With offensive smugness, many Mormons claim to “believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it translated correctly” (LDS Eighth Article of Faith). But no LDS church member has identified all “correctly translated” words in the Old and New Testaments. To be sure, if Mormons hope to convert humanity to their bizarre religion, they must successfully address this problem.
In fact, in quasi-cafeteria style, Mormons select passages from the Bible to suit their religious preferences. Simply stated, for the Mormon church, the Bible is simply a source of proof texts (see Mormon Proof Text Commentary). For nearly 200 years, the ultralegalistic religion has masqueraded as a form of Christianity.
Romans 4 is one New Testament chapter Mormons quote sparingly. Yet, it’s among the best discourses on justification by faith instead of human works.
Mormons believe human effort is the road to eternal life (2 Nephi 25:23; Doctrine and Covenants 1:31; 25:15). But Christians, basing their beliefs on the teachings of Jesus Christ throughout the New Testament, believe in justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Christians believe good works are the fruit of salvation, not its root.
Important Groundwork
Before examining Romans 4, however, we benefit by studying Romans 3:22–30. These key verses lay a foundation for the essential Christian doctrine of justification by faith. Fundamental tenets of Romans 3:22–30 include:
· God’s righteousness goes to all who believe in Jesus Christ (verse 16).
· Justification by God’s grace, not human works, is a gift of God through the redemption of Christ (verse 24).
· Justification from God is received only through faith in Jesus Christ (verse 25).
· People who have faith in Christ are justified by God (verse 26). They don’t necessarily have to demonstrate that faith.
· Believers aren’t justified by a “law of works” because God declares them righteous only by “the law of faith” (verse 27).
· All humanity, Jew and Gentile alike, if they are to be declared righteous before God are justified by faith in Jesus Christ (verse 30).
Of course, when referring to believing in and having faith in Christ, Paul is speaking only of Jesus as revealed in the Bible, not to counter-biblical conceptions of the Savior.
Romans 4
Now look carefully at the fourth chapter of Romans. At least seven points stand out. You’ll never see these taught in the LDS church. Mormons, trying desperately to persuade you to join their church, don’t dare share with you.
1. God’s Method of Justification. Abraham, the model of righteousness for all believers, was justified by faith, not by his own works. However, good works certified his faith as genuine (see James 2:22). Good works completed Abraham’s faith (Romans 4:1–3).
2. Faith Credited as Righteousness. Using bookkeeping terms, Paul asserted that Abraham’s belief in God (that is, his faith) was credited as righteousness. The righteousness Abraham received was a gift from God, not a wage paid for work performed (Romans 4:3–5). “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due,” Romans 4:4 explains. “And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (verse 5 ESV).
3. God Justifies the Ungodly That Turn to Him Through Christ. The righteousness that qualifies you for eternal life doesn’t come from your obedience to God’s commandments and participating in so-called saving ordinances (verses 5 and 6). Eternal life results faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, which includes his victory over physical and spiritual death.
4. Abraham is the Model for All Believers. Like a Christian father is for his children, Abraham set the example for those who become sons and daughters of Jesus Christ through faith in him (see John 1:12, 13). Due to our faith in God, the Lord credits us as righteous, just as he credited Abraham (verses 11 and 12).
5. Heirs of the World. God said Abraham and his offspring would be heirs of the world through the righteousness of faith (verses 13 and 14; compare Genesis 17:4–8). Abraham and his righteous descendants through Isaac and Jacob were promised the land of Canaan as an inheritance. This symbolizes eternal life with God.
6. God’s Grace Grants Life. God’s promise to bless his people with the gift of eternal life rests on the grace given to all Abraham’s posterity through Isaac and Jacob (13–16; Genesis 21:12; Galatians 3:27–29). Clearly, Paul explained, this blessing can’t be earned. The Lord decides who receives eternal life. “ . . . The Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it,” scripture says (John 5:21 NIV).
7. Believers Receive Perfect Righteousness. Like Abraham, all who believe in Christ as taught in the Bible (see 2 Corinthians 11:4) will be credited with God’s perfect righteousness (Romans 4:23–25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18). Similarly, Genesis 15:6 and Romans 4 say those who believe as Abraham did will be credited with identical righteousness.
Despite your most valiant efforts, you can’t obey enough supposed laws and ordinances of the gospel to be worthy of eternal life. Not even the Mormon church president could live a life filled with good works with adequate quality and quantity to become fully approved by God. To reconcile believers to God, he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place upon Calvary’s cross (2 Corinthians 5:18).
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned,” John 3:18 records, “but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (ESV). The Lord grants life to those who believe in the Christ of the Bible (John 3:16), not to those who keep commandments or obey alleged laws and ordinances of the gospel.
That’s the message of Romans 4.
Comments or questions? Write loren@gco4lds.org.
Visit our Web site at www.gco4lds.org.
Global Christian Outreach is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) Christian ministry. We need your prayerful financial support. Donations are completely tax deductible under applicable law and help us defend and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the earth. To participate in this monumental work, visit www.gco4lds.org/donate.html.
