Are denominations in keeping with god’s will? (preacher, Jesus, Holy Ghost)

[Heartsong]

Originally Posted by Ilene Wright

Back to the OP, that's a big NO that denominations are in keeping with God's will. That is man's doing and legalism is the cause. Christianity is one big circus with 30,000 different ring acts going on at one time. Who wants to be a part of that? I certainly don't, and I'm not. I love UR and it's focus on Jesus Christ and love. If we were all to do that, then Christianity would be what it was intended to be. About Christ.

Amen! The system, being corrupt, only brings confusion. Just about all of my learning from the Father has taken place outside the church. That is no surprise really, because the voice of the Holy Spirit is usually drowned out inside the various churches.

[Robert M Prince]

Getting back to the topic, Are denominations in keeping with God's will? I have a question for Katzpur. Mormons have the commendable stand that a Christian should be obedient to the commands of Christ. That is certainly in keeping with His statement, "If ye love me, keep my commandments," John 14:15. Also "Being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" Heb. 5:9. Obedience as a requirement for salvation is overlooked by numerous Protestant denominations, who claim that we are saved by by faith alone. Even Martin Luther taught that faith was not a true faith if it did not manifest itself in good works.
But the Bible also says, "It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment," Heb.9:27. How do Mormons justify baptizing people for the dead?

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Robert M Prince

Getting back to the topic, Are denominations in keeping with God's will? I have a question for Katzpur. Mormons have the commendable stand that a Christian should be obedient to the commands of Christ. That is certainly in keeping with His statement, "If ye love me, keep my commandments," John 14:15. Also "Being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" Heb. 5:9. Obedience as a requirement for salvation is overlooked by numerous Protestant denominations, who claim that we are saved by by faith alone. Even Martin Luther taught that faith was not a true faith if it did not manifest itself in good works.
But the Bible also says, "It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment," Heb.9:27. How do Mormons justify baptizing people for the dead?

Let's start with my Church's fourth Article of Faith. It states, "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and fourth, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." This Article of Faith is important to our discussion.

We Latter-day Saints believe that (1) Baptism is a sacred ordinance required of everyone; (2) Baptisms must be performed by immersion by one who has been given the authority to do so, (3) When a person dies, his spirit leaves his physical body but does not cease to exist, (4) millions have died without receiving this ordinance, and (5) God loves all of His children equally and has provided a way for everyone who has ever lived to receive this ordinance prior to the Last Judgment.

Looking at each of these five points in greater detail...

(1) Baptism is a sacred ordinance (some would refer to it as a "sacrament") required of everyone who has ever lived. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is recorded as having said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." He said, too, that "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." To further emphasize the need for baptism, Jesus Christ went to John the Baptist and asked that he baptize Him. If you will recall, John's response was to ask, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" And Jesus' response was, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." We have clear evidence for the importance of baptism. It is not optional for us; it was not even optional for the one individual who has ever lived who was without sin.

(2) Baptisms must be performed by immersion by one who has been given the authority to do so. The Apostle Paul's words in Ephesians 4:5 that there should be only, "one Lord, one faith, [and] one baptism." When Jesus established His Church, He called and ordained specific individuals, giving them the authority to perform certain functions, including the saving ordinance of baptism. We Latter-day Saints do not believe that anyone who wishes to baptize someone else has the authority to do so. This authority must be passed down from one person who already holds it to someone else. John the Baptist held the proper authority to baptize, which is why Jesus specifically went to him.

(3) When a person dies, his spirit leaves his physical body but does not cease to exist. It goes to the Spirit World where it will reside until the resurrection of all mankind, at which time it will rejoin the physical body it once inhabited, that body having been renewed, restored to a perfect state and made immortal. The Spirit World is spoken of in the scriptures by two names: Paradise and Prison. It is referred to by both terms because it is both things. To the righteous, it is a place of peace and rest, but to the wicked, it is a Prison, a place where they will be tormented with guilt for the way in which they lived their lives. As the spirits of the deceased await the resurrection of their physical bodies, they continue to learn and grow spiritually. They also retain the free will given to them by God when they came to earth to experience mortality. Those who did not have the opportunity to hear or understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ while they were on earth, will have that chance while in the Spirit World. Jesus himself will not be there, as He is now with His Father in Heaven. But others, those who already have the knowledge of our Father's Plan of Salvation, will teach them and give them the opportunity to accept and take advantage of the gospel message. Once a person comes to realize the significance of Jesus Christ's Atonement on his behalf and is sincerely repentant of his sins, he has fulfilled the first two principles of the Gospel (as outlined in the fourth Article of Faith). He is now on his way to being a recipient of the grace offered to all by Jesus Christ.

