Thursday, September 20, 2007

Salvation is free

I thought the Plan of Salvation was taught in the missionary discussions or in primary, then we moved onto the meatier things of the gospel. But that is not the case, as I continue to learn from many discussions with people who are otherwise fairly familiar with LDS doctrine. A recent posting over at Faith Promoting Rumor caused me to think on this topic. I have seen a misunderstanding of this topic run people out of the church.

I submit that:

Any of the three kingdoms is salvation, or heaven.

That, salvation comes only through the acceptance of Christ (principles and ordinances).

That mere acceptance of the Plan of Happiness brings salvation.

That anyone who is saved receives a complete remission of their sins. The kingdoms are not assigned to anyone based on how much sin remains on them, because there is no sin remaining on them.

That when someone is saved, they are saved from sin.

We are saved through grace.

That we can never atone for our own sins. That those who “must suffer even as I” are the Son’s of Perdition. Sin causes endless separation from God and only an eternal sacrifice can meet the demands for justice. That only Christ can relieve us of sin. There are not two paths to salvation, one by Christ and the other by suffering for our own sins.

The Plan of Salvation was the promise that when we came to this encapsulated thing we call earth (actually earth and the spirit world), if we would but accept the atonement all the wounds of this world would be healed (this is why we must forgive).

That what determines where a person dwells forever more is what law they cling to, live, or are willing to live:

“That bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified. And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom. For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.” [D&C:88:20-24]

Understanding these principles helps to keep us from falling into the many doctrinal errors that plague man.

[TO DOWNLOAD A PDF POSTER OF THE ABOVE PLAN OF SALVATION - CLICK HERE]

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mormon Mysticism
Mormon Double speak SAVED and saved.
Though one can be saved in many ways ,death ,the fall, seperation from God,

Never ever in relation to salvation and being saved in the Bible is there a Lesser Saved than Exalted Eternal Life and Receiving of the Fullness.
John 1;16-17 And of His Fullness have all we received, and Grace for Grace.For the Law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ.
"Therfore Being justified thru faith." 1Peter1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the Salvatation of your souls.
"but that the world thru Him might be saved" "for who so ever beleiveth on Him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life" "we aslo should walk in the newness of Life""that henceforth we should not serve sin"
"what then? shall we Serve sin,because we are NOT under the Law.But under Grace?God Forbid!! "being than made free from sin ye became the Servant of Rightousness"

"For by Grace are ye saved thru Faith;and not that of yourselves and Not of works lest any man should boast"and if it is of Grace and no More of Works, other wise Grace is no more Grace.
To walk as a new Man in God and out of Love to be more God like,a man of faith lives a God like life Because of his Love and Faith in God. John 14:23 If a Man loves me he will keep my words:and my Father will Love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.

In MY FATHERS house (God lives in Heaven, Not lower heaven) are many Mansions,I go to Prepare a place for you.(Jesus in Heaven, not the Satan/Devil in Hell)

Romans 5: Salvation,Redemnation,Justification Resurrection, Eternal Life, Salvation, are all Free Gifts to the Faithful who thru the Grace of God are Saved,not in and of the Gnosis of the Mind or the Works of ones own Hands,all fall short (SIN)of the Glory Of God,God in His Mercy Saves us thru Grace

Anonymous said...

In my Fathers House Are Many Mansions.Much confusion on the Topic

The Mason/Gnostic/Mormon version of Heaven is a Devided into Something like This
OF THE FATHER IN GOD PLACE
High Heaven 11111 LIKE GOD
22222 SINGLE
33333 BAPTIZED
OF JESUS AND HIS VISATATION
Middle Heaven 11111 THE GOOD
22222 PEOPLE OF
33333 THE EARTH
OF THE HOLY GHOST AND VISATATION
Lower Heaven 11111 WORLDLY
22222 NOT REBELS
33333 THE UNHOLY
NO HEAVEN; outer Darkness out from Gods Order or Light
The Mormon Real Truth is that No One Goes to Heaven Unless they go to the Temple and receive the Iniation and ordinances, and receive the signs and Tokens of the Preisthood.so they can pass the angels and sentinals as they go To Heaven. No Signs,No Tokens,No Heaven.
The free Mason were given their Aprons,Malets,Squares,Compasses and Levels so they Could Build their Tower to Heaven.
In the Blue Lodge of Freemasonary(First three Levels)
there are
3 Degrees
. after the Blue Lodge there are
12 Degrees York Rite
and
33 Degrees Scottish Rite,and

