Born Again--the Early Church Fathers and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints agree

Requiring anything in addition to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a works-based salvation. To say that baptism is necessary for salvation is to say we must add our own good works and obedience to Christ’s death in order to make it sufficient for salvation. The Book of Mormon teaches that Mormons are saved by grace “after all (they) can do” (II Nephi 25:12), a passage that is commonly interpreted to mean that Mormons must perform their very best before God’s grace kicks in to make up for what they lack.
 
Requiring anything in addition to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a works-based salvation.
Great. I agree. Jesus himself required more than faith. Matt 19... "if thou wouldst have life, keep the commandments". There you go. works-based salvation... if we were going by your empty claim above. That's not what works-based salvation is. Works-based, assumes that one can work his way into salvation without any help. Our religion teaches is grace-based salvation.
To say that baptism is necessary for salvation is to say we must add our own good works
Another made up defintion that can't possibly be true. I don't think anyone can say that being dunked in a pool of water is either good or bad, so I don't know where you get the idea that it's adding "good works". But Jesus himself said that no one can enter the kingdom of God without being baptized of water and the spirit.

So, even if you're a good person and kept all the commandments, if you don't get baptized, you're not getting in the pearly gates.
The Book of Mormon teaches that Mormons are saved by grace
Yep. Grace based.
a passage that is commonly interpreted to mean that Mormons must perform their very best before God’s grace kicks in to make up for what they lack.
that the "common interpretation" of our critics, but not of our church. Commonly, we understand it to mean just what it says in context. "All we can do" is be reconciled to God. That's it. After that, it's all grace.
 
Requiring anything in addition to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a works-based salvation. To say that baptism is necessary for salvation is to say we must add our own good works and obedience to Christ’s death in order to make it sufficient for salvation.

Could you collate that statement with the testimony of Jesus--who testified all men will be judged according to works--and that for life or damnation?

John 5:28-29---King James Version
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Or--is that just another example of "works-based salvation"?

The Book of Mormon teaches that Mormons are saved by grace “after all (they) can do” (II Nephi 25:12),

Would you explain for us how that differs from the testimony of Jesus Christ here?

Matthew 10:22---King James Version
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

a passage that is commonly interpreted to mean that Mormons must perform their very best before God’s grace kicks in to make up for what they lack.

What is your evidence Matthew10:22 is separating out the LDS as the only ones who it applies to?

Hebrews 10:36---King James Version
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
 
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

No baptism mentioned in the second part. Ever wonder why? The answer is"belief" saves (John 3:16)...baptism doesn't...which is why learned degreed scholars know that baptism isn't a requirement for baptismm.
Amen! Mark 16:16 - He who believes and is baptized will be saved (general cases without making a qualification for the unusual case of someone who believes but is not baptized) but he who does not believe will be condemned. The omission of baptized with "does not believe" shows that Jesus does not make baptism absolutely necessary for salvation. Condemnation rests on unbelief, not on a lack of baptism. So salvation rests on belief. *NOWHERE does the Bible say "baptized or condemned."

If water baptism is absolutely required for salvation, then why did Jesus not mention it in the following verses? (3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26). What is the ONE requirement that Jesus mentions NINE different times in each of these complete statements? *BELIEVES. *What happened to baptism? *Hermeneutics.

John 3:18 - He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who (is not water baptized? - NO) does not believe is condemned already, because he has not (been water baptized? - NO) because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
 
The early Church fathers were often wrong.

Bascially the Mormon doctrine says if you are not a Mormon and their baptism gospel is not part of your salvation...you're lost.

Roman Catholics put a lot of stock into the writings of the early church fathers as well. I even hear Roman Catholics quote the early church fathers to support infant baptism. Do Mormons support infant baptism as well?

Irenaeus​

“He [Jesus] came to save all through himself; all, I say, who through him are reborn in God: infants, and children, and youths, and old men. Therefore he passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, sanctifying infants; a child for children, sanctifying those who are of that age . . . [so that] he might be the perfect teacher in all things, perfect not only in respect to the setting forth of truth, perfect also in respect to relative age” (Against Heresies 2:22:4 [A.D. 189]).

