What Do Mormons Believe? – Page 22 – "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."

Question Box: faith or works

Q: Are we saved by works or faith in Jesus Christ?

Thanks for your question. I will preface by saying that this is a common question that we receive on this website. I understand that there are different opinions and beliefs about this topic and we needn’t proceed to a large debate about how Mormon beliefs don’t fit in perfectly with other Christian denominations beliefs.

Mormons believe that all people can be saved through the Atonement of Jesus Christ by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Article of Faith 3 ). And the basic laws and ordinances that bring about salvation through Jesus Christ are: first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, repentance of our sins. Third, baptism by immersion in water. Fourth, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands (Article of Faith 4).

So, we are saved by the Atonement of Jesus Christ and we gain access to it by faith in Him and by obedience to his commandments.

Here are some other articles dealing with this topic.

The Saved Little Toaster

Works and Grace

Salvation (There is a pretty in-depth conversation on this post in the comments)

Question Box: Accepting Truth

Q. I am an active Methodist and I believe that Christ is my only savior in this world. As a non-LDS, does the LDS Church teach that non-LDS Christians will be granted a second chance to hear and accept the LDS gospel?

A. Our Heavenly Father loves all of his children and all of us will be given the opportunity to hear and accept the truth of the gospel. If that opportunity is not had during this life, it will be provided following death, prior to our resurrection and judgment. In 1 Peter 4:6 we learn that “For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” It is in this “spirit world” that those who are not given the chance to hear the gospel message in this life will be provided with the opportunity. If they repent and accept the gospel they will then be worthy to enter into the kingdom of God.

However, this doesn’t mean that we put off seeking truth now. Scriptures counsel that “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God” (Alma 34:32). We are also commanded to seek knowledge by study and faith (D&C 88:118) and that we are responsible for working out our “own salvation” before God (Philippians 2:12). While this seeking, preparing, and “working out” of salvation continues after death, we are accountable for the knowledge we receive during this life.

Additional articles relating to this topic that may interest you:

“Who Gets to Be Saved”

“Life After Death”

“Hell/Heaven“

Prophecy and Stewardship

Q: will we be caught up before the mark of the beast. I have the gift of prophesy I’ve been having dreams just wondering, something is going to happen in 5 years they told me, and were going to have over the next 5 years alot of calamities,or whatever.

The prophet Joel saw that prophecies and dreams would happen in the last days when he said, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. (Joel 2:28)” It’s the scope of such revelations that I’d like to talk about.

It’s true that the gift of prophesy can be given to any worthy individual, one must be careful giving these propehecies as doctrine to other people. The Lord does not run His kingdom based on revelations to one man, telling his neighbor to do something. The kingdom of God is a house of order and everything is done in order. Commandments and divine guidance are recieved and given under the proper stewardship. An individual may recieve revelation for him or herself. A husband and wife may receive revelation for their family. Bishops for their wards, stake presidents for their stakes, and the prophet is chosen to receive revelation for all the world.

At each of these levels, the revelation is given to someone who has the responsibility to care for someone else. Even then, it must be given righteously, as spoken in D&C 121:41-42.

No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—

For example, if a person were visit with his or her bishop concerning a personal problem, the bishop is authorized to receive revelation to counsel that individual. A bishop of another ward or a former bishop cannot recieve such revelation. That person can then receive personal witness that the bishop’s counsel is of God by praying to Him.

So concerning your dreams, I cannot judge how it may affect others but I can encourage you to study out the matter in scripture and in prayer and find what is required of you to prepare for these calamities.

What is the purpose of the Book of Mormon?

“[The Book of Mormon] is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas
and contains, as does the Bible, the fulness of the everlasting gospel.” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon)

The purpose of the Book of Mormon is two-fold:

1) The full title of the Book of Mormon is “The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ”. The Book of Mormon contains the account of Christ’s visitation to the people on the American continent shortly after His resurrection. It stands as another witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ with the Bible and was written “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations” (Title Page of the Book of Mormon).

2) It provides spiritual evidence of the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Introduction to the Book of Mormon ends with an invitation and a promise: “We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true (Moroni 10:3-5)…Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in the last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.”

Question Box: Is There Hope For Me?

Question: I was baptized, confirmed, into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints about 2 years ago. I was even received into the Aaronic Priesthood. However, soon after I resigned my church membership, and asked that my name be removed from the roles of the church. I did this in response to internal pressures from my family who is fiercely anti-LDS. I am still quite young, and not totally financially independent from my parents, and I risked being virtually cut off from my family. I KNOW that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the ONE true church on the face of the earth, and possesses the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! I am in an awkward place, but I desire to come back…is there hope for me?

Answer: Of course there is! With Christ all things are possible! While membership in the church is technically a requirement, if you find yourself unable to attend for a time you can still be faithful. You can continue to live the standards, read the scriptures, gain knowledge and live as Christ would have you. Live your life worthily so that you can be rebaptized promptly (since you had your records removed). In the future, when you find yourself independent and able to return to church, do it! Everyone is welcome in Christ’s Church!