99 Degrees of the Palladium Rite.

Back to the Blue Lodge, the Blue Lodge has 3 Levels of Masonary
1st Degree-Entered Apprentice
2nd Degree-Fellow Craft
3rd Degree-Master Mason
Joseph Smith was a Master Mason of the 3rd Degree

Does one need to look too far to find the 3 Degrees of Glory? Mormon/Mystic/Masonary in all of its Glory and Tower building. Eveyone puts on their Masonic Tools Builds and Works thier way to Heaven, Building Towers and Climbing Ladders.
Is that from Grace to Grace or one Brick at a time? What is the foundation?
1st Corithans 3:11 for other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid,which is Jesus Christ.
Ye are God's Building.
Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God.for the Temple of God is Holy, which Temple ye Are.and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's
Surely God will reward us in this life and the Life to come for our good Works and that is Grace to Grace in faith walking with God in Heaven.
Many religions Borrow their Ideas from The Nimrod/Cain/Osiris /
Gnosis and then point to a few scriptures and symboligies and use the Bible to Make Commentary about that Religion.
The 3 Degrees of Freemasonary and Of Temple Mormonsim are Not the Same But in Many Ways tie to the
3 Degrees of Glory, More so to The Higher Heaven with its 3 Degrees and not that of the Sun, Moon, Stars.
Hope to see you all in Heaven!!!

Anonymous said...

Where does judgment come into play? If everyone who makes it to a kingdom has a complete remission of sin, then why do they get judged?

Also, I've always wondered if there can be sin in one of the lower three kingdoms. Are things that are considered sin on earth not considered sin in the Telestial kingdom, since they have a lower law? For example, maybe it's ok for Telestial people to have multiple earrings, enjoy the occasional beer, and tattoo their newly perfected bodies?

If that is the case, isn't it a valid choice for people to decide they'd only like to live the lower law here on earth? Why proselytize and try to convince them that they'd rather live the higher law? If it's all about where people would feel most comfortable, then why can't we just let people figure that out on their own? They are going to make that decision with or without the church on earth. Don't you think?

David Littlefield said...

Thank you for the comments Anonymous and Mystic Monkey.

I shall break-up my response into several parts, but will eventually get to all your points.

Anon Said: “Mormon Double speak SAVED and saved.”

DAVID SAYS:

I am not sure what the point of this statement is. Doublespeak connotes saying one thing and meaning another, as taken the novel 1984. Since Mormons spend a lot of time teaching what we call the Plan of Salvation, with its degrees of glory, I don’t think you are accusing the LDS church of hiding our doctrine of three kingdoms. So I must conclude this is a pointless statement meant to confuse the issue and inflame.

David Littlefield said...

ANSWER #2 to Anon:

Let me clarify again, we are saved only by grace, not works. Only through the atonement can we be saved. And any degree of glory is heaven.

Once saved we are judged by what law we are willing to live. That is the purpose of this life, to see what we are willing to receive. All the Father has is offered to us.

ANON SAID: “Romans 5: Salvation, [Redemption], Justification Resurrection, Eternal Life, Salvation, are all Free Gifts to the Faithful who thru the Grace of God are Saved”

DAVID SAYS: Resurrection comes to all, regardless of your actions:

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” [1 Cor 15:22 and LDSGS]

David Littlefield said...

ANSWER #3

So, if you accept the above, we have two gradation of people. Through the atonement all are resurrected. Among the resurrected, some go to heaven and some to hell. The resurrection comes though Christ’s atonement, but because the atonement gives you resurrection, it is a mistake to believe it also provides salvation, without at least an acceptance of the Plan of Salvation.

If we accept the Atonement (the central part of the Plan of Salvation) with its principles and ordinances to the least degree (baptism and discipleship), we can obtain the Telestial Kingdom.

The truth of the three degrees of Glory were illustrated in:

Solomon’s Temple
The Second Temple
Modern Temples
Eden (at least two degrees)
Jacob’s Ladder
Ezekiel’s vision of the water coming from the temple

I ask, how many scriptures are necessary for you to accept a truth?

Writing about the resection Paul makes a correspondence between what we sow [1 Cor 15:37] and what we reap in the resurrection:

“There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.”[1Cor. 15:40-42]

And then there is 2 Cor. 12:2
And John 14:2.

