Credit For Trying — Part 4

When sharing your faith with the light of day soon. It helps to know with her church is taught in several basic topics. For this reason as a research ministry has provided its crash course Mormonism crash course, Mormonism includes concise articles highlighting what LDS leaders and church manuals are taught on issues that will probably come up in a typical conversation. You can find these informative articles in Christ course Mormonism.com that's class course Mormonism.com .1 examines the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from a biblical perspective view .1 Mormonism is sponsored by Mormonism research ministry since 1979 Mormonism research ministry has been dedicated to equipping the body of Christ with answers regarding the Christian faith in a manner that expresses gentleness and respect. And now, your host for today's viewpoint on Mormonism. So glad you could join us for this additional viewpoint on Mormonism on your host, Bill McKeever, founder and director Mormonism research ministry with me today is Eric Johnson. My colleague at MRM we continue looking at a conference message given by Mormon apostle Jeffrey R. Holland titled tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. The reason why we are drawing attention to this is in his talk he made a comment that I think perhaps a lot of Latter Day Saints might be taking out of context and if so, that could cause a lot of serious eternal consequences. And this is the phrase he said basically that the gospel is that we get credit for trying. Even if we don't always succeed in some Latter Day Saints.

If you been listening to the series said we talking about a conversation that you had with a couple of young ladies that were Latter Day Saints. They were given the impression that what Holland was saying is, even though we still sin. Even though we still have her shortcomings that somehow were still going to make it into the celestial kingdom. Despite our sin. And as I've explained, I don't know if Jeffrey Holland was really saying that that's that's quite a leap but at the same time I can't really know what Jeffrey Holland meant by that phrase that we get credit for trying. Just because they Latter Day Saints is sincere in doing what he supposed to do or what she is supposed to do. Does that automatically mean that if they come short of meeting celestial law that there still going to get into the celestial kingdom if that's what Holland was saying then he has a lot of explaining to do, because there are a lot of Mormon leaders higher up the food chain. Then he says that if said just the opposite. And that's what were trying to to understand but in the next paragraph. He goes on to talk about a controversy in the early church. He said when there was a controversy in the early church regarding who is entitled to heaven's blessings and who wasn't. The Lord declared to the prophet Joseph Smith quote verily I say onto you. The gifts of God are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep my commandments, and for them that seek it so to do." And that's from doctrine and covenants 46.

Nine then he says, boy, are we all thankful for that added provision and seek it to do so. That has been a lifesaver because sometimes that is all we can offer. We take some solace in the fact that if God were to reward only the perfectly faithful he wouldn't have much of a distribution list. But what's interesting about that quotation from D&C 46 nine is there's an… There and this is really what I found very odd… Is to remove one word.

Now normally Eric when we write if we use an… It's because there's a lot of words that probably do not have anything to do with the point we think the rest of the phrases trying to make, but he leaves out one word for the phrase keep… My commandments, and what is the word that you think you left out folks. The word all all one word in the house… Why did he leave out the word all. Here's how it reads for verily I say and do you they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seek if so, to do first of all, Eric.

Let's give a little bit of background as to what doctrine and covenants section 46 is really talking about because you and I both agree that it sounds like Jeffrey Holland is really being a bit sloppy in his interpretation of this particular passage. If you look at the notes of section 46, at the very beginning. It says meetings of the church to be conducted as the Holy Spirit shall guide neither members nor earnest seekers after the truth to be excluded from sacramental meetings and so in the context this is referring to both members and nonmembers, and not to kick those people out who are sincerely seeking, and you can get that from verse three which says nevertheless ye are commanded never to cast anyone out from your public meetings which are held before the world so referring to the Latter Day Saints don't kick anyone out who may not even belong there, or anyone who is sincere goes on in verses five and six and says, and again I say unto you, you shall not cast anyone out of your sacrament meetings who are earnestly seeking the kingdom. I speak this concerning those who are not of the church. Verse six and again I say unto you concerning your confirmation meetings that if there be any that are not of the church that are earnestly seeking after the kingdom, ye shall not cast them out, so in the context sees talking to both the Latter Day Saints and the people who are not members but are allowed to be there in those meetings when it comes to a sacrament service that has nothing to say about getting into the celestial kingdom. So if you're Latter Day Saints, and you've interpreted Holland's words as meaning that you get credit for trying to get into the celestial kingdom.