Hippolytus​

“Baptize first the children, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them” (The Apostolic Tradition 21:16 [A.D. 215]).

Origen​

“Every soul that is born into flesh is soiled by the filth of wickedness and sin. . . . In the Church, baptism is given for the remission of sins, and, according to the usage of the Church, baptism is given even to infants. If there were nothing in infants which required the remission of sins and nothing in them pertinent to forgiveness, the grace of baptism would seem superfluous” (Homilies on Leviticus 8:3 [A.D. 248]).

“The Church received from the apostles the tradition of giving baptism even to infants. The apostles, to whom were committed the secrets of the divine sacraments, knew there are in everyone innate strains of [original] sin, which must be washed away through water and the Spirit” (Commentaries on Romans 5:9 [A.D. 248]).

Cyprian of Carthage​

“As to what pertains to the case of infants: You [Fidus] said that they ought not to be baptized within the second or third day after their birth, that the old law of circumcision must be taken into consideration, and that you did not think that one should be baptized and sanctified within the eighth day after his birth. In our council it seemed to us far otherwise. No one agreed to the course which you thought should be taken. Rather, we all judge that the mercy and grace of God ought to be denied to no man born” (Letters 64:2 [A.D. 253]).

“If, in the case of the worst sinners and those who formerly sinned much against God, when afterwards they believe, the remission of their sins is granted and no one is held back from baptism and grace, how much more, then, should an infant not be held back, who, having but recently been born, has done no sin, except that, born of the flesh according to Adam, he has contracted the contagion of that old death from his first being born. For this very reason does he [an infant] approach more easily to receive the remission of sins: because the sins forgiven him are not his own but those of another” (ibid., 64:5).

Gregory of Nazianz​

“Do you have an infant child? Allow sin no opportunity; rather, let the infant be sanctified from childhood. From his most tender age let him be consecrated by the Spirit. Do you fear the seal [of baptism] because of the weakness of nature? Oh, what a pusillanimous mother and of how little faith!” (Oration on Holy Baptism 40:7 [A.D. 388]).

“‘Well enough,’ some will say, ‘for those who ask for baptism, but what do you have to say about those who are still children, and aware neither of loss nor of grace? Shall we baptize them too?’ Certainly [I respond], if there is any pressing danger. Better that they be sanctified unaware, than that they depart unsealed and uninitiated” (ibid., 40:28).

John Chrysostom​

“You see how many are the benefits of baptism, and some think its heavenly grace consists only in the remission of sins, but we have enumerated ten honors [it bestows]! For this reason we baptize even infants, though they are not defiled by [personal] sins, so that there may be given to them holiness, righteousness, adoption, inheritance, brotherhood with Christ, and that they may be his [Christ’s] members” (Baptismal Catecheses in Augustine, Against Julian 1:6:21 [A.D. 388]).

Augustine​

“What the universal Church holds, not as instituted [invented] by councils but as something always held, is most correctly believed to have been handed down by apostolic authority. Since others respond for children, so that the celebration of the sacrament may be complete for them, it is certainly availing to them for their consecration, because they themselves are not able to respond” (On Baptism, Against the Donatists 4:24:31 [A.D. 400]).

“The custom of Mother Church in baptizing infants is certainly not to be scorned, nor is it to be regarded in any way as superfluous, nor is it to be believed that its tradition is anything except apostolic” (The Literal Interpretation of Genesis 10:23:39 [A.D. 408]).

“Cyprian was not issuing a new decree but was keeping to the most solid belief of the Church in order to correct some who thought that infants ought not be baptized before the eighth day after their birth. . . . He agreed with certain of his fellow bishops that a child is able to be duly baptized as soon as he is born” (Letters 166:8:23 [A.D. 412]).

