Zone1 Mormons who have apostatized or stopped going to Church

[TruthNotBS]

I have a question. I believe Jesus is my Savior and that's it. I don't put my faith in anything or anyone else. Only Jesus. Is that enough for me to be saved and have eternal life?

It depends, on what your situation is. The LDS believes everyone will be granted the opportunity to recognize Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Every knee shall bow and tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord. We believe people have several opportunities to accept Jesus as their Savior, not just one.

Jesus wants Christians to be ONE. To be part of His body or church. He instructed His 12 apostles to go out and make disciples, baptizing people in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Right? Salvation is through a divine, God-given faith, that bears fruit. Being a lone ranger Christian is dangerous. Is it even possible, in an environment as demonic as the one we're living in now, with all of this immorality and technology geared towards sinful entertainment and distractions? You've been saying "good luck", I say "good luck" being a Christian lone-ranger, who doesn't go to church or isn't part of a community of Christians. It's not easy to overcome in this world.

 

[TruthNotBS]

I don't belong to an organization. I have all my faith in Jesus. Period.

"Good Luck" with that one Lone-Ranger.

 

[BS Filter]

It depends, on what your situation is. The LDS believes everyone will be granted the opportunity to recognize Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Every knee shall bow and tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord. We believe people have several opportunities to accept Jesus as their Savior, not just one.

Jesus wants Christians to be ONE. To be part of His body or church. He instructed His 12 apostles to go out and make disciples, baptizing people in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Right? Salvation is through a divine, God-given faith, that bears fruit. Being a lone ranger Christian is dangerous. Is it even possible, in an environment as demonic as the one we're living in now, with all of this immorality and technology geared towards sinful entertainment and distractions? You've been saying "good luck", I say "good luck" being a Christian lone-ranger, who doesn't go to church or isn't part of a community of Christians. It's not easy to overcome in this world.

Do you believe that I have to be a Mormon to receive eternal life or is faith in Jesus enough?

 

[BS Filter]

"Good Luck" with that one Lone-Ranger.

That's Scripture. I like my chances.

 

[TruthNotBS]

So you don't believe that the Bible is the inerrant complete Word of God. Right?

I don't believe, I know, that the Bible isn't inerrant and flawless. It doesn't have to be, to profit you. The Bible contains the word of God, but it's not perfect. It has its flaws.

You have fruit trees in your backyard and I'm your neighbor. I see you eating fruit from your fruit trees every morning and I'm jealous. So I ask you one morning, "Hi neighbor, where did you get those amazing fruit trees, did they come with the property?" and you respond "No, I purchased them at a plant nursery in the farming district about 30 miles up Chrome Ave..". You then ask me to wait a minute and you quickly walked into your house and then, less than a minute later, you walked out with a little piece of paper in your hand. You came to the fence and handed me that little paper with the address to the plant nursery.

I thanked you and a few minutes later I was on Chrome Ave, driving to the address you wrote me.

I get there and it's not a plant nursery, it's a farmer's market. You wrote in the address that there was a store that sells horse saddles in front of the plant nursery. There was no store in sight, selling horse saddles. So I do what anyone would do in this situation, I look around and I notice that a block away there's a big sign that says " WE SELL FRUIT TREES". How about that?

I left my car in the farmer's market parking lot, and I walked a block to where the sign is and a few steps away there's a plant nursery selling fruit trees. The exact fruit trees that are in your backyard! Big, beautiful fruit trees, bearing fruit. In front of the plant nursery, there's a barbecue grill restaurant called "The Horse Saddle". It's not a store that sells horse saddles, it's a barbecue grill with tables outside and families eating barbecue ribs. I purchased a few fruit trees and now a week later I have my own fruit trees, growing in my back yard. Isn't that great? Was your written address PERFECT? INERRANT? No. But it was still profitable. It led me to where I needed to go.

Do I prefer a perfectly written address, without flaws that leads me to a store in downtown that sells artificial indoor plants and trees? No, I prefer the imperfectly written address, that leads to the living trees, not a perfectly, inerrant written text that leads to dead, plastic trees. So, don't get too disturbed by the fact that the Bible isn't inerrant, it doesn't have to be to lead you to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

 

[TruthNotBS]

Do you believe that I have to be a Mormon to receive eternal life or is faith in Jesus enough?

