To all appearances, John Wallace was a committed Mormon. Inside though, he was conflicted.
He came to know and experience a new way of living – the gospel of grace. Since then, he has gently challenged and taught the truths of scripture to those in the LDS community.
It’s that remarkable story, and lessons on sharing the gospel to those knocking on your door, with John Wallace, author of Starting At The Finish Line: The Gospel Of Grace For Mormons.
John believes that inward uncertainty is one of the biggest factors in how you form what you believe. He explains how his uncertainty led him to his faith.
We tackle big questions. What is salvation? How are we saved? John says that Mormons believe the same things about Jesus that other Christians do, but they also add ordinances into the equation of salvation.
The concept of grace is addressed, and Ephesians 2:8 explored.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–“
John looks at the different views on grace & the need for perfection that are held by Mormons & mainstream Christians.
Highlight – Grace & perfection
He takes us along the path he traveled from Mormonism to biblical truth.
“The farther I got away from God, the more I could feel him tugging at me”. -John Wallace
John says that he kept trying to save himself – viewing Jesus as someone who could provide assistance in that quest. Instead, he now realizes that the gift of salvation means God saves Him.
So are there things we can say to our Mormon friends and neighbors when it comes to faith? John doesn’t believe there’s one simple answer. Every Mormon is different, just like us, and God loves them just as much. What we need to do at the end of the day is to encourage them to open up the Bible and let God take it from there.