“By this grace baptized infants too are ingrafted into his [Christ’s] body, infants who certainly are not yet able to imitate anyone. Christ, in whom all are made alive . . . gives also the most hidden grace of his Spirit to believers, grace which he secretly infuses even into infants. . . . If anyone wonders why children born of the baptized should themselves be baptized, let him attend briefly to this. . . . The sacrament of baptism is most assuredly the sacrament of regeneration” (Forgiveness and the Just Deserts of Sin, and the Baptism of Infants 1:9:10; 1:24:34; 2:27:43 [A.D. 412]).

Council of Carthage V​

Item: It seemed good that whenever there were not found reliable witnesses who could testify that without any doubt they [abandoned children] were baptized and when the children themselves were not, on account of their tender age, able to answer concerning the giving of the sacraments to them, all such children should be baptized without scruple, lest a hesitation should deprive them of the cleansing of the sacraments. This was urged by the [North African] legates, our brethren, since they redeem many such [abandoned children] from the barbarians” (Canon 7 [A.D. 401]).

Council of Mileum II​

“[W]hoever says that infants fresh from their mothers’ wombs ought not to be baptized, or say that they are indeed baptized unto the remission of sins, but that they draw nothing of the original sin of Adam, which is expiated in the bath of regeneration . . . let him be anathema [excommunicated]. Since what the apostle [Paul] says, ‘Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so passed to all men, in whom all have sinned’ [Rom. 5:12], must not be understood otherwise than the Catholic Church spread everywhere has always understood it. For on account of this rule of faith even infants, who in themselves thus far have not been able to commit any sin, are therefore truly baptized unto the remission of sins, so that that which they have contracted from generation may be cleansed in them by regeneration” (Canon 3 [A.D. 416]).


I once read an article in "The Ex-Catholic Journal" that said some of the writings attributed to the church Fathers have been found to be forgeries, while others have been taken out of context. Doctrines such as the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, the perpetual virginity of Mary, the papacy, infant baptism, purgatory and transubstantiation are alleged to be supported in these early writings. I hear Roman Catholics quote the church Fathers a lot to support their doctrines. The article went on to say that most of the copies of copies of copies of the church Fathers that we possess today were copied during the time that the Roman Catholic church controlled the flow of literature in Europe. That would explain a lot! We do not have any original copies of their writings, only copies of copies of copies. God promised to preserve HIS WORD, the Bible, but not the fallible writings of these fallible men.
 
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Church Fathers on Justification by Faith

Question: Are there examples from church history of leaders in the Catholic Church who taught salvation by grace through faith alone, or something approaching it?

Answer: Yes, definitely. Most of the quotations from the Church Fathers and Catholic scholars listed below were compiled by James Buchanan in his classic book "Justification" and listed in the abridged version, "Not Guilty" (Grace Publications).​

