This is the first of a continuing discussion on what grace means to me. I am addressing the contrasting views of works and grace. I have had many conversations with friends discussing the different perspectives in how 2 Nephi 25:23 is interpreted. This post is just one of those discussions.
I take it you have a problem with:
As noted by Church scholar Robert J. Matthews:
“Mortality was an essential step in the progress of the human family. . . . God does for human beings only what they cannot do for themselves. Man must do all he can for himself. The doctrine is that we are saved by grace, ‘after all we can do’ (2 Nephi 25:23)” (A Bible! A Bible! [1990], 186).
My response was:
Yes, kind of. I do believe 25:23 in its correct context. Some LDS scholars have misinterpreted that one verse of scripture, thus, negating the many other verses of scripture that clarify what Nephi meant. This one verse is used as the end all by those who believe that you must ‘work’ your way to heaven. I believe I first come unto Christ through faith (wholly relying) on his name and repentance (a complete about face toward Christ and his loving ways), taking Jesus by the hand (fear not), submitting to Him as a little child, and keeping His commandments, advancing from grace to grace (adding one new (for me) commandment after another through the strengthening and enabling power of the atonement (grace)), recreating myself day by day, until I arrive into the presence of the Lord. If this is what R.J. Mathews really meant then I am complete agreement. The problem is that words don’t convey what we really mean. I suppose Matthews may have meant what I just said above.
Let me know if you would like me to list all the other verses on grace and all you can do.
By the way, Paul is grossly misinterpreted by the Christians. The Christians are tainted by Augustine who changed the true Christian doctrine of grace to a mystical supernatural doctrine requiring that all you have to do is declare Jesus and be saved showing no results (works, actions nor deeds) to validate your HEALED state. The KJV uses the word SAVED in place of HEALED in many places. HEALED is more appropriate since it seems to connote a change of heart in the here and now. SAVED seems to connote in our minds the end result. Both words are really synonyms.
I will send you more on the blasphemies of Augustine later. Let me know what you think of what I said above. I hope I was clear.
My response was:
Yes, kind of. I do believe 25:23 in its correct context. Some LDS scholars have misinterpreted that one verse of scripture, thus, negating the many other verses of scripture that clarify what Nephi meant. This one verse is used as the end all by those who believe that you must ‘work’ your way to heaven. I believe I first come unto Christ through faith (wholly relying) on his name and repentance (a complete about face toward Christ and his loving ways), taking Jesus by the hand (fear not), submitting to Him as a little child, and keeping His commandments, advancing from grace to grace (adding one new (for me) commandment after another through the strengthening and enabling power of the atonement (grace)), recreating myself day by day, until I arrive into the presence of the Lord. If this is what R.J. Mathews really meant then I am complete agreement. The problem is that words don’t convey what we really mean. I suppose Matthews may have meant what I just said above.
Let me know if you would like me to list all the other verses on grace and all you can do.
By the way, Paul is grossly misinterpreted by the Christians. The Christians are tainted by Augustine who changed the true Christian doctrine of grace to a mystical supernatural doctrine requiring that all you have to do is declare Jesus and be saved showing no results (works, actions nor deeds) to validate your HEALED state. The KJV uses the word SAVED in place of HEALED in many places. HEALED is more appropriate since it seems to connote a change of heart in the here and now. SAVED seems to connote in our minds the end result. Both words are really synonyms.
I will send you more on the blasphemies of Augustine later. Let me know what you think of what I said above. I hope I was clear.
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