Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Do Works Matter?

For the sake of brevity, I acknowledge at the outset, that there is no resurrection and no forgiveness for sin or error without Christ's resurrection and atonement. No amount of human work or technocracy can or ever will overcome physical or spiritual death or satisfy the demands of Justice. Resurrection and forgiveness come purely through the grace of Christ. Only through Him is the unbridgeable gap of death and alienation from God unconditionally bridged for every soul who ever lived. “Unconditionally?! ” you might interject! Yes, because without any action, work, or confession on our part, we will all be resurrected and brought back to stand in the presence of God.1 And therein begins the rub, because to stand before God means to stand before Judgment and Justice.2 Grace gets us to the pleading bar of God (through resurrection and return), whereupon grace and mercy continue (now on condition of repentance3) to get us through to some degree of glory, with “reward” now dependent on a review of our works. Consider (all bold emphasis added):
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. (New Testament | Matthew 16:27)

3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. (New Testament | John 9:3-4)

20 ... that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. (New Testament | Acts 26:20)

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (New Testament | Galatians 6:7)

23 ... all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (New Testament | Revelation 2:23)

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. ...
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (New Testament | Revelation 22:12, 14)

7 The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. (Old Testament | Amos 8:7)

10 Even this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to their works whether they be good or whether they be evil— (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 16:10)

34 Be faithful until I come, for I come quickly; and my reward is with me to recompense every man according as his work shall be. (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 112:34)
However, to the confusion and deception of many, some pastors and believers have reduced physical and spiritual salvation to a single confession of faith before death. They have conflated a two-step event of 1) getting to the bar of God; and 2) being judged at that bar, into a single event of accepting Christ before death. Thus, only “those who have accepted Christ” before death (Could we call that a work?) are saved despite this promise of universal, unconditional resurrection:
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.4
Does this not erroneously imply that works (confession and acceptance of Christ while in this life) are necessary in order to trigger God's grace, despite the above scripture and many others.5 And is this not equivalent, in fact, to denying God's grace to all those who have not performed the “work” of “verbal acceptance”?

When we accept the gestalt of scripture, can we see that grace, and only grace, gets every soul of us to the pleading bar of God (resurrection and return), and thereafter, Judgment must look to the facts of repentance, forgiveness, mercy, and works in order to serve Justice? Can we, by understanding the role of both grace and works in the comprehensive Plan of Redemption, reconcile the teachings of the Apostles Paul (Romans) and James (James 2)?

It appears then that works do matter in the gestalt of God's redemptive plan and that for the unrepentant — for those who reject God's mercy and grace — Judgment may entail a second death.6

