Can We Win the War Against Sin?

This won't be a very long post...I just wanted to quickly touch on something that Mormon President Thomas S. Monson said in his address to the LDS faithful. I read a news report about it, which you can find Here.

At any rate, the comment I want to focus on is where he says that "We [LDS] are waging a war with sin," Monson said. "But we need not despair. It is a war we can and will win." This comment pretty well sums up one of the many beliefs that separate Mormonism from Christianity...one that provides a pretty wide gulf, showing that though the Mormon may argue that s/he is a christian ("see, we have "christ" in our name!"), the sad reality is that they do not believe in one of the basic foundational truths of the Word of God...that it is Jesus that has already won the victory over sin for us!

What does the Bible say about Jesus and sin?

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

"Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" Romans 5:18-21

"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:20-22

This is merely a sampling of the verses that speak of the work of Christ in regards to sin...indeed when our Lord said in John 19:30, "It is finished!" He was speaking of the work of atonement! Guess what? The "war with sin" was ended on that very day! For He died that we might live! The wages of sin were paid in full on that day! No, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord...Monson has it very wrong when he says his faithful will win the war...such a works based mentality is what blinds people to the Truth that He is our Champion and the true Victor over sin...the Bible says that all we need to do is to repent of our sin, and if we don't we will perish! But nowhere is it even implied that we, through our own efforts, can and will defeat sin. In fact, why should we attempt to defeat that which has already been vanquished by the Lord?

Before I end this post, I want you to read this quote, which comes from the LDS website:

"To become worthy to live in Heavenly Father’s presence after this life and to receive this peace and strength, you must learn and follow the principles and ordinances of the gospel. The first principles of the gospel are faith in Jesus Christ and repentance. The first ordinances of the gospel are baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. After you learn and follow the first principles and ordinances of the gospel, you must seek to follow Christ’s example throughout the remainder of your life" [emphasis mine]

What are these ordinances?

"Ordinance: A sacred rite or ceremony performed by the power of the priesthood and intended to bless God’s children. Some ordinances, such as baptism, are essential for salvation. Other ordinances, such as administering to the sick, constitute gifts from God to His children which are not essential for salvation. Many ordinances have symbolic meaning." [emphasis mine]

Essential for salvation? A true Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ said that "...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

Whom will you believe?

I hope and pray that while this gives you a glimpse of the deception inherent in Mormonism, it also gives you a heart for sharing the true gospel with them.

You can find the quotes I cite above here.