  • Clement of Rome: "We also, being called through God's will in Christ Jesus, are not justified through ourselves, neither through our own wisdom or understanding, or piety, or works which we have done in holiness or heart, but through faith" (Epistle to Corinthians).​
  • Ignatius: "His cross, and his death, and his resurrection, and the faith which is through him, are my unpolluted muniments; and in these, through your prayers, I am willing to be justified (Epistle to Philadelphians). Note: "muniments" are title deeds, documents giving evidence of legal ownership of something.​
  • Polycarp: "I know that through grace you are saved, not of works, but by the will of God, through Jesus Christ (Epistle of Philippians).​
  • Justin Martyr: "No longer by the blood of goats and of sheep, or by the ashes of a heifer...are sins purged, but by faith, through the blood of Christ and his death, who died on this very account (Dialogue with Trypho). "God gave his own Son the ransom for us...for what, save his righteousness, could cover our sins. In whom was it possible that we, transgressors and ungodly as we were, could be justified, save in the Son of God alone? ...O unexpected benefit, that the transgression of many should be hidden in one righteous Person and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors" (Letter to Diognetus).​
  • Ireneus: "Through the obedience of one man who first was born from the Virgin, many should be justified and receive salvation."
  • Cyprian: "If Abraham believed in God and it was imputed to him for righteousness, then each one, who believes in God and lives by faith, is found to be a righteous person."​
  • Athanasius: "Not by these (i.e. human efforts) but by faith, a man is justified as was Abraham."
  • Basil: "This is the true and perfect glorying in God, when a man is not lifted up on account of his own righteousness, but has known himself to be wanting in true righteousness and to be justified by faith alone in Christ."
  • Ambrose: "Without the works of the law, to an ungodly man, that is to say, a Gentile, believing in Christ, his "faith is imputed for righteousness" as also it was to Abraham."​
  • Origen: "Through faith, without the works of the law, the dying thief was justified, because...the Lord inquired not what he had previously wrought, nor yet waited for his performance of some work after he should have believe; but...he took him unto himself for a companion, justified through his confession alone."
  • Jerome: "When an ungodly man is converted, God justified him through faith alone, not on account of good works which he possessed not."​
  • Chrysostom: "What then did God do? He made (says Paul) a righteous Person (Christ) to be a sinner, in order that he might make sinners righteous... it is the righteousness of God, when we are justified, not by works...but by grace, where all sin is made to vanish away."​
  • Chrysostom: "Again, they said that he who adhered to Faith alone was cursed, but he shows that he who adhered to Faith alone, is blessed."
  • Augustine: "Grace is give to you, not wages paid to you...it is called grace because it is given gratuitously. By no precedent merits did you buy what you have received. The sinner therefore received this grace first, that his sins should be forgiven him...good works follow after a justified person; they do not go before in order that he may be justified...good works, following after justification, show what a man has received."
  • Augustine: "Now, having duly considered and weighed all these circumstances and testimonies, we conclude that a man is not justified by the precepts of a holy life, but by faith in Jesus Christ,--in a word, not by the law of works, but by the law of faith; not by the letter, but by the spirit; not by the merits of deeds, but by free grace."
  • Anselm: "Do you believe that you cannot be saved but by the death of Christ? Go, then, and ...put all your confidence in this death alone. If God shall say to you, "You are a sinner", say to him, "I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sin.""​
  • Bernard of Clairvaux: "Shall not all our righteousness turn out to be mere unrighteousness and deficiency? What, then, shall it be concerning our sins, when not even our righteousness can answer for itself? Wherefore...let us flee, with all humility to Mercy which alone can save our souls...whoever hungers and thirsts after righteousness, let him believe in thee, who "justified the ungodly"; and thus, being justified by faith alone, he shall have peace with God."
We thank God that, despite the ferocious assault of the enemy on His church with all sort of false ideas, the core message of the Gospel was known, taught and believed by many throughout the centuries. The same is true today!


 
Requiring anything in addition to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a works-based salvation. To say that baptism is necessary for salvation is to say we must add our own good works and obedience to Christ’s death in order to make it sufficient for salvation. The Book of Mormon teaches that Mormons are saved by grace “after all (they) can do” (II Nephi 25:12), a passage that is commonly interpreted to mean that Mormons must perform their very best before God’s grace kicks in to make up for what they lack.
You hit the nail on the head! (y)
 
Amen! Mark 16:16 - He who believes and is baptized will be saved (general cases without making a qualification for the unusual case of someone who believes but is not baptized) but he who does not believe will be condemned. The omission of baptized with "does not believe" shows that Jesus does not make baptism absolutely necessary for salvation. Condemnation rests on unbelief, not on a lack of baptism. So salvation rests on belief. *NOWHERE does the Bible say "baptized or condemned."

What is your evidence water baptism isn't an integral component to belief in Christ?

Mark 16:16---King James Version
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

IOW--here is what your post seems like to me:

John: Hey Ted--my house is for sale now.
Ted: Oh yeah--how much?
John: 100K--but it needs a new roof.
Ted: Wait a minute--you said house--you didn't say anything about a roof!

Luke 6:46---King James Version
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
 
What is your evidence water baptism isn't an integral component to belief in Christ?

Mark 16:16---King James Version
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

IOW--here is what your post seems like to me:

John: Hey Ted--my house is for sale now.
Ted: Oh yeah--how much?
John: 100K--but it needs a new roof.
Ted: Wait a minute--you said house--you didn't say anything about a roof!

