Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
The Gospel of Grace to the Mormons

The Gospel of Grace to the Mormons

Last updated on: May 23, 2018 at 1:36 pm by Frank Viola

The Gospel of Grace to the Mormons 2018-05-23T13:36:03-04:00 Frank Viola

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

John Wallace has written a fascinating new book called Starting at the Finish Line: The Gospel of Grace for Mormons.

unnamed

Starting at the Finish Line seeks to declare the Good News of the gospel in a way that sounds like “good news” to the Latter-day Saint. It does this by 1) establishing the authority and “correctness” of the Bible, 2) explaining how we are saved by the grace of God when we put our full faith and trust in the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ, and in His blood alone, and 3) exposing the dangers of trying to contribute to our own salvation by adding obedience and good works to the finished work of Christ on the cross.

This message, to the devout Latter-day Saint, is overly simplistic and offensive. But to the struggling Mormon or to those who have already left the Mormon faith and find themselves lost in a sea of confusion, it’s music to their ears.

I caught up with John to discuss his new book.

Instead of asking, “what is your book about,” I’m going to ask the question that’s behind that question. And that unspoken question is, “how are readers going to benefit from reading your book?”

John Wallace: Well, because my book has two very distinct “primary” audiences, I will answer that in two parts. First, to my struggling Latter-day Saint reader (and by that I mean, those that have already left the Mormon faith and don’t know where to turn, and those that are contemplating leaving), I would want them to come away with two things: 1) It’s not about religion! This stringent set of rules and commandments that you’ve labored under all these years are not, as it turns out, your ticket into heaven – even if you do obey them perfectly (and who ever really does?)!

We are not on this earth to “prove our worthiness to return to live with Heavenly Father”. The fact is, we prove our unworthiness to Him every single day. The Bible tells us that our very best righteousness is but “filthy rags” to a holy God. And, 2) God knows this and has already accounted for it. He wants to give us eternal life, as His gift to give, in spite of our unworthiness. Christ suffered and died on the cross to purchase our salvation. We receive that incomparable gift the moment we come to place our full faith and trust in His shed blood! He IS the way… and He’s not asking for help.

My second primary audience is the concerned Christian who wants to have more meaningful (and fruitful) dialogue with their LDS friends and loved ones. My book will help them to better understand the Mormon mindset, as well as help them anticipate some of the more common stumbling blocks and points of resistance from the LDS.

Tell us a bit about the experiences that shaped the insights in the book. Were you ever a Mormon yourself?

John Wallace: Yes, I was an active member of the LDS church for twenty years! I served a two-year, full-time mission to Buenos Aires, Argentina; was married in the Salt Lake temple; graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brigham Young University; and held a number of leadership positions within the church. So, I know what it means to be a devout Mormon.

I also know what it feels like to have serious doubts about Mormon history as well as Mormon doctrine – and yet not have anyone to safely talk to about those doubts. And ultimately, I know how difficult (but ultimately liberating) it can be to make that migration out of legalistic religion and into true saving relationship with Jesus Christ. It was painful and disorienting at times, but oh so worth it.

How is your book different from the many other books that seek to bring Mormons to Jesus Christ?

John Wallace: There are many wonderful books that seek to clarify what’s wrong with Mormonism and why it is that Mormon theology places it far outside of true biblical Christianity. And there is certainly a place for that. My book, however, only glances off of the teachings of Mormonism. I focus almost exclusively on the “good news” of the gospel; Christ dying on the cross to pay for our sinfulness, and the utter sufficiency of His blood.

In fact, in my introduction I write: “This book is not a prosecution of Mormonism…it is very simply a defense of the gospel. If you consider my defense of the cross of Jesus to be an indictment of LDS theology, as I do, then so be it. I believe the supporting evidence is overwhelming.”

I want to overwhelm my LDS reader with the glorious truth that our salvation is in Christ and Christ alone. I want them to see and intimately experience the vastly superior Jesus that we as Christians worship. And I think my book is helpful in opening that door of personal experience. People who have read it tell me that it does so in a unique and powerful way, and I praise God for that. It doesn’t surprise me, by the way. And I say that because clearly God wrote this book; it just happened to be my fingers roaming the keyboard.

Give us two or three insights from the book that would be helpful to all Christians.

John Wallace: First, the LDS church is extremely vulnerable, now more than ever. In this age of ready information via the internet and a younger generation that just isn’t “buying” some of the historical truth claims of the LDS church, they are seeing more and more of their faithful members falling away.

This is our opportunity to share with them the risen Lord. Second, be encouraged by the fact that God’s truth will prevail. God loves these wonderful people more than we do! He’s on our side and is intervening, through His Holy Spirit, to draw them unto Himself. We need to continue to be a shining light of love, peace, joy, and strength to our LDS loved ones so that when they do summon the courage to walk away from Mormonism, they will immediately turn to us to learn more about the true and living God!

What do you hope readers will walk away with after they finish your book?

John Wallace: I hope my Christian reader comes away with a deeper love for and understanding of their LDS friends and loved ones. I hope my book equips them to better reach the Mormons. And to my Latter-day Saint reader, that he will come to see that Christ is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” That it is Christ and Christ alone, and there is no other name under heaven (including Joseph Smith’s) by which we can be saved.

Order Starting at the Finish Line: The Gospel of Grace for Mormons on discount

Uncategorized

Previous Post

July 11, 2014

Post Expired

Next Post

August 4, 2014 Where Will Power Fails

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does Revelation say about anyone who adds to the words of the prophecy?

Select your answer to see how you score.

God will add to them the plagues described in this scroll They will be cursed They will be judged They will lose their salvation