An LDS Reply to those who seek to shake the faith of others:
Written by Wer62
Evangelical religious groups often times will hunt for hard questions for LDS members to answer in order to shake the faith of those who may not be as secure as others. One such question was posed based on Spencer W. Kimballs book "Miracle of Forgiveness"
A central teaching in the LDS Church is that forgiveness from God is available, but it is conditioned upon repentance.* LDS Prophet Spencer W. Kimball taught that human beings are required to forgive others even though they be unrepentant.**
How is it that man is able to forgive the unrepentant, while it is "impossible" for God to do so? Is man above God in that he can forgive even the unrepentant?
*See Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 165-166; Mormon
Doctrine, Forgiveness, p. 292** See Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 282
In order to answer this question one must have a good understanding of judgment, repentance and forgiveness. God has an obligation by his own words to judge mankind so that no unclean thing may enter into heaven. We must follow those laws, ordinances, and commandments that God has set before us as well as following the Lord's judgment. (Lev 18:4) It is all too clear that judgment is God's and not man's to perform. We are to do no unrighteousness in judgment of our fellow man. (Lev 19:15-18)
We know that each man's judgment comes from the Lord. (Prov 29:26) We also know that there is a real danger when performing judgment against our fellow man for if you judge your fellow man you will be judged by the same measure. (Matt 7:1-2) The Lord's Prayer and explanation sums up forgiveness and judgment especially on judgment of man by man. You will be forgiven if you forgive those who trespass and debt against you. (Matt 6:9-15) It does not matter if the offending party has repented or not as judgment is not for man against man. We are to forgive.
This however does not negate repentance for those who humble themselves before the Lord in repentance shall have salvation. (2 Cor 7:8-10) Those who don't repent will parish. (Luke 13:5) We must repent of our sins before God. God has made it abundantly clear that judgment belongs to him and that we are to forgive our fellow man. In conclusion while this may be a hard task for us as mankind to perform I see no contradiction between the statements made by Spencer W. Kimball concerning repentance and forgiveness. Does this make man above God? No as we have not learned how to righteously, lovingly judge like God.
1 comment:
Thank you.
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