Even though you didn't qualify for the celestial kingdom. I don't know if that's what Paul was saying, and I certainly don't see how those verses that he is citing out of section 46 and the doctor and covenants even of such a notion yet then he goes on in verse 14 and it says this to others. It is given to believe on their words that they also might have eternal life. If they continue faithful so the way that somebody who is not part of the church can receive eternal life.

They have to keep the commandments continually as the DNC has said they have to be faithful and of course eternal life in the context of Mormonism is celestial exultation. That's how it is understood and certainly we see from verse 14 you have to continue to be faithful. You have to keep celestial law. If you hope to get into the celestial kingdom.

Holland goes on.

He says please remember tomorrow and all the days after that that the Lord blesses those who want to improve who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them who cherish Christlike virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them. If you stumble in that pursuit. So does everyone, the Savior is there to help you keep going.

If you fall, some in his strength call out like Elma any quotes from Alma 3618 oh Jesus, have mercy on me will even the word mercy in the context of Mormonism, has some questionable definitions because Mormon leaders in the past have given the impression that mercy itself is something that has to be earned or merited. This is what Spencer Kimball said in the teachings of Spencer W. Kimball on page 150 mercy cannot rob justice. The Lord's program is unchangeable. His laws are immutable, they will not be modified your opinions or mind. Do not make any difference and do not alter the laws. Many of the world think that eventually the Lord will be merciful and get to them on earned blessings.

Mercy cannot rob justice. College professors will not give you a doctorate degree for a few weeks of cursory work in the University, nor can the Lord be merciful at the expense of justice in this program, which is infinitely greater. We will each receive what we merit.

Do not take any chances. Whatever.

But then he goes on to say that Jesus will help you get back up. He will help you repent repair fix whatever you have to fix and keep going. Soon enough, you will have the success you seek not notice this is what I'm saying. I think some people are going to be misunderstanding what Holland was trying to get across when he says he will help you.

Jesus will help you repent again. How do you define repentance in the context of Mormonism. It's confessing your sins and forsaking them never to return to them again.

Jesus will help you reach that goal, he will help you repair and fix whatever you have to fix. I don't think Collins given the impression that when it comes to your death day that if you left a lot of things that still needed to be fixed that somehow you're going to get in the celestial kingdom. I don't read that into this at all yet. Apparently some Mormons might, but he's merely saying you fix whatever you have to fix it and you keep going. Soon enough, Holland says you will have the success you seek noticed there has to be a success. You and your life on a note of success, not a note of failure, even though you may have failures throughout your mortal probation. You were striving to get to the point where you don't have them at the end of your life.

That's what these verses are implying in their own Scriptures and so perhaps it could be taken the wrong way, but let me just make sure I understand what you're saying Bill when Holland says if you fall, some in his strength and then sites from, 36, 18 oh Jesus, have mercy on me, the idea that yes I fallen but I can get back up. As long as I repent and I do the things that I'm supposed to do, so you can't really use his words here as an escape route when you're not doing what you're supposed to do, but you need to get back on that path and then do it which is what the leadership has been saying all along. In other words, you can't really use the word mercy as it's been traditionally understood in the English language which is something that is unmerited something that you don't deserve because if the Mormon does get up and starts to do what they're supposed to do. They have certainly earned this that we wouldn't call it mercy, we would call it a payment due for the effort that was given in exchange for that blessing. And that's exactly what I seem to get out of doctrine and covenants section 46 as well. You must keep all my commandments, and that word all was suspiciously left out in his talk, but again I don't think Holland is trying to let Latter Day Saints think they get a free pass if you're trying you will eventually succeed. You may have failures along the way.

But it goes back to the question, how are you as a latter-day St. going to end up on the final day and this is a question I think you should be asking yourself, Latter Day Saints. Because if you're struggling right now. When you think you're eventually going to get to the point where you're not struggling any longer. It is not really what you're hoping for. Because once you no longer find yourself having to repent of sins. Really that's the test that's that's how you know you passed the test is when you no longer have a need to repent. I like to give one more quote this from a general conference from April 2001.

Richard G. Scott was an apostle and he's in. He said this time and time again at funeral statements are made that the deceased will inherit all blessings of celestial glory. When that individual has in no way qualified by obtaining that necessary ordinances and by keeping the required covenants that won't happen.

Such blessings can only be earned by meeting the Lord's requirements. His mercy does not overcome the requirements of his law, they must be met they must be met. It's as simple as that and that's why I think I would have a problem with the Mormon definition of mercy and perhaps even the way it's being used in this statement that Holland cites in his talk tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. Thank you for listening.

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