January 4 — After Jeffery R. Holland died on December 27, 2025, I saw some quotes from him shared on a Facebook page I follow but couldn’t find their original sources.
The First quote says —
“We are not saved in our sins, but from our sins. Salvation comes only through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.”
I would have liked to have found the reference to this quote to give Holland credit for it, but I was able to find quote by another Mormon General Authority who said the same thing.
In the October 2016 General Conference Elder D. Todd Christofferson said —
“God will always love us, but He cannot save us in our sins. Remember the words of Amulek to Zeezrom that the Savior would not save His people in their sins but from their sins, the reason being that with sin we are unclean and “no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven” or dwell in God’s presence.”
In Romans 5:8 we read —
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
And in Ephesians 2:4-5 —
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)”
Before we were saved, we lived in rebellion to God, and we were bound for hell, “But God” saved us by sending his son to rescue us from an eternity of separation from Him.
We can’t remain in our sins and expect to be allowed into God’s presence when we die, but Jesus paid the price for our sins. 1 John 2:2 tells us –
“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
We can be reconciled to God through repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:21-22
“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight”.
Once we have been saved, we have a new identity in Jesus Christ. Galatians 2:20
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
The second part of the quote states that our salvation comes through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the (Mormon) gospel.
The Bible tells us we’re not saved through our works. Ephesians 2:8-9
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
We also learn through scripture that Jesus is the only way for us to have salvation. John 14:6 says
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Mormons try really hard to make themselves righteous and holy, through their temple works, serving in their church and communities, but it will never work. None of us has the power to clean ourselves up only the blood of Jesus Christ has the power to do that. Only his work on the cross can make us righteous and acceptable to God.
The second quote I wanted the share says, “Christ’s atonement makes resurrection universal, but exaltation conditional.”
Even though I could not find this exact quote by Ballard I did find a similar one by Russell M. Nelson —
“Resurrection, or immortality, comes to every man and every woman as an unconditional gift.
Eternal life, or celestial glory or exaltation, is a conditional gift. Conditions of this gift have been established by the Lord, who said, “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.” Those qualifying conditions include faith in the Lord, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and remaining faithful to the ordinances and covenants of the temple.” (April 2008 General Conference)
The Mormons ultimate goal in this life is to work hard so that they are found worthy to enter into the highest level of the Celestial Kingdom. This is where they believe they will receive their “celestial glory” and have exaltation. All this is based on them being obedient to all the Laws and Ordinances of Mormonism. This is only through exaltation that a Mormon can become a god of their own world and have an eternal family.
Knowing Mormonism as I do, I still can’t believe some of the things their leaders say. I think to myself there is no way they have ever read the Bible or studied what God has said. My prayer is that Mormons will study the Bible, compare it with what their leaders have said and pray for God to show them the truth.
In Christ,
Melissa Grimes
Reference —
Russell M Nelson, April 2008 General Conference
[…] Obedience to Mormonism […]