Online edition of a leaflet sent to Mormon addresses in Ireland
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DOES PLAIN SPEAKING NEPHI LEAD YOU INTO ERROR?
for we knowthat it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. (2 Nephi 25:23)
The Bible exhorts us to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
hence the picture above of the microscope. That which is absolutely
true does not fear even the closest examination. Even though the
Apostle Paul carried all the authority of the Apostolic church, the
Bereans “searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things [which he taught] were so.” In this, they are truly commended by the Holy Spirit as being “more noble” (Acts 17:11) and Paul himself registered no offence or dissent at their cautious practice. The man who wrote: “But though we, or an angel
from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8)
is likewise satisfied that we in our day and age test any gospel claim,
even if a very angel from Heaven be the carrier of such instruction.
If Nephi’s words are true words, then they will bear up under the scrutiny of God’s word. If they are not, then they must be discarded as quickly as possible. Only “that which is good” is to be “held fast” and the rest let go.
1) NEPHI’S CONCERN THAT WE BELIEVE IN CHRIST AND BE RECONCILED TO GOD IS TO BE RECOMMENDED:
Such words presuppose three Biblical truths:
ONE: That we are sinners and that our sin has put a great divide between us and a Holy God.
TWO: That God has made a way back to Himself whereby we can truly said to be reconciled to Him, with all our sins graciously pardoned and cleansed away.
THREE: That faith in Jesus Christ can bring us into this reconciled state.
2) NEPHI’S REASONING FOR THESE WORDS SO FAR, HOWEVER, DOES NOT STAND UP TO THE BIBLICAL TEST:
It
gives the writer of this leaflet no pleasure to say these things, but
if we are to diligently labour to propagate truth as Nephi would have
us do, then we cannot stop here for the sake of friendship or courtesy.
Having
set forth his own labours and his belief that we can be reconciled to
God through faith in Jesus Christ, the angel unfortunately diverts
a
significant way from the purity of the gospel which men like Paul and
John and Peter etc., proclaimed. What is the offensive phrase?
... for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
There
is, of course, no problem with the thought that it is by grace that we
are saved. After all, the Bible itself frequently uses this phrase. The
grave offence lies specifically in the words:
... after all we can do.
In
other words, we are saved by grace plus our own efforts - our works
plus God’s grace lead to our salvation. Let us search the
Scriptures to
see whether this is so, and if it is not, then we are witnessing Galatians 1:8 being played out before our very eyes.
3) EPHESIANS 2:8 DECLARES AN OPPOSITE MESSAGE TO THAT OF NEPHI
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Both
of these statements cannot be true. It cannot be by grace after we have
done all that we can do (Book of Mormon) and at one and the same time, be told that it is by grace and not of ourselves (The Bible). Someone, somewhere has got it horribly wrong and if we would be reconciled to God etc., we need to discern who and reject it out of hand.
4)
NEPHI’S STATEMENT THAT WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE AFTER WE HAVE DONE
ALL THAT WE CAN DO, IS SELF CONTRADICTORY AND THEREFORE CANNOT BE
TRUE:
Truth
(by definition) cannot contradict itself. If we can do something to
contribute to our salvation then it cannot be by grace. Grace is the
giving of something to
the totally undeserving. In this case, it is not a few crumbs from an
unfinished plate on the table, but nothing less than God’s so great salvation. (Hebrews 2:3) That the soul can do nothing to contribute to its salvation is further expounded by the Bible.
[i] Eternal life is described as being the gift of God while it is death which is said to be earned i.e. the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). There is nothing you can do to either buy or earn or demand a gift. It must be entirely free of any outside contributions in order to retain its identity as a gift.
[ii]
The sinner is described as being helpless in these matters. He is dead
in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) The Lord Jesus could say: The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach
the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to
preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:18) All these various desolate descriptions of the sinner portray him as one who can do nothing.
[iii] What is suggested by these descriptions is openly declared in Romans 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Therefore a requirement to do something before grace intervenes means that
grace will never so intervene and we are thus left in ruinous enmity
with God. With all Nephi’s professed diligence, he is but labouring to present a message that has nothing for the helpless sinner at all. That can never be called the gospel or Another Testament of Him who said that He came to seek and to save that which is lost (Luke 19:10)
5) PAUL’S STATEMENT IN EPHESIANS 2:8 DOES NOT CONTRADICT EITHER ITSELF NOR THE REST OF THE BIBLE:
Therefore (unlike Nephi’s bold statement) it may read as being direct from the mouth of Him who cannot lie (Titus 1:2) or cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13)
6) THE MARGINAL REFERENCES INSERTED BY THE CHURCH OF THE LATTER DAY SAINTS CONFIRM
THE SOUL RUINING ERROR THAT IS BEING TAUGHT IN 2 NEPHI 25:23
THE SOUL RUINING ERROR THAT IS BEING TAUGHT IN 2 NEPHI 25:23
It is both interesting and disconcerting to see that in the marginal references for 2 Nephi 25:23 there is absolutely no reference at all to Ephesians 2:8, even though there are references to other portions of the Bible. Yes, there is a good reference to Romans 3:20 where we are told that by the law no flesh will be justified. But Nephi effectively denies this by his exhortation. Grace only intervenes after we have done all that we are said to be able to do. Another Bible reference is given to James 2:24 where James teaches us that justification is by works and not by faith only. However, this is to effectively wrest the Scriptures to your own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). James and Paul cannot contradict each other. James is not teaching us how to be justified before God (the subject at hand in 2 Nephi 25:23) but how to be justified before our neighbour i.e. by the things which we do. In James, works is the evidence which we do. In James, works is the evidence of salvation - the fruit of saving grace - and not the prerequisite of it as taught by this professing angel from Heaven. The change is not so subtle and the outcome is absolutely disastrous. Paul was not simply an angry man looking for a fight when he said that those who preached another gospel were to be accursed.
7) WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A MAN TRIES TO EARN, PURCHASE OR CONTRIBUTE TO THE SALVATION OF HIS SOUL?
He literally walks in the way of Cain (Jude 11) who sought to bring his own good works to God and met with rejection, as recorded in Genesis 4:1-16. But unto Cain and to his offering [God] had not respect. (v5) It was one thing for Cain to make a mistake in this matter - none of us perhaps get it right first time - but he foolishly stuck to his guns and refused the true message of grace which was adhered to by his brother, Abel. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: (v4) By stubbornly refusing to give up his erroneous gospel, Cain damned his own soul when he might have enjoyed peace with God on the basis of God’s grace alone.
As we draw this short leaflet to an end, we must ask you whether or not you are willing to forsake the other gospel of Nephi? One thing is sure: You cannot hold unto it and be saved. Jesus Christ, who shed His life’s blood at Calvary, is a sufficient Saviour. He has done all that is necessary to save you. Faith is not a contributing factor but simply the hand outstretched hand of a bankrupt beggar that receives the free gift of God, purchased for helpless sinners in full by Jesus Christ.