(4) Millions have died without receiving this ordinance or having received it but not by the prescribed means (immersion) or by someone who had been given the proper authority to perform it. Many lived prior to when Jesus did. Many others have lived since then, but in parts of the world where Christianity was not known. Some live today in places where converting to Christianity is a capital offense. And finally, for reasons known only to God, some have simply not been able to grasp the truth when it was presented to them. They simply chose a different path, one that was probably right for them.

(5) God loves all of His children equally and has provided a way for everyone who has ever lived to receive this ordinance prior to the Last Judgment. It goes without saying that baptism is an earthly ordinance. It would be quite impossible to immerse a spirit in water. Going back to point #1, though, baptism is a required ordinance for entry into the Kingdom of God. Those spirits who accept the Gospel message while in the Spirit World have completed the first two steps towards receiving the Savior's gift of salvation. But without the help of someone on earth, they can go no further.

Hebrews 11:39-40 speaks of those whose faith was strong and who despite not having heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, were good people who lived essentially worthy lives, “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”

Just as Jesus Christ atoned for our sins, He has given us, the living, the opportunity of doing something to help those who went before us. As this passage explains, God has blessed us with greater knowledge than they had and has given us the privilege of helping them reach a goal they could not otherwise reach – the fulness of salvation and eternal life in the presence of God. As in ancient times, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints practice vicarious baptism for our deceased ancestors who died without having received this ordinance. I can, and have, stood in as a proxy for someone who is dead, and have been baptized on their behalf.

In 1 Corinthians 15:29, Paul used the practice of baptism for the dead as an argument to support the reality of the resurrection of us all. In referring to the members of Christ’s Church who were privileged to perform proxy baptisms (for not all are), he asked, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

Many people make the mistake of assuming we believe that we are surreptitiously seeking to force our beliefs on those who have no choice in the matter. Nothing could possibly be further from the truth. We have no way of knowing which of the spirits awaiting the resurrection will be receptive to the message they hear. We are baptized on behalf of as many of our deceased ancestors as we can possibly identify. Their free will is every bit as operative in the Spirit World as it was during their mortal lives. Should they choose to accept this ordinance as it has been done for them, most likely by one of their descendents, it will be as if they had been baptized while they were here on earth. Should they reject it, it will be considered null and void. We do this work out of a genuine love and concern for those who cannot do it for themselves, and not for any other reason. (Our membership records, incidentally, do not include the names of those individuals for whom we have performed proxy baptisms.)

At any rate, that’s the doctrine as we practice it. We believed it was revealed to latter-day prophets that this work was to be done, and we are grateful to be able to do it.

[Robert M Prince]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

As the spirits of the deceased await the resurrection of their physical bodies, they continue to learn and grow spiritually. They also retain the free will given to them by God when they came to earth to experience mortality. Hebrews 11:39-40 speaks of those whose faith was strong and who despite not having heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, were good people who lived essentially worthy lives, “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”

In 1 Corinthians 15:29, Paul used the practice of baptism for the dead as an argument to support the reality of the resurrection of us all. In referring to the members of Christ’s Church who were privileged to perform proxy baptisms (for not all are), he asked, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?


At any rate, that’s the doctrine as we practice it. We believed it was revealed to latter-day prophets that this work was to be done, and we are grateful to be able to do it.

