“The Mormon faith is a very, very difficult religion to follow.”
John Wallace was a committed Mormon on the outside, but conflicted on the inside. Since he came to experience the gospel of grace, he has gently challenged and taught the truths of scripture to those in the LDS community.
John believes that a vital difference between the LDS faith & the faith he found is the importance placed on works. Mormons believe that works of the flesh are a path to heaven.
“And I think Mormonism to some degree is a game of one upmanship. There’s always a more worthy Mormon that pays a little more tithing or wears their holy garments more than you do.”
Because of Christ’s work on the cross we do not have to strive to be good enough.
“In a sense my message to the Latter Day Saints is that the work of their salvation was completed by Jesus on the cross. It’s a gift. Ephesians 2 if nothing else makes that abundantly clear.
The idea of finished work is profound and can be hard to comprehend. Everything changes when we fully understand the magnitude of God’s grace.
“If Jesus said ‘it is finished,’ if he purchased our salvation, if it’s a gift from God than all we can really do is say thank you and receive it and be grateful for it. There’s really no room for the sort of meritorious work of our own as we seek to obey God’s law. “
How can we begin sharing our faith with our Mormon neighbors and friends?
John encourages us to ask them this question: How did you arrive at the conclusion that the Bible isn’t really trustworthy? Gently challenge them to read the New Testament if they haven’t.
John Wallace is the author of Starting at the Finish Line.
