The True Value of FREE Grace

okay here is a biggie ... we were discussing the definition of Grace (and as with everything one must be extremely careful to define actual terms when dealing with Mormons, as in their zeal to deceive themselves and others they have become adept at the art of Twistianity). So what is "grace" as defined in the "Gospel"? (there is also much confusion as to what is the "gospel", but that is for another day)...


Originally Posted by (mormon) "Zemah"

You have thus reduced the Gospel to “saved by grace through faith”, since, if something “is not necessary to obtain salvation, it is not part of the Gospel”.

So really the Bible is a great excess of words since the only thing you need for salvation is faith in His grace. You should really start your own church and profess this simple truth.

After all didn’t Jesus forgive everyone when he walked the roads of the holy land? Didn’t he cure all the leapers, didn’t he heal all the sick, and recue all the impoverished, and bestow peace to all the inhabitants? Why should those that actually came to him be rewarded and not those that believed but moved not?

What about those that stood by the shores of the Jordan watching John baptize? If they professed that they believed in the Messiah or the grace of God but repented not and refused to enter the waters, shouldn’t they also receive a remission of sin?

Sorry folks it does not work that way. Faith requires action. Faith requires obedience. Faith is a journey not a statement. Faith in Christ starts with a water baptism unto repentance for the remission of sin. No cutting corners off of the Gospel.

You say faith is a gift from God; well I say the LORD has given me a larger portion because my faith did not stop with the first spoon full. My faith did not stop with faith in His grace. It marched onto repentance, and baptism, and the receipt of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands; it grew in the acceptance of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods; it was magnified in the Temple by doing ordinance work for the dead who are prisoners of Satan no more. The faith He gave me lead me to Israel to receive a patriarchal blessing that in death I have a family to return to in Jerusalem.

And my faith marches on in a promised Fatherhood in Christ; it lives forever in the creation of spirit children that will be my own; it never stops for all time and eternity because there is no end to love in God.-Zemah

Ah, now we are getting down to brass tacks. The Gospel of FREE GRACE is not enough for those like Zemah. And Zemah admits that he thinks we believe and THEN repent - which is BACKWARDS.

He seems to assume that the Free Grace position thinks it "easy" for proud, unregenerate, spiritually blind, absolutely depraved, self-righteous man to trust an unseen, crucified, and resurrected Jesus alone for eternal life!

In reality, the Christian believer in FREE GRACE acknowledges that trusting in Jesus Christ alone is hard.

For pompous man to admit his sinfulness and cast all his confidence upon the work done in his behalf by an unseen Substitute is a task of the greatest magnitude. Indeed, it is an impossible task without the humbling, convicting work of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, "easy believism" is a label tossed at us by mormons that cannot be accurately attached to Free Grace. FREE GRACE does NOT equal "easy" grace.

Paul makes it clear that God gave the Law for one purpose: to convict (bring the sinner to the realization that he IS a sinner) - wherefore we are convinced of our bankruptcy and inability to save ourselves through the keeping of the Law. We repent, but it will never be enough. We repent again, still it will never be enough. We repent through eternity - it will never pay the price. We finally realize: THE LAW DOES NOT SAVE. The Law does not save. The LAW CONVICTS, convinces, confirms reality OF OUR ABJECT POVERTY. We see this, we know it, we acknowledge it, and are lost. Who will pay the price? Who will Redeem us? What will save us?

It is only when we are reduced to the bare facts of our poverty and inability before the Lord, when the saving grace of Christ's atonement is seen to be of value, is this not true?


TRUTH: that is the heart, beginning of real repentance- KNOWING we can never be righteous or redeem ourselves and admitting our poverty, our bankruptcy before God.

Unregenerate stiff-necked pharisees will never get to that point, because they are too busy trying to work the law to their salvation. They will not therefore bend the knee to admit their bankruptcy before the Lord, repent, and acknowledge He alone is worthy to be praised, He alone saves, He alone works salvation, He alone gives freely. We can only receive. We can ONLY receive. The only righteousness belongs to Jesus, He ALONE imputes this righteousness to us, to those who belong to Him. We deserve nothing. We earn nothing. We are bankrupt before Him.

No, Zemah does not understand THE PRICE of free grace. We must deposit our pride at the foot of the cross, move to the point of abject hopelessness, admit our total unworthiness, and submit. THAT IS HARD. That involves losing all pride. That involves admission of a complete lack of righteousness: we have NO redeeming value.

Grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone can save.