Grace, Works, and Salvation

Back to LDS With Questions

Why This Matters

You’re not alone if you’ve wrestled with questions about grace, effort, and what it really means to be saved. Many Latter-day Saints grow up with a deep desire to please God—but also with an underlying fear of never quite doing enough. This page is here to help you explore how salvation is described in the Bible, and how that compares with LDS teaching.

LDS Teaching vs. Biblical Teaching

In LDS Teaching

  • Grace is necessary but not sufficient
  • Obedience to laws and ordinances is required
  • Salvation is often described as a process of worthiness
  • Exaltation is the ultimate goal

In the Bible:

  • Salvation is a gift of grace
  • Received through faith, not earned
  • Good works follow salvation, not cause it
  • Eternal life is based on Christ’s righteousness

Key Biblical Passages to Consider

  • Ephesians 2:8–9
  • Romans 3:28
  • Titus 3:5
  • Galatians 2:16
  • John 5:24

A Question to Reflect On

If salvation depends on what Christ has done rather than what we accomplish, how might that change the way we think about assurance, peace, and our relationship with God?