Close Topic Options

Love?

Could someone explain the relationship between the love between God and us and God's requirement for us to live a certain way to get a better place in heaven?

Maybe it's from not growing up in an LDS church, but when I think of a loving God, I don't understand why he would make us work to be with him. A loving earthly father wouldn't require his children to behave as best as they can to give them his full attention, right? How is Heavenly Father different? Wouldn't an earthly father give more attention to his children who stray? Didn't Chirst say he came for the sick, not the healthy?

Plus, I don't understand how the system works for our love for God. Like I said in my intro, just because I don't believe we have to be good to earn our place in heaven, it doesn't mean I lie, cheat, steal, sleep around or anything like that because I believe I'm secure. You don't do nice things for your spouse just to get things from him or her because that would be an unhealthy relationship. Nice actions in a marriage should be based on your love for one another. Isn't it a greater expression of love when you do something nice without expecting anything in return than if you did expect a reward?

Love

God has given us commandments, and requires that we are obedient to those commandments, in order to receive His blessings. Otherwise, what would be the sense in giving the commandments? Unless there is some sort of accountability, chaos would reign. However, He knows that we are not perfect, and has provided us a way, through the atonement and by repentance, to be forgiven of our sins. Like an earthly father, He loves His wayward children as well as the obedient, however, again like an earthly father, He doesn't reward a disobedient child with the same privileges as He would an obedient one.

If I understand you right, you are saying that you don't lie, cheat, steal, sleep around or anything like that because you love God and not because you are afraid of anything that might happen to you after death. Is that correct? If so, I agree with you. That is the exact same reason I do not do those things. Didn't Jesus say, "If you love me, keep my commandments?" Makes sense to me.

Love? Studies Doctrine Mormon

We don't believe that we "earn a place in heaven."

Here is a quick and easy reply, but it isn't the complete answer, either.

Also

Now, God does love us. He wants the best for us. We believe that the very best comes from US learning, growing, gaining wisdom, and becoming more like God in wisdom and love. A good mortal father would not help his children to become great artists, engineers, doctors, or teachers by just telling them, "You are a great musician. Now go out there and WOW everybody." Instead, he will encourage them to practice, to study, to learn on the job, to develop skills and wisdom. If he just gives them the reward fame and fortune, they squander it away (think of Paris Hilton, the Olsen twins, etc.).

Look at all the commandments that God gave throughout both the Old and New Testaments. Why did He give them?

Just as a mortal father will encourage and applaud the successes of his diligent children, he will also cajole, encourage, threaten, punish, and work with the children who start to waste their lives. God does the same. He gave us commandments to guide us towards our full potential as His children. Since all of us have fallen to some degree or other, He provided a way to overcome our weaknesses, sins, transgressions, illnesses, and wounds. The Atonement of Jesus Christ provides the healing necessary in our development.

Now, these are certainly distinct LDS and Mormon beliefs. If you wish to reject them, that is completely between you and God. I, for one, have received my answer from God concerning these doctrines. I know that I am His child. I know that Jesus Christ is my Eldest Brother, and that He made the sacrifice of the Atonement for me. I also know that because of that sacrifice, I can enjoy the fullest blessings of God's love, as well as His mercy, wisdom, and the fulness of His Plan of Happiness.

Love

For a moment I thought you was not a Christian until I read your profile and see "Baptist". The reason for this comment is because once again I am surprised at your reasoning of the Scriptures. Why a loving God would make us work to be with him? because he LOVES US. That's why. Because he wants us to be the best we can or you thought the 10 commandments are another nice piece of scripture that was given to the Jews and does not apply to us anymore? If you do believe in the Bible, then you believe in the commandments and if you do believe in them then you better know you have to work your butt off in this life! because that's what he asked us to do (Commandments).

Of course, He loves each one of us yet as any other father he will not justify the bad behavior of one of his children. Mercy cannot steal justice.

As Nighthawk said, we as Latter Day Saints do not believe we can "earn" a place in Heaven. It is impossible. There is nothing we could do on this earth that can earn us such thing. And that's why the Atonement of Jesus Christ took place. It does not mean I am going to sit down on my couch every day doing literally nothing to improve my life and the life of others just because I think there is nothing I can do about it. This is how Satan actually operates, making people believe they are in a "salvation" state and in a "comfort" zone where in fact are being led astray by Lucifer. If we believe we are children of God and we proclaim we love him, then we are going to do our very best here on Earth. It is not because we will be expecting a reward but because we proclaim being his children, then what kind of child who says love his Father will try to take advantage of His love by thinking they do not have to do anything in order to be with him?

Edited: LDS_forever on 4th Apr, 2006 - 1:57pm

Love

In my own opinion, if you are doing something "nice" for someone with the intent of getting something in return, you are not doing it for the right reasons.

Love?

Seektruther, by your initial statements, are you inferring that in your religion or Church that you are not asked to live a good life to enter the kingdom of Heaven? Why do you believe this is only true of the LDS church? Maybe I misunderstood your initial question, but I believe all Christians, including LDS, are asked to live good lives and keep God's commandments. I am not LDS, but I agree with all the statements that have been made by the LDS posters so far, so please enlighten me as to what your question is really about?

Love

seektruther,

All christian faiths, including LDS, call upon you to do good works. Some do not require them, but some simply state that you should do them BECAUSE of your dedication. This is not something exclusive to the LDS church. But again, the Bible has already been interpreted as many ways as it has pages, including your faith which requires baptism for salvation. (your profile says baptists) I could then put the same question to you, why require anything then to earn gods love, at least enough to get to heaven? Why require baptism, or a statement, or deeds, or infact, anything at all?

I put it this way, in terms of religion. My dad loves me unconditionally. I got in an argument with my parents and said things I shouldn't have. My dad, a devout christian, told me I needed to leave, and could not come back until I chose to treat him with respect. He would not let me in the house, but that didn't change the fact that he loved me. I would think that most christian religions view god in much this same way.

Love Mormon Doctrine Studies

Actually, yes, it doesn't apply to us anymore (see verses below). I know it can be easy to think of the 10 commandments as simply rules God gave us to follow, but they are more complicated than that. The following is from Galatians 3.

So the Law was given to Isreal because of transgressions, not as a means of justifcation. Read on.

Notice the past tense of us being under the law. Read on, it gets better.

The Law served it's purpose, bringing us to Christ, now we are no longer under it.

Your going to have to explain those two bolded statements to me. I agree with the first one, but the second one seems to contradict it. How is that not earning a place in heaven?

I know this sounds weird, but most Baptists don't believe baptism is needed for salvation. It's very important in our life, it just has nothing to do with the afterlife. Baptists don't require anything, we just explain we believe all you need to be with God after you die is to a faith in Jesus . . .

Offtopic but, . . . not to be confused with the simple, modern meaning of belief. The Biblical sense of believing in something went far beyond simply accepting that it exists. To "believe" in something was to put your hope, trust and will in it. If you want to talk more about the Biblical sense of belief, we can start another thread on it. I don't see how this discussion could have gone on with out a look at the purpose of the 10 commandments, but if you want to move that to another thread LDS_forever, I can do that. Just let me know if I go too far on a sub-topic.

Edited: seektruther on 6th Apr, 2006 - 5:16am