QUOTE |
3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. |
Is salvation through atonement the same as salvation through grace?
I ask this question because in the salvation through grace doctrine, most sects that follow it deny that one can lose their salvation, IE 'once saved always saved'. Does this follow suit in 'atonement' doctrine, or does it vary in that salvation can be lost, and even regained?
Excellent question. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the grace that most Christians speak of. That is, Jesus died that we might live.
However, for us, salvation is a process, not a destination. We can deviate from the path, return to it, even abandon it completely. While we DO believe it is possible to have a revelation that assures us of our station in "heaven", it comes after a very complete repentance process, where we assure ourselves and God, that we will always obey all of His commandments. Essentially, the people who gain that revelation (have their Calling and Election Made Sure) are the type of people, or even more, than those who become "Saints" within the Catholic Church.
We do not really subscribe to the "salvation by grace" concept.