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(All bold emphasis added.)
1. New Testament | 1 Corinthians 15:21-26
   21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
   22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
New Testament | Revelation 20:12
   12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 15:33
   33 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:10
   15 And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment–seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God.
Book of Mormon | Alma 5:15
   15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?
Book of Mormon | Alma 11:40-44
   40 And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else.
   41 Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands of death; for behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand before God, and be judged according to their works.
   42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.
   43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.
   44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.
Book of Mormon | Alma 12:8, 12
   8 And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might know more concerning the kingdom of God. And he said unto Alma: What does this mean which Amulek hath spoken concerning the resurrection of the dead, that all shall rise from the dead, both the just and the unjust, and are brought to stand before God to be judged according to their works? ...
   12 And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our works. ...
Book of Mormon | Alma 40:21
   21 ... there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works.
Book of Mormon | Helaman 14:15-17
   15 For behold, he [Christ] surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord.
   16 Yea, behold, this death bringeth to pass the resurrection, and redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death; for all mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.
   17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.
Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 26:4-5
   And even unto the great and last day, when all people, and all kindreds, and all nations and tongues shall stand before God, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
   If they be good, to the resurrection of everlasting life; and if they be evil, to the resurrection of damnation; being on a parallel, the one on the one hand and the other on the other hand, according to the mercy, and the justice, and the holiness which is in Christ, who was before the world began.
Question: Since every sin has been paid for through the atonement of Christ, does this permit all men to return — to stands once more in God's presence (to be judged) whether they have accepted that gift or not?
2. Old Testament | Psalms 89:14
   14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
Old Testament | Proverbs 21:3
   3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
Old Testament | Isaiah 9:7
   7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Old Testament | Jeremiah 23:5
   5 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
Book of Mormon | Alma 42:14-15
   14 And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence.
   15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 82:4
   Ye call upon my name for revelations, and I give them unto you; and inasmuch as ye keep not my sayings, which I give unto you, ye become transgressors; and justice and judgment are the penalty which is affixed unto my law.
3. Book of Mormon | Alma 42:23-24
   23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.
   24 For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved [from the demands of Justice].
Old Testament | Ezekiel 18:30-32
   30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
   31 ¶ Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
   32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
New Testament | Matthew 4:17
   17 ¶ From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
New Testament | Luke 13:2-3
   2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilæans were sinners above all the Galilæans, because they suffered such things?
   3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
New Testament | Acts 3:19
   19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
New Testament | Revelation 2:5
   5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
New Testament | Revelation 3:19
   19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
4. New Testament | 1 Corinthians 15:21-22
5. See also footnote 1 as well as
New Testament | Hebrews 2:9
   9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Book of Mormon | Alma 9:28
   28 Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is at hand that all men shall reap a reward of their works, according to that which they have been—if they have been righteous they shall reap the salvation of their souls, according to the power and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if they have been evil they shall reap the damnation of their souls, according to the power and captivation of the devil.
Book of Mormon | Alma 12:8, 12, 14, 30
   8 And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might know more concerning the kingdom of God. And he said unto Alma: What does this mean which Amulek hath spoken concerning the resurrection of the dead, that all shall rise from the dead, both the just and the unjust, and are brought to stand before God to be judged according to their works? ...
   12 And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our works. ...
   14 For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence. ...
   30 And they began from that time forth to call on his name; therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their faith and repentance and their holy works.
Book of Mormon | Alma 42:23-24
   23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.
   24 For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved [from the demands of justice].
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:10-16; (recommended to read all of this chapter)
   10 O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.
   11 And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave.
   12 And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.
   13 O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.
   14 Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.
   15 And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment–seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God.
   16 And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away, that they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end.
Book of Mormon | Helaman 12:24
   24 And may God grant, in his great fulness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for grace, according to their works. ...
Old Testament | Daniel 9:4-5
   4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
   5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
New Testament | 1 Corinthians 3:8, 13-15
   8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. ...
   13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
   14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
   15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall may [JST] be saved; yet so as by fire.
New Testament | Matthew 5:16
   16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
New Testament | John 14:12
   12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 63:48
   48 He that sendeth up treasures unto the land of Zion shall receive an inheritance in this world, and his works shall follow him, and also a reward in the world to come.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 19:3
   3 Retaining all power, even to the destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of judgment, which I shall pass upon the inhabitants thereof, judging every man according to his works and the deeds which he hath done.
6. New Testament | Revelation 2:11
   11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
New Testament | Revelation 20:6
   6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
New Testament | Revelation 21:8
   8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Book of Mormon | Alma 12:16
   16 And now behold, I say unto you then cometh a death, even a second death, which is a spiritual death; then is a time that whosoever dieth in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also die a spiritual death; yea, he shall die as to things pertaining unto righteousness.
Book of Mormon | Alma 12:32
   32 Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of God.
Book of Mormon | Alma 13:30
   30 And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death.
Book of Mormon | Helaman 14:17-19
   17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.
   18 Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness.
   19 Therefore repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 63:17
   17 Wherefore, I, the Lord, have said that the fearful, and the unbelieving, and all liars, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie, and the whoremonger, and the sorcerer, shall have their part in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.