Luke 6:46---King James Version
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Integral component? As if faith doesn't exist without baptism? Not hardly. Why the "AND" between believes AND is baptized if baptism is an integral component to belief in Christ? One believes prior to receiving water baptism and belief is still belief before, during and after receiving water baptism. If your belief fully trusted in Christ alone for salvation you would understand that. The object of your belief is a divided trust and belief must trust in Christ alone for salvation or else it's void.

Baptism would have no meaning without Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, but Christ’s death, burial and resurrection would still have meaning, even if there were no baptism. In other words, Christ’s death, burial and resurrection is the substance and baptism is the symbol/picture. It's the lack of belief that causes condemnation and not the lack of baptism. (Mark 16:16(b); John 3:18)

Without faith it's impossible to please God no matter how many things you do that the Lord says for the wrong purpose and with the wrong motivation. There will be many people who believed they were doing all the right things, only to find out that Jesus NEVER knew them. (Matthew 7:21-23) Sobering words from the Lord! Matthew 7:21 - Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. *See verse 22 and John 6:40 to see where these many people went wrong.
 
You hit the nail on the head! (y)

Paul describes this well in Romans when he states that if salvation is by any work, having to be earned, the God owes man a debt…and by default one can buy his pain and suffering and that He is more or less selling salvation.
 
Paul describes this well in Romans when he states that if salvation is by any work, having to be earned, the God owes man a debt…and by default one can buy his pain and suffering and that He is more or less selling salvation.
Christ's finished work of redemption is sufficient and complete to save believers. (Romans 3:24-28) No supplements needed.
 
If water baptism is absolutely required for salvation, then why did Jesus not mention it in the following verses? (3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26). What is the ONE requirement that Jesus mentions NINE different times in each of these complete statements? *BELIEVES. *What happened to baptism? *Hermeneutics.
I agree.

I also say if baptism was a requirement for the most important part of ones life....you would think there would be a chapter in the bible explaining what baptism is all about and how to perform it.
 
What is your evidence water baptism isn't an integral component to belief in Christ?

Mark 16:16---King James Version
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

IOW--here is what your post seems like to me:

John: Hey Ted--my house is for sale now.
Ted: Oh yeah--how much?
John: 100K--but it needs a new roof.
Ted: Wait a minute--you said house--you didn't say anything about a roof!

Luke 6:46---King James Version
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Pssssst...dberrie 2020.....you're losing the argument.

You do know you can be freed from mormonism?
 
Integral component? As if faith doesn't exist without baptism? Not hardly.

Not a saving faith:

Mark 16:16---King James Version
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Faith without works is dead faith--which isn't a saving faith:

James 2:18-26---King James Version
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Why the "AND" between believes AND is baptized if baptism is an integral component to belief in Christ?

Because if water baptism is an integral component to belief in Christ--then it isn't necessary to repeat both baptism and belief. It's like me haveing to repeat "roof" if I mention "house". A roof is inclusive in the term "house".

One believes prior to receiving water baptism and belief is still belief before, during and after receiving water baptism.

If one does not follow Christ--it isn't a saving belief:

Acts 2:38---King James Version
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

So--is one saved independent of the forgiveness of sins?

James 2:18-26---King James Version
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

If your belief fully trusted in Christ alone for salvation you would understand that.

A covenant involves two or more parties. Christ provide the means of salvation(grace)--and He gives that grace to them which obey Him:

Hebrews 5:9---King James Version
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

That's a two party commitment and one condition is connected to the other.

That seems to be the elephant left sitting in the room, IE--who does God extend His grace unto life? It's more than what saves on, IE--His grace, but also--who does God extend His grace to?

The object of your belief is a divided trust and belief must trust in Christ alone for salvation or else it's void.

If it's dependent on Christ alone--and nothing man does, in inheriting eternal life--then why are all men judged according to their works--and that for life or damnation?

John 5:28-29--King James Version
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The presence of eternal life to man--as an opportunity--is dependent upon Christ alone. Whether man inherits that life--is dependent upon both God and man's obedience to God.

