I recently come upon this quote by Gordon B. Hinckley: "Just as our Redeemer gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for all men, and in so doing became our Savior, even so we, in a small measure, when we engage in proxy work in the temple, become as saviors to those on the other side who have no means of advancing unless something is done in their behalf by those on earth" ("Closing Remarks," Ensign, November 2004, 105).  The idea that we have the power to save someone, in the eternal sense if blaspheme. We don’t have the power to do that, only Jesus does. You don’t need someone to do Masonic temple rituals for you in the LDS temple. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that you must have proxy work done for you at the temple to be with God, nowhere. One thing that really upsets me about the LDS Church is how they down play Christ’s role in our lives. HE is all we need; we don’t need a legalist religion to save us. If anyone thinks all they need is a religion to save them, they are sorely mistaken. What you must have is a regenerative relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus has made it very clear that not everyone who says they believe in him will be in Heaven. In Matthew 7:13-14 he says:  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad  is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is  the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  The Bible doesn’t say that people who haven’t had certain rituals done for them are trapped and cannot advance. When you die to will go to one of two places: Heaven if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord over your life, or Hell if you have rejected him. John 3:36 states that: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.  Once your family members, or friends pass on there is nothing you can do for them. What you can do while your loved ones are still with you, is help them to come to know Jesus. Pray with them, and for them, invite them to church. Tell them the Bible holds the keys to our salvation, show them what it has taught you about how we can receive it, then let Jesus work on their hearts. He is the one, the only one who can do this (John 14:6- Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.) all you can do is plant seeds. He is the one who does all the “work”. He doesn’t need us to do any kind of “temple work”, so he can then save any of us. What the LDS people don’t understand is that we are saved by grace, this is very clear in the Bible, just a few examples are: Acts 15:11 - No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.", Ephesians 2:5 - made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved., Ephesians 2:8 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, 2 Timothy 1:9 - Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,.

In the Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 25:23 it states that the Mormons are saved by grace after all they can do. A couple of years ago the church used “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee” for their Priesthood, and Relief Society class, the first lesson gave this teaching by him:

”We hear much from some of limited understanding about the possibility of one’s being saved by grace alone. But it requires the explanation of another prophet to understand the true doctrine of grace as he explained in these meaningful words: “For,” said this prophet, “we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” (2 Nephi 25:23.) Truly we are redeemed by the atoning blood of the Savior of the world, but only after each has done all he can to work out his own salvation.”Chapter 1: The Way to Eternal Life,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, 1.

Where in the Bible does it say that we need a mortal man who is full of sin to explain grace?

How comforting can be it to think about your loves ones being trapped in a spirit prison all because they weren’t taught, or rejected the LDS gospel? I feel really sad for the LDS people that they feel like they have to place that burden on their shoulders, it’s an unnecessary burden. They feel like they have to put on their temple garments, as a super-hero would and go out to save people. I don’t want to sound disrespectful, of their beliefs; I just want them to know that someone else has already carried that burden.

Christians know that their saved loved ones are with God, they aren’t trapped, and they’re in a wonderful place, John 5:24, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.  It’s not up to us to convert our loved ones to a religion, but to bring them to Christ. (Revelation 3:20- Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.) We must come to know Jesus, so he will know us. He is the only way, there is no other.

“Jesus Paid It All”, has become a favorite hymn of mine, since becoming a Christian, the refrain goes like this:

“Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow”

I hope, and pray that the LDS people will learn that Jesus did “pay it all”; we don’t have to do anything. When we get to heaven he will receive all the glory.

Melissa Grimes

melissa@lifeafter.org