And of course in LSD scriptures the doctrine is well established.

David Littlefield said...

MYSTIC MONKEY SAID:

“Where does judgment come into play? If everyone who makes it to a kingdom has a complete remission of sin, then why do they get judged?”

DAVID SAYS:

A kingdom of glory is not a punishment, it is the highest blessing that you are willing to accept from God.

The “judgment come[s] into play” as to what law you are willing to live. See D&C 88:20-24

MYSTIC MONKEY SAID:

“Also, I've always wondered if there can be sin in one of the lower three kingdoms.”

DAVID SAYS:

Ultimately I am not sure I know the answer to that, but to say the whole purpose of three resurrections and glories is so you go to a kingdoms were you can abide or keep the law of that kingdom.

Otherwise:

“That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still.” [D&C 88:35]


Yes, it is a choice for people to live a terrestrial or a telestial existence. But the work of God is to help all who would ascend to higher kingdoms do so. Mormon are not forcing anyone to do something, they are teaching them and inviting them.

The church is the custodian of the principle and ordinances of the gospel. And no, I don’t think the world would be the same with or without the church on the earth, just look at the dark ages. And even the dark ages would have been worse without the lingering gospel teaching from earlier ages.

-DAVID

David Littlefield said...

For the righteous, their goal is for the salvation of all who will receive it. For the highest degree of happiness for all. That is the work of the gospel.

We are one family, we need to seek more than comfort and the feeding of our own bellies.

When Abraham saw the pre-mortal life, he saw all the children of God. Some were interested in the welfare of all God’s children, these he said would be his rulers, or the ones who would govern the work of redemption.

IMHO.

-DAVID

Anonymous said...

SAVED and saved
Mormon ceation, as previously stated there Never Ever in relation to Salvation and Being Saved,The term "SAVED" never ment anything less than Receiving of the Fullness of Eternal Life and Exaltation.
Further Mormons do not beleive that you can or will got to Heaven unless you Go to the Temple.
Baptism and the laying on of hands for the Holy Ghost in Mormonism DOES NOT qualify one to Enter Heaven,Being Born again of the Body and the Spirit and living a a grace filled and Faithful life Does not gain Entry into Heaven.
Much confusion and twisting of terms and definitions.
Redeemer of the Fall,if one is saved they are redeemed of Both effects of the fall.and that Being a glorious resurrection and able to be in the presence of The Father and the Son. And any thing less than that is Not Heaven or Being saved, Hanging out somewhere in the universe somewhere lower or Less than in the presence of the Father and Son Is Not SAVED.
That is not to Inflame the issue but to drive it Home, that there is Much room in heaven and in the universe but that Does not constitute "In my Father House are Many Mansions" In Gods house and not the Dogs house.
Mormon Double speak is Saved and saved, and apply "saved" to some lower or lesser kingdom than that of full Redeemtion.
The Work and Mission of Jesus the SAVIOUR,CHRIST,MESSIAH, was not to lesser save someone to Lower Heaven and not to Bring Back,or Return,or Restore a full pre-fall condition!!
In the Garden you were in or out and not somewhere in between .
Rewards does not mean a Lesser than In His House,Mansion or Heaven.
Just as the Earth, the Sky and the heavens are God's and His creations the are Not Gods PROPER HEAVEN or His House or Mansions. so to give proper Term and definition to Being SAVED as John 1:16 And of His Fullness have all we received and Grace for Grace. Of His FULLNESS is SAVES and nothing Less.
1st John 1:3 And truly our Fellowship is with the Father,and with His Son Jesus Christ. Nothing less than this can be referred to in the Gospel as Being Saved.
Question,Comment, Fact,
Why is there Baptism and Being born Again of the Body and Spirit? and Does it make you a New creature in Christ and is one Admitted into the Kingdom of God living the Faithful and Grace life and as a Partaker of the Gifts of the spirit.
Can you in Mormon doctrine go to Heaven With out the Seceret and Sacred Code Words, Passes, signs and Tokens to Pass by the Angels who stand as sentinels who stand before the Way to Heaven.
Or Is Jesus the WAY, the Truth and the Light?
Also it is Mormon doctrine that the work for the "other" or Less than or Lower Kingdoms has not even started yet,
Some have thought that in God's
Celestial Kingdom that there are 3 Levels in the Higher kingdom and that they are Rewards of Being a "god" or Like God as a Result of Temple Marriage having Many Wives!!
And then You can be an Angel if you were not Married but Went to the Temple. However Mormon Doctrine does not allow any one into heaven that has not went to the Temple.
Question, Why and of what need is there for Baptism? (Being born again of the water and the Spirit)
Unless you Parkake of Mason/Mormonism and going to the Temple you cannot enter the Kingdom of God. In John 3:5 it says "Unless a man be born again of the water and the spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God" the is no referrence to the Temple and all of the Tokens and Besides Jesus Fulfilled the Law and Prophets and tha Vail in the Temple was Rent and the seperation of God and Man was Fulfilled in Christ thru the ATONEMENT Jesus made man and God one, not the Temple, Jesus did not come to Destroy the Law and the Prophets but Fullfilled the Law every Jot and Title.

