Question: Dear Donny, Isn't salvation a free gift as we accept Jesus Christ as Our Lord, dying in our place for our sins? Why do Mormons have a Salvation Plan? I never did understand this... maybe you could explain.
Response: Salvation or life eternal is definitely a free gift from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We know that it is by His grace that we are saved, after all that we can do. The difficulty of some is that they believe that if they simply "accept Jesus as their personal Savior" that this is sufficient. If that were true, all of His commandments, which have been given down through the ages and the necessity for keeping them for which we find repeated over and over again throughout the words of the prophets and the apostles would be meaningless. If there was nothing for us to do (which, I freely admit isn’t much compared to what He has been willing to do for us), why does He command us to live our lives in certain ways? Why does He command us to be baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost? Why did His apostles continue to teach that doctrine as they went about teaching the gospel after the death and resurrection of our Savior?
If it were not necessary to do certain things to show our faithfulness to Him as we "do all that we can do" why do we see such directives as Matthew 7: 21-23 21 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. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 25: 31-46
and James 2: 14-24? 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 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. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for brighteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Concerning why Mormons (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)have a plan of salvation you must realize that the plan of salvation is not something thought up by "Mormons". The plan of salvation is that plan, which came from our Father in Heaven at the beginning of time. It started with Adam, continued down through all the prophets, was restated again by our Savior when He came to the earth and was again revealed to us in these days trough the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Specifically, the plan of salvation is that all of us as spirit children of God our Heavenly Father were sent to this earth to gain a physical body, to learn to keep the commandments of God, to overcome the world, to be properly baptized in his name and take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost which will act as our constant companion and guide throughout our lives as long as we are true and faithful to all of the principals of the gospel. We need to prove ourselves worthy of the precious gift of salvation by enduring to the end of our lives and by fulfilling our constant faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, by the Christ like acts we do and by repenting of sins, transgressions, and weaknesses. When we have done all of that, we will be resurrected and stand before Our Savior to be judged according to what we knew and what we did about what we knew. Those who have been valiant in their knowledge and testimony of Jesus Christ will receive an eternal glory in the presence of Him and our Father. Those who have been less valiant will receive lesser degrees of glory. Depending upon what it is that they would not do and what unrepentant sins they had committed. I hope this is helpful to you.