Katzpur,
Thanks for such a complete reply to my question.
Consider the following from Luke 16:19-31:
“There was a certain rich man, which ws clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day; And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table; moveover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom; the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazurus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my father’s house; For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

On the surface, it seems that the doctrine and practice of baptizing for the dead would be a very comforting thing, so that members of LDS could play a role of assisting in the salvation of their ancestors who did not come to faith during their lifetime. But Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” The Bible does no portray an afterlife prison where people have instruction in righteousness and have the freedom of will to accept the righteousness of Christ’s sacrifice and to have another chance to become obedient to Him.
I certainly do not subscribe to the Calvinist doctrine that God, in His omniscience and omnipotence chooses some people on whom to have mercy and many others who are doomed to hell, and that He has the Sovreign power to make these pre-destined choices without considering His foreknowledge in any way. I believe that God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” II Peter 3:9.
I believe that God, in His omniscient foreknowledge gives men the free will to make their own choices and that He knows every soul on the face of this earth who would “hunger and thirst after righteousness” and that in His omnipotence He places every one of these persons in a place and time in this life where that person may come to repentance. And our blessed Saviour promises that "They shall be filled," Matt.5:6.

To me it is more comforting to know that an all-powerful Father in heaven is making these judgments than to depend on fallible human beings, with their limited knowledge, in making these choices in respect to their own ancestors. I don’t believe that God misses a single person who would make the right choice in his lifetime.

As always, if anything I write is contradictory to scripture, you will do me a favor by bringing it to my attention,
Bob

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Robert M Prince

Katzpur, Thanks for such a complete reply to my question.

You're very welcome, Bob. And thank you for the civil, respectful manner in which you always respond to people with whom you may disagree.

I know it was not your intent to start a debate on the subject of baptisms for the dead, and I hope you can understand that it is not my intention to turn this thread into such a debate. It's just that a few of your comments led me to believe that either you had misunderstood some of what I said in my previous post or that I had failed to adequately explain the LDS position. So, for that reason, I would just like to elaborate upon a few points so that you can at least understand the LDS position more clearly.

Consider the following from Luke 16:19-31:

“There was a certain rich man, which ws clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day; And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table; moveover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom; the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazurus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my father’s house; For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

On the surface, it seems that the doctrine and practice of baptizing for the dead would be a very comforting thing, so that members of LDS could play a role of assisting in the salvation of their ancestors who did not come to faith during their lifetime. But Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” The Bible does no portray an afterlife prison where people have instruction in righteousness and have the freedom of will to accept the righteousness of Christ’s sacrifice and to have another chance to become obedient to Him.
I certainly do not subscribe to the Calvinist doctrine that God, in His omniscience and omnipotence chooses some people on whom to have mercy and many others who are doomed to hell, and that He has the Sovreign power to make these pre-destined choices without considering His foreknowledge in any way. I believe that God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” II Peter 3:9.
I believe that God, in His omniscient foreknowledge gives men the free will to make their own choices and that He knows every soul on the face of this earth who would “hunger and thirst after righteousness” and that in His omnipotence He places every one of these persons in a place and time in this life where that person may come to repentance. And our blessed Saviour promises that "They shall be filled," Matt.5:6.

To me it is more comforting to know that an all-powerful Father in heaven is making these judgments than to depend on fallible human beings, with their limited knowledge, in making these choices in respect to their own ancestors. I don’t believe that God misses a single person who would make the right choice in his lifetime.

As always, if anything I write is contradictory to scripture, you will do me a favor by bringing it to my attention,
Bob

We Latter-day Saints would agree with you that after we die, there will be a judgment. It will be, however, a preliminary judgment only, and not the one the scriptures refer to as the “Last Judgment.” It is with this preliminary judgment that a person will be judged worthy of Paradise (aka Abraham’s Bosom) or the Spirit Prison, which can be thought of as Hell, although it need not be permanent in nature.

I’m assuming (please correct me if I’m wrong) that you believe that anyone who is going to Heaven will go there immediately after death and that the word Paradise is synonymous with the word Heaven. Here’s why we see it differently: In Luke 23:43, Jesus says to the repentant thief, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." In John 20:17, He speaks to Mary in the garden shortly after his resurrection and says, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." Since I’m sure we can agree that Jesus was not lying to the thief and that He did in fact see him that day in Paradise, and that we can also agree that what He told Mary was true, that is, that He hadn't yet ascended to His Father in Heaven, we may be able to agree that Paradise and Heaven are not one and the same.

