Clarifying Salvation for Former Mormons – Part 1

Your goal as a mentor is not just to convince transitioning Mormons that LDS theology is wrong, but to graciously to help them understand God’s good news in such a way that they embrace God’s grace and entrust their life and eternity to Jesus alone. Here are some thoughts on how to clarify God’s good news for former Latter-day Saints.

Transitioning Mormons Go Through an Atheist Phase After Losing Trust in the Church.

Many transitioning Mormons will go through an agnostic or atheist phase. This is understandable, since Mormonism teaches its people to mistrust all other faiths. When the “one true church” isn’t true, where do you turn? Then, because their experience of God is so wrapped up in the LDS institution, it’s hard to relate to God apart from that religious framework. Yet while many former Mormons end up embracing atheism, others successfully navigate through this phase to find new faith. But it takes time, so be patient.  Keep the relational doors open by not being judgmental. And have good, credible answers to their questions.

[Related: You Don’t Have to Be an Atheist after Leaving Mormonism]

It Begins with God.

The LDS story begins with the “pre-existence”. The biblical story begins with God. God existed before anything – before time or matter. God is eternal. There was never a time he wasn’t fully God (Psalm 90:2). God made everything else that exists (Genesis 1:1). He made it all out of nothing, and he made it perfect (Genesis 1:31). So all things depend on him for their being.

Our Creator is a God of love (1 John 4:8). Out of his love he decided to create human beings – with the intention that we would know him and love him back.

Our Problem Is Sin.

One of the most difficult things to help your Mormon friend understand is the depth and pervasiveness of sin. Sadly, God’s good purpose for humanity was broken and thwarted by sin. Adam and Eve broke God’s commandment in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:16-17 and 3:6). This tragic rebellion resulted in our first parents being alienated from God. The rest of humanity has been separated from God ever since.

[Related: Eve’s Sin – What Really Happened]

But sin is not just breaking commandments or neglecting to do what’s right. Sin is also an inclination within every human being toward disobedience and evil (Romans 7:18-19). Sin is our nature (Titus 3:3). We are fallen from God.

Ephesians 2:1-3 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

The Bible paints a grim picture of the human condition. Look at the state of the world – full of violence, hatred, and exploitation. Look honestly at your own heart (Romans 3:9-18). Sin is not just a checklist to avoid, but an inner bent that taints even our good deeds (Isaiah 64:6). None of us measure up to God’s holy standards (Romans 3:23). Humans are fundamentally at odds with God (Colossians 1:21). Even religious or morally upright people are filled with self-sufficiency and pride, rather than dependent on God (James 4:6).

[Related: Are Humans Born Evil or Good?]

This is why we cannot be made right with God by our own efforts or merit (Romans 3:20). God is holy and righteous (Isaiah 6:3). We cannot approach him until our sin has been dealt with. On our own, we can never be worthy enough to stand in God’s approval.

[Related: Being a Child of God after Mormonism]

[Related: What Does It Mean to Be a Child of God?]

Our Solution Is Jesus.

The good news is that we can be reconciled to God (Romans 5:10-11). God took the initiative to make a way for our broken condition to be reversed.

Ephesians 2:4-5 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

[Related: Atonement]

In the Old Testament, sin had to be paid for by shedding an animal’s blood (Leviticus 14:19-20; Hebrews 9:22). The entire sacrificial system looked forward in anticipation to the greater, perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His death on the cross accomplished what the death of bulls and goats could not (Hebrews 10:11-14). Because Jesus had no sin of his own, he made the perfect sacrifice for our sins – on the cross (1 Peter 2:22-24). This sacrifice secured the complete forgiveness of sins (Colossians 2:13-14), allowed the righteousness of Christ to be applied to us (Romans 3:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:21), and opened the way for us to come freely into relationship with God (Hebrews 10:19-22).

[Related: Understanding the Cross after Leaving Mormonism]

[Related: Why Did Jesus Have to Die on the Cross?]

[Related: The Cross of Jesus and the Courtroom]

[Related: The Cross of Jesus and the Slave Market]

So Jesus’ role was not mainly to be an example for us to follow, but to our rescuer and deliverer from death and sin. His sacrifice is all we need to be right with God.

Titus 3:4-7 When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

[Related: Is Religion Enough?]

[Related: What It Means to Be Made Right with God]

[Related: Justification | Mormonism]

Our Response Is faith.

Even though Jesus did everything we need to be right with God, a relationship with God takes a personal response: repentance and faith (Acts 20:21).

Faith (or belief) is trust. The results of Jesus’ sacrifice are offered to us as a free gift (Romans 6:23). A true gift is always offered unconditionally. Faith is simply the act of receiving the gift. It is mindset of entrusting our life and our eternity entirely to Jesus and Jesus alone (2 Timothy 3:15) – as opposed to our own good works.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

[Related: Justification By Faith]

Repentance is a 180-degree change of heart, where we turn from self to God. To trust in Jesus alone, we must turn from trusting in ourselves, or our religious good works, our church, or anything else..

Romans 9:31-32 But the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.

True repentance and faith will eventually result in life-change (Acts 26:20), but repentance itself is the more fundamental attitude of surrender that places our lives on a different path.

[Related: Foundations for Mormons]