Understanding The Relationship Between Grace And Works.

Understanding The Relationship Between Grace And Works.

 

Immortality, salvation, and eternal life are used interchangeably in Christianity and sometimes Mormons also use them interchangeably. But they are not the same thing. Understanding their true meaning allows us to understand better the commandments and other Christians. But more importantly, understanding the difference between salvation and exaltation is key to understanding the relationship between grace and works.

“Christians have often disputed as to whether what leads the Christian home is good actions, or faith in Christ … it does seem to me like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary.”
C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Immortality.

 

Immortality is the state of a resurrected body. Through Jesus Christ, everyone who has ever received a body will be resurrected and given an immortal body. These bodies will be bodies of flesh and bone like the body Jesus Christ had when he was resurrected (Luke 24:19). This gift is given to all, even those who become sons of perdition in this life will be resurrected. (See Guide to the Scriptures, Sons of Perdition)

“The good news is that everyone will be resurrected. All will live again!”
Elder Hartman Rector, Jr.

Salvation by Grace.

 

Because everyone has sinned, we all need to be saved from the effects of sin.  Salvation is overcoming sin through the grace Jesus Christ. General Salvation is entering into any of the Three Kingdoms of Heaven. Because of Christ’s grace, all those who receive immortality will be saved from this second death and enter into a kingdom of heaven, except the few sons of perdition (D&C 76:32-39).

I recently asked an Evangelical, “how is one saved?” he replied, “through grace.” When I inquired what that meant, he further explained that when you accept Christ and repent, you are saved by grace. He is right, general Salvation requires two things, accepting Christ (faith) and repenting of one’s sins. Jesus Christ taught that to repent is to “confess” and “Forsake” one’s sin. (D&C 58:43). This is what most Christian Churches teach. This will qualify them for the Terrestrial kingdom of heaven.

“His grace is the enabling power that allows access into God’s kingdoms of salvation. Because of His grace, we will all be resurrected and saved in a kingdom of glory.”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

 

Eternal Life. AKA Exaltation.

 

As Latter-day Saints, we don’t just seek general salvation into any kingdom of heaven. We desire a fullness of Salvation, which is to be exalted or in other words, to receive eternal life in the Celestial Kingdom. To receive the fullness of Salvation we must accept the fullness of the Gospel with all the ordinances of the gospel. It is only within this context that one can reconcile the need for grace and works. One might rightfully say, “we are exalted by grace, after all we can do.”

Heavenly Father loves us. Because of His love, He desires that each of His children enjoy not just Salvation, but desires them to be exalted and enjoy eternal life. God declared to Moses “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39) Just like a professor teaches how to get an A+ and not a B- or a C+ God does not often teach the requirements for us to fall short of eternal life. Because of this, the prophets, both modern and ancient, also only teach the requirements for exaltation.

On this point Bruce R. McConkie taught in the April 1971 Ensign, “almost without exception, when the scriptures speak of salvation, they mean full salvation; they mean eternal life or exaltation.” With that understanding, the ordinances of Salvation could accurately be called the ordinances of Exaltation, and the third article of faith could be read, “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be exalted, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”

 

 

 

Not only do we believe all men can be exalted, we believe God wants all of His children to be exalted in the celestial kingdom. Therefore, He commands us to build temples to offer these exalting ordinances to all who have ever lived. He also sends forth His prophets and apostles and missionaries to declare the fullness of the Gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people; even to other Christians who already believe in Jesus Christ and His grace.

Everything we do in the Church is to enable everyone to partake not just in grace and salvation but also exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom. Therefore, one might fairly say, that it is the grace of God that saves us, and our works that allow us to be exalted. Hence why the apostle James wrote that “faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” For salvation without exaltation is falling short of God’s plan for us.

“As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we aspire to something unimaginably greater. It is exaltation in the celestial kingdom.”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf