How perfect is our father in heaven? Completely! The law is a description of God's perfection. If we want to have God's perfection, we cannot pick and choose which commandments we wish to keep and disregard the rest. Compliance with only 99% of God's laws is not perfection, as our father in heaven is perfect.

    Joseph Smith knew that our works would have to meet this extreme standard if they were considered in our salvation—"I * * * spoke to the people, showing them that to get salvation we must not only do some things, but everything which God has commanded," (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Pg.332).

    Also, Moroni 10:32  teaches, "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."  From these and many other passages, one can see that the LDS Church teaches a work oriented salvation.  This is not to say that they don't regard faith in Christ as an essential part of salvation.

    Spencer W. Kimball taught, "However good a person's works, he could not be saved had Jesus not died for his and everyone else's sins," (The Miracle of Forgiveness, Pg. 207). Jesus Christ is an indispensable part of salvation in LDS theology.

    However, works are equally essential for salvation (exaltation). President Kimball's next words were, "And however powerful the saving grace of Christ, it brings exaltation to no man who does not comply with the works of the gospel," (MF, p. 207).

    If works are needed for salvation, they would have to be in 100% accord with all that God has commanded. "Your Heavenly Father has promised forgiveness upon total repentance and meeting all the requirements, but that forgiveness is not granted merely for the asking.  There must be works—many works—and an all-out, total surrender, with a great humility and ‘a broken heart and a contrite spirit,'" (p. 324-5 emphasis added).

Is This Possible?

    The Book of Mormon teaches, "...the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them," (1 Nephi 3:7). If God prepares the way for us, we can keep all the commandments. Nobody, not even Satan, can stand in our way. 

    Neither does human weakness make sin allowable. The Book of Mormon says God prepared the way for the children of men (all mankind).  Therefore, the most difficult commandment is within the capacity of the weakest person.

    Bruce R. McConkie also taught that we can keep all the law.  He taught, "He [Jesus Christ] kept the law of God, and remained without sin, showing thereby that it is in the power of man to keep the law and remain also without sin; and also, that by him [Jesus] a righteous judgment might come upon all flesh, and that all who walk not in the law of God may justly be condemned by the law, and have no excuse for their sins," (Mormon Doctrine, p. 320, emphasis added).

Will Repentance Help?

    It is often mistaken that repentance will cover the sins that we do not cease.  However, repentance is not an alternative for ceasing to sin. Ceasing to sin and keeping the commandments is repentance.

    LDS scripture teaches, "By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins— behold, he will confess them and forsake them," (D&C 58:43). Spencer W. Kimball, after quoting the above verse, writes, "The forsaking of sin must be a permanent one. True repentance does not permit making the same mistake again." (Tract, Repentance Brings Forgiveness).

    He also taught, ". . . the repentance which merits forgiveness. It is that the former transgressor must have reached a ‘point of no return' to sin wherein there is not merely a renunciation but also a deep abhorrence of the sin—where the sin becomes most distasteful to him and where the desire or urge to sin is cleared out of his life," (MF, p. 354-55 emphasis added).

Obviously, the forsaking of the sin should be permanent.  It is illogical to assume that all we have to do is to cease the sin for five minutes, or for five days, or maybe even five years. "Discontinuance of sin must be permanent," (MF, p. 176).  Forsaking sin does not mean, "Forsake it till the next time you do it."

How Much Time Do We Have?

    As demonstrated, LDS sources are clear on what needs to be done (stop sinning).  It is also taught very clearly when we need to complete the job—this life time.  "Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis [death], that I will repent, that I will return to my God.  Nay, ye cannot say this," (Alma 34:34).

Still, some Mormons think that they will have another chance for
exaltation if they don't stop sinning before death.  But an apostle of the
LDS Church once warned, "...there is no such thing as salvation for the dead for the Latter-day Saints who have been taught the truths of salvation and had a fair and just opportunity to live them," (Mormon Doctrine, p. 686).

Good News??

    This doctrine, salvation through commandment keeping, is burdensome and frightening. The Book of Mormon itself teaches that this doctrine is
scary—"...behold, fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and die in their sins," (Mosiah 15:26).

    This LDS doctrine is given the label "gospel." Knowing that the word gospel means "good news," it is hard to see the connection of how it is good news. If we love God and want to be with Him after this life, this belief system does not provide any opportunity for forgiveness of all of our sins.  This is because nobody will ever keep all the commandments (Eccl. 7:20).

    The Bible also teaches about making our-selves acceptable to God by commandment keeping.  But it is not presented as the gospel.  Rather, "For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law,'" (Galatians 3:10, emphasis added).