The TRUE Bible states that "I, AM WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIGHT, NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME," those were Jesus's own words. Okay, so you may
believe that scripture, but isn't salvation when you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, invite him into your heart? I have never heard one Mormon
admit this is the way to eternal life, they skip and skirt the issue and give me mumbo jumbo about what salvation really is, per the Book of Mormon. Like I
said, I have talked with many Mormons, I find them to be wonderful, loving people....I think that all the good charity, etc., is more for "good works"
which they think will get them to eternal life with the Lord in heaven, but in "levels" (3, I think).

For one, good works is not the answer to entrance to Heaven. That is only "part" of it. This whole business about all these "levels" of heaven are the most
confusing thing of all. NO WHERE in the Bible does it state that we will be at different levels according to our good works, behavior, sin, blah blah blah.
God the Father himself has said that those that enter the Kingdom will sit WITH the Father....not 3 levels down, etc. That is absurd. Someone explain this
to me, please!

This is not to insult anyone....I am just speaking the truth from my heart. Although it is admirable with the missionary work with boys going all around
the work on their bikes, it should be a CHOICE, not a requirement, that is something I never have understood either. God gives us CHOICE, not the Mormon
Church to recommend these missions. So I guess I really have 3 questions....Why the levels in Heaven? What REALLY is salvation to you? What about sin,
good works, personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

Anyway, I respect and admire you so much for even including your beliefs on your web site, that is so courageous and speaks volumes about your lack of
shame. Good for you. May God continue to bless you Donny.

Thank you for your interest, for your questions and for your kind remarks.

Contrary to what you might think, we believe in most of what you have written. Although, I must explain to you that we do not believe that the Book of Mormon was written by modern man, but by prophets of God that lived between the years 600 B.C. to about 400 A.D.

I'm very sorry that the members of our church fell short in explaining our absolute dependence on Christ for any hope of salvation. We believe in the first and great commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Matthew 22:37).We also believe in the second, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Matthew 22:39).

He is the creator of the worlds (Hebrews 1:1-3, John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:16). He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross of Calvary where he paid for our sins that those who have faith in him, repent, are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost can be forgiven of sin and inherit Eternal Life in the Kingdom of our Father in Heaven (John 3:5, Acts 2:38). And we also believe that "... now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (Corinthians 15:20-22).

I have known many devout Christians who emphasize: " For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast"(Ephesians 2:8-9). We then explain "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:26)

I know that both of these passages are true, that Paul is emphasizing the importance of faith and grace in one and the importance of following Christ and serving him in another. Obviously, both are important. It really seems clear to me (and everyone I have discussed this with) that the first step is that we have faith in Christ and accept him as our personal Savior, but the scriptures make it clear that we must then repent, be baptized, receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands and then "...he that endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 10:22) "Because strait is the gate, and narrow
is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14). For: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

Now concerning the three heavens, most Christians that I've observed, believe in Heaven and Hell as do we. The difference is that we believe that this state refers to the state of the spirits of those who have died while they await the resurrection. There are a few references in the New Testament that give us some indication of what we are to expect beyond this life, but a tremendous amount of clarification on this subject was part of the "Restoration of the Gospel" to which I have referred so much in "my beliefs" section. When Christ was on the Cross he said to the thief dying beside him, "To day shalt
thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). The morning of the resurrection, as he was approached by Mary, the risen Savior said, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God" (John 20:17).

We may ask the question, where is paradise, if it is not the presence of the Father (heaven)? Where was Jesus between the crucifixion and the resurrection? Peter answers this as he explains, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water" (1 Peter 3:18-20).

Even though there is not a great deal of information, we do learn that the spirits of those who die go to Paradise or Prison to await the resurrection and then the judgment. As I said, we believe that this world of spirits is often defined in the scriptures and understood by most as heaven and hell. Paul's discussion of the resurrection however, gives additional light as he writes, "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the
stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:" (1 Corinthians 15:40-42) This is the only place that the "three heavens" are mentioned in the bible, but the Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon saw in a glorious vision the three degrees of glory that Paul mentions and we know that the Celestial Glory which is like unto the sun in glory is the Kingdom of our Heavenly Father and is the reward of those who truly learn to accept Christ and follow him.

This is a long answer, but I hope it answers your three questions. Thank you so much for your email.

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond


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