IOW--God extends His grace unto life--to them which obey Him.

Revelation 22:14--King James Version
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
 
Paul describes this well in Romans when he states that if salvation is by any work, having to be earned, the God owes man a debt…and by default one can buy his pain and suffering and that He is more or less selling salvation.

Is this an example of that?

Romans 2:5-11---King James Version
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
 
Great. I agree. Jesus himself required more than faith. Matt 19... "if thou wouldst have life, keep the commandments". There you go. works-based salvation... if we were going by your empty claim above. That's not what works-based salvation is. Works-based, assumes that one can work his way into salvation without any help. Our religion teaches is grace-based salvation.
You reply "works-based salvation" is defined as "one can work his way into salvation without help". That's not what it means when being discussed. Works-based salvation means grace, through faith, AND baptism, or keeping God's commandments, or depending on our own merits or our own best efforts. I hope that clears up your confusion.
Another made up defintion that can't possibly be true. I don't think anyone can say that being dunked in a pool of water is either good or bad, I don't know where you get the idea that it's adding "good works".
You continue to strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. So, then, when someone is baptized it doesn't require any effort on their part, is that what you're saying? I don't know boJ, but I would venture most would agree being baptized is good AND a work when added to Grace, through faith, through Christ.
But Jesus himself said that no one can enter the kingdom of God without being baptized of water and the spirit.
Yes He did.
So, even if you're a good person and kept all the commandments, if you don't get baptized, you're not getting in the pearly gates.
You believe that? What does your religious belief system say?
Yep. Grace based.
That's only part of it for you, isn't it? Isn't there more?
that the "common interpretation" of our critics, but not of our church. Commonly, we understand it to mean just what it says in context. "All we can do" is be reconciled to God. That's it. After that, it's all grace.
Interesting. Then you can understand my confusion when I read, from your own religious belief systems resources and leaders:

The LDS Bible Dictionary tell us that the grace unto “eternal life and exaltation” is insufficient “without total effort on the part of the recipient”:
“This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts. Divine grace is needed by every soul in consequence of the fall of Adam and also because of man’s weaknesses and shortcomings. However, grace cannot suffice without total effort on the part of the recipient. Hence the explanation, ‘It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do’ (2 Ne. 25:23)” (p. 697).

Under the heading “2 Nephi 25:23—We Are Saved by Grace, after All We Can Do”, the currently used CES manual Book of Mormon Student Study Guide reads, “We are saved by the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We must, however, come unto Christ on His terms in order to obtain all the blessings that He freely offers us. We come unto Christ by doing “all we can do” to remember Him, keep our covenants with Him, and obey His commandments (see D&C 20:77, 79; see also Abraham 3:25).” (p. 53)

To help explain what “after all we can do” means Mormon leaders sometimes cross-reference 2 Nephi 25:23 with Moroni 10:32. For example:
And what is ‘all we can do’? It surely includes repentance (see Alma 24:11) and baptism, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end. Moroni pleaded, ‘Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ’ (Moro. 10:32).” – Dallin H. Oaks[fn]Dallin H. Oaks, “Have You Been Saved?” Ensign, May 1998, p. 55[/fn]

On December 9th, 1982, Ezra Taft Benson gave a talk entitled, “After All We Can Do”, and said the following: “What is meant by ‘after all we can do’? ‘After all we can do’ includes extending our best effort. ‘After all we can do’ includes living His commandments. ‘After all we can do’ includes loving our fellowmen and praying for those who regard us as their adversary. ‘After all we can do’ means clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and giving ‘succor [to] those who stand in need of [our] succor’ (Mosiah 4:15)-remembering that what we do unto one of the least of God’s children, we do unto Him (see Matthew 25:34-40; D&C 42:38). ‘After all we can do’ means leading chaste, clean, pure lives, being scrupulously honest in all our dealings and treating others the way we would want to be treated.”[fn]Ezra Taft Benson, “After All We Can Do,” Christmas Devotional, Salt Lake City, Utah, 9 December 1982. Quoted in The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 354.[/fn]