If you have faith in Jesus Christ, and you're unable to fellowship with other Christians or be part of a congregation, or receive baptism, you're fine. If you're a rebel, lone-ranger, that could be congregating and in fellowship with other believers and you decide you're above that, you might get disciplined by the Lord for being that way. The LDS doesn't assert that you have to convert to LDS to be saved, you can remain a Christian outside of the LDS and still be saved. Even non-Christians aren't necessarily going to hell or going to be damned, for being adherents of another religion. Everyone will have an opportunity to accept Jesus.

 

[BS Filter]

I don't believe, I know, that the Bible isn't inerrant and flawless. It doesn't have to be, to profit you specially. The Bible contains the word of God, but it's not perfect. It has its flaws.

You have fruit trees in your backyard and I'm your neighbor. I see you eating fruit from your fruit trees every morning and I'm jealous. So I ask you one morning, "Hi neighbor, where did you get those amazing fruit trees, did they come with the property?" and you respond "No, I purchased them at a plant nursery in the farming district about 30 miles up Chrome Ave..". You then ask me to wait a minute and you quickly walked into your house and then, less than a minute later, you walked out with a little piece of paper in your hand. You came to the fence and handed me that little paper with the address to the plant nursery.

I thanked you and a few minutes later I was on Chrome Ave, driving to the address you wrote me.

I get there and it's not a plant nursery, it's a farmer's market. You wrote in the address that there was a store that sells horse saddles in front of the plant nursery. There was no store in sight, selling horse saddles. So I do what anyone would do in this situation, I look around and I notice that a block away there's a big sign that says " WE SELL FRUIT TREES". How about that?

I left my car in the farmer's market parking lot, and I walked a block to where the sign is and a few steps away there's a plant nursery selling fruit trees. The exact fruit trees that are in your backyard! Big, beautiful fruit trees, bearing fruit. In front of the plant nursery, there's a barbecue grill restaurant called "The Horse Saddle". It's not a store that sells horse saddles, it's a barbecue grill with tables outside and families eating barbecue ribs. I purchased a few fruit trees and now a week later I have my own fruit trees, growing in my back yard. Isn't that great? Was your written address PERFECT? INERRANT? No. But it was still profitable. It led me to where I needed to go.

Do I prefer a perfectly written address, without flaws that leads me to a store in downtown that sells artificial indoor plants and trees? No, I prefer the imperfectly written address, that leads to the living trees, not a perfectly, inerrant written text that leads to dead, plastic trees. So, don't get too disturbed by the fact that the Bible isn't inerrant, it doesn't have to be to lead you to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

That's where we disagree. The Bible is flawless. It's the plan for salvation. It's all I need.

 

[TruthNotBS]

That's where we disagree. The Bible is flawless. It's the plan for salvation. It's all I need.

OK, believe that. You're fine. You're OK.

 

[BS Filter]

If you have faith in Jesus Christ, and you're unable to fellowship with other Christians or be part of a congregation, or receive baptism, you're fine. If you're a rebel, lone-ranger, that could be congregating and in fellowship with other believers and you decide you're above that, you might get disciplined by the Lord for being that way. The LDS doesn't assert that you have to convert to LDS to be saved, you can remain a Christian outside of the LDS and still be saved. Even non-Christians aren't necessarily going to hell or going to be damned, for being adherents of another religion. Everyone will have an opportunity to accept Jesus.

So you don't believe lds is the only true church of Jesus. Right?

 

[TruthNotBS]

So you don't believe lds is the only true church of Jesus. Right?

Well, yes and no. That's a different question. I don't believe Christians who are outside of the LDS Church are damned or fall outside of Christianity, but they don't have the full gospel of Jesus Christ. They're not part of Christ's restored church, but that doesn't imply that they're not Christians or that Jesus doesn't love them. They will also receive their reward and glory in heaven after they die. Everyone isn't in the same situation.

My grandmother was Roman Catholic and she was a saint. Born in 1916, spent her whole life serving her family, her husband, and kids, and her church. Is she going to burn in hell for all eternity? No. I believe I can provide her with an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ within the LDS Church and have her baptized even after her death. She died in 1998. Our God is awesome. No one is lost, unless they are extremely wicked, evil. Our God is an awesome God, He reigns in heaven and earth. That is the God I worship. Elohim wants to save as many people as possible.

