Is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a universalist denomination? For years, members and leaders alike have warned each other about death-bed repentance…that “easy” grace is not really that easy. We’ve all read in the Book of Mormon about “holding to the rod” and enduring to the end. Lehi lamented that his sons Laman and Lemuel would not partake of the fruit at the tree of salvation and were lost.
So, why are we even asking the question, are Mormons universalists? (Sorry about the “M” word!)
Well, don’t scold us too fast.
In this episode, Martin Tanner and GM Jarrard look at this question from two directions: From the direction of Justice and the direction of Mercy, and both make sense when you consider holy writ and the teachings of apostles and prophet, ancient and modern.
In examining the parable of the laborers in Matthew 20, many members can become confused; the emphasis has always been on REPENTANCE, not CHEAP SALVATION, which we often accuse our evangelical friends of. But, here in this podcast, the hosts remind us that “we are saved after all we can do.” Too often, we assume that we get 98 percent of the way on our own and Christ makes up the difference. This over-emphasis on self-reliance is not only hypocritical, it’s just flat wrong. Let us know if you agree. Maybe that’s one reason President Nelson has emphasized that the name of the Lord’s Church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints–the emphasis is on Jesus Christ.
Listen and you decide: Is the Church of Jesus Christ a universalist church (with lower-case “U”)?
Tell us what you think.
(By the way, the photo in the image is from the intersection of four Protestant churches on the Main Street in Palmyra, New York!)
0 Comments