1:31). So He tells us to be perfect. While it is theoretically possible for us to keep every commandment all of the time, in practice it is impossible. God has set a goal for us, and the goal is perfection. We aspire to reach it so that we can become what we are meant to become.

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Answer

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== Notes ==

Further reading

FairMormon Answers articles

Grace

FairMormon web site

Grace FairMormon articles on-line

• John A. Tvedtnes, "Salvation by Grace Alone?" off-site

External links

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Learn more about grace

Key sources	Brad Wilcox, "Have You Been Saved By Grace?' How Do We Respond?," Proceedings of the 2018 FAIR Conference (August 2018). link David L. Paulsen and Cory G. Walker, "'Work, Worship, and Grace: Review of The Mormon Culture of Salvation: Force, Grace and Glory by Douglas J. Davies'," FARMS Review 18/2 (2006). [83–177] link
Online	David A. Bednar, "In The Strength of the Lord," Ensign (November 2004): 76. off-site Gene R. Cook, "Receiving Divine Assistance through the Grace of the Lord," Ensign (May 1993): 79.off-site Karen Lynn Davidson, "Toward a Mature Discipleship," Ensign (July 1984): 45.off-site Colin B. Douglas, "What I've Learned about Grace Since Coming Down from the Sycamore Tree," Ensign (April 1989): 13.off-site Bruce C. Hafen, "The Atonement: All for All," Ensign (May 2004): 97.off-site Bruce C. Hafen, "Grace," in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow, (New York, Macmillan Publishing, 1992), 2:560–562.off-site Jeff Lindsay, "Salvation by Charity Alone?", mormanity.blogspot.com, 21 September 2006.off-site Gerald N. Lund, "Salvation: By Grace or by Works?," Ensign (April 1981): 17.off-site Dallin H. Oaks, "Have You Been Saved?," Ensign (May 1998): 55. off-site Blake T. Ostler, "Bridging the Gulf (Review of How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation)," FARMS Review of Books 11/2 (1999): 103–177. off-site Robert E. Parsons, "I Have A Question: What is the role of grace in LDS theology?," Ensign (July 1989): 59.off-site Robert E. Parsons, "I Have A Question: Will you explain these Bible references in view of the Latter-day Saint doctrine that works are necessary for salvation: Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5; Romans 4:5?," Ensign (April 1986): 36.off-site Daniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. Ricks, "Comparing LDS Beliefs with First-Century Christianity, (Provo, Utah: FARMS, no date). off-site Stephen E. Robinson, "Enduring to the End," Ensign (October 1993): 12. off-site S. Michael Wilcox, "I Have A Question:I am confused by the gospel principle of justification by faith. Can you explain it to me?," Ensign (July 1991): 51.off-site David L. Paulsen and Cory G. Walker, "'Work, Worship, and Grace: Review of The Mormon Culture of Salvation: Force, Grace and Glory by Douglas J. Davies'," FARMS Review 18/2 (2006). [83–177] link
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Printed material

Grace printed materials

• David W. Bercot, Will The Real Heretics Please Stand Up: A New Look at Today's Evangelical Church in the Light of Early Christianity, 3rd edition, (Tyler, Texas: Scroll Publishing Company, 1999[1989]), 56–68. ISBN 0924722002 (Key source)
• Matthew B. Brown, "Salvation and Grace," in The Plan of Salvation: Doctrinal Notes and Commentary (American Fork, UT: Covenant, 2002), 251–257. ISBN 1591560888. ISBN 978-1591560883.
• Roger R. Keller, Reformed Christians and Mormon Christians: Let's Talk! (Urbana, Ill.: Pryor Pettengill, 1986). ISBN 0933462069. ISBN 978-0933462069.
• Robert L. Millet, By Grace Are We Saved (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1989). ISBN 0884946940. ISBN 978-0884946946.