 

[Cougarbear]

I'm considering converting to LDS. I'm a Pentecostal Christian now. I'm converting due to several of the points you presented in those questions. LDS doctrine seems true to me and I also feel the "warmth in the belly" when I read the Book Of Mormon and Doctrines & Covenants. I'm speaking to missionaries right now.

They are set apart to assist you. They did me back when I converted from Judaism 46 years ago.

 

[Cougarbear]

Well, yes and no. That's a different question. I don't believe Christians who are outside of the LDS Church are damned or fall outside of Christianity, but they don't have the full gospel of Jesus Christ. They're not part of Christ's restored church, but that doesn't imply that they're not Christians or that Jesus doesn't love them. They will also receive their reward and glory in heaven after they die. Everyone isn't in the same situation.

My grandmother was Roman Catholic and she was a saint. Born in 1916, spent her whole life serving her family, her husband, and kids, and her church. Is she going to burn in hell for all eternity? No. I believe I can provide her with an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ within the LDS Church and have her baptized even after her death. She died in 1998. Our God is awesome. No one is lost, unless they are extremely wicked, evil. Our God is an awesome God, He reigns in heaven and earth. That is the God I worship. Elohim wants to save as many people as possible.

Extremely well written. So are your other posts as well.

 

[BS Filter]

Well, yes and no. That's a different question. I don't believe Christians who are outside of the LDS Church are damned or fall outside of Christianity, but they don't have the full gospel of Jesus Christ. They're not part of Christ's restored church, but that doesn't imply that they're not Christians or that Jesus doesn't love them. They will also receive their reward and glory in heaven after they die. Everyone isn't in the same situation.

My grandmother was Roman Catholic and she was a saint. Born in 1916, spent her whole life serving her family, her husband, and kids, and her church. Is she going to burn in hell for all eternity? No. I believe I can provide her with an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ within the LDS Church and have her baptized even after her death. She died in 1998. Our God is awesome. No one is lost, unless they are extremely wicked, evil. Our God is an awesome God, He reigns in heaven and earth. That is the God I worship. Elohim wants to save as many people as possible.

What if she doesn't accept the Jesus of the lds church? What happens to her?

 

[TruthNotBS]

Extremely well written. So are your other posts as well.

Thank you Cougar.

 

[TruthNotBS]

They are set apart to assist you. They did me back when I converted from Judaism 46 years ago.

Wow, you're a Jewish believer. That's great.

 

[Cougarbear]

So you don't believe lds is the only true church of Jesus. Right?

I think he will answer it in a way similar to other questions you had. The concept of "true" church is flawed in your understanding. The better way is "True" Gospel. The Church is simply Christ's church with authority to teach and practice the ordinations. There are great people in all faiths and churches that with real intent with no wavering of faith would accept the true Gospel within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 

[TruthNotBS]

What if she doesn't accept the Jesus of the lds church? What happens to her?

I don't believe that God will damn her to hell for not being LDS. I believe only extremely evil people, who hate God, are thrown into the abyss. Hell is a dark place, cold, completely void of any light and love. Only the extremely wicked, who hate God, and perhaps don't even want to go to heaven. They want to go to hell, they run to hell, to get as far away from God as possible.

 

[BS Filter]

I think he will answer it in a way similar to other questions you had. The concept of "true" church is flawed in your understanding. The better way is "True" Gospel. The Church is simply Christ's church with authority to teach and practice the ordinations. There are great people in all faiths and churches that with real intent with no wavering of faith would accept the true Gospel within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

What happens if they don't?

 

[Cougarbear]

Wow, you're a Jewish believer. That's great.

I had some spiritual experiences while growing up and into my early adulthood that I cannot deny that Jesus is the Christ. The Gospel that the Church teaches makes so much sense as well as what I feel through the testimony of the Holy Ghost as well. Those points I took from the Elder are true. I was at BYU when I converted. I sat in front of President Spencer W. Kimball at a devotional. I was wanting to know if he was a true Prophet of God. When it was over, I quietly left and went back to my apartment. A neighbor was there and I went up to him and said I want to be baptized. He was shocked but he helped me take the next step with the missionaries.

 

[BS Filter]

I don't believe that God will damn her to hell for not being LDS. I believe only extremely evil people, who hate God, are thrown into the abyss. Hell is a dark place, cold, completely void of any light and love. Only the extremely wicked, who hate God, and perhaps don't even want to go to heaven. They want to go to hell, they run to hell, to get as far away from God as possible.

Isn't faith in Jesus alone enough to save anyone?