In recent years some Christians have
insisted that the Mormon Church has been slowly abandoning
its heretical roots and coming closer to embracing a more
biblical soteriology. While we would like nothing more than
to see this actually happen, we have been reluctant to
engage in similar optimism. A speech given by Seventy Bruce
Hafen in General Conference in April 2004 confirms our
doubts.
In his talk titled "The
Atonement: All for All," Hafen made it very clear
to his listeners that the LDS Church is not moving towards a
Protestant view of grace and works. Hafen commented on how "some
of our friends can't see how our Atonement beliefs relate to
our beliefs about becoming more like our Heavenly
Father." He went on to say, "Others
mistakenly think our Church is moving toward an
understanding of the relationship between grace and works
that draws on Protestant teachings." Such
"misconceptions," he said, prompted him to
address this topic in his conference message (Ensign
magazine, May 2004, p.97).
Hafen insisted that it was not enough
simply to believe in Christ. Using the story of the Pearl of
Great Price as his proof text, he insisted that for Mormons
to qualify for "such exquisite treasure," they
must "give the way Christ gave -- every drop He
had." While such language sounds pious, the fact of
the matter is I don't know too many people who "give
every drop" on a consistent basis like Christ did.
He continued by stating, "If we
must give all that we have, then our giving almost
everything is not enough. If we almost keep the
commandments, we almost receive the blessings."
(p.98, emphasis his)
If Hafen were discussing personal
sanctification, I wouldn't protest so much. However, to
insist that personal effort and the ability to keep
commandments are the necessary requirement for eternal life
is anathema to the biblical message of grace. I personally
found Hafen's talk intriguing and couldn't but wonder if
Hafen's speech was meant to clarify the LDS Church's
position in light of many comments made by popular BYU
professor Robert Millet, Dr. Millet has written numerous
books on the subject of grace from his personal perspective.
Though I am not yet convinced that he has grasped the
biblical message of grace, Millet has often made comments
that contradict LDS leaders on this subject.
Was Hafen offering a public rebuke? Was
he engaging in damage control? I have no doubt that many
members of the LDS Church have been confused by what appears
to be mixed signals when it comes to obtaining salvation.
Hafen also used his talk to criticize the
Christian view of the fall of man. He insisted that for
centuries, Christianity has been wrong in its belief that "Adam
and Eve's fall was a tragic mistake, which led to the belief
that humankind as an inherently evil nature." The
fall, he said, "was not a disaster."
First of all, I object to Hafen's
stereotype that all Christians believe the fall was "a
mistake or an accident." Certainly it was a mistake
on the part of Adam to sin against God's decree, but I do
not believe for a moment that the fall took God by surprise
or that it was not in His divine plan. Hafen's comment on
man's nature is not out of step with what has been taught by
LDS leaders of the past. On March 23 1862 Brigham Young
said, "Many of us have been taught the doctrine of
total depravity - that man is not naturally Inclined to do
good. I am satisfied that he Is more inclined to do right
than to do wrong. There is a greater power within him to
shun evil and perform good, than to do the opposite"
(Discourses of Brigham Young, p.l8).
Young's position seems to conflict with
the Book of Mormon when it says, "Therefore, as the
soul could never die and the fall had brought upon all
mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal, that Is,
they were cut off from the presence of the Lord, It was
expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this
spiritual death. Therefore, as they had become carnal,
sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary state
became a state for them to prepare, it became a preparatory
state" (Alma 42:9,10, .emphasis mine).