In addition to seeing the thief in Paradise (and presumably others there), the Savior also spent much of the next three days, (in spirit form, since His body still lay in the tomb) preaching His gospel in the spirit prison. You said that the Bible makes no mention of this “prison.” I believe you’re wrong about that. 1 Peter 3:18-20 and 1 Peter 4:6 speak of this prison using (at least in the KVJ) that very word. He did so in order that they might “live according to God in the spirit” even though that had been judged by men as wicked. The Bible definitely tells us that this prison did once exist. Since there is no indication given that it has ceased to exist, and no reason to believe it would not continue to serve a purpose today, we believe it is, even now, a place where the wicked await the Last Judgment, but from which they can be released to “live according to God in the spirit.” You may also be interested to know that a number of early (i.e. first and second-century) Christian writings refer to the spirit prison and describe it pretty much as I have described it.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, while it is indeed a comfort to us to know that we can perform an essential ordinance for our ancestors, we do not do this to find comfort, but because we believe it has been commanded of us. I don’t know where you stand on the need for water baptism (of the living); I can’t recall your having mentioned your belief before. If you believe God does not required it of us, then it would make sense that you would definitely see proxy baptisms as unnecessary. If, on the other hand, you believe that it is essential for salvation, then it is difficult for me to understand why you would say, in essence, “except when God decides to overlook the fact that it never happened.”

I’m really glad to hear that you do not subscribe to the Calvinist doctrine of pre-destination. I can’t think of a single doctrine that bothers me more than that one. It appears to me that you believe God, in His wisdom, will simply choose to pardon those who never heard of Christ during their lifetimes and were never baptized, since He knows they would have done these things had they had the chance. We believe instead that He has actually provided a means by which they may actually hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ themselves, as well as a way by which they might be able to receive water baptism. We, as fallible human beings, are not making a choice for our ancestors. Only they can choose to accept the gospel. Baptism without faith in Jesus Christ and repentance has no value. And as impossible as it may seem, we do not believe one single solitary soul will stand before God to be judged until he has heard and understood the gospel, has had the opportunity to either accept or reject it, and had had someone on earth perform the ordinance of baptism on his behalf. (We believe that this work, incidentally, will continue throughout the Millennium.)

You said, “I don’t believe that God misses a single person who would make the right choice in his lifetime.” My belief is really not all that different from yours. I don’t believe that God would judge a single person who would make the right choice in his lifetime without having made sure that person had the opportunity to make that choice in the spirit world.

(I apologize for the length of my post. I didn't intend it to be so long. I'm afraid I have just never mastered the art of brevity.)

[SisterKat]

I love your in-depth posts Katzpur and I too think it is wonderful Robert Prince how respectful you are in your questions to Katzpur.

I too believe in a preliminary judgement upon death..... I do not believe however that we will inhabit our physical bodies once again after death. I believe that our souls will continue to learn and grow in the spirit world. I do believe in a final day of judgement which will determine ones final resting place.

Thank you Robert and Prince for your posts....I found them both very interesting.

[sciotamicks]

Denominations are approved, for one simple reason:

For there also must be factions among you,
that those who are approved may be revealed among you.

[Robert M Prince]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

I’m assuming (please correct me if I’m wrong) that you believe that anyone who is going to Heaven will go there immediately after death and that the word Paradise is synonymous with the word Heaven. Here’s why we see it differently: In Luke 23:43, Jesus says to the repentant thief, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." In John 20:17, He speaks to Mary in the garden shortly after his resurrection and says, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." Since I’m sure we can agree that Jesus was not lying to the thief and that He did in fact see him that day in Paradise, and that we can also agree that what He told Mary was true, that is, that He hadn't yet ascended to His Father in Heaven, we may be able to agree that paradise and Heaven are not one and the same.

Katzpur,
I apologize for the delay in answering your post. My wife and I are on a vacation to NC mountains and I lost connectivity for a couple of days.
I am aware that Paul makes a distinction between Paradise and the third heaven in his references speaking in 12th chapter of II Corinthians. I would assume that when he spoke of Paradise, this would be the same place Jesus would have seen the thief who repented on the cross; whereas the third heaven likely refers to the place where He presently resides at the right hand of His Father.

Originally Posted by Katzpur

It appears to me that you believe God, in His wisdom, will simply choose to pardon those who never heard of Christ during their lifetimes and were never baptized, since He knows they would have done these things had they had the chance. We believe instead that He has actually provided a means by which they may actually hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ themselves, as well as a way by which they might be able to receive water baptism. We, as fallible human beings, are not making a choice for our ancestors. Only they can choose to accept the gospel. Baptism without faith in Jesus Christ and repentance has no value. And as impossible as it may seem, we do not believe one single solitary soul will stand before God to be judged until he has heard and understood the gospel, has had the opportunity to either accept or reject it, and had had someone on earth perform the ordinance of baptism on his behalf. (We believe that this work, incidentally, will continue throughout the Millennium.)

