Book of Mormon
Posted in Atonement Book of Mormon Doctrine Gospel of Jesus Christ Grace Jesus Christ language Problems Salvation

Saved by Grace “After All We Can Do”? Nephi’s Context of Reconciliation

2 Nephi 25:23 has the statement, “for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” Does this mean that salvation is a chore in which we do much of the work, or a transaction in which we pay as much of the price as we can, and Christ only steps in after all we have done or paid to make up the difference? Or does this actually mean that salvation is completely “apart from” if not unrelated to all that we can do? Or something else? I think a plausible answer comes through considering the context. 

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The Last Supper
Posted in Bible Book of Mormon Christianity covenants Doctrine Faith Greek Restoration

“That Thy Faith Fail Not”

  In studying the final days of Christ’s life, I was struck by the implications of Christ’s kind teachings to Peter to prepare him for what was to come. He…

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Worlds galore
Posted in Ancient Near East Atonement Creation Gospel of Jesus Christ Hebrew Scholarship Science Scripture

“Whole Worlds Are Full of His Glory”: Thoughts on a Passage from the Words of Gad the Seer

In a post on “The Words of Gad the Seer” and in a related book review for Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, I’ve shared the dramatic…

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Posted in Bible Charity Doctrine Gospel of Jesus Christ Greek Scholarship

Understanding the God of the Old Testament: An Evangelical Scholar Explains the Meaning of “God Is Love”

Evangelical Bible scholar Ben Witherington has written a deeply interesting essay on the meaning of “God is love” for Biblical Archaeology’s “Bible History Daily” column. After explaining the wrong assumptions…

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The Yoke of Christ: Ancient Insights Related to Grace and Works

Last year while pondering Christ’s famous command to take his yoke upon us, I wondered if some of the symbolism of the LDS temple might be relevant. As I explored…

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Mormons and Fear: Introducing One of Our Favorite Fearmongers

In the comments on a recent post here at Mormanity, one of our critics stated that the Mormon concept of accessing the grace of Christ in a covenant relationship that…

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Mother’s Day and Grace, Mormon Style

As I reflected upon Mothers Day and my relationship with my mother, I saw a potential opportunity to clarify a common misunderstanding about the LDS perspectives on grace and obedience….

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Grace and the Temple: Insights from a Jewish Scholar

Some of our fellow Christians misunderstand LDS teachings regarding grace, feeling that our choice to obey God and respect His commandments somehow means we think we earn our salvation and…

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Posted in Bible Doctrine Faith Gospel of Jesus Christ Salvation

“Having Done All, To Stand”: Exposing a Self-Proclaimed “Christian”

Have you ever been fooled by someone who claimed to be Christian, only to find out later that they were part of a non-Christian cult which, because of a horrifically…

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Marriage and Grace

Marriage in both the New and Old Testaments is a metaphor for the relationship we should have with God. His love for us is like the love of a perfect…

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