Does developing your talents help get into heaven? Throughout my ten years as an active Mormon, the LDS church said yes. Really . . . our individual abilities to act, dance, sing and play musical instruments helps determine if we receive God’s fullest blessings? Through a biblical lens, let’s take a look.
Gospel Doctrine?
The requirement among Mormons to develop one’s talents isn’t merely the opinion of a few church leaders. The tenet is in fundamental LDS church manuals. For example, the book Gospel Principles sets the stage, explaining that “our Heavenly Father has said it is up to us to receive the gifts he has given us (see D & C 88:33). This means we must develop and use our talents” (1997 edition, p. 218).
Further linking talent to eternal life, the manual continues: “The Lord is pleased when we use our talents wisely. He will bless us if we use our talents to benefit other people and to build up his kingdom here on earth. Some of the blessings we gain are joy and love when serving our brothers and sisters here on earth. We also learn self-control. All these things are necessary if we are going to be worthy to live with our Heavenly Father again” (ibid., p. 220, italics added).
However, this is existentialism, not the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1–4).
A Parable Misunderstood
Unfortunately, as do other religious legalists, Mormons misunderstand the Parable of the Talents. The often-quoted story describes three bond servants who receive a portion of their master’s money before he leaves on a journey (Matthew 25:14–30). The amount of money is staggering. Each talent equals about 20 years of a laborer’s wages.
The first bond servant receives five talents. He garners five more and readily surrenders them to upon his master’s return. Receiving two talents, the second bond servant gains an additional two and likewise gives them to his lord. But the third bond servant, who receives only one talent, buries it in the ground and simply returns it to his master when they meet again. The first two bond servants were commended and placed “in charge over many things [and entered] into the joy of [their] master” (Matthew 25:21, 23). However, the third was condemned severely (vv. 26–30).
Bible scholar John MacArthur explains the Parable of the Talents from a biblical perspective. “A talent was a measure of weight, not a specific coin,” MacArthur writes, “so that a talent of gold was more valuable than a talent of silver. A talent of silver (the word translated ‘money’ in [Matthew 25:18] is [literally] silver) was a considerable sum of money. The modern meaning of the word ‘talent,’ denoting a natural ability, stems from the fact that this parable is erroneously applied to the stewardship of one’s natural gifts” (The MacArthur Study Bible, 2006, p. 1409)
A Parable Explained
Like many of Jesus’ analogies, the moral lesson of the Parable of the Talents is provided at its end. After describing the actions and respective fates of the three bond slaves, the Lord concludes, “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away” (Matthew 25:29).
Commenting on verse 29, MacArthur elaborates: “The recipients of divine grace inherit immeasurable blessings in addition to eternal life and favor with God (cf. Ro 8:32). But those who despise the riches of God’s goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering (Ro 2:4), burying them in the ground and clinging instead to the paltry and transient goods of this world, will ultimately lose everything they have (cf. 6:19; Jn 12:25)” (MacArthur, p. 1410).
The Way to Life
The Bible clearly shows the way to eternal life and full favor with God—and that way is Jesus Christ—not a church, its leaders or its assumed priesthood and ordinances. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life,” the Savior sovereignly declared. “No one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6) “I am the resurrection and the life,” the Savior adds. “He who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25, 26). “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,” Paul affirmed (Acts 16:31).
Therefore, the ability to sing, dance, act, paint a picture and play the piano is irrelevant.
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 be part of this important work, visit www.gco4lds.org/donate.html.