James Faust sees doing “all that you can do” as “sincerely repent[ing]” and fully repaying our debt to Christ:
“All of us have sinned and need to repent to fully pay our part of the debt. When we sincerely repent, the Savior’s magnificent Atonement pays the rest of that debt. (2 Nephi 25:23)”[fn]James E. Faust, “The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope,” Ensign, Nov. 2001, p. 18. Emphasis original.[/fn]
The passage is often used as a contrast to the evangelical doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith alone: “Many people think they need only confess that Jesus is the Christ and then they are saved by grace alone. We cannot be saved by grace alone, ‘for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.'” – James E. Faust (ibid.)

All quotes taken from: https://www.mrm.org/2-nephi-25-23


I'll stop there but want to highlight that there is a clear difference between what you, as a Mormon believes in "all that you can do" and what I believe "grace alone, through faith alone" is.
 
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You reply "works-based salvation" is defined as "one can work his way into salvation without help". That's not what it means when being discussed. Works-based salvation means grace, through faith, AND baptism, or keeping God's commandments, or depending on our own merits or our own best efforts. I hope that clears up your confusion.

Actually--it just creates new confusion:

Acts 2:38---King James Version
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Revelation 22:14---King James Version
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Could you explain for us what there is about "the remission of sins", or the "tree of life"--which isn't God's grace?

You continue to strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. So, then, when someone is baptized it doesn't require any effort on their part, is that what you're saying? I don't know boJ, but I would venture most would agree being baptized is good AND a work when added to Grace, through faith, through Christ.

I would venture to say it's the reverse of that---it's God's grace which is added to those works:

Acts 2:38---King James Version
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Again--what is there about baptism which isn't a work--and what is there about the forgiveness of sins which isn't God's grace?
 
Interesting. Then you can understand my confusion when I read, from your own religious belief systems resources and leaders:

The LDS Bible Dictionary tell us that the grace unto “eternal life and exaltation” is insufficient “without total effort on the part of the recipient”:
“This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts. Divine grace is needed by every soul in consequence of the fall of Adam and also because of man’s weaknesses and shortcomings. However, grace cannot suffice without total effort on the part of the recipient. Hence the explanation, ‘It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do’ (2 Ne. 25:23)” (p. 697).

So--what do you find as the difference between that statement--and the testimony of Jesus Christ?

Matthew 10:22--King James Version
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

That's God adding His grace to them which endure. Why isn't enduring to the end--the best we can do?

Under the heading “2 Nephi 25:23—We Are Saved by Grace, after All We Can Do”, the currently used CES manual Book of Mormon Student Study Guide reads, “We are saved by the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We must, however, come unto Christ on His terms in order to obtain all the blessings that He freely offers us. We come unto Christ by doing “all we can do” to remember Him, keep our covenants with Him, and obey His commandments (see D&C 20:77, 79; see also Abraham 3:25).” (p. 53)

And how is that any different from the testimony of the apostle here?

1 John 2:3-4---King James Version
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
 
Once again you failed to explain why it s not mentioned in the second part.

Here is the second part:

" but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Why would baptism need to be included in being damned--if it takes belief to be baptized? Take away belief--and it automatically takes away baptism, no integral components need to be added.

It's like saying--those with a car with a running engine can travel, but those without a car can't. If you don't have a car--you don't have a running engine. There's no need to add the running engine addition--it's obvious at that point one does not have a car with a running engine--if they don't have a car. That is--to most it would be obvious.
 
Here is the second part:

" but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Why would baptism need to be included in being damned--if it takes belief to be baptized? Take away belief--and it automatically takes away baptism, no integral components need to be added.

It's like saying--those with a car with a running engine can travel, but those without a car can't. If you don't have a car--you don't have a running engine. There's no need to add the running engine addition--it's obvious at that point one does not have a car with a running engine--if they don't have a car. That is--to most it would be obvious.
Why didn't Jesus say he that isn't baptized shall be damned? After all baptism is a requirement...right?
 
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