Anonymous said...

Here is a Twist of Grace to Grace and Faith!!!!!
What do you call this
26 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man marry a wife according to my word, and they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; but they shall be destroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the Lord God.

Anonymous said...

James 2: 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead
Some times its free and Destruction
"Salvation is Free"
64 And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, if any man have a wife, who holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her the law of my priesthood, as pertaining to these things, then shall she believe and administer unto him, or she shall be Destroyed, saith the Lord your God; for I will Destroy Her; for I will magnify my name upon all those who receive and abide in my law.
65 Therefore, it shall be lawful in me, if she receive not this law, for him to receive all things whatsoever I, the Lord his God, will give unto him, because she did not believe and administer unto him according to my word; and She then becomes the Transgressor

Anonymous said...

Joseph Smith gave Mormon hierarchy the same authority that the hermetic alchemist assumed: human means to immortality, indeed divinity."
“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.”
The concept of earning grace is completely foreign
#
Rom. 5: 2, 15, 17, 20-21
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
• • •
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
• • •
17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
• • •


MORMON VIEW
Grace

* Grace is a “divine means of help or strength.”
* Through grace, “mankind will be raised in immortality [resurrected].”
* Through grace, derived from faith in the atonement and repentance of sins, people receive “strength and assistance to do good work.”
* “[Grace] is an enabling power that allows man and woman to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts” (emphasis added).
* “…grace cannot suffice without total effort on the part of the recipient.”Therefore, the atonement covers individual sins “to the degree that [a person] has faith in Jesus Christ, repents of his sins, and obeys the gospel
In Mormonism, the climb is equivalent to obeying the gospel, which is faith in Christ, plus repentance of sins, plus being baptized, plus receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, plus obeying all of God’s commandments and ordinances.[19] Once you do all that, you then receive grace in proportion to your effort. The more meritorious your works, the greater degree of glory you receive, and the better chance you have of eternally being in the presence of the Father.
the TRUTH Eph 2:8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Anonymous said...

The Mormon Doctrine of Salvation is built upon The view of the Fall in the Garden - If you have a Gnostic view of the Fall - and that is what you embrace - You will have a Gnostic plan of Salvation !! AND MORMONS DO HAVE A GNOSTIC PLAN OF SALVATION -

The Book of Mormon is NOT gnostic - The Mormons are very far removed from the doctrines of the Book of Mormon - Mormons Embraced Freemasonry , swore bloody oaths- Joined in the Oath and Covenant of lucifer by making freemasonry and secret combinations part of their 'new" religion.
All forbidden in the book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon forbids Polygamy , Secret Combinations, Swearing Bloody Oaths, uniting with secret combinations. Swearing brethern by "their Heads" in the name of the LORD.
But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
33“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the LORD.’o 34But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ 34“But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. 36“Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37“But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
But I say to you, Do not swear at all, not by Heaven, for it is the throne of God 35Neither by the earth, for it is his stool for his feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make in it a certain hair black or white. 37But your statement shall be, “Yes, yes” and, “No, no”; anything more than these is from The Evil One.

http://bible.cc/matthew/5-33.htm

Book of Mormon - Jesus Christ-3rd Nephi 12:34
"But verily, verily, I say unto you, swear not at all
Quit your Freemasonry and repent"

Some How Mormons do NOT believe this scripture or take it to heart- Repent now!!!
"But verily, verily, I say unto you, swear not at all"