We took our son to his first experience with the youth group at the new church tonight. Dropping him off and introducing ourselves to the staff, it just felt so safe and welcoming.
The church says “Welcome Home” out front.
I’ve felt at home here ever since the first time I came—-and I had no intention of leaving the LDS church at that point.
There’s just a feeling there.
Even with loud contemporary music playing and a very basic strip mall location, there’s a strong spirit there.
Turns out you don’t need 80 million dollars to experience God in a special place.
So tonight, I sat outside and read my Bible while he was in there.
It was really nice.
Earlier today I was listening to a podcast about the LDS Second Anointing ritual. It just feels so gross. Something is not right. A special, secret club for all the elite Mormons.
When I first learned about this, I called BS immediately:
“Oh so you’re rich and elite, you’ve proven yourself “worthy” for many decades
…and then you get a special promise that you’re guaranteed eternal life with God…
Um. That’s called Christianity.
You don’t need to prove anything. You don’t need to be old. You don’t need to be in a secret club.
Eternal Life with Jesus is the basic reward all Christians already have.”
What this Second Anointing thing creates is a culture (notice I say culture, not doctrine) full of people who don’t know whether or not they’ve achieved eternal life.
They never know if they’re good enough.
They never know if their lives are acceptable to God.
They live their whole lives waiting for man to stamp his approval on their salvation.
But no.
Christians are promised eternal life the moment they step away from their sins and give their life to Jesus.
And you don’t need a man, a temple recommend, or a secret ritual to verify that.
It is done.
The price is paid.
“But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification—and the outcome is eternal life! For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:22-23).
Yep.
We all already have it. If you’re a believer who accepts Jesus by faith alone, by grace alone.
All I Possess 