You said, “I don’t believe that God misses a single person who would make the right choice in his lifetime.” My belief is really not all that different from yours. I don’t believe that God would judge a single person who would make the right choice in his lifetime without having made sure that person had the opportunity to make that choice in the spirit world.

[SIZE=3]You are mistaken about my believing that God would pardon those who never heard of Christ in their lifetimes. In Romans 1:20-25, ‘St. Paul writes, “For the invisible things of him [God] are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations and their fololish hearts were darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves; who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever. Amen.”[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Katzpur, we are dealing with something here that I do not believe we can reconcile. Rev. 22:18-19 clearly says that if we add anything or take anything away from the words of the prophesy of this book [the bible] all the plagues that are written in that book will be added to us and our names will be taken out of the book of life. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]When the LDS prophets say that all the souls that have departed this life will be given other opportunity to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus, I believe they (like the Catholics with their doctrine of purgatory) are in serious disagreement with the scriptures. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]I personally believe that our almighty God gives the opportunity to every person on this earth who diligently seeks Him and hungers and thirst after righteousness to be born at a time and place where they will be able to serve Him IN THIS LIFE. I believe the passage from Romans first chapter reveals that all others who have seen the natural glories of our Father in heaven and go about serving the creature rather than their Creator are without excuses and will not inherit eternal life. During the Old Testament times, all who would do right would have been included in the Jewish population, except for Rahab, the harlot, Ruth, and others who became associated with the Jews. After the Jews rejected their Messiah, God says the opportunity to repent is available to all creatures on this earth, and I believe our omniscient and all powerful heavenly Father makes the arrangements for all who would serve Him to be given that opportunity before they die, without further opportunities after death. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]If I am wrong about this, I pray for the Lord to reveal this or any other area in my life where I am not doing His will. [/SIZE]

[Robert M Prince]

Originally Posted by sciotamicks

Denominations are approved, for one simple reason:
For there also must be factions among you,
that those who are approved may be revealed among you.

I believe that Paul expressed the will of God in 1st chapter of
I Corinthians, when he said there should be no divisions among you. I further believe that factions arose in the llth chapter among those
who caused divisions and their heresy was made manifest. He made it vey clear that he did not commend their having divisions among themselves.

[Robert M Prince]

Recapping past 4 weeks since original posting of ARE DENOMINATIONS IN KEEPING WITH GOD’S WILL:
I joined my wife’s non-denominational church 54 years ago, leaving my previous affiliation with Baptist denomination when I no longer believed the doctrine of “Once in grace, always in grace.” Over the years I have become more firm in the conviction that denominations are not approved by God, since Jesus prayed that his followers should “Be one” as He and the Father were one (Jo17:21). Also St. Paul exhorted the Corinthians that they should have “no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment (I Cor 1:10.)
I believe the “Once saved always saved” doctrine takes away from scriptures by ignoring such passages as “He that endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt 10:22) and “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life (Rev 2:10.) I believe that if we truly believe in Jesus as the Son of God, and truly repent, we will be given the Holy Ghost (which Peter said God gives to them that obey Him (Acts 5:32.) I believe that many people make superficial decisions to accept Jesus as their “personal Saviour,” when they are told they are on the way to hell if they do not do so, but do not really have a mind to be obedient and therefore do not receive the Holy Spirit, which would make it possible for them to have the power to be obedient. Paul said, “If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His” Rom 8:9. Heb 5:9 says that Christ “became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.”
I believe that the Calvinist doctrine in which God predestines some to be saved and many more to be lost ignores the fact that God has foreknowledge in His judgments. Calvinists declaring that men do not have freedom of will ignores the fact that God “is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” 2 Peter 3:9.
I believe that Mormon doctrines about “baptizing for the dead” and about persons having opportunities to repent after death add to the scriptures which declare that “it is appointed unto man once to die but after this the judgment,” Heb 9:27.
As always, if any of my statements contradict scriptures, readers will do me a great favor in bringing this to my attention,
Bob