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Good Works are Essential for Salvation
A common evangelical straw man argument is that Mormons believe we work our ways to heaven. This may seem to be the case at times but it isn't supposed to be. The Atonement of Christ is the only way anyone can be saved because our sins automatically bar us from the presence of God. However, it's equally ludicrous to assume you can just say you accept Jesus and not change a thing in your life. This earthly probation is meant to test us and mold us into better people. This in no way cheapens the Atonement; rather, to believe that anyone can enter heaven without changing their lives would cheapen the Atonement.
2 Chronicles 15:7; "Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded."
Psalms 28:4; "Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert [due reward].
Psalms 62:12; "Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work."
Proverbs 24:12; "If thou sayest, Behold, we know it not; dost not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth they soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?"
Ecclesiastes 12:14; "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
Jeremiah 17:10; "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
Jeremiah 32:19; "[Thou, God, art] great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
Matthew 5:16; "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Matthew 7:16; "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" Although this verse can apply to everybody it's referring specifically to prophets, which is one way to know that Joseph Smith and all his successors are true ones.
Matthew 16:27; "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
John 3:21; "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."
Acts 10:34-35; "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."
Romans 2:13-15; "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another."
2 Corinthians 5:9-10; "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
Galatians 6:3-4; "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." I kept that first verse to preserve the context which makes it clear that we do not "deserve" salvation because of our good works. When it says we shall rejoice in ourselves and not another, it is only talking about fallible mortals because of course we should rejoice first and foremost in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 6:7; "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." There it is, plainly stated; a "Christian" who does not sow good seeds is mocking God.
Ephesians 2:8-10; "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Ephesians 5:8-10; "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord."
2 Timothy 3:16-17; "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
Titus 3:8; "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men."
Hebrews 13:20-21; "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
James 1:22-27; "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."
This is perhaps the most explicit explanation of all, and that's saying a lot. James 2:14-26 reads, "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? [She protected the Israelite spies from the king's soldiers in Jericho and was spared when the city was destroyed.] For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
A shorter one: James 4:17; "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
1 Peter 1:13-17; "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear [reverence]..." It continues on to talk about Christ's Atonement, clarifying yet again that the importance of good works does not diminish its necessity.
1 Peter 2:11-12; "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation."
2 Peter 1:5-11; "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
1 John 3:18-22; "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandements, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
Revelation 22:14; "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
Next: Law of Tithing
2 Chronicles 15:7; "Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded."
Psalms 28:4; "Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert [due reward].
Psalms 62:12; "Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work."
Proverbs 24:12; "If thou sayest, Behold, we know it not; dost not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth they soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?"
Ecclesiastes 12:14; "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
Jeremiah 17:10; "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
Jeremiah 32:19; "[Thou, God, art] great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
Matthew 5:16; "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Matthew 7:16; "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" Although this verse can apply to everybody it's referring specifically to prophets, which is one way to know that Joseph Smith and all his successors are true ones.
Matthew 16:27; "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
John 3:21; "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."
Acts 10:34-35; "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."
Romans 2:13-15; "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another."
2 Corinthians 5:9-10; "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
Galatians 6:3-4; "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." I kept that first verse to preserve the context which makes it clear that we do not "deserve" salvation because of our good works. When it says we shall rejoice in ourselves and not another, it is only talking about fallible mortals because of course we should rejoice first and foremost in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 6:7; "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." There it is, plainly stated; a "Christian" who does not sow good seeds is mocking God.
Ephesians 2:8-10; "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Ephesians 5:8-10; "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord."
2 Timothy 3:16-17; "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
Titus 3:8; "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men."
Hebrews 13:20-21; "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
James 1:22-27; "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."
This is perhaps the most explicit explanation of all, and that's saying a lot. James 2:14-26 reads, "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? [She protected the Israelite spies from the king's soldiers in Jericho and was spared when the city was destroyed.] For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
A shorter one: James 4:17; "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
1 Peter 1:13-17; "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear [reverence]..." It continues on to talk about Christ's Atonement, clarifying yet again that the importance of good works does not diminish its necessity.
1 Peter 2:11-12; "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation."
2 Peter 1:5-11; "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
1 John 3:18-22; "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandements, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
Revelation 22:14; "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
Next: Law of Tithing