| Response |
I appreciate your prayers.
I am sorry if you got the impression from My Beliefs that we feel that just believing can save, because I am often getting emails challenging me for our beliefs that both faith and righteous living is required to
qualify to dwell in the Kingdom of our Father: We often quote the scripture to which you refer: "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have
works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O
vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (James 2:17 - 20)
We also believe the passage: "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) This passage is often quoted in an attempt to show us that our belief in the need for proving our faith by living the gospel and keeping the commandments is false; however, both passages are true though they may appear contradictory. It is true that only through the grace or gift
of the atonement of Jesus Christ he redeems us or saves from our sins and makes it possible for us to dwell in the presence of our Heavenly Father. Without that grace or gift of the atonement we could not be
saved.
On the other hand, in addition to having faith, he also requires us to follow him and live the gospel and keep his commandments: "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)
I have observed that genuine faith in the Lord is essential for one to be able to consistently keep the commandments and become a true
follower of Jesus Christ.
I hope this clarifies this important question.
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
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